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By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. 12 Documentaries With Twist Endings. On several occasions, it was noted that Zachary had poor attachment to his mother and preferred the company of other adults, particularly his grandparents. On 23 October 2009, Scott Andrews, then a Liberal MP from Newfoundland and Labrador, introduced Bill C-464, or "Zachary's Bill", which would change the Criminal Code of Canada to allow the courts to justify refusing bail to those accused of serious crimes in the name of protecting their children. However, after Turner took her own life as well as the life of1-year-old Zachary in 2003, Kuenne's focus broadened to tell a largerstory of legal injustice, parenting, and(in the case of Kate and David)activism as a form of grief. In October 2006, Winnipeg-based coroner Peter Markesteyn released the Turner Review and Investigation, which concluded that Zachary's death was preventable and criticised Newfoundland and Labrador's social services system for failing to protect the child from his mother, stating, "Nowhere did I find any ongoing assessment of the safety needs of the children." Dear Zachary is an unsettling and horrific true-crime film created by her murder victim's close friend Kurt Kuenne, which exposes the timeline of Turner's history of erratic behavior and the murders of father and son Andrew and Zachary Bagby. Turner's overbearing and obsessive actions included child abuse,the physical andpsychological harassment of her lovers, as well asher eventual slayings and suicide. Turner subsequently made a total of 200 threatening phone calls to the man over the following month. When confronted with this evidence, Turner claimed that she met with Bagby at Keystone State Park but that he put the gun in his trunk. In his approach, Kuenne succeeds in presenting a full portrait of Bagbys life, showing just how many lives Bagby affected and the deep grief that accompanied his death. According to The New Yorker, the "heart of the [film's] narrative" centers around "Andrew Bagbys life and how horrible his death was for those who loved him.". A Timeline Of The Horrific Case Behind 'Dear Zachary'. Bagbys childhood friend Kenneth Kuenne made the film as a way to document the memories of Andrews life. Were excited to hear from you! WebDear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a 2008 American documentary film written, produced, directed, edited, and scored by Kurt Kuenne. Some say they don't have the authority to tell her, others say their office is closed, and others say there's "nothing to do. Upon returning, Bagby discoveredsomeone hadrobbed him. Andrew tried to leave Shirley entirely in November 2001. On several occasions, he had summoned state troopers to order her to leave. Kuenne finished his documentary and dedicated it to the memories of both Bagby and Zachary. The documentarys vulnerability and its uniquemix of joy and sadness remind us that some true crime stories are not just about the perpetratorsthey can also bea moving tribute to their victims. Near the end of his time at Memorial University in Newfoundland, Bagby began a relationship with Shirley Turner, a twice-divorced recent graduate of MUN's medical school who was nearly thirteen years his senior. Going beyond the tropes of a generic investigative documentary, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Father to a Son About His Father is deeply personal and frustratingly tragic, and it doesnt have a happy ending. A Timeline Of During the extradition process, Turner revealed she was pregnant with Bagbys child, a baby boy she named Zachary. Justice Gale Welshmaintained that "there is no indication of a psychological disorder that would give concern about potential harm to the public generally.". Lists about some of the most shocking and upsetting documentary films & series that you should totally watch anyway. On Aug. 13, 2003, Turner, still fighting extradition, took Zachary to Conception Bay. We play detective, piecing together the fragments of a story until we get the satisfaction of looking at a complete picture. However, as events unfolded and took an even more tragic turn, he decided to release the film publicly. Turner,still unwilling to leave him alone, went to his home and attempted an elaborate and psychologically disturbing suicide. Dear Zachary Turner insisted that she would earn "big money" after completing her post-residency training and would repay the savings for her children's post-secondary education. Last night, I watched the best documentary I have ever seen. Poor attempt at coping with finals, but hey, you can't think about that biology exam anymore, you're just numbing your pain. In a market awash with true crime docs,Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is unique. Turners pregnancy was even announced. Investigators interviewed Turner's shooting instructor, who explained that her handgun ejected live rounds during lessons; this was consistent with an unspent round recovered near Bagby's body. Turner was wearing a black