A chance meeting between Lee Malvo, a Jamaican teenager seeking a father figure, and John Muhammad, a disaffected US Army veteran, sets in motion a murderous road trip.

The snipers travel to the nation's capital to begin their reign of terror, firing out of the trunk of their Chevy Caprice. In 24 hours, they leave four dead and a city in alarm.

As the snipers claim two more victims, ballistics confirm all the shootings are connected. But investigators have no leads apart from the alleged sighting of a white box truck.

The killing zone expands and the snipers shoot a 13-year-old boy. As 24-hour news media turns their spotlight on the police, the snipers' message is clear: no one is safe.

As their killing spree continues, Malvo reveals the true nature of his relationship with Muhammad. But their bond starts to buckle under the strain of the killings.

With 9 dead, the snipers play a high stakes game, leaving a series of cryptic clues for the police. The net is closing in, but not before the snipers are able to kill again.

With the entire region on the lookout for a blue Caprice, the snipers' car is spotted by an alert citizen in the dead of night.

Now in custody, separated from Muhammad, Lee Malvo's defense team battle to save him from the death penalty. Malvo must decide whether to betray his "father" to save his own life.