“Expertly teases out the ways myths of justice operate in American society, of who is served by and who is harmed by prioritizing story over substance.”
–Margaret Lyons, The New York Times
“Not your typical true-crime series… exposes the real Murf while calling into question a culture that celebrated him and a legal system that set him free.”
–Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
“A goofy-footed ride on the dark side of the American dream.”
–Johnny Loftus, Decider
In 1964, an epic jewel heist—the biggest in American history—happened at New York’s American Museum of Natural History. Mastered by a band of suave “surfer dudes” from Miami, the key to the operation was Jack Roland Murphy, otherwise known as “Murf the Surf.” His name was propelled into pop culture after the heist—creating a notoriety that would stretch far beyond the caper. What followed Murf’s meteoric rise is a spiraling tale of unspeakable crime, murder, deception, and mayhem which, to this day, remains shrouded in mystery. This four-part documentary series explores the tumultuous life of the man behind the legendary nickname. The series addresses the blurred line between fact and fiction, faith and delusion, sanity and madness—raising the timely question of who and how we believe. Murf the Surf: Jewels, Jesus and Mayhem was directed by R.J. Cutler (This Machine) for Imagine Documentaries and will premiere on the MGM+ streaming channel on February 5, 2023. Bernier edited episode three (“God’s Business”) and episode four (“The Truth Bends”).