Kriti Mehrotra
While there’s no denying there is beauty along the rural stretches of Iowa, there are also probably secrets that can lie buried for decades owing to the vast, secluded nearby woods. In Paramount+’s ‘My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders,’ a divided family tries to uncover the truth behind one such alleged secret – that of Donald “Don” Studey allegedly being a heinous serial killer. His name has become synonymous with arguably one of the most chilling mysteries in recent times, yet nothing has been confirmed or unequivocally denied as of writing.
Donald Studey Allegedly Went From a Protector to a Predator
Since Donald “Don” Dean Studey was born on May 21, 1937, to Rose Lee Reeves Studey and Ira Bud Studey as the eldest boy among 7 siblings, he ended up taking on a rather traditional role at an early stage of life. His siblings were Viola Maye Studey Lyons (1930-1993), Enid Jean Studey Lawson (1932-1997), Doris Marie Studey Bruns (1935-2014), Louis Leonard “Lou” Studey (1941-2014), and Marilyn Studey Kepler (1946-2025), to whom he was reportedly like a protective second father for many years. According to the youngest of the bunch, as per The Missoulian, she was “kidnapped” and brought into “an extremely abusive home,” but her brother always looked out for her.
Donald “was like a father to me,” Marilyn once said, adding that he was not only protective but also caring, as he taught her the basics of living in the countryside. “I mean, whatever I needed,” she said. “He always did things for me. He taught me how to shoot a gun. He taught me how to hunt. He showed me how to look for mushrooms… He was like my dad.” However, she claimed she also vividly remembered his lack of empathy as well as his extreme temper once they grew up, alleging he held no compassion for others and never shied away from violence.
Marilyn stood by the belief that her brother was a serial killer, asserting in the aforementioned show prior to her death that if she had to estimate his victim count, it would be over a hundred. That’s because, as per her own account, she had seen Donald’s alleged viciousness first-hand as he once reportedly asked for her help in disposing of the remains of a man in Bakersfield, California. Moreover, she’d once revealed she witnessed his job as an alleged organized crime hit man in Arizona and experienced how he allegedly burned down her house after a feud with her then-husband.
Donald Studey’s Family Stands on Opposite Ends on Whether They Believe He Was the Green Hollow Killer
According to Marilyn, Donald moved around a lot throughout his life, whether it be to California, Arizona, Utah, South Dakota, Nebraska, or any other state, and he likely committed crimes everywhere. None of her claims could be verified while she was alive, but she has since left behind an 188-page journal titled The Hollow People to her daughter, in which she details her family’s complex history. Within it, she not only described her brother as a man who murdered with ease and could snap at any moment when upset, but also detailed a chilling incident from Green Hollow, Omaha.
As per records, Marilyn and Donald walked up into the Green Hollow hills one day in the 2000s/early 2010s, only for her to be shocked because all she could see were bottles littering the place. “Jesus Christ, Don,” she loudly exclaimed, according to The Missoulian, “This place looks like a graveyard. And he looked at me and said, ‘It is.’” Therefore, when his daughter Lucy Studey-McKiddy came forward to accuse him of being a serial killer, claiming she knows he used the rural hillside of Green Hollow as his burial ground, her aunt sided with her. In fact, she stated that while she personally does not like Lucy, she thinks her niece is 100% in the right.
However, other family members, like Donald’s daughter, Susan Studey-Olberding, and one of his granddaughters from his son’s family, Errin Studey, wholeheartedly believe in his innocence. The former claims that while her father could have allegedly been abusive, he was not a murderer, and all such accusations from Lucy allegedly stem from a feud over stolen money. As for Errin, whom Donald reportedly raised from the time she was a newborn to her teenage years, she asserts, “I guarantee you, if my grandpa was a serial killer and he did those things…, my dad would never have me around him. My dad would be the first one to turn my grandpa in.”
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Donald Studey Died at the Age of 75 in 2013
Although Donald “Don” Studey traveled a lot in his life, he eventually settled down in his home state of Iowa, and that’s where he passed away at age 75 on March 8, 2013. He was residing in Thurman, Fremont County, at the time, where he was often surrounded by his blended family, including his wife, kids, and grandkids. From what we can tell, he was married a total of 5 times, lost 4 of them before his own demise, and at least 2 of them reportedly died by suicide. Another one’s death, Charlotte Studey’s 1984 death, was initially ruled as suicide, but following her daughters’ efforts and an exhumation, it was changed to undetermined. As a result, it appears as if he had a blended family of at least 7 children, some of whom were estranged from him for a long time by 2013. He is also preceded in death by his son, Gary Duane Studey, who sadly died at the age of 39 on December 18, 2004. As far as Donald’s cause of death is concerned, since it has never been disclosed publicly, we believe it was natural.
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