John Holmes, the infamous 1980s porn star, took his secrets to the grave about the notorious Wonderland massacre.

Since the Wonderland murders occurred 43 years ago in California, one author speculates that adult film star John Holmes was privy to the truth.

"Michael Connelly, a crime author, revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital that the short answer is yes - the person in question took many secrets to their grave. According to Connelly, the individual was deeply involved in one drug rip-off, but it's unlikely that they were the only one involved or that they knew everything that happened. Instead, Connelly believes that the person likely knew a lot and took that knowledge with them."

A new true-crime docuseries on MGM+, "The Wonderland Murders & The Secret History of Hollywood," is based on Connelly's Audible podcast of the same name and focuses on the 1981 unsolved case.

The program includes new interviews with key players involved in the case, including original detectives, prosecutors, and undercover cops, as well as a final conversation with Scott Thorson, Liberace's lover and a significant figure in the trial.

Thorson died Aug. 16 in Los Angeles. He was 65.

Connelly stated that while there have been movies, documentaries, and books, he believes there has never been anything that fully captured the story. He believes that their presentation of character studies from relentless detectives who have not shared their stories is unique. Additionally, they delve deeper into the villain Eddie Nash than anyone else has done before.

"The case is intricate, and I believe it presents a new perspective."

On July 1, 1981, four individuals, Ron Launius, William "Billy" Deverell, Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson, were discovered deceased within a Laurel Canyon residence located on Wonderland Avenue.

The LAPD compared the killings to the Tate-LaBianca murders committed by the Manson family just 12 years earlier, and police believed the victims were beaten with hammers and metal pipes.

Susan Launius, wife of Launius, was the only survivor of the attack. Her cries were heard by movers working at a house next door, as reported by the U.S. Sun. The police were called.

During emergency surgery, a part of Susan's skull was removed due to severe head injuries. Later, she testified that she could only recall seeing "shadowy figures."

At the crime scene, a palm print was found, which matched Holmes's.

Alison Ellwood, the executive producer, highlighted to Planet Chronicle Digital that prior to the murders, Laurel Canyon was renowned as a musical haven in the '60s and '70s. Notable musicians like Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Mama Cass, and James Taylor resided there.

"Ellwood stated that the story depicted the stark contrast of what was once a peaceful, idyllic place with enchanting music, now transformed into a hub of criminal drug activity. The atmosphere was drastically different, and according to Ellwood, Los Angeles had undergone a significant transformation."

In the '80s, Holmes was known as "The King" of X-rated films and had appeared in over 1,000 films. He was reported to have slept with over 14,000 women during his two-decade career and was paid $1,000 per scene.

When Holmes' addiction to cocaine caused his fame and fortune to collapse.

What caused John Holmes' downfall? Connelly stated that it was his addiction to drugs. The focus of this project is on the social history of it, as well as the individual tale of how drug addiction can ruin lives.

This documentary chronicles the evolution of drugs from inspirational to addictive, including the transition from the late '70s to the '80s and the rise of the crack epidemic.

""As Connelly stated, the drug business underwent a transformation and evolved similarly to the nature of the crime, being extremely violent and bloody," he added."

The Ohio-born actor, who began freebasing home-cooked crack cocaine, became impotent and unable to work. As a result, he turned to petty robbery to feed his addiction, according to the U.S. Sun.

GET REAL TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

The Wonderland Gang, a notorious drug dealing group in Los Angeles, was involved in Holmes' entanglement, with members including Launius, Deverell, and Miller. Richardson was romantically linked to David Lind, a member of the gang.

Eddie Nash, a former actor who now owns a nightclub and deals drugs, is involved in the plot.

Four men broke into Nash's house through an open sliding door two days before the murders, and a bodyguard was shot. Nash ordered his associates to question Holmes about the theft, according to Variety.

Thorson testified that he was at Nash's house when he witnessed Holmes being beaten and threatened while tied to a chair. He claimed that Holmes, fearing for his life, revealed the identities of the thieves, which included Launius, Deverell, and Miller.

Despite doubts about Thorson's assertions, Ellwood maintains her trust in him.

"She acknowledged that his story was sometimes so outrageous that it was difficult to believe it was true or that he was embellishing. However, she saw Michael working closely with him to verify the details and corroborate them with detectives and prosecutors. In the end, his story held up and Michael tried to poke holes in it but couldn't find any."

"Connelly remarked, "It's difficult to accept everything, but we always managed to find a backup for it. We discovered the detective who escorted him to witness protection, so we made an effort to verify his accounts because some of them are quite extraordinary.""

Nash was accused by Thorson of orchestrating the murders as retaliation, but his trial ended in a hung jury, resulting in no conviction.

In 1984, Holmes was tried for and acquitted of the Wonderland murders. A year later, he and his wife divorced. In 1985, he tested positive for AIDS.

Despite numerous accounts, Holmes remained tight-lipped regarding the murders on his deathbed. He passed away in 1988 at the age of 43.

In 1981, Sharon claimed that Holmes confessed to her that he played a central role in the murders, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. According to Sharon, Holmes led several individuals to the home and stood by as they bludgeoned the five people inside, splattering him with blood. Investigators suspected that Holmes may have been acting on Nash’s orders.

Holmes never revealed the identities of the attackers and never provided a public explanation of the incident. Additionally, he was firm in his stance that he would never cause harm to anyone.

Nash died in 2014. He was 85.

"Connelly stated that Holmes became a victim due to drug addiction, which can cause individuals to commit terrible acts. Despite being found not guilty of cold-blooded murder, the jury believed that Holmes may have been coerced into committing any wrongdoing. Different levels of guilt exist, and viewers can make their own judgments."

MGM+ offers streaming access to "The Wonderland Massacre" and "The Secret History of Hollywood.