Let the Devil In on MGM+: The Story Behind the Satanic Panic in New Jersey
Documentary series about the discovery of a body in Jefferson and the occult mass hysteria of the 1980s
What is the series about?
Let the Devil In (MGM+, 2025) is a documentary series that sheds new light on one of the most fraught periods in American criminal history: the so-called 'Satanic Panic' of the 1980s. The series specifically focuses on Jefferson, New Jersey, where a series of mysterious deaths and the discovery of bodies led to an explosion of fear and accusations of devil worship. In the second episode, titled 'Panic', viewers follow the discovery of yet another victim, which becomes the catalyst for a national media event that places the small town at the center of a discussion about evil in American suburbs.
The real case
The real case behind Let the Devil In traces back to the events that unfolded in Jefferson, New Jersey, in the late 1980s. During this era, the USA was marked by a moral panic, where parents, churches, and authorities feared that secret satanic networks were abducting and sacrificing children and young people. When the police in Jefferson found a body under suspicious circumstances, local investigators were pressured by a public demanding answers. Although many of the alleged occult connections later proved to be based on rumors and insufficient evidence, the suspicion ruined lives and divided the community.
The production behind the series has gained access to archival material and interviews with individuals who experienced the hysteria up close. The central question of the series is how real crimes were distorted by a collective fear of the supernatural, and how the justice system in some cases failed the accused in favor of a sensational narrative of demonic possession.
Timeline of the case
The case in Jefferson began in the mid-1980s, when the first reports of suspicious activity in the local wooded areas started to circulate. As media coverage of cases like the McMartin Preschool case escalated nationally, anxiety grew in New Jersey. When the second body was found, as described in the episode 'Panic', the case was elevated from a local investigation to a matter of national interest, involving the FBI and experts in occultism.
Watch the series
Let the Devil In can be streamed on MGM+, which is available through Apple TV+ channels. The series consists of several episodes, each addressing different aspects of the investigation and the subsequent trial. For viewers interested in true crime and sociological studies of mass hysteria, the series offers a thorough examination of how fear can overshadow facts in a murder investigation.