In Los Angeles, California, the movie He Went That Way tells the story of the notorious serial killer Larry Lee Ranes. Although the film is based on true events, it takes some creative liberties to bring the chilling story to the big screen.
Based on the real-life crimes of Ranes, the movie portrays the unsettling tale of a man convicted of one murder, but suspected of being responsible for the deaths of multiple victims. Ranes targeted his victims by posing as a hitchhiker, ultimately leading to the death of 30-year-old Gary Smock.
Despite the name changes in the movie, key details of Ranes’ crimes are kept intact. One prominent detail is the account of Dave Pitts, a celebrity animal trainer who narrowly escaped becoming another victim of Ranes. The movie even features a brief interview with Pitts, in which he recounts the harrowing experience and explains how a chimpanzee ultimately saved his life.
Ranes was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in 1964, and he passed away in prison nearly six decades later in 2023. The movie He Went That Way sheds light on the frightening reality of Ranes’ crimes, bringing a piece of true crime history to the big screen for audiences to witness and contemplate.