Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom (2023) User Reviews

Watched this whole thing play out IRL

[marymcfarland-01866 · 8/10 · 2 November 2023]

I am from the area where these gruesome murders occurred and watched it all play out in real life. Keep that in mind as you read this.

First... this documentary did an excellent job of telling this story. The filmmakers laid it out exactly how it was. They could have dived more into the "voodoo" (ie satanic panic) that was already prevalent in Central VA at the time and got worse because of the murders, but otherwise, the facts were told well.

Second...John Grisham had nothing to do with this case. His presence in this documentary was pointless. Other than to establish some random celebrity support for Jens.

Third.... Jens and Elizabeth were both convicted. Elizabeth ultimately owned at least part of her involvement via plea deal. Jens was guilty by conviction. The vast majority of locals at that time, believed both parties were at the murder scene and actively participated in the crime. Locals continue believing that to this day. That is not an unreasonable belief. Locals still remember because it was the worst murder to date that we had ever seen or heard of.

Fourth...it's important to remember that in those days, there wasn't DNA analysis, forensic units everywhere, cameras everywhere. While it is considered that some of the police work was shoddy by today's standards, they likely did the best they could given the year, their training, and the absence of anything like that ever happening in Central VA prior to 1985.

Overall this documentary was done well. *Personal thought*.... It disturbs me that Jens has become some kind of falsely imprisoned folk hero in Germany. I would have liked for no part of that to have been included in this documentary. Jens did it. Elizabeth did it. They are both extremely manipulative and intellectually brilliant people who comitted a horrible crime. They never should have been paroled.

Recommend watching.

So good, it allows further unanswered questions to ensue

[KatoC · 8/10 · 1 November 2023]

The miniseries is a good summary of the entire crime. It doesn't shine much light on whether Elisabeth had a bad childhood, to explain her hatred towards her parents. But that is not the main issue here. After both of them having been released, nothing new will be revealed, except if Jens really, really needs to milk it and write yet another book about his innocence.

The one question that will remain unanswered is, of course, which one of them did it. They probably were in it (literally, at the house) together. Her half-brother can be trusted on his instincts, I believe. Also, the very far from proficient work of the investigators is appalling, and this has been pointed out over the years repeatedly.

Some nice details I have noticed in my nativity: 1. A passage from a letter of hers to Jens points out the prospect of being free. There is a scratched out word there, that the documentary doesn't take reference to: "walk", I believe it says. So if you replace "being" with "walk", which seems to have been her first impulse, when phrasing the letter.....eh?

Also, I found not all the questions of Updike (DA) to be as poignant and smart as they say. When Elisabeth tells the jury how they met back in the hotel room in D. C., after the crime, she says she was shocked to here from Jens that he had seen it through, he does not stress on her reaction. My first though would have been to pick up the phone and call the parents, no matter how irrational that would have been, except, of course, if the news didn't surprise me.

One last remark on the outstanding "intelligence", IQ-rank and what not of the two. First, they are involved in the murder of two people, and soon after, they end up in jail for three decades. Doesn't sound genius to me.

On the whole, very enjoyable, offering a nice insight on the twistery of the human mind, once unleashed.

Super creepy

[HumbleMensa · 8/10 · 5 November 2023]

I give this one a solid 8 and would have given it a 10 if they hadn't drawn it out because I think the series could have wrapped up in less time. Anyway, the two main characters, wow are they sociopathic clever I'll give them that one. I don't want to add details because I don't want to spoil it, but the twists in this, the sheer creepy natural style of the two makes the hairs on your neck stand up. I can only say that I wish the crime investigation tech of today had been available back then. I watched this in a morning (I wake up really early) and couldn't stop. The investigative side and commentary woven in makes this a well done documentary. I'll say remember one word 'passion'...in more ways than one.

