Photo: HBO / YouTube
The four-part docuseries premiered on HBO on Nov. 15.
By Olivia Jakiel — Written on Nov 18, 2020
Murder on Middle Beach is another HBO crime documentary that is sure to keep you glued to the TV screen.
The four-part docuseries explores the 2010 murder of 48-year-old mother of two, Barbara Hamburg, who was discovered blugeoned and stabbed to death at her own home in Madison, Connecticut in broad daylight.
Barbara’s filmmaker son, Madison Hamburg, directed the series, which premiered on HBO on Nov. 15
In it, Hamburg looks into the cold case of his mother’s murder and tries to figure out what the Madison Police Department couldn’t do and gave up on in 2013:
Who killed Barbara Hamburg?
There are a few theories about who killed Barbara Hamburg and Barbara’s ex-husband, Jeffrey Hamburg, is at the center of many of them.
Barbara Hamburg Reddit theories are already gaining traction.
Many Reddit users were quick to jump to the conclusion that Barbara’s killer is her ex-husband, Jeffery Hamburg.
“Definitely the father did it. He was going to jail for not paying his ex and kids,” one Reddit user theorized.
Another said, “Yeah everything seems to point to him. Unfortunately, unless someone confesses, I don't think this case will ever be solved.”
However, as it’s pointed out in the docuseries, Jeffrey Hamburg was physically at the courthouse at the time of the murder, so he couldn’t have been the one to senselessly murder his ex-wife.
Plus, DNA found at the scene didn’t match Hamburg’s.
If Jeffrey Hamburg didn’t kill Barbara Hamburg, he may have hired someone to do it.
“If he's responsible then someone else did it for him because he was in court,” one Reddit user theorized.
“I didn't like his phrasing when he said ‘I'm not guilty of it’ and ‘I wasn't there’ because he was technically telling the truth,” they added.
“Also what kind of freak wouldn't try as hard as they could to convince their children they didn't murder their mother....?” the Reddit user continued, insinuating that Jeffrey Hamburg is a sociopath.
The same Reddit user theorized that money may have played a part in the gruesome murder.
“It seems like someone killed her because she owed them money or they owed her money which leaves both ideas as possibilities,” they wrote. “I feel so awful for her children.”
People also think the police in Madison, CT are corrupt, and possibly covered up her murder.
“It’s so obvious that the Dad paid someone to kill her,” one social media user posted. “Maybe paid off the cops too.”
According to Reddit users, the police in Madison, Connecticut haven’t had the best reputation in the past, and there have been multiple cover-ups over the years.
“I grew up in Madison and I understand this doc talks a lot about the corruption that occurred with the police department,” one social media user wrote. “Madison has had a couple of corruption cases through the years, a lot is hidden in that town.”
“I remember this shocking the town, a woman murdered in broad daylight in her yard? Only minutes after picking up a coffee downtown? The police fumbled this, which is suspicious considering they have so little to do in Madison,” another Reddit user wrote.
Madison Hamburg himself also commented on the police department’s reputation, saying, “Not to slander them, but Connecticut is one of the worst states for transparency with law enforcement.
“The crime lab there was one of the worst in the country in 2010. They had something like 4,000 backlogged cases. In 2011 they lost their accreditation,” he added.
You can now stream Murder on Middle Beach on HBO.
Olivia Jakiel is an editor and writer who covers celebrity and entertainment news. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her zingers on Twitter.