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Movie Pilot
By Emily Browne, writer at CREATORS.CO
Twitter: @emrbrowne
Major spoilers for The Keepers ahead. Proceed with caution.
If you haven’t binge-watched Netflix series The Keepers yet, stop what you’re doing right now and get on it — but come back when you’re done! For those that have finished the seven-episode series, you are probably now in the same boat as me, hitting up Google, Reddit and Facebook for any of the latest developments in the Sister Cathy Cesnik and Joyce Malecki murder cases. The series — which delves into Cathy’s brutal murder, as well as the alleged sex abuse which took place at Keogh High School in the 1960s — broke open a 40-year-old cold case, primarily thanks to two retired former Keogh students who were determined to discover the truth about Sister Cathy’s death.
What followed was monolithic power structures being weakened by the voices of victims determined to seek justice some 30 years later. In 1992, “Jane Doe” came forward with testimony stating that she was taken to see Sister Cathy’s body by her primary abuser Father Joseph Maskell. It was there that he threatened her, saying “See what happens when you say bad things about people.” As the case unfolded, more and more was revealed about the possible suspects, as well as events leading up to the discovery of Sister Cathy’s body in January 1970. However, the series failed to solve the case entirely, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. Since the completion of The Keepers, there have been further intriguing updates which add yet more depth to this gripping case.
1. Maryland’s Statute of Limitations Has Been Extended
In Episode 7, ‘The Conclusion’, we saw survivors of Maskell’s crimes (as well as other sex abuse victims) attempt to pass a bill which would extend the statute of limitations past the age of 25. The bill finally passed this year, and from July 1, 2017, victims in Maryland have until the age of 38 to sue their abusers. This is obviously a huge step in the right direction for those suffering with repressed memories, and will hopefully see more victims feel empowered to come forward in future.
2. The Exhumation of Maskell’s Body
Just before The Keepers hit Netflix, Father Joseph Maskell’s body was exhumed to test his DNA against that which was found at the original crime scene. As DNA is so much more advanced now than it was in 1970, Baltimore Police were able to conclude that the (assumed) cigarette butt found at the scene of the crime did not match Maskell’s DNA. While this is an important update, the series all but ruled out Maskell as the murderer, instead looking at two other men who were far more likely to have carried out the crime itself. Whether there are plans to test the DNA against either of them is unclear.
3. There Is A Brand New Facebook Group Moderated by Gemma Hoskins
The Justice For Sister Catherine Cesnik and Joyce Malecki Facebook page — which featured heavily in the series as a way to connect amateur sleuths and possible victims — was closed down a few days after The Keepers aired. The site was inundated with requests, and Hoskins told the Baltimore Sun that, “It was necessary to close the page temporarily due to a traffic jam and a technical glitch.” However, there is a brand new Facebook group open to everyone called The Keepers Official Group — Justice for Catherine Cesnik and Joyce Malecki where information pertinent to the case can be discussed and shared. The group currently has 82,000 members.
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