He looks so happy

[pablobianchimartinez-37386 · 6/10 · 8 November 2023]

There seems to be no doubt that Elizabeth's parents were killed by her, him or both of them. At the very least, they planned it together. What never ceases to amaze me is that he appears to be so happy. He spent 33 years in prison!! I can't help but think that, being the same age as Jens, it's as if I was put in prison at 21 and released today. A whole life lost and he appears happy. And another thing, why was he received as a hero in Germany? I'm also surprised that certain American politicians were so eager to set him free. After all, the sentence was never changed, he was and is guilty. The series? Good, a 6.

Who do you believe?

[deanjarvis-49313 · 7/10 · 28 November 2023]

I remember watching Jen's trial on TV late night as it was unfolding. The question that I had then is the same as now, who do you believe, Elizabeth or Jens? They both told so many lies, I can only conclude that neither one is telling the complete truth.

Is it just me, or is current day Jens a dead ringer for Bob Denver? It's hard for me to envision a puny nerd like Gilligan murdering two people by himself so easily.

My thoughts are that there were two people murdering the Haysoms that night. One of them could have fought back while the other was being attacked if there was only one killer. Nancy was in the kitchen, there are all kinds of weapons that would have been available to her.

This documentary doesn't clear anything up, it doesn't definitively answer any questions about the crime. But it's definitely an interesting film to watch and the pacing is good.

By the way, regarding the reviews that mention Jens speaking German in an 'American' documentary, this is in fact a German production.

Good story but creeped out by Jens

[mspinkbytes · 6/10 · 5 November 2023]

I enjoyed the documentary it was well made and good true crime!

Jens no matter how toxic their relationship was, he's a sick f$&k and still is.

One thing I noticed is that he speaks perfect English and still insisted on only speaking German in this American documentary. It shows how calculating and weird he is.

I don't care what his IQ is. He sick and evil.

Not saying she's perfect. Not even a victim. She was just more obvious.

Both are guilty in their own way. They were obsessed with each other. They both have to pay the price.

I don't think we will ever have the whole truth.

Good documentary though!!

I was glued to this!

[tmsword-94535 · 9/10 · 4 November 2023]

All I can say without ruining or spoiling it is I was riveted. This story is so bananas it's hard to even believe but it's true, it happened. I remember seeing their faces on the tv when I was young but I don't remember what exactly what went down and if you don't know, I would advise you go in not knowing. It's better that way. Because at one point my jaw was on the floor. Basically it's the story of two high IQ rich kids with enormous egos who fall in love and develop a shared delusion based on literature works like Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. They then plan to murder the girl's parents so she could be "free." -insert rolled eyes emoji- You can binge watch this in a night and it's highly worth it.

Getting what they deserved

[rbrb · 7/10 · 4 November 2023]

This is an excellent 4-part documentary about a couple of lovers who either or both murdered the mother and father of one of them.

Now likely but not for sure the actual murder was committed by the girl. But the boy out of his infatuation for her confessed to the crime.

The only real evidence against him apart from his so-called fake confession was a dubious footprint at the scene. No DNA or other scientific evidence.

That said: He came across as a selfish awful individual. As did she did too. A druggie at the time whose only mitigation though not an excuse was maybe her mother had molested her when she was a child.

Neither of them showed any remorse. Their minds only towards themselves.

Much is made of how intelligent they both were and are. I disagree.

If they were so clever, they would not have been convicted let alone charged!

And whilst the police investigation was flawed, the two of them deserved their lengthy prison terms:

7/10.

Very well documented!

[Guanche48 · 8/10 · 20 November 2023]

It's been a while since I've seen a criminal documentary, the truth is that this one is very well documented. Very detailed and with very good moments in the courtroom, realistic and without actors, I loved that. Well.. almost all of them are the real characters of the investigation and the crime.

The story is strong, with real images of the crime, be careful if you are sensitive to this type of story, it can give you nightmares. The documentary is very exciting and has 4 episodes that keeps you on the edge of the seat. It has terrifying moments and those that leave you stunned.

There is more than enough evidence to imprison them both, the letters between Elizabeth and Jens are the best example. If the crime was committed by Elizabeth or Jens, or both, only they will know. We will never know, although the movie tickets made me doubt, but the truth is that I don't know, it's quite complicated. That they deserve jail, that's certainly clear to me.

