VERDIGRIS, Okla. — A new documentary set to release on Friday will revisit the 2023 Verdigris murder-suicide that shocked Oklahoma and led to changes in state law aimed at strengthening child safety protections in certain supervised visitation cases.
The documentary, titled Deadbeat, follows two fathers who lost their children in the tragedy who later turned their grief into advocacy at the Oklahoma Capitol.
In 2023, investigators said a Verdigris mother with a history of mental health struggles shot and killed her three children before taking her own life.
In the months that followed, questions about mental health, child safety and court-ordered visitation fueled a push for change.
“I struggled to see God’s plan,” shared Billy Jacobson, Little Billy’s father. “How could a God that we love do something like that? But what I’ve realized over time is there was a plan and in what’s happening, it’s beautiful. It’s horribly sad, but it’s beautiful.”
The effort ultimately led to the passage of the Three Angels Law.
The law requires additional mental health treatment and substance abuse monitoring in certain supervised visitation cases.
Jacobson said he believes warning signs were missed before the killings.
“There were many signs that she wasn’t healthy and wasn’t safe. Yet, they still continued to give her more visitation, which gave them the opportunity to do what happened. The laws are in place that should be working towards men being seen more equal as parents and it being about who’s the best parent, not if you’re a man or a woman.”
The fathers said the law is part of the legacy their children left behind and they have continued their work beyond the bill’s passage.
“I’ve had clients and friends that we’ll be talking about our story and they’ll mention that. They’ll say [Senate Bill] 1756 and we’ll mention that yeah, we had a part in that being able to co-author that,” said Ryan “Shae” McGee, Noe’s father. “It is helping and I hear about it almost on a weekly basis. We’re happy it’s more impactful than we ever anticipated.”
The documentary’s producer, Louis Holmes, said the film highlights persistence through the process.
“It’s important because sometimes history repeats itself,” said Holmes. “This is for educational purposes so that if you’re a father out there and you’re watching this and you feel that the mother is having mental issues and she should not be the custody parent, you do everything in your power to make sure that you can get custody of your son. You do everything you have to do.”
Jacobson shared what being able to make this impact means to him.
“It’s bittersweet. Many people live their whole lives and don’t get the chance to leave a true impact in our world. I could say we are so blessed to know that when we leave this earth that we have made a difference.”
Deadbeat is set to be released on Friday, June 19 on Apple TV.
The fathers said they hope viewers come away from the film understanding the law and what the changes mean for families across Oklahoma.