'Butchers’ docuseries reveals how a prolific serial killer was put behind bars

Journalists usually try to stay out of the stories they cover, but that wasn’t quite the case for Dave Lopez, who heard the confessions of serial killer William Bonin and ended up helping bring him to justice.

Bonin was one of three killers covered in SundanceTV’s “Butchers,” a limited true crime docuseries, attacking and killing multiple young men in Los Angeles in the 1970s and 80s.

Lopez spoke with Bonin’s mother first, and few days later Bonin’s attorney approached him, letting him know Bonin liked how he interviewed his mother and was willing to speak with him.

The reporter was able to access Bonin and speak with him directly for about an hour and a half and confessed to killing 26 people. Bonin also admitted that if he hadn’t been caught, he wouldn’t have stopped and revealed the chilling reason why he loved killing and hurting his victims.

At trial, one of Bonin’s accomplices, Vernon Butts, was willing to testify against him and was key in the district attorney’s case. However, before he could speak in court, Butts took his own life in prison.

After some pressure and concern about giving up his source, Lopez ended up testifying about Bonin’s confessions. A few days later, Bonin was convicted and sentenced to death.

“I just felt it was the right thing to do. I’m glad I did it,” Lopez said during the second episode of “Butchers.”

He added some members of the press felt it was a betrayal of the journalistic code of not revealing one’s sources, but Lopez stands by his decision.

“I had to do what I had to do, and I don’t regret it to this day,” he said.

“Butchers” is airing on SundanceTV, Sundance Now and AMC+.