According to The Columbus Dispatch, Netflix had been working with Gall’s surviving family members for the doc, but emailed them, saying the projects had been shelved.
“We were finishing the documentary early this year with the hopes it would premiere in 2024,” Hughes conveyed in the email. “To our surprise and deep disappointment, Netflix let us know that they aren’t planning to air the documentary. That decision became official only recently and I didn’t want to share until I was certain.”
Crushed by the news, Gall’s widow was disappointed that her late husband’s story wouldn’t get seen.
“I was hoping they would air it so people know what has happened to my husband so we could get the word out there,” Helen Gall said. “I need answers as to why they did this.”
Dayton, according to Netflix has, “the largest coven of vampires outside of New Orleans.”
Gall has become a local urban legend since his disappearance. Along with the vampire stories some believe he was decapitated in a ritual and that his headless body haunts Dayton residents.
Phelan is skeptical of the myth and when questioned about the creepy tale, he contends that the ghost stories are just that.
“The answer is absolutely not,” Phelan said. “If he’s here wandering the streets, that means he and my sister aren’t together.”
In an email from August 13, Phelan reached out to producer Hughes, inquiring about rumors that Netflix would in fact air the show since it was generating some buzz from as far away as the U.K.
“I’ve seen the stories, and I’m as confused as you are,” Hughes responded. “The documentary isn’t coming out, so these rumors aren’t true. I’m sorry this is so confusing.”
Eerie spin or not, Gall’s family just wanted the story out there in the hopes someone might have some new information about Gall’s disappearance.
“Any way we can shine light on the issue would be positive,” said Phelan.
No one at Netflix has responded officially to this story, so it cannot be confirmed when or if this doc will ever be released.
A Strange Disappearance
George Phillip Gall, known locally as Phil, was 26 when he vanished on October 13, 1994. Gall was a roofer, and had a wife and infant daughter. Gall was a normal guy with a normal life. His disappearance was a complete mystery, and no one knows what happened to him.
Gall’s case quickly went cold after his disappearance, and he was eventually declared deceased by the state of Ohio. But in 2008, a retired police lieutenant came forward with shocking claims that reopened the investigation. This is when the story took a turn into the supernatural. David Williams, a nationally recognized expert on the occult and gangs, said he had visited the Asylum nightclub undercover in 1994 and was told by a bartender that Phil had been involved in an occult ritual. According to David, Phil was beheaded and his head was later sold as a relic to occultists. This is when the story started to get really interesting.
A Vampire Coven
This led to speculation that Dayton was home to one of the largest vampire covens in the US. David's claims painted a chilling picture of the Asylum nightclub, describing it as attracting a gothic, vampire-like crowd. The documentary was meant to follow the chilling events surrounding Phil's disappearance and the startling 2008 revelation by David.
Netflix’s Decision
The decision has left the missing man's family feeling frustrated after years of hoping for a breakthrough in the case. Gall's wife Helen Gall, and his maternal uncle Dan Phelan, told The Columbus Dispatch that they received emails from producers informing them that the flick would not go ahead. Dan said the family had been collaborating with producers for three years, hoping that the documentary would bring renewed attention to Phil's case. The family was hoping the documentary would bring closure and answers to the mystery of Gall's disappearance. However, the family is still hopeful that the documentary may still be released, or a similar project will be produced.
The Future of Vampires in Gem City
It is not clear if Netflix will ever release Vampires in the Gem City. The streamer has not yet made a public statement about the decision to shelve the documentary. The family is still hoping for some sort of resolution in their search for answers about Gall's disappearance.
