55 best true crime documentaries on Netflix
True crime documentaries on Netflix come with the kind of real-life drama so gripping that for that hour or so, you forget everything else in life. It's for this reason that we can't. Get. Enough. And we're not the only ones.
We never get tired of discovering how disturbingly screwed up the human race is – the fact that real-life people have committed some of these crimes is truly disturbing but, in some weird way, compelling. I mean, take, for example, Charles Cullen, a former ICU nurse who killed patients while working in various hospitals and nursing homes before being caught. The investigation that led to his arrest is told in Capturing the Killer Nurse. Then there's also the story of prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh who was found guilty of killing his wife and son. Keeping it family-theme, Lori Vallow, who is accused of killing her own children in the documentary Sins Of Our Mother is also another shocking watch.
The show portray's one man's experience with a female stalker.
There are also those stories that really have us emotional and hit too close to home, such as that of 21-year-old Lucie Blackman, who journeyed to Tokyo before her body was found months after her disappearance. Her case is covered in Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case.
Other docs look at the power of influence from cult-like leaders such as hot yoga guru Bikram Choudhury in Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator and Warren Jeffs in Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey – both of whom saw their unravelling due to a series of abuse, sexual assault and manipulation.
Then there are those bizarre real-life stories that are just too difficult to wrap our heads around. Case in point, the doc Girl in the Picture, which viewers have labelled “The most frightening thing they've ever seen”, and Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, which looks at the infamous moment a pizza delivery guy walked in to rob a bank with a bomb tied around his neck…
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So, have you got your notepad at the ready and detective hat on? Great. Because when it comes to the murky world of true crime docs, nothing is ever what it seems. From stories that tap into secret lives, dangerous roommates, and tales of millennial scamming and murder, these are the best true crime documentaries to watch on Netflix right now.
Here is our list of the best crime documentaries to watch on Netflix now...
Courtesy of NetflixAmerican Nightmare
A massive true crime hit on Netflix, American Nightmare explores the unhinged true story of a home invasion and kidnapping that was later accused or being staged after the “kidnapped” woman reappears. In real life, the kidnap hoax was dubbed “the real Gone Girl” by the media. We are all over it.
© 2024 Netflix, Inc.Can I Tell You A Secret?
This one is a harrowing watch. It recounts the actions of one of history's most prolific cyber stalkers Matthew Hardy, how the law failed his victims and the impact his relentless stalking and manipulation had on his victims, who were predominantly young women.
© 2023 Netfix, Inc.A Life Too Short: The Isabella Nardoni Case
Isabella Nardoni was only five years old when she fell to her death from the sixth floor of her father and stepmother's apartment building in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2008. It quickly became one of the country's most infamous cases, with the girl's mother embarking on a quest for justice. The same year, Isabella's father and stepmother were arrested and charged with Isabella's mother. They both remain behind bars to this very day, where they both maintain their innocence. The documentary explores the official investigation which was carried out.
NetflixCapturing the Killer Nurse
Capturing the Killer Nurse focuses on how investigators proved that serial killer Charles Cullen was killing patients while working in various hospitals and nursing homes across New Jersey and Philadelphia. Charles is currently incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison and is not eligible for parole until June 2388. Eddie Redmayne also played Charles in a movie called The Good Nurse alongside Jessica Chastain, released on Netflix in 2022.
Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case
In this true crime documentary, the story of Lucie Blackman is told. The 21-year-old Brit's disappearance and later murder in the early noughties sparked a major international investigation in Tokyo, Japan, with authorities believing that a serial killer was on the loose as a massive mountain of evidence piled up.
NetflixVictim/Suspect
Directed and produced by Nancy Schwartzman, Victim/Suspect sees Emmy-winning investigative journalist, Rae de Leon, examine the widespread pattern of women across the United States not being taken seriously by authorities after being sexually assaulted and instead charged for making false rape accusations.
