‘I Love You, Now Die.’: Sky’s New Chilling True Crime Documentary

“Get back in the car.”

These are the words Michelle Carter allegedly spoke to her boyfriend, Roy Conrad, when he exited his carbon monoxide filled vehicle because he was scared to die. Twenty minutes later the phone call ended, and so did Conrad’s life.

Roy Conrad died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning on July 13th 2014 in a parking lot. What was initially considered a cut-and-dry case of suicide, took a darker turn when a series of text messages were uncovered from Conrad’s girlfriend at the time, Michelle Carter, in which she appears to actively support and encourage his suicidal thoughts. Carter repeatedly attacks Conrad saying, “YOU KEEP PUSHING IT OFF! (…) I bet you’re gonna be like ‘oh, it didn’t work because I didn’t tape the tube right or something like that’… I bet you’re gonna say an excuse like that.” These provocations of suicide were interspersed with declarations of love (“You're my heart, I'd never leave you”) creating a compelling tapestry of apparent manipulation and deceit which the media clung to. Carter was branded a sociopath and convicted for her part in the death of her boyfriend.

Earlier this month, a new two-part true crime documentary, ‘I love You, Now Die’ was released to Sky, which brought the 2014 case of Carter and Conrad back into the spotlight. Although sickening, the documentary offered a different perspective into the case previously unseen.  Rather than branding Michelle Carter a psychopathic monster, her actions are once again brought back into the context of her experience with references to her own deteriorating mental health and the manipulative nature of her relationship with Conrad.

Since its release, the documentary has sparked much controversy of opinion with viewers taking to Twitter to express their thoughts. Michelle Carter was branded, ‘a disgusting human being’ by one viewer, whilst another believed the case not to be one of homicide, but rather ‘A story of love and two fucked up kids.’ It is exactly this extensive debate which highlights the sensitive way in which Director and Producer, Erin Lee Carr and Andrew Rossi, treat the complexity of the case. By underpinning this tragic tale with philosophical questions of social responsibility, the documentary feeds our own discussion of suicide culpability and mental health, without providing us with a resolute answer.

Receiving 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘I Love You Now Die’ is a documentary sure to question your own ideas on moral culpability. Watch with your flatmates and prepare for some serious debate as you consider, is Michelle Carter a ‘disgusting human being’?  Or just a ‘fucked up’ kid?

It appears to be all a matter of opinion.