Is 'Under the Bridge' a true story? What happened to Reena Virk, teen featured in Hulu series
Hulu's new true crime series has already caused a stir amongst watchers, taking a look back at a harrowing crime that shook a Canadian community in the late 1990s.
Retelling the fictionalized version of a real story, "Under the Bridge" covers the real-life 1997 murder of Reena Virk, a 14-year-old high school student who died after a seemingly normal altercation with her peers. The subsequent trial and moral panic gripped British Columbia for years to come.
Based on a book exploring the same topic, "Under the Bridge" addresses subjects that continue to capture the attention of audiences today, from bullying and violence amongst teens to the effects of racism and social ostracization. The series attempts to explore the "why" behind the murder, taking a peek into the minds of seemingly average teens who were somehow capable of committing such violent acts.
Here's what to know about the true story behind "Under the Bridge."
New Hulu series:Hulu's 'Under the Bridge' will make you wonder where your children are
Is 'Under the Bridge' based on a true story?
Yes, "Under the Bridge" is based on the real-life murder of Reena Virk, a Canadian teen who was killed by her peers in 1997.
The Hulu series is an adaption of Rebecca Godfrey’s 2005 book of the same name, written after six years of investigating and interviews with the alleged assailants.
Who was Reena Virk?
Reena Virk was a 14-year-old girl living in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada in the late 1990s. Her father was an immigrant from India and her mother was a Jehovah's Witness convert from an Indo-Canadian family.
Virk was reportedly the victim of extensive bullying and was teased for her weight, appearance and religion, according to Godfrey’s book. She was described as desperately seeking approval from a clique of girls with social influence among her peers.
Virk began to rebel, exacerbating the already tense relationship with her parents, and went as far as to falsely accuse her father of sexual, mental and physical abuse in 1996 in a bid to get freedom from her strict home life, reported Godfrey. She was briefly placed in foster care but soon dropped the charges and returned home.
She was described in Godfrey's book as a normal teenager with ordinary likes, dislikes and a desire to fit in and find her place in the world.
What happened to Reena Virk?
Virk went missing on November 14, 1997. That evening, a group of 50 to 60 teens had gathered on the field behind Shoreline School, a typical Friday night activity, reported Godfrey.
Groups of teens dispersed after police arrived to break up the party, with some moving to the area around the Victoria Gorge Waterway in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. According to Godfrey's book and court documents, Vik was invited to and attended the gathering under the Craigflower Bridge.
Before that night, Virk had been in an argument with Nicole Cook, a member of what later came to be known as the Shoreline Six. As a result of that fight, Virk had called several boys on Cook's contact list, spreading rumors that Cook had AIDS and fake breasts, among other remarks on her appearance.
At the Nov. 14 party, Cook confronted Virk and an argument broke out. Cook later admitted to putting a cigarette out on Virk's forehead and a physical altercation ensued.
A group of Cook's friends, including Kelly Ellard and Warren Glowatski, then reportedly "swarmed" to attack Virk, kicking and punching her as she lay on the ground, according to Supreme Court documents. One teen girl from the group eventually told the others to stop and Virk stood and began to stagger her way to the other side of the bridge, said court documents.
It was then, said the documents, that two teens, Ellard and Glowatski, followed her and beat her once more, causing "extensive" injuries that Godfrey compared to that of a car crash victim, resulting in her death.
An autopsy found gravel in Virk's lungs, leading the coroner to determine her cause of death to be forcible drowning in the Gorge. Her body was found Nov. 22, 1997, eight days after the attack.
Who were the Shoreline Six?
A group of eight teens total were determined to be involved in the attack, six of whom came to be known as the Shoreline Six. These teens were identified as Nicole Cook, Nicole Patterson, Missy Grace Pleich, Courtney Keith, Gail Ooms, and an unnamed minor.
These six were note considered to be directly responsible for Virk's murder, but all admitted some level of involvement.
Three of the six girls pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm and three other girls were found guilty of the same crime by a jury, according to the Supreme Court of Canada.
What happened to Kelly Ellard and Warren Glowatski?
Ellard and Glowatski were tried as adults for the crime in two separate trials, according to court documents.
The process turned out to be a lengthy one: initially, both were found guilty of second-degree murder in 1999 and 2000. Ellard's sentence was overturned in 2003, and the second trial resulted in a hung jury and mistrial in 2004.
Ellard was again convicted of second-degree murder in April 2005 and sentenced to life without eligibility for parole for seven years. This conviction was again overturned due to an error committed by the original trial judge but was reinstated in 2009 by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Glowastki also received life with no chance of parole for seven years. He received day parole in 2007 and was granted full parole in 2010. Ellard, who changed her name to Kerry Marie Simm, was granted conditional day parole in 2017. She has since had one child while in prison and one while on parole.
How to watch 'Under the Bridge'
"Under the Bridge" streams exclusively on Hulu. It began airing on Wednesday, April 17, dropping two episodes.
More episodes will air weekly on Wednesdays at 12 a.m. on the streaming platform. The final episode, "Blood Oath," will premiere on Wednesday, April 24.