The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today.

COMING SOON

STORY 

In October 1985, Santa Ana, California was shaken by a brazen act of political violence when a Palestinian American, Alex Odeh, a beloved teacher and community leader, was killed by a tripwire bomb planted in his office. Despite clear evidence and identified suspects, the case was never solved. Who Killed Alex Odeh? reopens the mystery, tracking a renewed investigation in real time as new leads emerge, long-buried records come to light, and the forces behind a political assassination are finally confronted.

Unfolding like a detective thriller, the film weaves archival footage, firsthand testimony, and new reporting to expose the violent fundamentalist networks behind the attack and the institutional failures that protected them. As the investigation deepens, the story widens to reveal how the extremist ideology that fueled Odeh’s murder did not disappear - it evolved, gaining traction and legitimacy in the modern political landscape.

Directed by Jason Osder and William Lafi Youmans, a Jewish American and a Palestinian American, Who Killed Alex Odeh? is both a gripping cold-case pursuit and a timely examination of political violence, asking what it means when acts of terror go unresolved, and how justice denied continues to shape the world we live in.

FILMMAKERS

Jason Osder (co-director/producer) is the director of LET THE FIRE BURN. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and went on to play more than 50 film festivals and won the best editing prize at RIDM, the IDA Prize in Editing, the Cinema Eye Honor for Editing and the Independent Spirit Truer than Fiction Award. Jason is Associate Professor at The George Washington University.

William Lafi Youmans (co-director/producer) is an Associate Professor in Residence Northwestern University in Qatar. Youmans holds a Ph.D. as well as a J.D. He sits on the board of the Arab America Foundation. As an experienced researcher on Arab American history and Middle East politics, he is the project’s subject-matter expert on Alex Odeh.

Reviews

“a fascinating investigative work with timely resonance” - Screen International

“earth-shattering… Masterfully constructs an examination of anti-Palestinian violence.” - Screen Rant

“Compelling perspectives on a life shaped by violence.” - POV Magazine

“Finds powerful resonance by interrogating why this crime was not brought to justice.” - Next Best Picture

"the most Important film of 2026" - Cinemasters

“Odser and Youmans not only inform unaware viewers of an unsolved crime clearly motivated by race-based hatred, they confirm that time doesn’t heal all wounds” - Elements of Madness

“extremely relevant… for our time” - Worn & Wound

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