Jens uses his intelligence to turn the story around, very credible in my opinion. He served more than 30 years in prison, so there is a reasonable doubt. It is clear that the help of powerful politicians and his diplomatic status also help him. Let's be honest, because of him they freed Elizabeth too, that seemed strange to me but logical at the same time.

Jens leaves prison very happy and cheerful, but I imagine that after more than 30 years, prison becomes your home, right? Or so I think. I also didn't mind that he spoke in German, it is his native language and he expresses himself better that way.

This documentary is very well made, one of the best crime documentaries I have seen in recent years, and I also did not know about this crime.

It is worth it from start to finish, it is scary and at the same time it is very psychological. As you can see, I am a fan, I recommend it without a doubt.

No surprises

[atleverton · 7/10 · 5 November 2023]

Usually when Netflix presents a true-crime documentary, there is always some sort of controversial angle to discuss. In this one, in my opinion, there is nothing controversial to discuss. Both of the people who were accused of the crime most likely had something to do with the crime. Only one of them was convicted of murder, served a prison sentence that was equally lengthy. You might argue that neither one of them deserved to be released on parole, but that is another question altogether. I don't believe that Jens had nothing to do with the murder, and I also don't believe that Elizabeth was not present during the murder. The alibi that they both constructed was pretty weak considering it relied on movie tickets that can be fixed, especially back then. And if they were innocent, why did they both run away together, causing an international manhunt?

Worth a watch but one sided

[joanamarah · 8/10 · 21 November 2023]

The way the documentary was presented and shown was really good and it was easy to follow and stayed interesting throughout.

However, Jens' vibe didn't sit right with me. I understand that he was the one capitalising on this and his conviction however, it would have been nice to just have a statement off Elizabeth or her solicitor. I understand she doesn't want to capitalise on this but a simple statement could have changed the documentary as it seemed like the Jens show.

The way I interpreted it, was Jens was just making money from this, and wanted to make Elizabeth seem like the bad person, whereas I believe they both did wrong. The whole time I was watching it, it seemed fairly obvious that they were both involved in the murders and Jens basically admitted to it towards the end of episode 4 but tried to twist his words and manipulate the audience like a politician. Even his tone of voice and the way he was laughing throughout didn't seem right.

Also didn't like that Jens was speaking German in an American documentary. As a European, I can understand speaking your own language means you can get your point across clearer. However, he clearly spoke perfect English when he was going through trial, he is highly educated and I'm assuming it only got better being in prison in America for that many years. I feel like it was a form of trying to manipulate the audience and have a sense of control on his part. Just like when he befriended the Catholic and politician and then didn't mention them afterwards when he didn't get his own way.

No matter what your opinion on this is, the documentary is well done and it's worth a watch if you like true crime. Just don't expect closure on the case, no one will ever know the truth about this case, other than the two of them.

The Romeo and Juliet who became the Macbeths

[fredrikgunerius · 7/10 · 29 November 2023]

Of course, the Romeo and Juliet of the 1980s wouldn't end up like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - they would become Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This is an intriguing and well-made 4-part true-crime documentary about two bookish, uppity Echols scholars who together planned and committed the murder of the girl's parents back in 1985. But who did what? And were they both to blame, or did one manipulate the other?

Unlike what many commenters on here seem to think, the series is actually made by a German crew, not an American one. Which arguably is one of the reasons why Jens speaks German in his new interviews. Another reason is obviously that he now lives in Germany and maybe is no longer that fond of the United States, which he claims are guilty of miscarriage of justice against him.

After watching the series, I don't really have any strong opinions as to who of the two did what, or who is more believeable. And that tells me the producers did a fairly good job in balancing their narrative. The series is not an apologia for Mr. Söring, even if the story he tells himself obviously is just that.

In summary, this is a story of star-crossed love, youthful arrogance/stupidity, and in all probability at least a certain amount of antisocial personality disorder(s).

