What happened to Danny Casolaro? True story behind Netflix's Octopus Murders

The four-parter sees Christian Hansen pick up where Casolaro's research left off, in an attempt to find the answers at the centre of the so-called "Octopus Murders", and is now available to watch on Netflix.

Told through interviews, the docuseries aims to uncover "a mystery decades in the making".

To find out what happened to Danny Casolaro and what he was researching, read on.

Who was Danny Casolaro?

Danny Casolaro was an American journalist who began an inquiry into an arcane intellectual-property dispute, which soon led him down a rabbit hole he was not expecting.

At 44, Casolaro was found dead at the Sheraton Hotel in West Virginia.

While his death was ruled a suicide, his family believe something more sinister took place.

What happened to Danny Casolaro?

Casolaro's story begins with an inquiry into an "arcane intellectual-property dispute" between the Department of Justice and a technology company, INSLAW.

While at a glance the dispute appeared to be about intellectual property, Casolaro uncovered something more sinister.

According to Netflix, his research led him to "the hidden underbelly of some of the shadiest stories of the 1980s". This included spyware, money laundering and the Iran-Contra affair.

It is believed Casolaro discovered a private organisation, which he named 'The Octopus'. Those part of said organisation were supposedly "high-ranking" government officials.

As heard in the trailer for the documentary, a voice-over says: "These eight men, they're no longer government officials. But their tentacles can reach into any part government, in almost any country. I've come to call this group: The Octopus."

It has been reported that Casolaro went to the Sheraton Hotel to speak to a source - however, housekeeping staff later discovered his body.

Casolaro's death was ruled a suicide, but as can be seen in the trailer for the documentary, many people believe this to be untrue.

"Most of us were convinced he had been hurt for him covering this story," one participant said.

American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders is available to watch on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.

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