ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — “Boneyard,” a new film based on Albuquerque’s West Mesa murders, is set to premiere in select theaters Friday.

Vincent McDaniel, who has called New Mexico home for decades, co-wrote the film.

“We took a lot of creative license in this, we wanted to be careful telling the story,” McDaniel said. “We didn’t want to disrespect anyone, whether it be the police or the victims, so we took that into consideration.”

It’s been more than 15 years since investigators uncovered the skeletal remains of 11 women and an unborn baby, all buried in makeshift graves.

McDaniel says he knew some of the victims because he was also on the streets at one point in his life.

“Kind of paying homage to what happened to these young ladies because they don’t have voices right now and they were good people, we wanted to humanize them,” he said.

When the trailer came out in May, KOB 4 talked with one of the victim’s mothers who was caught off guard by news of the movie. She was concerned about how her daughter, Julie Nieto, would be portrayed.

“Bringing up all the old memories, it’s bringing up the past, which we tried to move on and carry on as best as we could without the girls,” Eleanor Griego said. “Then they bring this up and not tell us nothing, that was wrong. Just plain wrong. They went behind our backs.”

McDaniel says since that interview, he’s made contact with some of the victim’s loved ones.

“Once they knew I was raised here and you know, I knew some of them, the whole tone changed,” he said.

They also included the son of one of the victims in the film.

“He goes by Kruz Romero as his artist name, we actually have him on the soundtrack,” McDaniel said.

Along with keeping their stories alive, McDaniel says he’s hoping the movie can also bring closure.

“Something might come back to somebody, you know, a memory or something, who knows what happens, that’s what we’re counting on at this time,” he said.