Key point of evidence missed

[welkad · 5/10 · 19 November 2023]

Interesting documentary. Had the police not rolled over and accepted Jens' first confession, they could have investigated his original claim that Elizabeth remained in Washington while he did her bidding. Had the staff at the hotel or movie theater been interviewed, they possibly could have corroborated or refuted who was physically present when the food was delivered to their hotel room or who went to the movies.

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter, even if vagrants were hired to commit the murder, both of them should have been kept locked up for the rest of their days here on Earth - as they clearly were accessories to the murder, if not the active participants.

Compelling, albeit flawed

[alexlegge-80489 · 7/10 · 2 November 2023]

Netflix has done a solid job churning out this relatively-compelling documentary mini-series.

It centers around a brutal double homicide and the two individuals believed to have been involved in it. But questions about each individual's role in the crime loom, and each opens itself up to meaningful rabbit holes worthy of true crime exploration.

But don't expect this mini-series to get to the bottom of any questions or even explore any rabbit hole in much depth. Expect, rather, sneak peaks of many rabbit holes. It's sort of like the Ikea Showroom of intellectually-compelling true crime - entertaining enough but lacking punch.

I especially surprised that, even near the end of the series, some basic elements of the crime (logistics, brutality, etc.) were not discussed, though they both could have made meaningful and highly-relevant talking points. My inner philosophy student was also somewhat surprised that they failed to mention the prisoner's dilemma.

It almost seems like the series was put together kind of shabbily - if not carelessly. Another sign of this is that Jens Soering's interviews are all in German, despite him speaking perfect English. This was probably because they used the footage from the previously-made German documentary "Killing For Love" (I haven't verified this but strongly suspect it). I don't take issue with the German itself, but it's just another reason to suspect that Netflix is - perhaps fittingly - not telling us the whole story here....

Thankfully, the basics of the story are very intriguing, and the whole story isn't necessary if one's goal is simply to produce "binge-worthy" true crime content. The real life mystery, therefore, provides all the intellectual weight. And coupled with the solid aesthetic production of any Netflix content, that makes for entertaining viewing. It sure could have been better, but that doesn't make it bad.

Like a stone skipping over the top of the story...

[sue-77 · 6/10 · 3 November 2023]

Like a stone skipping over the very top of the story, it's just a shallow examination of a crime. This documentary is interesting but basically leaves more questions than it answers. It certainly seems far more sympathetic towards Elizabeth and very eager to paint her in a 'removed' accessory role in the murder of her parents. I couldn't help but wonder at a brief description of the crime scene that was mentioned at the very beginning and then never mentioned again, particularly after she 'allegedly' was never at the crime scene. All the things written in blood, the very clear, distinct outline in blood around the mother's body and the note from the police that someone had apparently 'danced' in the blood; this sounds like someone who "despised" and "hated" her parents as Elizabeth wrote in her diaries/letters. Jens was definitely not someone who would have danced in blood, particularly not alone.

There are other irregularities that others mention. It's also interesting that her family was part of the Aster family, one of the Illuminati families. Just a sidenote.

A Disastrous Duo: Elizabeth and Jens, the Epitome of Stupidity

[fsaharti · 7/10 · 2 November 2023]

Words cannot adequately express the level of incompetence and sheer stupidity displayed by Elizabeth and Jens, a couple that left a trail of evidence and showcased their sloppiness with alarming consistency. Their actions and decisions were so mind-bogglingly foolish that it's hard to believe they functioned as adults in society.

First and foremost, let's address the colossal amount of evidence they left behind at every turn. It was as if they were on a mission to provide a roadmap for anyone interested in tracking their every move. From incriminating text messages to leaving behind receipts, they seemed to have a peculiar knack for making their questionable activities blatantly obvious. It's almost as if they had a desperate desire to get caught, or perhaps they were simply oblivious to the consequences of their actions.

But it doesn't stop there. Oh no, their sloppiness knew no bounds. They were like a wrecking ball, leaving chaos and destruction in their wake. Whether it was forgetting crucial details in their alibis or leaving behind vital pieces of evidence at crime scenes, Elizabeth and Jens consistently demonstrated a complete lack of attention to detail. It's truly astonishing how they managed to bungle every step of their ill-advised escapades.

