Trigger warning: This article contains discussion of suicide that may be triggering for some readers
There’s something to be said about the abundance of true crime series as of late, with everything from Tinder con artists to fake German heiresses taking the streaming world by storm.
WATCH BELOW: The Girl From Plainville Trailer
While we settle in and watch these chilling yet captivating tales come to life via documentaries and limited series, it can often get lost on us how very real these stories are.
For many, these events have changed the course of their entire lives, with some even losing loved ones to devastating circumstances.
Conrad Roy III is one of many victims to have their story told, but he, unlike others, isn’t here to watch it.
Conrad’s story will be told in Stan’s new series, The Girl From Plainville, which will follow the events that led to his death, in what was dubbed the “texting suicide”.
The series will take a focus on Michelle Carter, who was indicted for involuntary manslaughter in 2017 after Conrad took his own life.
If you haven’t heard of this story before, you may be wondering, how was Michelle to blame for Conrad’s suicide?
Hailing in from Plainville, Massachusetts, Michelle was 17 years old when Conrad, her boyfriend at the time, was found dead in 2014.
The young couple had met two years earlier in Naples, Florida, and went on to maintain a long-distance relationship, despite both living in Massachusetts.
During the course of their relationship, the pair had primarily kept in contact through phone, email and text messages.
It was through their text messages that Michelle’s apparent role in Conrad’s tragic death was made evident after they were revealed during her highly publicised trial.
On the day of his suicide on June 29, 2014, Michelle reportedly texted Conrad: “You keep pushing it off and say you’ll do it but you never do. It’s always gonna be that way if you don’t take action.”
In other texts, Michelle reportedly said: “You just need to do it,” and “No more pushing it off, no more waiting.”
What’s more, two months after his death, Michelle reportedly texted a friend admitting she could have prevented it.
“I could have stopped him,” she wrote. “I was on the phone with him and he got out of the car because it was working and he got scared and I f**king told him to get back in. I could of stopped him but I f**king didn’t. All I had to say was I love you.”
Seven months after his suicide, in February 2015, Michelle was indicted for involuntary manslaughter. While the homicide charge carries a maximum 20-year sentence, she was only sentenced to 15 months in prison.
At the age of 23, Michelle was released from prison in 2020 after less than a year and is currently serving five years on probation.
After being released early due to good behaviour, Michelle has kept a relatively low profile and has avoided the public eye.
The Girl from Plainville is available to stream on Stan from March 30.
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website.
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