Full Breakdown
HBO to Produce True-Crime Drama “Dorothea” About Sacramento Serial Killer
7/10/2026, 2:48:50 PM
Series Announcement
HBO is developing a limited series titled “Dorothea,” dramatizing the criminal activities of Dorothea Puente, the woman who operated a boarding house on F Street in downtown Sacramento during the 1980s. The project has not received a release date, and HBO has not issued a public comment beyond confirming the development.
Dorothea Puente: Crimes and Conviction
Puente was arrested in Los Angeles after police uncovered seven bodies buried in her backyard on November 18, 1988. She was subsequently returned to Sacramento, where she gave a brief interview under strict conditions. Convicted of three murders, Puente was sentenced to life imprisonment and died of natural causes in 2011 at age 82. Her case has previously appeared in Netflix’s “Worst Roommate Ever” and Very Local’s “Hometown Tragedy.”
Production Team and Creative Leads
Academy Award winner Geena Davis will star as Puente and serve as an executive producer. The series is written and run by Joshua Michael Stern (known for “Jobs” and “Swing Vote”). The story concept originated with Michael Rosenbaum and Jane Whitney, who brought the idea to Bristol Circle Entertainment, the production company of former Sony Pictures Television Studios president Jeff Frost. Davis’s recent screen work includes the Netflix series “The Boroughs” and upcoming films “The Wrong Girls” and “The Kellys.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “HBO is reportedly developing a true crime series based on the story of Sacramento serial killer Dorothea Puente, who ran a boarding house on F Street in downtown Sacramento during the 1980s.” — KCRA
- “Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis will star in and executive produce the series, Deadline reported.” — KCRA
- “Dorothea centers on a Sacramento woman (Davis) who ran a boarding house for the less fortunate in the 1980s, but her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives.” — Geektyrant