Furthermore, their decision-making skills were nothing short of abysmal. They seemed to possess an uncanny ability to choose the worst possible course of action in any given situation. From embarking on ill-conceived plans to making rash and impulsive choices, Elizabeth and Jens consistently displayed a complete lack of foresight and critical thinking. It was as if they were determined to sabotage themselves at every opportunity.

In conclusion, Elizabeth and Jens were undoubtedly the most stupid couples I have ever encountered. Their blatant disregard for covering their tracks, coupled with their astonishing sloppiness and questionable decision-making, left me dumbfounded. If you're looking for a masterclass in how not to conduct oneself in any situation, look no further than Elizabeth and Jens. They have set the bar for stupidity at an alarmingly low level.

Decent other than the "footprint" expert

[MovieShrink7 · 8/10 · 17 November 2023]

This is not a bad docuseries. It's an easy watch and I was not familiar with the case. I'm not sure four episodes was warranted. It did drag a little. It certainly presents a lot to think about though both were clearly lying and there's no way that she wasn't there when it happened. My biggest gripe was with a "footprint" expert that was presented. Fingerprinting is borderline junk science in terms of its reliability so I have a hard time taking footprint evidence seriously. It was especially telling when the "expert" said that there was no significant difference between a bare footprint and a sock footprint. At that point I just rolled my eyes.

Natural born teen killers

[glenaobrien · 7/10 · 15 January 2024]

I was unaware that you could get a PhD in footprint analysis but apparently that's a thing. It helps convict two natural born killer teens (Jens Soring and Elizabeth Haysom) who, in 1985, conspired to murder Elizabeth's parents in an horrific slasher rage in Lynchburg, Virginia (these American place names!) Did she do it? Did he do it? Did they both do it? Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering Vs Haesom (aka Der Fall Jens Söring - Tödliche Leidenschaft) is a good four part documentary series that keeps you guessing, though, by the end, in spite of each one pointing the finger at the other, you're pretty sure they did it together. They call it love but the infatuation at work here looks a lot more like something else, given the bitter and violent fruit it bears. The two will remain tragically intertwined and likely take their secret to the grave.

Foreign

[bt698nhj · 6/10 · 7 March 2024]

Right out of the gate you're losing stars. This dude went to the University of Virginia and was in the US for awhile and is German but he doesn't speak English? So I've got to watch subtitles to know what's going on? Ridiculous.

Any show with subtitles should advertise as such. It's an entirely different viewing experience having to read captions the whole time. Horrible.

ABOUT MY REVIEWS:

I do not include a synopsis of the film/show -- you can get that anywhere and that does not constitute a meaningful review -- but rather my thoughts and feelings on the film that hopefully will be informative to you in deciding whether to invest 90-180 minutes of your life on it.

My scale: 1-5 decreasing degrees of "terrible", with 5 being "mediocre" 6- OK. Generally held my interest OR had reasonable cast and/or cinematography, might watch it again 7 - Good. My default rating for a movie I liked enough to watch again, but didn't rise to the upper echelons 8- Very good. Would watch again and recommend to others 9- Outstanding. Would watch over and over; top 10% of my ratings 10 - A classic. (Less than 2% receive this rating). For Lifetime Movies for Chicks (LMFC), drop the above scale by 3 notches. A 6 is excellent and 7 almost unattainable.

Gripping stuff

[thomasamullen · 8/10 · 6 January 2024]

Electric, gripping documentary. You won't regret watching this. Very creepy murder mystery, keeps you guessing all the way through - and indeed at the end. Told in four bingeable episodes.

How did the parents of a brainy, middle class student come to be butchered to death in their home? Was it their daughter or her mercurial German boyfriend? Can we believe either of their stories or are they each trying to cover their own tracks?

It's very well done with dramatic footage from the murder trials and a range of interviews - including Jen Soering himself. Full of colourful footage from the 80s and 90s too.

