The Copycat Killer (2026 Lifetime Movie)
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Cast: Melissa O’Neil, Greyston Holt, Peter Facinelli
Director: Jim Donovan
Writer(s): Al Kratina
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
A traumatized criminal profiler is lured in to investigate a copycat killer mimicking her most infamous case—while she’s framed as the prime suspect and must expose the killer before she loses her freedom or becomes the next victim.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
Ellie celebrates winning a criminal profiling award with a fancy dinner with her doting boyfriend, Kenneth. He talks about the wine list and gives Ellie a bottle of his fav. As they enjoy some sexy time, someone lurks on the balcony watching them. It’s bald Peter Facinelli, playing a serial killer named Boyd who leaves a symbol on the wall at the crime scenes.
Two years later, Ellie is a single recluse who has given up crime solving. Her best friend Vale books Ellie for a panel of true-crime experts. Kenneth is also on the panel and is notable for writing a best-selling crime novel about his relationship with Ellie. On her way to the convention, Ellie has a panic attack, and I’m like, who let this woman drive?
A HOT reporter, Julian, with ears for days, writes a story about Ellie and introduces himself to her in the hotel lobby. Everyone is in this lobby; Ellie and Kenneth have a heated conversation. Ellie’s rival, Detective Lisa Deloria, is also there; she wears some seriously prominent glasses. (More like Detective Daria.)
After a shaky presentation, Ellie drinks martinis with Julian at the hotel bar and talks about how her 14-year-old brother went missing while she was babysitting. He was kidnapped by a serial killer, and that started her lifetime crime-solving passion. It’s weird foreplay, but they end up hooking up in her hotel room.
Meanwhile, a local waitress breaks into a creepy old house and finds something, but she is murdered before she can tell anyone what she found. A symbol at the crime scene looks just like Boyd’s. Detective Daria suspects Ellie and questions her. Ellie decides to stick around to help find the… COPYCAT KILLER!
Ellie and Vale stay in town even after the convention ends. Vale does research from the safety of her home, while Ellie breaks into an active crime scene without gloves or anything — OK, crime expert.
Ellie suffers from panic attacks all the time now, and Julian helps her with some breathing exercises. Could he help me? I’m suddenly feeling panicked all of a sudden.
Boyd helps Ellie figure out who could be copying him and is flattered that someone knows him so well. He doesn’t give her anything and basically says that Ellie is the killer and has been all along. Detective Daria thinks the same thing after finding fingerprints on a bottle of rosé. The wine just so happens to be Kenneth’s favorite brand.
Ellie is released from police custody and sees Kenneth throwing away a bag of bloody clothes. Kenneth explains that he had drinks with the waitress and cut his hand. Then he accuses Julian of being the killer because he is a reporter with NO ARTICLES ONLINE. (Even I have articles online and I’m not a real journalist.) Ellie leaves, and Julian bursts into Kenneth’s room and chops him with an ax. (That escalated quickly!)
Detective Daria finds the body, and Ellie right next to it, and things aren’t looking good. Ellie is told to stay in her hotel room for her own protection, but when she goes back, the symbol is painted on her wall. She runs into Julian in the lobby, and he hugs her and tells her everything is going to be ok. They go back up to the room, and Julian chokes Ellie out.
Ellie wakes up tied to a chair in the creepy, abandoned house. Julian is Boyd’s brother. They were working together to get vengeance on the families that failed them in foster care.
Vale and Detective Daria go to the house to search for their friend, and instead of going to the basement, they check upstairs. These really are Lifetime Detectives. Julian takes out Detective Daria, but Vale is left to save the day and maybe redeem her poor research skills.
Oh no, Vale is another long-lost sibling. EYE ROLL! They plant a note framing Ellie for everything, but Detective Daria comes to and shoots the bad guys.
Ellie writes a best-selling true crime novel, The Copycat Killer, and moves on with her life. It’s sad because Julian was soooooo hot. She should have just let him keep killing and turned a blind eye.
STRAY Thought
The ratings for this were solid. Will they do a series of these?
This was very sexy, but ultimately I rolled my eyes so hard at the siblings thing.
Overall rating
Number of Kills: 🔪🔪🔪( 3 knives)
Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)
🍷🍷 (2 Glasses of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Pour it up (Give it a shot)
Put a Cork in It (Skip It!)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media at @LifetimeUncorked and @patrickmiguel.
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*Photo Credit: © 2026 A&E Television Networks, LLC
Let me know what you thought of the movie in the comments below or @lifetimeuncorked
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