dress, carried a bouquet of red roses and had two suicide notes on her. After the murder, Turner, now accused of killing Andrew, announces she is four months pregnant with Andrews child. Not enjoying his surgical residency, in 2001 Bagby switched to a family practice residency in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, which he felt was a better fit for him. After Zachary's birth on 18 July 2002, Turner initially refused to allow David and Kathleen Bagby to see their grandson, fearing they would kidnap him. Kuenne adds his own memories to the film, along with his anger & grief over the senseless crime. Although it's hard to watch, it's a And hey, if you finish the movie and feel any of the emotions I am feeling, I would be more than happy to discuss it with you. WebShocking and moving, this documentary shows both the good and bad side of humanity. Dear Zachary is an unsettling and horrific true-crime film created by her murder victim's close friend Kurt Kuenne, which exposes the timeline of Turner's history of erratic behavior and the murders of father and son Andrew and Zachary Bagby. [14] According to filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, Doucet later left Newfoundland and relocated elsewhere in Canada.[15]. On 4 July 2003, Turner met a young man at a bar in St. John's. Dear Zachary Dear Zachary But she continues to sway from one direction to the next, while I cannot seem to remember how to move. During my time abroad, we were encouraged not to wear athletic clothing to fit in with the European culture. Dear Zachary is the only film that has made me cry. - Elliot V. Kotek, Moving Pictures Magazine Dear Zachary Bagby and Turner's relationship began to crumble, and Turner became increasingly possessive. "Dear Zachary" (2008) is Kurt Kuenne's directoral debut, a homage to his murdered friend, addressed to said friend's child. Two years later, she gave birth to a daughter. Turner followed the man to Pennsylvania, leaving threatening voicemails over the following year and making unannounced visits to his apartment. A Timeline Of Join our team and let's create something amazing together! Throughoutthe film, it's really difficult to watch a reasonable man consider such extreme and desperate measures. https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Zachary-Letter-About-Father/dp/B00MB6F3QW Dear Zachary Before police could apprehend her, Turner moved back to St. Johns, Newfoundland, and her arrest was impeded by a complicated extradition process. Even if it doesn't send you bawling like me, you will feel a whole range of emotions: sadness, anger, disgust, impatience, injustice, despair. Kuennes film transforms into a visual letter to the child that Andrew never got to meet. As soon as Bagbys parents learned of the pregnancy, they moved to Canada and won custody of Zachary after Turner was convicted by a provincial Canadian court. Dear Zachary, which unfolds chronologically, has not one but two major twists. Going beyond the tropes of a generic investigative documentary, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Father to a Son About His Father is deeply personal and frustratingly tragic, and it doesnt have a happy ending. Bagby agreed to talk with her about the pregnancy during a wedding that Bagby was scheduled to attend. Dear Zachary She confesses her profuse love for this song, but she doesnt even understand it. She was released on bail in January 2003 by Judge Gale Welsh, who felt Turner did not pose a threat to society in general. Knowing his grandson was in danger in the care of Turner, who repeatedly established how unfit she was to be a mother, David lay in bed at night thinking of what he could do to save the child. Shirley Turner, a mother and medical student who played the victim card throughout her life, was not what she seemed - or was she? When Turner visited him in Latrobe in late October 2001immediately after the last of her firearms lessons in Omahathe two frequently argued over his relationship with a new girlfriend. Throughout middle school and high school, I played cross country and soccer, leading me to stick with athleisure most days. It is about Kuenne's close friend Andrew Bagby, who was murdered after Bagby ended a relationship with a woman named Shirley Jane Turner. In March 1996, Turner began a relationship with a St. John's resident, Miles Doucet, who was thirteen years her junior. WebDear Zachary is the sort of documentary that, in delivering its debilitating news, ensures that every person in the theater leaves their seat with the strongest reminder to continue to cherish those they love, and to reminisce without mercy for those they've loved and lost. Its not technically the most impressive documentary film, but the subject matter is powerful-enough that you cannot help but be deeply impacted by the story. Related: 10 Terrifying True Stories of Killers Who Knew Their Victims. Dear Zachary You may even be procrastinating right now while you read this article! After receiving a call from the police department telling her to call a coroner's office, Andrew's