'These Families Live A Nightmare': Filmmaker Hopeful New Documentary Could Help Solve Lane Bryant Slayings

TINLEY PARK, IL — Eighteen years after five women were shot to death inside a women's clothing store in Tinley Park, a documentary filmmaker hopes to compel someone who knows something to come forward and help solve the slayings.

The gunman on Feb. 2, 2008 forced six women — four shoppers, the store manager and an employee — to the back of a Lane Bryant clothing store in Brookside Marketplace at 191st and Harlem, and opened fire around 10:44 a.m. Killed on that February day in 2008 were Connie R. Woolfolk, 37, of Flossmoor; Sarah T. Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort; Rhoda McFarland, 42, of Joliet; and Jennifer L. Bishop, 34, of South Bend, Indiana. The employee survived only by playing dead and waiting for the gunman to leave.

In the documentary "Who Killed These Women?," New York City-based Charlie Minn dives into the case, incorporating interviews with paramedics first on the scene, one victim's brother and a criminology professor. The film also includes a reenactment of the scene that unfolded inside the store that Saturday morning.

Minn—who specializes in true crime documentaries—said he has been frustrated by the slayings remaining unsolved for nearly two decades, and is hopeful the movie will shed new, fresh light on the case. His other films include documentaries on the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, the Orlando nightclub shooting and the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

"People are going to be listening to these stories that have never been told before," Minn told Patch. "That’s what a documentary should do: inform, educate, raise awareness to the highest level.

"I’m hoping because of this film, because of the reaction, it might get to someone who’s sitting on some info."

In speaking about his work on the film, Minn questioned the efficacy and transparency of Tinley Park police investigative efforts, saying they have declined to participate in the film since first approached 10 years ago.

"I still have the email saved for motivation," Minn said.

Village Manager Pat Carr said the police department and Village would not comment on the film.

Tinley Park Police and Village officials on Monday—the 18th anniversary of the slayings—said the police department continues its investigation into the slayings, working in coordination with longstanding local, state, and federal law-enforcement partners.

“This investigation has never stopped,” Tinley Park Police Chief Tom Tilton said, in a statement issued Monday by the Village. “Our detectives and partners continue to evaluate leads, review evidence, and apply available investigative and forensic tools as they evolve. This work occurs every day.”

READ ALSO: 18 Years Later, Hunt For Lane Bryant Killer 'Has Never Stopped,' Tinley Park Police Say

Minn stressed that he sought to showcase the humanity of the victims—and those left to grieve them. Victim Jennifer Bishop, he noted, left behind a 6-month-old child. The brother of victim Hudek-Chiuso fathered a child who was born the day after her murder—a niece named after her, Minn said.

"These families live a nightmare all the time," Minn said, of the murders still being unsolved. "... somebody has to stand up for these families. ... A temper tantrum needs to be thrown."

Minn was unable to reach the sole survivor of the shooting, a female store employee who suffered a graze wound to the neck.

"It took 40 minutes," Minn said, of the time the suspect spent inside the store. "The killer walked in around 10:05, walked out at 10:45. It begs the question: what was going on for those 40 minutes? Only the survivor would know."

Making the film was a "dog effort," Minn said, "an absolute scrap, claw and grind."

To better grasp the scene inside the store, Minn and actors staged a reenactment of the shootings, using a Kankakee boutique as the scene.

"It was the opposite of being soft," he said. "It was hard-nosed, it was a grind. I thank them for their courage, artistry to take on such a significant role."

The film includes actual footage from the parking lot, as police descended on the scene of what was presumed to be a botched robbery. The b-roll is supplemented by interviews with paramedics and an employee of a store nearby who heard the gunshots.

"This film places the person at the scene," Minn said. "When you hear the paramedic talk, see the parking lot footage—we have everything but the crime scene photos."

Minn urges people to take a more active role in helping to solve the case; he said he received countless leads and tips via social media and email while working on the film.

"Social media could solve this thing," he said. "More people have to start talking and generating facts and ideas. ... There’s a lot of meat to the bone here. There’s more to chew on with this thing."

As an outsider looking in at Tinley Park, he described it as a "small, tight-knit community.

"I could only imagine the horror they were feeling, that this happened in their small village, their community," Minn said.

Tinley Park officials on Monday said a multi-agency task force of Tinley Park detectives and analysts, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the FBI’s Chicago Field Office continues to work on the case. These partnerships have ensured continued access to national-level investigative resources, forensic expertise, and specialized support, officials said.

“With the help of new technology, access to national-level assets and new forensic capabilities, we are committed to solving this crime.” Tinley Park Village Manager Pat Carr said in the statement.

Due to the sensitive and ongoing nature of the investigation, the Tinley Park Police Department and its task force partners will not comment further on investigative details, officials said.

Village officials have consistently supported the investigation by ensuring the Tinley Park Police Department has the resources necessary for evidence testing, analysis, and investigative follow-up.

“We’re more determined than ever to solve this case,” Mayor Michael Glotz said Monday. “Our diligence has never wavered, nor has our passion for seeking justice for the women we lost that day.”

A composite likeness of the suspect and an audio recording from the 911 call remain available at TinleyPark.org/LaneBryant. Anyone with information is urged to contact the tip hotline at (708) 444-5394 or email lanebryant.tipline@tinleypark.org. A $100,000 reward remains available for information leading to the arrest of the offender.

Minn's full-length feature film will hit Marcus Theatres in Orland Park and AMC theaters in Crestwood, New Lenox and River East; Crestwood, Orland Park and River East on Feb. 13, followed by New Lenox on Feb. 18. In Orland Park, Crestwood, and River East, it is expected to run a week; in New Lenox, it is anticipated to run Feb. 18–19.

Tickets can be purchased online.