Fatal shooting of UK football player to be featured on true crime TV series
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- HBO Max series 'A Killer Among Friends' will debut with DiGiuro murder case.
- Jennifer Love Hewitt narrates and executive produces the six-episode crime show.
- Trent DiGiuro's 1994 killing remained unsolved until 2000; civil suit netted $63M.
A famous Lexington murder case that gained national attention will soon be featured on HBO Max.
Investigation Discovery is unveiling a new true crime series called “A Killer Among Friends,” a six-episode program showcasing homicides that happen within connected groups of people.
The true crime network’s debut episode series will feature the murder of Trent DiGiuro, a University of Kentucky football player who was fatally shot outside his home in Lexington while celebrating his upcoming 21st birthday. The case was unsolved for several years and previously featured on the Oxygen Network and NBC’s “Dateline.”
“A Killer Among Friends” was executive produced by actress and producer Jennifer Love Hewitt, along with Julie Pizzi, Jesse Daniels, Farnaz Farjam and Elissa Halperin. Hewitt also serves as the narrator for the series.
The debut episode featuring DiGiuro’s death will premiere July 14 on Investigation Discovery. Episodes will air weekly and also be available to stream on HBO Max.
Other episodes in the series include the murder of a community theater production star, the disappearance of a middle school student and the fatal stabbing of a UCLA student.
“Identifying new pockets of storytelling in an innovative format has always been a passion of mine as an executive producer,” Hewitt said in a news release. “’A Killer Among Friends’ offers a unique opportunity for me to draw from my own work as an actress, as we blend together a kaleidoscope of perspectives to tell each of these tragedies that deeply impact group dynamics and shatter beliefs.”
DiGiuro was killed in 1994 just three days before his birthday. The case wasn’t solved until 2000, when Shane Ragland’s ex-girlfriend came forward and said her ex-boyfriend killed the Oldham County native.
Ragland, a member of a prominent Frankfort family, allegedly held a grudge over being blackballed from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
In 2002, Ragland was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of DiGiuro, but the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2006 when it discovered an FBI agent lied during a pretrial conference. Ragland later pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, and he was released from jail after he was given credit for previous time served.
DiGiuro’s family sued Ragland, and in 2008, the family was awarded $63.3 million, including $3.3 million in lost wages. It was the largest amount awarded in Fayette County and the second-largest ever in Kentucky.
