What is Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert about? Everything to know

Wicked Game The Devil in the Desert is about the woman found zip-tied on the side of a road in the Mojave Desert (Image via ABC)
Wicked Game The Devil in the Desert is about the woman found zip-tied on the side of a road in the Mojave Desert (Image via ABC)

Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert is set to premiere on ABC on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. The new true crime docuseries revisits a chilling case from 2012, when a woman was found zip-tied on the side of a road in the Mojave Desert.

The woman managed to survive and provide investigators with crucial details about her abduction. The ABC documentary unravels her story and how she and her roommate were kidnapped from their home. Through firsthand accounts, the series walks viewers through the terrifying events that led to her escape.

Produced by ABC News Studios, Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert is part of the network’s growing slate of true crime narratives, which also includes The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer. The series will be available for streaming exclusively on Hulu.


The true crime story behind Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert

In the docuseries Wicked Game The Devil in the Desert, the victim was abducted and zip-tied in a road side in the desert (Image via Juli KosolapovaUnsplash)
In the docuseries Wicked Game The Devil in the Desert, the victim was abducted and zip-tied in a road side in the desert (Image via Juli KosolapovaUnsplash)

ABC’s upcoming docuseries, Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert, offers an in-depth look at a terrifying 2012 abduction that led to a years-long investigation. The three-part series, featuring exclusive access to those involved, investigated the true crime case.

A sheriff’s deputy finds a frantic woman, zip-tied and abandoned in the Mojave Desert, sparking a complex investigation. The case involves undercover stings, an international manhunt, a daring prison escape, and a courtroom battle led by prosecutor Matt Murphy.

According to the official trailer, the film contains a firsthand look at rare evidence, police body cam and dash cam footage, as well as recorded interviews with both victims and suspects.

The series also includes new insights from key figures such as the lead prosecutor, deputy counsel, and detective, along with archival interviews featuring the alleged mastermind, Hossein Nayeri.

Executive producer Eamon McNiff and senior executive producer David Sloan lead the project, with Katie Muldowney and Jake Lefferman serving as series producers. Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert is part of ABC News Studios’ expanding true crime lineup and will be available for streaming exclusively on Hulu.


Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert: Filmed jailbreak and mutilation of male genitalia

Wicked Game The Devil in the Desert shows the footage of the prisoner's escape while filiming himself (Image via Pawel CzerwinskiUnsplash)
Wicked Game The Devil in the Desert shows the footage of the prisoner's escape while filiming himself (Image via Pawel CzerwinskiUnsplash)

ABC’s upcoming true crime docuseries, Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert, features a harrowing case filled with twists, including a filmed jailbreak and a gruesome attack on a victim.

One of the most infamous moments in the case is a daring prison escape, where the suspect recorded himself while breaking out of jail. The footage, later recovered by authorities, reveals the intricate details of his escape and the calculated effort behind it.

Another horrifying aspect of the crime is the brutal torture of one of the victims, which includes the mutilation of his male genitalia. The attackers, believing he had access to hidden money, subjected him to extreme violence after discovering no cash was available.

With exclusive police footage, never-before-seen evidence, and interviews with investigators and the wife, Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert provides an inside look at a case that stunned law enforcement and the public.


Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert trailer

youtube-cover

ABC has unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming true crime docuseries, Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert, on ABC News YouTube channel on January 29.

The trailer shows the terrifying ordeal of a woman who was abducted from her home alongside her roommate by armed robbers searching for cash. When they found nothing, the captors took their hostages deep into the Mojave Desert, where they brutally tortured and killed the woman’s roommate.

As the investigation unfolds, law enforcement closes in on a prime suspect, only to discover he has fled the country. Detectives turn to the suspect’s wife. Her cooperation helps authorities track him down and bring him to justice.

Don't miss the gripping true crime docuseries Wicked Game: The Devil in the Desert. It features exclusive footage, recorded police interviews, and firsthand accounts from key figures, including the wife. The documentary premieres February 4 on ABC and streams exclusively on Hulu.

Edited by Divya Singh
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications