Meet 'The Killing Season' Investigators

True crime fanatics, mark your calendars — A&E's new series The Killing Season premieres on Nov. 12 and it's an absolute must-see. Lead by two dedicated, tenacious documentarians, the series focuses on the infamous Gilgo Beach murders, which remain unsolved to this day. Although the pair began their work in Long Island, they end up traveling the country chasing down leads in an effort to connect the Gilgo Beach murders to the murders of sex workers all over the country. Making this series was a massive time commitment and it undoubtedly took an emotional toll on the investigators, who deserve major credit for spotlighting this case. Before we begin watching the series, let's get to know who the investigators are on The Killing Season .

According to his biography on the A&E website, Joshua Zeman "has been at the forefront of the true crime genre for the past decade." His horror documentary, Cropsey, gained critical acclaim from prestigious outlets including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He went on to create the anthology series Killer Legends for NBC, which focused on the true crimes that inspired the creepiest urban legends. Although crime is his area of expertise, Zeman's credits as a producer include the films The Station Agent, Mysterious Skin, The Hawk is Dying, and Against the Current.

Zeman was born on Long Island, the same area where the bodies of 10 murdered sex workers were found near Gilgo Beach. According to The New York Post, Zeman believes that two serial killers are responsible for the Gilgo Beach murders. However, he and his colleague Rachel Mills didn't set out to identify a suspect. Rather, they wanted to debunk theoretical suspects and foster conversation about new theories.

Rachel Mills' career began in New York City, where she selected and shepherded documentary and narrative films including Winter's Bone, Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, and Garbage Dreams. Mills went on to produce the HBO documentary A Matter of Taste, which earned a James Beard Award and an Emmy nomination. The Killing Season isn't her first time collaborating with Zeman — the pair previously worked together on Killer Legends.

In an interview with Bustle, Mills says that when she and Zeman began their investigation, she approached it with an open mind because she didn't have any preconceived theories or notions. "I was an average citizen hearing about it and thinking it was tragic... Because my mind was open and I didn't know all the facts, every time we heard a new theory or uncovered a new clue, it became more and more bizarre." In the same interview, she says the most painful part of filming the series was witnessing the plight of sex workers firsthand.

Although their goal isn't to solve the case and have a tidy ending complete with a confession, both Zeman and Mills are hopeful that some of the clues they uncover will help bring the Long Island Serial Killer to justice. Thanks to their thorough investigative work, The Killing Season may result in a break in this tragic case.

Images: A&E (2)