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The Meaning of Malice: On the Trail of the Black Widow of Highland Park

"The Meaning of Malice" examines the life and crimes of Sandra Bridewell—a beguiling socialite in the affluent Dallas suburb of Highland Park in the seventies and early eighties. True crime author John Leake presents new evidence to substantiate his belief that Bridewell (who is still alive and free) is an officially undetected serial killer.

In May 1987, Sandra Bridewell was the subject of a D Magazine feature titled "The Black Widow" that suggested she had murdered her third husband—as well as her first husband, and the wife of a prominent cancer doctor who had treated her second husband for what turned out to be terminal lymphoma.

Author John Leake grew up in Highland Park, down the street from Sandra Bridewell, and often visited her at her home to socialize with one of her children. With the assistance of former Los Angeles County criminalist Lynne Herold and former FBI forensic psychologist, Gregg McCrary, he analyzed the three gunshot deaths reported in the 1987 D Magazine feature.

Leake began his multi-year investigation in 2007, when Sandra Bridewell was arrested (and later pled guilty) for aggravated identity theft. Assuming the guise of a Christian missionary, she ingratiated herself with an elderly lady in Southport, North Carolina (near Cape Fear) to steal the unsuspecting victim’s identity and to plunder her financial assets. Leake visited Bridewell in pretrial detention and began documenting her life and wanderings.

Join author John Leake as he takes a closer look at the true story of Sandra Bridewell and follows a trail of seduction, blackmail, identity theft, and murder that has perplexed Dallas high society for forty years.

  • Daniel Hancock
    Director
  • Daniel Hancock
    Writer
  • John Leake
    Writer
  • Daniel Hancock
    Producer
  • John Leake
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    True Crime
  • Runtime:
    40 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 21, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    iPhone
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Daniel Hancock

Daniel Hancock is a director, producer, and writer specializing in dramatic adventures and imaginative adaptations. He is the founder of Bible Actors Productions, through which he has created numerous theatrical plays and multimedia productions, including the full-cast audio drama End of Darkness.

In 2020, Daniel joined Terminus Media as a scriptwriter, editor, and multimedia producer, collaborating with Daryl Peninton and Matt Baker as editor on Samson: Rise, and writing the sci-fantasy graphic novel series Dominion: Fall of the House of Saul with Dr. Barron Bell. He also created the Dominion: Border Wars comics, adapted the Sound of the Trumpet graphic novel with Liberty University, and wrote The Runaway Plot comic, based on the works of Frederick Douglass, which he is now producing and directing as an animated special in partnership with the Douglass Leadership Institute.

Daniel collaborated with veteran director Barry Cook as sound designer and editor for the full-cast audio play The Happy Place at Studio PB&J and serves as editor and publishing assistant for PB&J Books. As a media producer for bestselling true-crime author John Leake and renowned cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough, Daniel created the promotional trailer for The Courage to Face COVID-19, as well as content for their educational Substack. He also oversees the publication and graphic design of Leake’s books and directed the true crime featurette The Meaning of Malice: On the Trail of the Black Widow of Highland Park.

In 2024, Daniel relocated to Central Florida to join Dominic Carola’s team at Premise Entertainment as character coordinator for the animated Jesus Film, and as an associate production manager, writer, and story consultant for developing intellectual properties.

Daniel is a versatile director and an expert in story structure, character development, and dialogue writing. He is dedicated to creating compelling narratives that resonate deeply with audiences, while also sharing his expertise through workshops, guest panels, and consulting roles. To learn more about Daniel and his work, please visit DanielHancock.com

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Director Statement

I had the privilege of producing and directing this true crime documentary based on Author John Leake's new book, THE MEANING OF MALICE: On the Trail of the Black Widow of Highland Park. Ride along with John as he visits key locations and investigates four violent deaths connected to the mysterious Dallas socialite Sandra Bridewell. WARNING: This documentary features potentially disturbing death scene photographs, released for the first time in this film.