The three-part series will depict the pursuit of a cold-blooded serial killer after two unsolved double murders from the 1980s cast a shadow over the work of the Dyfed Powys police force.
In 2006, newly promoted Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins decided to reopen both cases - employing pioneering forensic methods as Wilkins and his handpicked team find microscopic DNA and fibres that potentially linked the murders to a string of burglaries committed in the 80s and 90s.
The perpetrator of those robberies was nearing the end of his prison sentence, but if Steve Wilkins was right, he was also a serial killer.
Could Steve and his team find enough forensic evidence to charge their suspect before he was released to potentially kill again?
The drama has been adapted from the true crime book Catching the Bullseye Killer, written by Evans' character Senior Investigating Officer Steve Wilkins and ITV news journalist Jonathan Hill - and comes from World Productions who made Line of Duty and Bodyguard.
Speaking about the new role, Luke Evans said "It is a privilege to be playing the role of Steve Wilkins in The Pembrokeshire Murders and working again with Simon Heath, his team at World Productions and ITV. It’s a huge responsibility for me as the drama depicts a true crime which to this day still affects the families of those whose lives were tragically taken.”
Whilst ITV's Head of Drama, Polly Hill added "Nick Stevens script is a fascinating and insightful account into how and why the Dyfed Powys Police team reopened this cold case and brought a serial killer to justice after he’d evaded capture for nearly two decades."
"I have wanted to work with Luke Evans again since we made The Great Train Robbery, which Simon Heath and World Productions also produced. I’m delighted that The Pembrokeshire Murders is that project, as Luke will be incredible as Steve Wilkins and this is going to be an unmissable drama for our ITV audience.”
Filming begins later this month (January).
The Pembrokeshire Murders will air on ITV