Geena Davis, the Oscar-winning actress known for Thelma & Louise and Beetlejuice, is set to star as Dorothea Puente in a new HBO crime drama titled Dorothea. The series delves into the harrowing true story of the 1980s serial killer nicknamed the 'Killer Landlady' and the 'Death House Landlady.'
Sinister Motives Behind a Benevolent Facade
HBO, which ordered the series, teased: 'Her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives.' Puente ran a boarding house in Sacramento, California, from 1982 to 1988, targeting elderly and mentally disabled tenants. She poisoned her victims and buried their bodies on the property to continue cashing their Social Security checks.
Puente was charged with nine murders and convicted of three. In 1993, she received a life sentence and died at the Central California Women's Facility in 2011 at age 82.
Geena Davis to Executive Produce
Davis will not only star but also executive produce the series, which will stream on HBO Max and air on HBO. The actress, whose TV credits include Grey's Anatomy and Netflix's The Boroughs, brings her award-winning talent to the role.
The case has been featured in numerous true crime shows, including Deadly Women, World's Most Evil Killers, and Netflix's Worst Roommate Ever. Puente's boarding house at 1426 F Street was the subject of the 2015 documentary short The House Is Innocent. A biopic titled Dorothea was released in November 2025, with Susan Priver playing the serial killer.
Arrest and Aftermath
Puente was arrested on November 16, 1988, after authorities discovered bodies during an investigation into a missing resident. The case shocked the nation and remains a chilling example of exploitation masked as charity.
