Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey

 

Overview

Genre: Crime/drama/biography

Duration: 1h 27m

Age rating: 15+

Release Date: September 30, 2018

Director: Jim Donovan - a Canadian TV director and film director born in 1964 in Quebec. 

Jim Donovan

Awards: Canadian Screen Award for Best Limited Series or Program, Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series

Production companies: Netflix, Lifetime

Where to watch: Netflix (subscription)

Cast: Katie Douglas, David James Elliott, Amanda Arcuri and Megan Fahlenbock

Plot

A 17-year-old girl uses reverse psychology to get her kidnapper to set her free. When she returns home, the only person who believes her story is a veteran detective who realizes she was taken by a notorious serial killer.

My personal opinion

10/10 - I was absolutely blown away by this movie.

The camera shots, the story, the outstanding performances Katie Douglas put in, everything was all just so phenomenal.

There are a few graphic scenes in the film so only watch if you feel comfortable but I do highly recommend. 

Very very emotional but definitely worth watching. 

The Story of Lisa McVey

On November 3rd 1984, Lisa was cycling to her grandmother's house after work when all of a sudden she was snatched from her bicycle, blindfolded, held at a gunpoint, kidnapped, raped and tortured for 26 hours. She later learned that her perpetrator was american serial killer and rapist Bobby Joe Long who was responsible for at least 10 murders and 50 rapes. 

During her captivity, McVey offered to be his secret girlfriend. She then elicited sympathy from Long by claiming to be the only child of an ill parent. He was persuaded to release her and did so in a remote location, instructing her to keep her blindfold on for five minutes while he escaped.

Bobby Joe Long (serial killer)

Upon arriving home, she was beaten by her grandmother's boyfriend (McVey had been a victim of abuse long before her abduction), interrogated for five hours about her whereabouts. Her account remained consistent despite no one believing her. 

McVey had committed to  memorize several details about her abduction and intentionally left fingerprints on several surfaces in Long's bathroom to help police identify her in the event of her death.

 Through her description of her captor, his vehicle, the route they took, and other details, police were easily able to track down Long and connect him to the other crimes he has committed. 

Long was arrested on November 16th 1984 for the sexual assault and kidnapping of Lisa McVey. 

On September 23, 1985, Long pleaded guilty to his crimes against McVey and to an additional eight counts of first-degree murder, eight counts of kidnapping, and seven counts of sexual battery. He received life sentences on every count in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Additionally, he received two death sentences for the murders of Michelle Denise Simms and Virginia Johnson (his other victims).

Long was executed by lethal injection on May 23, 2019.  McVey and another survivor, Linda Nuttall, were present. 

The now 55-year-old now goes by Lisa Noland and lives in Hillsborough County, Florida not far from where she was abducted.

She works as Hillsborough County sheriff's deputy specializing in sex crimes working to protect children for almost two decades.

She explained to Fox 13, "A protector. No one's going to get hurt on my watch."