The murder documentary What Jennifer Did, currently the No. 1 film on Netflix in the U.S., tells the story of 28-year-old Jennifer Pan, who was sentenced to life in prison for hiring hit men to kill her parents in 2010. The documentary, directed by Jenny Popplewell, uses text messages and interviews with detectives to detail Pan’s descent from a child pianist to a convicted criminal. The film premiered on Netflix on April 10, 2024, and sheds light on the disturbing true crime case.
On November 8, 2010, a 911 call was made from the Pan family home in Ontario, Canada, reporting a home invasion. Jennifer Pan claimed that gunmen broke in, tied her up, shot her parents, and fled the scene. While her mother died instantly, her father survived and was in need of urgent medical attention. Initially thought to be a random attack, detectives grew suspicious of Jennifer as more details emerged, including security footage of three men entering the house without forced entry.
Jennifer Pan’s desire to kill her parents stemmed from her unwillingness to live up to their expectations. She spent her time dating a drug dealer instead of pursuing her parents’ dreams of her becoming a pharmacist or professional pianist. When her lies about attending college were exposed, her parents forbade her from seeing her boyfriend, prompting her to plot their murder with his help. They hired hitmen to carry out the attack, with Jennifer pretending to be a witness to a robbery gone wrong. However, investigators eventually uncovered her deception.
In 2015, Jennifer Pan was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and attempted murder. Her co-conspirators received similar sentences, with one dying in jail in 2018. Despite the conviction being overturned in 2023, Jennifer remains in prison, awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court of Canada. Her father, Huei Hann Pan, who survived the attack, testified at her trial and has since kept a low profile. The documentary What Jennifer Did sheds light on this tragic case of family betrayal and crime for money.
The film delves into the twisted motives and events that led Jennifer Pan to orchestrate the murder of her parents, revealing a web of lies and deceit that ultimately resulted in tragic consequences. As viewers watch the documentary, they are left with burning questions about the whereabouts of Jennifer and her father, as well as the legal proceedings surrounding the case. What Jennifer Did is a chilling reminder of the devastating impact of betrayal and greed within a family, leaving audiences to ponder the depths of human darkness and the consequences of one woman’s deadly choices.