Interesting, but...

[xykatexy · 5/10 · 2 March 2024]

This docu is quite good at showing exactly what the criminals are thinking, how they're trying to save themselves in court. I really appreciate the amount of courtroom recorded videos shown throughout the episodes.

If you end the series thinking it's one-sided, you're not watching it correctly. The documentary shows two truly intelligent people, not necessarily cunning intelligent, but capable of mixing lies with the truth to the extent to make you confused and doubt yourself. They're both saying half-truths.

The docu omits some crucial evidence, like: at the beginning of the series, the officers say somebody has showered at the crime scene- which later never appears in the testimonies of the criminals; they both talk about room service, but this piece of evidence is missing; they talk about attending a show, and it's unclear who exactly saw the show. It's a weird sequence of missing information.

It doesn't exactly matter, as I see enough evidence that they are both guilty. There is no doubt they have both planned this. Just the fact how they travel around the globe evading justice is enough of a proof, along with their disturbing toxic letters. Who's telling the truth, it doesn't really matter. They're both guilty, even if one of them did not draw the knife.

waste of time

[stephenhalasz · 1/10 · 6 November 2023]

Could easily been a 30 minute 'cold case files' episode. It is completely drawn out to waste your time. There is no resolution, no final evidence, it is all just a bunch of gossip. The fact a guy who spoke English for over 40 years magically only speaks German and needs translation for his neflix interviews should tell you all you need to know for a load of Bull. The next part that lets you know the story is full of it is the fact that over half the people interviewed are themselves reporters or interviewers. They have literally Nothing to do with the story itself, they are people who have their own opinions of the story. Such a waste of time.

A platform for the narcissist to promote himself and his story

[nataliapovar · 1/10 · 22 December 2023]

This documentary, unfortunately, falls victim to a skewed narrative, allowing Jens narcissistic to monopolize the spotlight without offering an alternative perspective enough .

The lack of balance undermines the credibility of the storytelling, turning it into a platform for self-promotion rather than a genuine exploration of the truth.

No police and journalists were not enough to present the whole story. Without Haysom it is hard to do it.

Jens speaks German the whole time , while he is proficient in English, which adds another layer to the narrative that reflects arrogance and disrespect and again one side narrative pretty much. He presents himself as a victim and the movie fails to challenge the narrative.

I stopped watching.

Complete Crap!!!

[kkoller-48894 · 1/10 · 29 November 2023]

Like most German produced shows on TV in Germany today, this is just another over-winded, drawn out, complete bore. Nothing new, no relevant questions even asked.

Ex. While on the run (guilty act), why did they dance all around Europe and Asia and NEVER go to Germany??? Certainly with his diplomatic connections, if Jens was innocent, he would easily find supporters there! Germany has a respectable history in their support of the truly innocent.

Why is it just "Investigative Journalists" involved in the analysis and no legal experts??? Grisham creates legal fantasy and veers far from reality; however, I do respect him and agree that for both perpetrators, enough time had been served. Yet Jens says he only confessed in hopes of serving a "5 year term" in Germany.

Since Jens clearly had much involvement in this crappy program (while Elizabeth remains silent), why is he on the aforementioned crappy German television programs complaining about all the inaccuracies in this production???

It's great that the producers don't try to portray any substance of differing opinions, just a bleeding heart approach to further advance Jens' own NARCISSISM, which professional forensic psychologists (not represented in this show) will agree that that's a sure sign of a multi-murderer.

Save yourself the 3 hours

[dariannasnow · 3/10 · 14 December 2023]

I want to start off by saying that I love long documentaries for true crime. I normally love the documentaries that Netflix releases but seriously this one just made me frustrated.

It was good in the beginning but was extremely dragged out for what ended up not even being a conclusion. I was also annoyed by the fact that Jens could speak perfect English gave all his interviews in German (I enjoy watching these in the particle background). There was barely any evidence mentioned and the trial was all over the place.

It felt like it pushed a political agenda. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who enjoys true crime, even if you like cold cases with no conclusion, its not worth it.