Apple TV+‘sBlack Birddepicts the grim and strange story of Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), and for the most part, is an honest retelling of his life. Premiering on Apple TV+ in July 2022 and based on the 2010 autobiographical novelIn with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemptionby James Keene,Black Birdis a recounting of the real lie sting operation the FBI set upto ensure the convicted serial killer, Larry Hall, never had the chance to appeal his life sentence.
Black Birdstars an ensemble castof talented actors, including Taron Egerton, Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear, and Ray Liotta. Created by Dennis Lehane, who also wrotenovels likeShutter Island,Mystic River, andGone Baby Gone, which have all been adapted into exceptional movies,Black Birdwas also widely praised. The six-episode miniseries has a 98% onRotten Tomatoesand earned three Golden Globe nominations with one win, and three Emmy nominations with one win. Thanks to Keene’s detailed account,the story also manages to hew close to reality.
Larry Hall Is A Real-Life Convicted Serial Killer
Hall Is Thought To Have Abducted And Murdered Multiple Young Girls In The 1980s And 1990s
Larry Hall is at the center ofBlack Birdand though the story is told through Keene (Egerton), it’s Hall’s life that’s truly in question. Born on July 23, 2025, in Wabash, Indiana with his twin brother Gary, Hall grew up being teased for what was perceived as a low IQ and a speech impediment. A research paper on Larry Hall performed by researchers at Radford University also noted his low IQ score, a fact his schoolmates did not leave alone (viaRadfordUniversty).
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In his free time, Hall regularly helped his father, Robert Hall, dig graves. He later took a job as a janitor after he left school. Over the years, Hall was suspected of committing such crimes as arson, vandalism, and other petty crimes in Wabash, and he was even suspected of abducting young girls in Michigan and Indiana. Charges were never laid, but the two girls have never been found.
Between 1980 and 1994, Hall traveled across the Midwest, participating in Revolutionary War and Civil War reenactments, which he had become fascinated with. It was during this time that someauthorities believe Larry Hall may have been responsible for the murder of over 40 young women(viaTheCinemaholic).
The FBI Feared Hall Would Win An Appeal Due To Lack Of Evidence
Hall Was Never Actually Convicted Of Murder, Only Kidnapping
Hall managed to stay out of investigators’ crosshairs until the remains of 15-year-old Jessica Roach were uncovered in an Indiana cornfield in late 1993. After nearly a year with no leads, Illinois police learned about a man driving a van around the area who often tried to pick up young girls. One of these girls had noted the van’s license plate, which led police to Larry Hall. When they brought him in for questioning and showed Hall a picture of Jessica, he immediately reacted, according to Gary Miller, the chief investigator for Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois (viaCNN),
“He immediately flinched. He turned to his right and he put his hand up over his face like he didn’t want to see the picture. He told me he didn’t think he’d ever seen that girl.”
Hall eventually confessed to murdering Roach and mentioned other girls that he couldn’t be sure about, but he thought he may have also killed. However, Hall quickly recanted everything he said, which left investigators unsure if they had a true serial killer or someone who was having trouble distinguishing reality from fiction.Hall was eventually convicted of kidnapping Roach after evidence was found in his van, but prosecutors could not tie the murder to him. He was sentenced to life with no parole.
The BI became involved with the investigation because the murders took place across state lines.
Hall appealed his sentence around 1996-1997and his lawyers made a strong case that Hall’s personality disorder had made him susceptible to the police’s intimidation tactics, and he was coerced into a confession (viaENews). The appeal also said that Hall was deprived of his right to a proper defense because his personality disorder was not properly explained at trial. It was enough for Hall to win, and the FBI feared that a man they were sure had murdered multiple people would soon walk free. So they came up with a plan.
Jimmy Keene Was Enlisted As An FBI Operative To Get A Confession From Hall
Keene Was Serving A 10-Year Sentence For Drug Dealing
The other main character inBlack Birdand the author of the book the show is based on is Jimmy Keene. Keene was a convicted drug dealer who was facing 10 years to life in prison after he took a plea deal not knowing the full extent of what he was agreeing to. After only 10 months, assistant U.S. attorney Lawrence Beaumont (Edmund inBlack Birdand played by Robert Wisdom) approached Keene and made him an offer: transfer to Hall’s high-security prison to befriend Hall and get a confession. In turn,Keene would earn an early release.
Keene quickly managed to befriend the lonely Hall, making a connection with him by pretending to share an interest in the prison’s library. He solidified their relationship by beating up another inmate who turned off Hall’s television show. Hall slowly opened up to Keene, and eventually gave him details about other murders that only the killer could know, leading to some of themore disturbing lines inBlack Bird. In the culminating moment of the series, Keene walks in on Hall working on a map of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
This really happened and Keene describes in his book how Hall had placed carved wooden falcons over red dots he had drawn on the map. According to Hall, the falcons were supposed to watch over the dead buried in each spot. In real life, Keene immediately dropped the charade of friendship and unleashed a torrent of rage on Hall, releasing the bottled-up disgust he had felt after being forced to empathize with the horrific murders Hall told him about.
Hall destroyed the map thanks to Keene’s outburst, meaning those bodies were never found, but Keene got all the information the FBI needed to get him sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.
Hall destroyed the map thanks to Keene’s outburst, meaning those bodies were never found, but Keene got all the information the FBI needed to get him sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. Keene had succeeded and Hall was finally caught in the lies he had been telling for years.
Everything Black Bird Leaves Out From The Real Story
Black Bird Stays Close To The Facts
For the most part,Black Birdis a very accurate retelling of the true story of Larry Hall. There are some key differences, however. The show only has Larry helping his father dig graves as a child. In reality, his brother Gary also helped, which puts a hole in the subtle theory the show is trying to suggest, that Larry’s proximity to death may have spurred his murderous actions later in life. The major change between the show and real life comes atthe end ofBlack Bird, when Hall shows Keene the map.
In the show, Hall goes into detail about the map, the falcons, the red dots, and the murders, proudly boasting about killing the young girls. Keene asks Hall to give the victims closure and tell the families where the bodies are. When Hall refuses, Keene snaps and calls him a monster, a much more cinematic moment than what happened in real life. In the show, it’s also shown that Hall mails the falcons and the map to his father, who destroys them.In reality, the map simply disappeared, Hall likely having destroyed it after Keene revealed himself.
Where Larry Hall And Jimmy Keene Are Now
Hall Remains Behind Bars While Keene Is A Free Man
Having succeeded in his mission,Keene was released from prison early and ended up writing his memoirand is now a motivational speaker (viaAllThat’sInteresting). According to some reports,Jimmy Keene now resides in Illinoisand works in real estate. As for Larry Hall, the information Keene got out of him ensured that he would never have the opportunity to leave prison. He is currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Butner Medium II in North Carolina. WhileBlack Birdmentions 21 murders he could have committed, the real total could be as high as 50.
Black Bird
Cast
Inspired by the true story of convicted serial killer Larry Hall, Black Bird is an Apple TV+ drama series that follows a wealthy young named James Keene Jr., who finds himself imprisoned after being convicted on drugs and weapons charges. Fortunately for James, the FBI offers him an early out - if he can get Larry to sign a confession by befriending him in prison, his sentence will be commuted.