NetflixKeep Sweet: Pray and Obey
This harrowing four-part documentary series looks at the rise and fall of controlling cult leader Warren Jeffs and the institutionalised child abuse, sexual assault and manipulation that took place under his rule as the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Those who broke free of the community now reflect and bravely tell their stories about everyday life under Warren's restrictions and rituals and what the final catalyst was that made them flee.
NetflixEvil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist
Probably one of the most bizarre crime stories on our list, this documentary tells the story of a 43-year-old pizza delivery guy who walked into a bank with a bomb tied around his neck and armed with a shotgun demanding $250,000 in cash. When cornered by police outside the bank, he pleaded with them that he didn't have much time to live and that the bomb would go on any minute, which it ultimately did and led to his death. So what happened in the actual "pizza bomber" case, and who was behind this shocking heist?
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator
Another fascinating look into the terrifying extremes of cult leadership and abuse of power, this series chronicles how hot yoga founder Bikram Choudhury managed to build a global empire in the seventies before recent allegations of rape and sexual harassment by his countless followers exposed the corrupt system that helped him succeed and ultimately led to his unravelling and downfall.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
In a massive fall from grace, Aaron Hernandez went from a celebrated NFL star to a convicted killer who was sentenced to life in prison for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. This documentary features in-depth interviews with his friends, fellow NFL players and insiders to offer further insight into how his life unravelled the way it did despite him seemingly being at the top of the sporting world.
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story
In 2004, Cyntoia Brown was only sixteen when she was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a 43-year-old man who picked her up for sex. In 2019, Governor Bill Haslam granted her request for clemency following a series of legislative changes in juvenile sentencing laws in Tennessee. This documentary examines Cyntoia's past, physiology and the changing law, which has enabled her to be a free woman today.
Courtesy of NetflixMadoff: The Monster of Wall Street
The rise and fall of American financier Bernie Madoff is explored in the docuseries Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street. The American financier orchestrated one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in the history of Wall Street, worth about $64.8 billion. It left the lives of his victims upended before he was eventually exposed amid the 2008 financial market crisis.
Courtesy of NetflixMurdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal
Focusing on the shocking true story of one of South Carolina's most powerful legal families being exposed for their darkest and deepest secrets, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal sees the series of horrifying events which ultimately led to the arrest of Alex Murdaugh for double murder. Earlier, in March 2023, the jury in his case found him guilty of killing his wife and son. He has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The series is critical in shining a light on just how much those in power can get away with before their harmful actions eventually catch up with them.
The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker
From social media fame to imprisonment, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker chronicles the fall-from-grace journey of homeless surfer-dude Kai Lawrence, who won thousands of fans on the internet thanks to a viral meme in 2013. However, what could have been a pathway to a better future led Kai to a conviction of double murder in 2019. He was sentenced to 57 years in prison and remains imprisoned in New Jersey today.
Strong Island
Strong Island follows the story of an unarmed Black man named William Ford Jr, who was killed by a 19-year-old white man. This documentary looks at the parallels between crime and racism as Ford became the prime suspect of his own murder during the police investigation. Unbelievably sad and shocking.
My Daughter's Killer
My Daughter's Killer is a very distressing look at devoted father Andre Bamberski, who refused to accept that his daughter Kalinka died under normal circumstances, which in return leads to a never-ending battle against the system to bring justice for his late daughter. You'll need tissues for this one!
Courtesy of NetflixOur Father
Nothing is more shocking than the documentary Our Father - the story of an Indiana-based doctor Donald Cline, who worked at a women's fertility. While he seemed normal on the surface, his fertility patients were unaware that he was inseminating them using his own sperm without their consent.
The Burari Deaths
The Burari Deaths is a bizarre documentary that centres on eleven family members that were killed by hanging or strangulation in the Burari neighbourhood of Delhi, India, in 2018. The random killings of the seemingly typical, middle-class family rocked India and hit the headlines - prompting the nation to get to the bottom of their murders.
