33-Year-Old Murder Mystery of Wisconsin Man Solved in New Documentary

'My Brother's Killer' film premieres at Milwaukee Film Festival, chronicling the case of Billy Newton's unsolved death in West Hollywood.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 10:08pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of shattered glass reflecting a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the stark, investigative nature of an unsolved crime.A haunting close-up of physical evidence from an unsolved murder case exposes the gritty realities of a long-dormant investigation.Today in Milwaukee

A new true crime documentary titled 'My Brother's Killer' is set to debut at the Milwaukee Film Festival, revisiting the 33-year-old unsolved murder case of Billy Newton, an Eau Claire, Wisconsin man who was killed in West Hollywood in 1990. The film follows the efforts of director Rachel Mason and Eau Claire native Clark Williams to uncover new details about Newton's mysterious death and ultimately help identify a previously unknown person of interest in the case.

Why it matters

The documentary sheds light on a tragic cold case with Wisconsin ties, while also highlighting the power of community collaboration between marginalized groups and law enforcement to solve long-standing mysteries. The film's premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival brings this important story to a wider Midwest audience.

The details

In the early 1990s, 33-year-old Billy Newton of Eau Claire, Wisconsin was found murdered in West Hollywood, California. The case went cold for decades until director Rachel Mason, who had previously learned of the case through research for an unrelated film, became determined to unravel the mystery. Mason teamed up with Clark Williams, an Eau Claire native who also felt a personal connection to Newton's story, to conduct new interviews and investigations that ultimately led to the identification of a previously unknown person of interest in the case.

  • Billy Newton was murdered in West Hollywood in October 1990.
  • The 'My Brother's Killer' documentary will premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival on April 18 and 22, 2026.

The players

Rachel Mason

The director of the 'My Brother's Killer' documentary, who became interested in the unsolved murder of Billy Newton while researching a previous film project.

Clark Williams

An Eau Claire, Wisconsin native who grew up in the same town as Billy Newton and became involved in the investigation that inspired the documentary.

Billy Newton

A 33-year-old man from Eau Claire, Wisconsin who was found murdered in West Hollywood, California in 1990.

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What they’re saying

“I couldn't have put it better. You said it exactly. One thing led to another and it just continued to unfold. And truly the way that it unraveled, that leads Clark to sitting right here is, is something that we, we delve into in our story of the film. We, we actually unfold all the different steps along the way that led to the actual crime being solved.”

— Rachel Mason, Director, 'My Brother's Killer'

“It's so much more than just a true crime story. It's really about a collective of people that all came together to give bits and pieces of information that became this remarkable mosaic of the case. And when you do that, when so many people give selflessly of their time, of their of the information they have, it's amazing what can be done with that information, what new leads can be developed that homicide investigators can then follow through with.”

— Clark Williams, Subject, 'My Brother's Killer'

What’s next

The 'My Brother's Killer' documentary will have additional screenings at the Milwaukee Film Festival on April 22, 2026.

The takeaway

This documentary showcases the power of community collaboration and persistence in solving long-standing cold cases, even decades after a tragic incident. The film's premiere in Milwaukee brings important regional context to a story that has national implications for how marginalized groups and law enforcement can work together to seek justice.