Ep 4. Cock-a-Doodle-Dead
- TV14
- June 23, 2018
- 42 min
Johnie Mullins, a rooster breeder, moves in next to a family in rural Kentucky and starts raising fighting cocks in his backyard. His new neighbors, the Callahans, are disturbed by the noise and the commotion coming from Johnie's property. When their complaints to city officials prove fruitless, the Callahans decide to take matters into their own hands.
Tensions escalate when the Callahans erect a fence to keep Johnie's birds from getting onto their property, and Johnie retaliates by filing a lawsuit against them. As the feud between the neighbors intensifies, Johnie becomes increasingly erratic, even going so far as to threaten the Callahans with physical violence.
When one of Johnie's prized roosters turns up dead, the Callahans become convinced that he is responsible. They file a police report and Johnie is taken into custody. However, the evidence is circumstantial, and he is eventually released.
As the situation spirals out of control, both sides become increasingly paranoid and unstable. The Callahans start carrying guns for protection, while Johnie begins boarding up his windows and barricading himself inside his home.
In the end, the feud comes to a violent and tragic conclusion that leaves both families shattered and the community reeling. Fear Thy Neighbor season 5 episode 4, "Cock-a-Doodle-Dead," is a chilling reminder of how easily misunderstandings and grievances can escalate into deadly conflicts.