mother, Kate, gotknocked around to numerous departments and authorities who told her nothing more than the factthere was "terrible news." On November 6, 2001, Bagbys body, shot five times, was found in a park near his hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The main suspect was his ex-girlfriend and Canadian citizen, Shirley Turner. "[13], Martin Tsai of the New York Sun said the film "has so many unexpected developments that it plays like a first-rate thriller. This preference was made especially clear during Zachary's first birthday party at a St. John's McDonald's, after which Turner said to Kathleen, "He obviously loves you more than me, so why don't you take him? Setting aside other peoples opinions and dressing for you? The documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father gathers the fragments of a true crime story about young doctor Andrew Bagby and the terrible events surrounding his death. Lets create a culture that celebrates expression rather than forces unrealistic expectations. After Turner mademultiple failed attempts to arrangefor the children to reside with differentfamily members, they eventually settled in with their respective fathers. No shade to them, everyone has their own style that they like and feel confident in. [17] On October 23, 2009, MP Scott Andrews of Avalon, moved after attending a screening of the film,[10] introduced Bill C-464 (also known as "Zachary's Bill") to the House of Commons of Canada. Dear Zachary There's no shortage of harrowing documentaries, but Dear Zachary:A Letter to a Son About His Fatheris one of the most intense. When I saw the title, next to a 94 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I wasnt convinced. Three years later, Turner and her second husband divorced, and she was granted custody of their daughter. In an attempt to quell Turner, the ex-boyfriend allowed her into hishome, where she camped out for over a month, refusing to leave him. Before Turner's awareness of her actual pregnancy, she had fabricated one. He also reported Turner to a psychiatrist at the university she was attending at the time. As Turner was leaving Bagby's apartment to travel home, she decided to turn around. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a 2008 American documentary film written, produced, directed, edited, and scored by Kurt Kuenne. Dear Zachary is beloved among the true-crime documentary community for being honest, heart-felt, infuriating, and devastating. During one of these visits, Turner is believed to have burglarized Bagby's apartment. It is about Kuenne's close friend Andrew Bagby, who was murdered after Bagby ended a relationship with a woman named Shirley Jane Turner. [10] It was screened at Cinequest Film Festival, South by Southwest, the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the Sarasota Film Festival, the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, the Calgary International Film Festival, and the Edmonton International Film Festival, among others, before receiving a limited theatrical release in the United States, opening in one city at a time in select metropolitan areas. In August 2000, Turner moved to Sac City, Iowa, to begin work for Trimark Physicians Corporation. Notall of thememories are positive, of course. I am sorry I cannot say more about this film without ruining its unique premise. He found Turner draped in a black dress and holding a dozen roses, coupled with two letters -one of them a suicide note. gathers the fragments of a true crime story about young doctor Andrew Bagby and the terrible events surrounding his death. Turner fled from America to Canada, her home country, after ending the life of her former lover, 28-year-old Andrew Bagby, but the courts repeatedly put off her extradition hearing. She hung the fake pregnancy over Bagby's head and used it to harass any woman who was close withhim. The bill, which helps protect children in relation to bail hearings and custody disputes, was signed into law the following year. Though her track record showedan increasing pattern of abuse and neglect towardher family and partners, an alarming turning point in Turner's history came only when she fatally shot Andrew Bagby. [6] Turner's psychiatrist was found guilty of misconduct for helping her post bail,[7] and the director of Newfoundland's child welfare agency resigned. After themurder, Turner, now accused of killing Andrew, announces she is four months pregnant with Andrews child. - Elliot V. Kotek, Moving Pictures Magazine Turner left her car parked near his home in the Kelligrews area of the town, with photographs of herself and Zachary, as well as a used tampon, on the front seat. Kurt Kuenne has made a documentary in a way that a film itself is made, with amazing editing patterns and with a story that really grabs you and moves you. The case led to a critical overview of Newfoundland's legal and child welfare systems as well as Canada's bail laws. She informed Bagbyshe forgot to lock the doorand needed to return so she can lock it. They're leaving and you're the last one of the group left at school. She went so far as to discharge her family law lawyer because of his positive attitude towards the Bagbys. