On a frigid March morning in 1976, a park ranger in rural North Carolina encountered a scene that seemed ripped from a horror film. Deep in the Great Smoky Mountains, a fire flickered ominously. As he got closer, the overwhelming stench of incinerated flesh assaulted his senses, a scent that would linger in his memory forever. Within the flames lay the scorched remains of five individuals, hastily buried in a shallow grave before being set ablaze. This gruesome find initiated one of the most bewildering manhunts in American history.

Meanwhile, in Bethesda, Maryland, neighbors began to worry about the Bishop family, who were well-regarded in their community, appearing to be the quintessential family. The head of the household, William Bradford Bishop Jr., served as a respected Foreign Service officer for the U.S. State Department. His wife, Annette, dedicated herself to raising their three sons, an