▁begin ▁dig ging ▁up ▁the ▁d irt ▁with ▁their ▁bare ▁hands , ▁F under bur ke ▁goes ▁for ▁his ▁shot gun , ▁and ▁w ounds ▁W att s ▁in ▁the ▁arm . ▁Then ▁F under bur ke ▁is ▁immediately ▁shot ▁to ▁death ▁himself ▁by ▁the ▁agents , ▁thus ▁esc aping ▁a ▁public ▁reck oning ▁for ▁four ▁dec ades ▁of ▁mur ders . ▁ ▁A ged ▁Hol mes ▁gr ieves ▁for ▁his ▁town ▁as ▁the ▁bodies ▁of ▁young ▁boy ▁after ▁young ▁boy ▁are ▁un ear th ed ▁from ▁the ▁ground ▁surrounding ▁F under bur ke ' s ▁house ▁( ev oking ▁the ▁discovery ▁of ▁the ▁bodies ▁of ▁the ▁vict ims ▁of ▁John ▁Wayne ▁G acy ). ▁W att s , ▁however , ▁is ▁now ▁an ▁acknowled ged ▁hero , ▁and ▁he ▁dec ides ▁to ▁tell ▁Billy ▁Lee ▁who ▁he ▁really ▁is . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁Chief s ▁premier ed ▁on ▁CBS ▁as ▁a ▁six - hour ▁min is eries . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁hours ▁a ired ▁beginning ▁at ▁ 8 pm ▁November ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁The ▁second ▁part ▁a ired ▁November ▁ 1 5 ▁at ▁ 9 pm , ▁and ▁the ▁final ▁part ▁a ired ▁November ▁ 1 6 ▁at ▁ 9 pm . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁John ▁J . ▁O ' Con nor ▁of ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁said ▁Chief s ▁was ▁" an ▁am bit ious ▁yet ▁fla wed ▁project ▁that ▁overall , ▁works ▁power fully ▁well ." ▁Director ▁London ▁has ▁" a ▁keen ▁sense ▁of