While Max’s documentary Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? has drawn attention to the case and sparked renewed discussions, there is one aspect of the film that has not been well-received.
Last week, a new docu-series about the 2012 kidnapping of 10-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey and her eight-year-old cousin, Elizabeth Collins, was released on Max.
Despite months passing since their disappearance in Evansdale, Iowa, the bodies of the missing individuals were ultimately discovered by hunters in Bremer County. The case continues to remain unsolved even now.
Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? not only explores the different theories, suspects, and individuals connected to the girls, but also thoroughly investigates the authorities’ handling of the case.
Despite the consensus among viewers that the three-part docu-series is captivating, some true crime enthusiasts have expressed their dissatisfaction with director Dylan Sires’ choice to explore other cases as potential leads.
Elizabeth’s father, Drew, has proposed a theory that Michael Klunder was the perpetrator of the murders. This theory aligns with previous investigations, as Klunder had previously committed similar crimes.
Within a year of Lyric and Elizabeth’s disappearance, Klunder abducted two young girls: 12-year-old Dezi Hughes and 15-year-old Kathlynn Shepard. Dezi managed to escape and alert the authorities, but unfortunately, Klunder had already killed Kathlynn before taking his own life.
Taken Together also examines other potential connections to the perpetrator, such as the case of child sex offender Jeff Altmayer, who was taken into custody in 2016, and the killings of Abigail Williams and Liberty German in Delphi, Indiana in 2017.
Many viewers believed that the docu-series devoted excessive time to these theories.
In a Reddit discussion about the documentary Taken Together, a user commented that they had watched it and found it to be good. However, they expressed a desire for the focus to remain on Lyric and Elizabeth, rather than making a connection to another case. They also hoped for more exploration of the family theory and expressed a hope for a resolution to the case.
Another person concurred, stating, “I completely agree. There were moments where I lost focus and when I came back, I thought I was watching a completely different documentary.”
Taken Together looks at a number of other abduction cases
Another person provided a more in-depth review on IMDb, stating, “The initial episode concludes with a second abduction that seems to be connected to the first one. The subsequent episode delves into this kidnapping, but the police eventually eliminate the suspect as a potential perpetrator.”
The series plods on until it eventually attempts to link this tragedy to the Delphi murders, which are 400 miles away (another concerning aspect). However, this ultimately proves to be a fruitless endeavor.
Ultimately, the father and the filmmaker conclude that it may have indeed been the second double kidnapper responsible for the crime.
“Although this may be a possibility, their information is derived from two ex-convicts whose stories contradict each other and only serve to suggest that the second kidnapper may have been in Evansdale at one point. It cannot be considered concrete evidence.”
While it is true that investigations often involve many false leads and dead ends, this is a common reality in such cases. However, there is no reason to spend more than 20 minutes discussing the Delphi case when it is already known that there is no connection between the cases.
“Initially, the filmmaker mentioned having captured over 300 hours of footage. While I commend him for reducing it to three hours, there was still excess material that could have been edited out.”
One reviewer noted, “Regrettably, this storyline could have been condensed into just one or possibly two episodes. The pacing was slow and the plot did not offer any significant developments. Furthermore, the sudden shift to a completely unrelated topic was unnecessary.”
Despite this, Taken Together remains a captivating viewing experience that brings attention to a case that is still just as relevant for the loved ones of girls today as it was when it initially began.
According to another viewer’s statement, “It was good and well-done, but also heartbreaking to relive. It left me with more questions than answers.”
In addition, you can stream Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? on Max. If you’re interested in more true crime stories, be sure to also read about the cases of Lou Pearlman, Melissa Witt, and Phil Spector.
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