Who is Alyssa Pladl? Chilling true story behind Netflix's ‘Husband, Father, Killer’
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
Netflix's television film 'Husband, Father, Killer' chronicles the disturbing story of Alyssa and Steven Pladl, who made headlines in 2018. Their story began in 1995, when the 15-year-old Alyssa Garcia, a San Antonio native, met the 20-year-old Steven Pladl online. They quickly developed a romantic relationship, with Alyssa moving into Steven’s house and giving birth to their daughter, Denise, within two years. However, she decided to give her 8-month-old baby up for adoption to protect her from Steven's rage and physical abuse. The baby was adopted by Kelly and Anthony Fusco and grew up as Katie Fusco. Meanwhile, the Pladls had two more kids together over the next decade. After Katie turned 18, she reached out to her biological parents, who were in the midst of a messy divorce.
Following their emotional reunion, Katie deferred her college plans and decided to live with her parents and siblings at their home in Virginia. But Steven began grooming the teenager and got into an incestuous relationship with his daughter. Alyssa took her younger kids and moved out of the house after their divorce was finalized. Steven and Katie got married by forging her documents, and she gave birth to a baby boy named Bennett. Alyssa reported Steven to the authorities after learning of Katie's pregnancy, and the two were arrested on charges of in**st and adultery.
The court ordered Katie to move back with her adoptive parents, and Bennett's custody was given to Steven’s mother. Despite the court's orders to stay away from Katie, Steven reached out to her to reconcile. But by that point, Katie had realized her mistake and broken all ties with him. What the infuriated Steven did next was truly horrifying. He suffocated his 7-month-old son, Bennett, in their North Carolina home and then traveled to Connecticut, shot Katie and her adoptive father, Anthony. He then confessed his crimes to his mother, who reported him to the police. But before the authorities could reach him, Steven committed su***de on April 12, 2018, in Dover.
Currently, Alyssa maintains a private life and a low profile, living with her children. She spoke about the incident in 2018 to raise awareness about the harmful impact of in**st. The psychological drama features Jackie Cruz as Alyssa, Matthew MacCaull as Steven, and Matreya Scarrwener as Katie. Additionally, Belle Ferguson stars as Jenna Pladl, Joselyn Picard as Caroline Pladl, Sebastien Roberts as Eric, Tim Perez as Javier Garcia, Carmen Aguirre as Elena Garcia, Chris Bradford as Anthony, Angela Moore as Detective Delia St. James, and Michelle Avila Navarro as the young Alyssa, among others. Stephen Tolkin adapted the story for the small screen, with Elisabeth Röhm directing the 'ripped-from-the-headlines' thriller. It premiered on Lifetime in 2024 and is now available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.
