Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Lifetime is turning another infamous real-life crime story into a TV movie with Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story. Matt Barr, Eric McCormack and Lolita Davidovich star in the project, inspired by the true story of Christopher Porco, who was convicted of killing his father and attempting to murder his mother. Written by Edithe Swensen and to be directed by Norma Bailey, Romeo Killer centers on beloved, handsome college student Chris Porco (Barr), who was every girl’s dream in the small town of Delmar, NY. Porco was accused of brutally murdering his father and disfiguring his mother, Joan (Davidovich), in a savage ax attack, a claim made all the more shocking when a local police detective (McCormack) believed the mother identified Chris as her attacker. Also cast in the movie is Emily Bett Rickards (Arrow), who plays Lauren Phillps, a young love interest of the accused killer who had maintained his innocence. The film is executive produced by Steve Solomos, Harvey Kahn, Michael Jaffe of Michael Jaffe Films and Ilene Kahn Power of Kahn-Powers Pictures.

This marks Perception star McCormack’s return to Lifetime where he toplined another ripped-from-the headlines movie, Who Is Clark Rockefeller? It also brings Barr back to A+E Networks after his breakout role in the blockbuster History miniseries Hatfields & McCoys. Porco’s story has been extensively covered on TV, including a one-hour documentary on CBS’ 48 Hours Mystery and an episode of the truTV’s Forensic Files. Additionally, a 2009 episode of CBS’ CSI titled “Bloodsport” featured an attack similar to the one Porco was convicted of.

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