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. And she dances. On November 6, Andrew's body was discovered in a park near his residence in Latrobe, PA. Parents Kate and David Bagby's story of identifying Andrew's body is devastating. Looking for a way to spend your summer doing something creative and fulfilling? The rays of music may salsa on her skin, but they dig deep into mine. Dear Zachary In St. John's, Turner discovered, and later revealed, that she was pregnant with Bagby's child. Despite her claim to have been in bed sick on 5 November, cell phone and Internet records showed that she had made cross-country calls both to and from Latrobe, accessed eBay and Hotmail from Bagby's home computer, and used his home phone to call in sick. Youve finished packing and found out you passed all of your classes! It's hands down one of the most mind-blowing true-crime movies in recent memory, fiction or nonfiction. Dear Zachary Unsettled and left with no closure over the case, David and KateBagby,Andrew's parents and Zachary's grandparents,aggressively told their tale inKuenne's documentary entitledDear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. I feel my stomach drop like Im on a rollercoaster that only seems to go down. It would be insulting to Kuenne to go into this film with any preconceived notions, one simply has to experience it on their own. If you're looking for an extremely disturbing documentary film, you'll find it on these lists! Some of those thoughts included him, without Kate's knowledge, taking out Turner and allowing himself to be imprisoned. Turner claimed that she was pregnant by the man, but no evidence was found showing this to be the case. [9] David and Kathleen Bagby moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, in order to fight for custody of their son's child, while Turner eventually moved into her own apartment on Pleasant Street in St. John's. Kurt Kuenne is an award-winning filmmaker and composer of both fiction and documentary films. [23], Murders of Andrew Bagby and Zachary Turner, Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, Learn how and when to remove this template message, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, "Murder-suicide funeral: An assignment to dread", "No need for Zachary Turner to die: death review", "Canadian judge let Turner free despite U.S. advice", Why Was an Accused Killer Free to Kill Again? I sit; prisoner to my own body. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. In 2001,Kurt Kuennes childhood friend Andrew Bagby was murdered by his estranged girlfriend, Shirley Turner. Documentary Biography Crime A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son. Dear Zachary, which unfolds chronologically,has not one but two major twists. In a later interview with an assessment officer at the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, the supervising physician, in hindsight, described Turner as "a manipulative, guiltless psychopath." After the films release, Kuenne sent four hundred copies of Dear Zachary to every member of the Canadian Parliament to campaign for a bill to give more protection to children in custody disputes. In November 1997, Turner confronted him in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and struck him in the jaw with her high-heeled shoe. Turner's second husband claimed that she only used the belt as a threat in his interview. [12], Turner's body was found on a beach by a vacationing couple, with Zachary's body discovered nearby. Its best not to read up on the case until after youve seenDear Zachary if you want the documentary to work its intensely affecting charm on you. In my lifetime, I have watched a great number of movies like these ones which are really emotional, but the only one that has ever caused me to cry for real was the documentary titled Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, which was released in 2008. Andrew told a friend he was going to meet Shirleythe following day to finally end things. The top five things on your summer bucket list this year. When this wasn't enough, she traveled to him and verbally abused him. People We Want to See on a Comedy Central Roast. WebThe case led to the passage of Bill C-464, or Zachary's Bill, strengthening the conditions for bail in Canadian courts in cases involving the well-being of children. People We Want to See on a Comedy Central Roast. The goal of the bill was to protect children and force "judicial decision makers" to keep the safety of children in mind during bail hearings and in custody disputes, particularly when a child is in the custody of someone who has been charged with a "serious crime". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); WatchDocumentaries.com | Games | Quizzes | Contact |Privacy & Terms | Manage Cookies |Advertise | DMCA, Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father. Shortly after she was arrested, she announced that she was pregnant with his child, whom she named Zachary.