I cried like a baby at the end of Fried Green Tomatoes. Without a doubt, Ninny was Idgie! She had to be. Now, the movie’s ending deviates from the book, and people say Ninny couldn’t have been Idgie, but she was. In the movie version, she was Idgie.  The writers probably altered the ending because it’s a great twist. Fannie Flagg, the author of the book, had already written an amazing story, but that adaptation…that tiny twist at the end was just perfect. Sometimes our grandmothers tell stories just like that---in a circular way while holding back information until they are ready to reveal it, so it would make sense that the sweet little old lady telling this story was Idgie the whole time. What a surprise…what an unforgettable story and ending. It was 2000 when I went to the Irondale library to research the movie and the true story. I remember there was an archive of old newspaper clippings, local magazine articles, and a scattering of black and white pictures of the real people ...

A Killer Among Friends & The Missy Avila Case: At a Glance Is A Killer Among Friends based on a true story?  Yes. The 1992 CBS television movie A Killer Among Friends is directly based on the real-life October 1, 1985, murder of 17-year-old Michele "Missy" Avila in Arleta, California. Who are the real-life people behind the movie characters?  To hide the real people’s identities or avoid legal issues, the movie changed the real names and locations: Jenny Monroe (played by Tiffani Thiessen) is based on murder victim Michele "Missy" Avila. Jean Monroe (played by Patty Duke) is based on Missy's mother, Irene Avila. Carla Lewis (played by Angie Rae McKinney) is based on convicted killer Laura Doyle. Ellen Holloway (played by Margaret Welsh) is based on convicted killer Karen Severson. Why was it hard to connect the movie to the real case at first?   Because network television movies in the 1990s routinely changed names, dates, and locations. Internet sleuthing w...

William Charles Lewis was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 2001 murders of Cynthia Floyd Rolle and Antonio Stephney in East Point, Georgia. During the series of shootings, Lewis also shot Roger Orr and Rosa Lewis, both of whom survived. At first, detectives thought the shootings were unrelated until they discovered similar notes signed "Jack" at the crime scenes. Investigators later developed lip prints from the notes, helping link William Charles Lewis to the attacks. All clues led detectives to William Charles Lewis. They determined that Lewis wanted revenge after his wife, Rosa Lewis, left him. To instill fear and cause emotional distress, he killed her best friend and co-worker, Cynthia Floyd Rolle. Cynthia and Rosa were both probation officers. William Charles Lewis was a charismatic man who often portrayed himself as a Christian. In reality, he had multiple affairs and, behind the scenes, was abusive to his wife. Cynthia Floyd Rolle became a target beca...