True crime documentary miniseries by Swede Henrik Georgsson deals with probably the most bizarre criminal case in recent Swedish history, at least in the 21st century. On the night of January 10, 2004, someone in a small religious community in the town of Knutby in central Sweden seriously wounded a 30-year-old man and killed the wife of the pastor of the Pentecostal church there, Helge Fossmo. The very next day, the then 26-year-old nanny of the pastor, who lived with him and the murdered woman, confessed to the murder and attempted murder, and soon the pastor himself was arrested. The situation will become even more bizarre and incredible when it is learned that Helge’s first wife also died in the same house under mysterious circumstances, and soon it will be found out that Helge was not only in a relationship with the nanny, but also with the wife of the wounded man.
And not only that, the nanny will claim that God himself sent her messages that she must commit these murders, and fifteen years later two Swedish investigative journalists, Anton Berg and Martin Johnson, decided to re-examine this whole case full of illogic. And in detail, as this six-part documentary series is incredibly thorough and detailed as Berg and Johnson try to find any illogicality, new evidence, holes in the investigation and something new. And it is not surprising that the Knutby case was so intriguing and interesting to the Swedish public and the media, because it has everything that a real true-crime should have. From sex and murder to religious fundamentalism in that small congregation that would actually turn out to be a bizarre doomsday cult led by a woman who claimed to be the bride of Jesus.
From the beginning to the end, this whole story is shrouded in secrecy, mystery, vow of silence, but two journalists decided to finally find out what actually happened in Knutby. And not only on that fateful night, but also later because that bizarre religious community continued to function there and some things continued to happen there that should not happen in religious communities. Thematically and stylistically, “Prey, Obey, Kill” is completely on the trail of similar American content that we have seen in recent years, and it is interesting that in the same year, a series simply called “Knutby” was filmed and played, which deals with the same case.