Crime Writers On...17 Okt 2022

A Friend of the Family

Robert Berchtold seemed the perfect neighbor and close friend to the Broberg family. But his fixation on their daughter Jan led him to abduct the girl and flee to Mexico. Parents Bob and Mary Ann were left confused as to why their trusted friend would take their child. But long after their return, Berchtold continued to hold Jan under his spell, keeping each parent at arm's length through blackmail. His diabolical scheme to possess Jan lasted years and threatened to tear the Broberg family apart.

Jake Lacy, Anna Paquin, and Colin Hanks star in the Peacock mini-series “A Friend of the Family.” The show recounts the story first told in the shocking documentary “Abducted in Plain Sight.” The dramatization focuses on the interpersonal dynamics between its players while highlighting the bizarre crimes. It’s a cautionary tale on what happens when a master manipulator befriends the easily fooled.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: Love you to the moon and back.

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This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.

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