Geena Davis, the Oscar-winning star of Thelma and Louise, has been cast as the notorious serial killer Dorothea Puente in a new HBO crime drama series titled Dorothea. Puente, dubbed the 'Killer Landlady' and 'Death House Landlady' by the media, operated a boarding house for vulnerable individuals in Sacramento, California, during the 1980s.
Who Was Dorothea Puente?
Dorothea Puente ran a boarding house at 1426 F Street in Sacramento from 1982 to 1988, targeting elderly and mentally disabled tenants. She poisoned her victims and hid their bodies to continue collecting their Social Security checks. According to HBO, which commissioned the series, 'Her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives.'
Puente was charged with the murders of nine individuals, though she was convicted of three. In 1993, she received a life sentence and died in 2011 at the Central California Women's Facility at age 82.
Geena Davis to Executive Produce
Davis, known for her roles in Beetlejuice and Thelma and Louise, will also serve as an executive producer on the project. The series will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max. Her recent television work includes Grey's Anatomy and the Netflix series The Boroughs, which was recently canceled.
Puente's Notoriety in True Crime
Puente's crimes have been featured in numerous true crime programs, including Deadly Women, World's Most Evil Killers, and Netflix's Worst Roommate Ever. A 2015 documentary short, The House Is Innocent, focused on her boarding house, and a biopic titled Dorothea was released in November 2025, starring Susan Priver.
The announcement of the HBO series comes as interest in Puente's story continues, with Davis's casting expected to draw significant attention to the chilling case.
