Prosecutors called her the female Charles Manson, but this new docuseries raises serious questions about her

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“Girl on the Run: The Hunt for America’s Most Wanted Woman,” a new true‑crime docuseries from Hulu and Disney+, debuts tonight, Thursday, Feb. 19, following the extraordinary prison escape and nationwide manhunt for convicted double murderer Sarah Jo Pender.

What is ‘Girl on the Run: The Hunt for America’s Most Wanted Woman’ about?

The three‑episode series revisits the 2000 murders of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman, for which Pender was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to 110 years in prison. Prosecutors at the time branded her the “female Charles Manson,” despite the absence of direct physical evidence linking her to the killings.

In August 2008, Pender escaped Indiana’s Rockville Correctional Facility with help from a prison guard, hiding in the back of a transport vehicle before disappearing for nearly five months. During that time, she became the only woman on the U.S. Marshals’ 15 Most Wanted list, prompting a multi‑state manhunt that drew national attention.

The docuseries explores the hunt in detail, featuring exclusive interviews with Pender, the U.S. Marshal who led the pursuit, her parents, former inmates, and her ex‑boyfriend Rick — who is still serving time for the double murders.

What to expect in the new Hulu series

The three‑part documentary traces Pender’s escape, the network of people who hid her, and the unraveling of evidence that has since raised new questions about her conviction. Viewers also hear how shifting testimony and prosecutorial doubts now complicate the case more than two decades later.

• Episode 1: “Run Sarah Run” — Pender escapes prison as a determined U.S. Marshal begins the chase.
• Episode 2: “A Bullet With Her Name On It” — On the run, Pender attempts to stay ahead of authorities.
• Episode 3: “The Female Charles Manson” — As investigators close in, long‑standing doubts about Pender’s guilt emerge.

How to watch

All three episodes are available tonight on Hulu and through the Hulu–Disney+ bundle in the U.S., with global streaming on Disney+.