Inside sinister true story of the ‘Octopus Murders’ and the gruesome death of investigative journalist Danny Casolaro who ‘killed himself’ in a bathtub while trying to expose terrifying CIA conspiracy

An upcoming documentary series will unravel the gruesome true story of an investigative journalist who is found dead in a bathtub after chasing down a conspiracy group.

Danny Casolaro’s lifeless body was discovered in August 1991 by a housekeeper at a motel in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

The 44-year-old had died of blood loss after suffering multiple cuts to his wrists inflicted by ‘a very sharp object with a knife’ – and local authorities quickly ruled it a suicide.

But his family and friends have long insisted he was killed because he was investigating a conspiracy group he called The Octopus.

Here, FEMAIL has exposed the sordid details of the case as Netflix is about to release a four-part series titled American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders.

The 44-year-old had died from blood loss after suffering multiple cuts to his wrists inflicted by ‘a very sharp object with a knife’ – and local authorities quickly ruled it a suicide.

The chilling case began when Danny began investigating a dispute between the Department of Justice and a technology company called INSLAW.

The clash appeared to be over intellectual property rights, but it soon appeared that there was a much more sinister underbelly to it.

After months of investigation, Danny is said to have ended up in a web of “stolen government spy software, a series of unsolved murders and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century,” according to Netflix.

The writer believed he had discovered a hidden organization, which he branded as The Octopus, consisting of eight ex-government officials.

His family and friends have long maintained that Danny was murdered

Excerpts purportedly from Danny’s investigation, shared in the new docuseries trailer, claim: “These eight men are no longer government officials, but their tentacles can reach into every part of the government in virtually any country.”

The journalist believed the conspiracy all started with Promis – a computer program that sources in the series claimed “enabled the CIA to spy on the intelligence services that had purchased it.”

And it appears the program has been awash in shocking speculation, including that “everyone who worked on it is dead.”

There was a series of them suspicious deaths appear linked, including three men who were fatally shot and another who had a “wire running from around his neck to his ankles.”

Danny became ‘obsessed’ with uncovering the whole story, but never got the chance to complete his investigation.

In the summer of 1991 hHe went to the motel expecting to interview a key source for the story, but would never return.

His death was ruled a suicide, but many believed his wounds were far from self-inflicted – a sentiment echoed by those featured in the upcoming Netflix series.

‘It just didn’t sit right. In my mind I’m thinking ‘they killed him,'” one commenter pointed out.

The chilling case began when Danny began investigating a dispute between the Department of Justice (headquarters in DC, pictured) and a technology company called INSLAW.

The writer believed he had discovered a hidden organization, which he branded as The Octopus, consisting of eight ex-government officials.

Netflix’s American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders releases on February 28

“In the book that Danny was writing, he starts to investigate these powerful people and realizes that there is something much bigger going on.”

“Most of us were convinced he was hurt for telling this story,” one woman added.

Another man explained, “I told him not to talk to certain people. Not to raise certain issues.’

The trailer ends dramatically with a warning apparently addressed to the documentary makers themselves, stating: “If you think for even a minute that you are going to expose someone, you will be killed.”

Netflix’s American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders releases on February 28.