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Netflix’s latest addition to the world of documentary filmmaking, The Keepers, is a series that is as riveting as it is deeply disturbing. Directed by Ryan White, the seven-part series starts as an exploration into the murder of a beloved nun and teacher before diving into the layers of alleged sexual abuse at Archbishop Keough High School. It’s an emotional look into crime, child abuse, and the elaborate cover up system of the Catholic church all while being intensely sympathetic to its victims.
Because of the vast scope of the series and the many accused crimes it explores, The Keepers is a series that can feel a bit dense. There are many players involved in this horrifying look into one city and church’s elaborate cover up. In order to help you keep everything straight, here’s your brief guide to the major elements of The Keepers.
THE MURDER
The Keepers starts by focusing on the murder of Sister Catherine Anne Cesnik. Sister Cathy was 26 at the time of her death and was a teacher at Archbishop Keough High School in Baltimore. She disappeared in November of 1969, but her body wasn’t until months later. She had died at least partially of blunt trauma force to her head.
At the time, no one knows who murdered Sister Cathy. However, as the docu-series continues, a theory emerges that Sister Cathy’s death was planned by some of the leaders of the church because Sister Cathy discovered the pattern of child abuse at the school. Some of the men suspected of murdering her or helping to plan her murder are Father Maskell, Father Magnus, Edgar Davidson, and Billy and Ronnie Schmidt.
THE BODY
Jean Hargadon Wehner, a former student of the school and a repeated victim of Father Maskell, claims that Maskell took her to see Sister Cathy’s body. Even though there was snow on the ground the day that Wehner claims to have seen the body, Wehner claims there were maggots on Sister Cathy’s face. This detail becomes a major reason why her testimony was not taken seriously in the early ‘70s when this case was initially being investigated.
THE NECKLACE
The day of her death, Sister Cathy told some of her friends that she was going to buy an engagement present for her sister, Marilyn Cesnik Radakovic. As the series progresses, many believe that present was a necklace. This piece of jewelry becomes instrumental in theorizing about what happened that night.
WHO’S WHO IN THE KEEPERS
A former teacher for Archbishop Keough High School who was brutally murdered in 1969. Sister Cathy's mysterious death is the crux of The Keepers' shocking narrativeCourtesy of Netflix
A reporter who wrote a 6,000 word story about the Baltimore murder, entitled "Who Killed Sister Cathy?" He's one of the authorities on the case featured in the documentary.
A retired nurse that Nugent refers to as "the intellectual." Schaub was a former student of Archbishop Keough and is one of the leading figures of this investigation though she has no investigative experience.Courtesy of Netflix
A teacher Nugent calls "the bulldog." Like Schaub, Hoskin is a former student of Archbishop Keough with no investigative experience who is dedicated to solving the case of Sister Cathy.
A former student of Archbishop Keough who claims she was taken to see the dead body of Sister Cathy. She was named Jane Doe in a case that claimed Father Maskell and Father Magnus were abusing students. There was also another student known as Jane Roe in her case.Courtesy of Netflix
A priest who was accused of sexually abusing multiple students during his time teaching at Archbishop Keough High School. The allegations the series presents against him are deeply disturbing. Maskell died in 2001 at the age of 62.Courtesy of Netflix
Another leader of the church who was accused of sexually abusing students. Many subjects of the documentary believe that Maskell and Magnus are both connected to Sister Cathy's death.Courtesy of Netflix
Two brothers whose niece claim they arrived home covered in blood the night of Sister Cathy's death. The docu-series considers whether these two men were involved in the murder. Billy Schmidt committed suicide before the release of the docu-series.
Another man some believe was connected to Sister Cathy's murder. After her death, Davidson made some suspicious comments to his wife and called a local radio station about the crime. He was also in a possession of a necklace some believe Sister Cathy bought for her sister.
Sister Cathy's biological sister. The day she died, the beloved nun and teacher mentioned she was going to buy her sister an engagement present. Radakovic becomes involved in the investigation.
One of Sister Cathy's close friends who was with her the night she disappeared. Though he was a primary suspect when the case was first being investigated, he denies being involved in her death.
