Centering the Unheard: Lost Women of Alaska and the Mission to Tell a More Responsible True-Crime Story
With the rise of true-crime entertainment has come an important question: who gets remembered, and how?
For Christina Douglas, Executive Producer of Lost Women of Alaska and Founder of Momentum Content, the answer shaped every creative decision behind the series.
Table Of Content
- “This Story Felt Personal to Me”
- Shifting the Narrative Away From the Perpetrator
- A Momentum Content Approach: Empathy First, Investigation Second
- Balancing True-Crime Expectations With Responsibility
- Collaboration With Purpose
- Octavia Spencer’s Role in Bringing the Story to Life
- Filming in Alaska Meant Listening First
- Making Ethical Choices to Avoid Sensationalism
- A Project That Changed the Storyteller, Too
- Redefining What True Crime Can Do
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Airing on Investigation Discovery, the project examines cases connected to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis while intentionally challenging the conventions of the genre.
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“This Story Felt Personal to Me”
Douglas was drawn to the case long before cameras began rolling. As both a true-crime storyteller and an Indigenous woman, she had spent years searching for a way to bring national attention to the MMIW crisis through television.
“This story felt personal to me because it sits at the intersection of both my career and my identity – a true-crime storyteller and an Indigenous woman.”
She had followed cases across the country, but this one stood out for how clearly it exposed systemic failures.
“It immediately hit me how clearly it illustrated the ways in which systemic bias can create conditions where violence against Indigenous and vulnerable women can be overlooked.”
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Shifting the Narrative Away From the Perpetrator
One of the earliest observations Douglas made was how media coverage disproportionately centered on the criminal rather than the victims.
“Much of the media coverage focused on the perpetrator, while mention of the victims was often minimized to a few lines.”
That imbalance became a driving force behind the series’ structure. The filmmakers chose to highlight families, communities, and the civilian women who pushed for justice alongside investigators.
“My goal was to shift the weight of the narrative and create space for them… their perspectives are crucial to understanding the human stakes.”
Douglas describes the case as:
“A micro story that reflects a macro issue, one that Indigenous communities across the country are facing.”
A Momentum Content Approach: Empathy First, Investigation Second
Through Momentum Content, Douglas has built a slate focused on stories that deepen connection and understanding—an ethos that directly shaped the editorial lens of the series.
“At Momentum, a real throughline for me is telling stories that have the potential to deepen human connection and empathy.”
Rather than leaning solely into procedural elements, the show prioritizes lived experience and emotional truth.
“I’m particularly drawn to narratives about people and communities that have been overlooked, misunderstood, or underestimated.”
Balancing True-Crime Expectations With Responsibility
While Investigation Discovery audiences expect gripping storytelling, Douglas and her team resisted the urge to heighten drama artificially.
“This case was organically layered, complex, and already carried the dramatic tension viewers seek… our priorities shifted to making sure we weren’t leaving any stone unturned.”
The production instead focused on contextualizing the broader realities impacting Indigenous communities.
“We led with the human experience and the story essentially told itself.”
Collaboration With Purpose
The series was developed in partnership with Orit Entertainment and October Films, collaborations Douglas says were grounded in shared intention.
“We were completely aligned editorially when it came to what we were prioritizing in our storytelling and how we approached it.”
Those conversations helped ensure the portrayal of victims and families remained respectful and multidimensional.
Octavia Spencer’s Role in Bringing the Story to Life
Having Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer join as a producing partner added emotional resonance to a project Douglas had fought to make for years.
“After working toward the goal of bringing a story about the MMIW crisis to television for so long… I got a little emotional the first time I heard her read our narration.”
Spencer’s voice, she says, brought a sense of gravity and care.
“Her voice brings a warmth and gravitas that really elevates the entire project. It honors the women at the center of this story in a way that feels deeply aligned with what they deserve.”
Filming in Alaska Meant Listening First
Production required navigating not only Alaska’s vast geography but also complex cultural dynamics within Anchorage communities.
“It was crucial that we earned the trust of a diverse range of people… Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, members of houseless communities, investigators, and beyond.”
Because the filmmakers were outsiders, Douglas emphasized humility.
“Because we’re not Alaskans, and their lived experience is deeply unique to that place, our job was to listen.”
Making Ethical Choices to Avoid Sensationalism
Douglas was acutely aware of the risks true crime can pose when handling traumatic material. The team made intentional editorial decisions about what not to show.
“Much of that content is incredibly graphic, dark, and traumatic, and it raised important ethical considerations for us.”
They chose not to use certain footage connected to the perpetrator.
“This documentary would not serve as a platform for the perpetrator… Always with the intention of informing, not sensationalizing.”
A Project That Changed the Storyteller, Too
Working on the series left a lasting emotional and professional impact.
“The experience of producing this project affected me more deeply than I anticipated.”
It reinforced her belief in storytelling as a tool for representation and empathy.
“It’s made me even more committed to telling stories that deepen empathy and illuminate lived experience, particularly for communities whose voices may not always be amplified.”
Redefining What True Crime Can Do
Lost Women of Alaska ultimately asks audiences to reconsider their relationship with the genre. Rather than focusing on spectacle, it centers remembrance, accountability, and systemic awareness—demonstrating that true crime can serve not just as entertainment, but as a vehicle for understanding and change.
