Shivangi Sinha
ID’s ‘The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle’ explores the 2004 incident in which a man was discovered next to a dumpster in Richmond Hills, Georgia. He claimed to have no recollection of his memories for a significant period of time, and the documentary follows the process through which he was ultimately identified as William Burgess Powell. The series, produced by Eric and Shannon Evangelista, takes an investigative approach, examining both Powell’s background and the broader complexity of his identity, while attempting to uncover the truth behind his lost history.
Shannon and Eric Evangelista Went to Indiana to Find Information on Benjaman Kyle
Eric and Shannon Evangelista began taking an interest in the case of a man who was then being identified as Benjaman Kyle. In 2004, he was found next to a dumpster near a Burger King in Richmond Hills, Georgia, and claimed that he had amnesia with no recollection of who he was. Over the following decade, there was significant public interest in his identity, his supposed condition, and various philanthropic efforts aimed at helping and supporting him. When Eric and Shannon started their docuseries, they aimed to assist “Benjaman” in uncovering his true identity. As part of their investigation, they decided to take him to Indiana, where he had previously mentioned having some memories connected to his past.
It was in Colorado that Eric and Shannon began to feel that something did not quite fit. They did not fully trust the narrative being presented by the man who had now been identified as William Burgess Powell. They spoke to various people who had known him in the 1970s and others who had remained in contact with him over the years. The husband-and-wife duo explored different angles and also investigated Powell’s potential links to an alleged crime family. They additionally spoke to George Keck, who has long been considered a suspect in the murder case of Kristine Kozik, and eventually handed their findings over to the police department as well. Eric and Shannon claimed that they even received a warning call telling them to back away from the documentary, and that their children were also allegedly threatened. Despite this, they continued their work with a commitment to uncovering the truth.
Eric Evangelista is the Co-Founder of Two Production Houses Today
Eric Evangelista has built a long-standing career in television production, spanning news, entertainment, and documentary storytelling. He studied Broadcast Journalism at Boston University, where he was already working in the industry while still a student. During his sophomore and junior years, he worked as a sports reporter for the Boston Herald, quickly rising from an editorial assistant to earning a weekly byline. Even before graduating, he had already won two Emmy Awards for producing, including work on NECN’s Sportsworld with Mike Adams.
After college, Eric moved into television production full-time, working at NECN from 1992 to 1999, where he produced over 2,000 hours of live television and earned multiple Emmy and Associated Press awards. He then joined ABC News, where he worked as a producer specializing in field production and sports coverage till 2005. Eric then transitioned into development and executive production roles, creating and selling pilots for networks including GSN, MTV, WB, E!, FOX, and CMT. He later held leadership roles at Endemol USA, MY Entertainment, and MY Tupelo Entertainment, and helped develop unscripted television formats across major networks such as Discovery, TLC, Travel Channel, and TruTV.
In 2010, he co-founded Hot Snakes Media, where he has been serving as Co-Founder and Executive Producer to date. The company is known for breaking ratings records across cable and streaming platforms. In 2021, Eric co-founded Phantasticus Pictures, where he currently serves as Co-Founder and Executive Producer. The company focuses on ambitious, story-driven wildlife and human-wildlife conflict programming, including projects tied to franchises like ‘Shark Week.’ His current work continues to center on developing bold, investigative, and reality-driven documentary content.
Shannon Evangelista Brings Her Experience as a Defense Attorney to the Production House
Shannon Evangelista began her professional life in the legal field, working as a criminal defense attorney with a focus on organized crime. She later moved into public service as an assistant district attorney in Orange County, California, before relocating to New York, where she served as a prosecutor in the Special Narcotics Division of the District Attorney’s Office. After years in law, Shannon grew increasingly drawn to a different kind of work and eventually decided to pivot away from traditional legal practice. In 2010, she co-founded Hot Snakes Media alongside her husband, Eric Evangelista and transitioned into television production.
She initially contributed in a legal advisory capacity on Eric’s 2011 project Operation Osmin before becoming more directly involved as a producer. Over time, Shannon became known for bringing a legal and investigative sensibility to unscripted storytelling. She has often emphasized fact-finding and authenticity in her approach to production. She has since expanded her role further, occasionally appearing on camera in documentary projects, including this docuseries, where she continues to apply her background in law to investigative narratives and real-world cases.
Eric and Shannon Evangelista Have Been Creating Hit Documetaries for More Than a Decade
Eric and Shannon Evangelista have worked together across a wide range of unscripted television projects. The couple, married since June 16, 2007, are based in Connecticut, where they are raising their twin children, while operating Hot Snakes Media and Phantasticus Pictures. Their early joint work began with ‘Operation Osmin.’ This was followed by breakthrough series such as ‘Breaking Amish’ and ‘Amish Mafia,’ with the latter delivering record-breaking premiere ratings and establishing its reputation in reality television. Shannon also received producing credits on the 2013 project ‘Elder Skelter.’
Over time, their slate expanded significantly with projects like ‘Deaf U,’ which was released in 2020 on Netflix. It earned critical acclaim and major award nominations, and long-running franchises including ‘Return to Amish,’ ‘My True Crime Story,’ and ‘Pig Royalty.’ In 2023, they produced ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace’, which became Investigation Discovery’s highest-rated series and ran across multiple seasons. More recently, their work has included ‘The Curious Case of…’ season 2, continuing their anthology-style true-crime storytelling. They are also the force behind the 2026 TLC release ‘Suddenly Amish,’ which is a culture-clash series revisiting their original Amish concept. They are proud of their body of work and are motivated by their drive to push boundaries and bring important stories to the forefront.
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