Courtesy of NetflixThe Most Hated Man On The Internet
The Most Hated Man On The Internet centres on Hunter Moore, aka the self-proclaimed "King of Revenge Porn" and "professional life ruiner" who profited from sharing explicit images of women and men online without their permission. One mother's unwavering pursuit to bring justice to his victims, including her own daughter, eventually took him down.
Courtesy of NetflixSins Of Our Mother
Family is everything, right? Well, you'll rethink that when you watch Sins Of Our Mother. The harrowing documentary follows the story of mother Lori Vallow, who was supposedly brainwashed by a cult leader and subsequently accused of killing her two children. The case is still ongoing in the US. Still, the documentary is helmed by director Skye Borgman, from the other hugely popular (and distressing) documentary, Girl In The Picture - so you're guaranteed a chilling watch.
NETFLIXGirl in the Picture
Probably one of the most chilling things we have seen in a long time - the Girl in the Picture, which Skye Borgman directs, is centred around a young mother whose tragic and mysterious passing is followed by the shocking kidnapping of her son. The events that follow during the subsequent decades are unbelievable...
Courtesy of NetflixBad Vegan
Bad Vegan has received mixed reviews, and it's hard to sum up exactly what it is about, but, in short, it follows the story of a New York socialite, Sharma Melngailis, who starts up a popular vegan restaurant. Everything seems to be going well until she married a mysterious man who claims he can make her dog immortal, from here, he sets her a series of bizarre and controlling tasks, forcing her life off track and into chaos. This four-part series is intense, bizarre and at times, pretty confusing.
Courtesy of NetflixJimmy Savile: A British Horror Story
Jimmy Savile was one of the United Kingdom's most beloved TV personalities. Shortly after his death in 2011, an investigation prompted more than 450 horrific allegations of sexual assault and abuse, with victims as young as five. This true crime series in two parts reveals Savile's relationship with the public and how the former DJ and children's charity fundraiser tricked an entire country.
Simon Leviev / InstagramThe Tinder Swindler
Perhaps the most-talked about true crime series of 2022, the Tinder Swindler, told through the first-person stories of his victims, follows the pretty unbelievable tale of an Israeli con man, Simon Leviev (real name, Shimon Hayut) who poses as the heir to a diamond business and manages to trick women in funding his lavish lifestyle.
COURTESY OF NETFLIXWhy Did You Kill Me
This documentary follows the story of Belinda Lane, whose 24-year-old daughter, Crystal Theobold, was killed by a violent gang. Determined to track down her daughters’ murderers, Lane takes to social media to befriend the suspects and gain more information on their whereabouts. As time progresses, the line between justice and revenge is blurred the longer the ruse goes on, and Lane’s personal investigations end up impacting many families in the vicinity — not just her own…
Courtesy of NetflixWorst Roommate Ever
You might think that your sock-stealing, food-eating, messy housemate is pretty bad, but wait until you watch this docuseries about the actual worst roommates of all time. The show tells the story of four different roommates who are seemingly harmless, many of whom target people seeking financial relief via living with roommates or shared boarding. These four roommate stories follow subjects ranging from malicious monetary intentions to cons to downright evil, violent actions against innocent victims.
NetflixNight Stalker: The Hunt For A Serial Killer
Not for the faint-hearted, this documentary follows the victims, detectives, and investigation surrounding serial killer Richard Ramirez, who haunted the Los Angeles, California area in the 1980’s. Called the “Night Stalker,” Ramirez was known for sneaking into victim’s homes at night and inflicting pretty horrifying crimes.
NetflixMonsters Inside: The 24 Faces Of Billy Milligan
This Netflix documentary looks at the true story of Billy Milligan, who was arrested for multiple rape allegations on students at Ohio State University in the 1970s. While Morgan was diagnosed with a disorder that had given him multiple personalities, a debate began as to whether not he himself was "guilty", and whether he belonged in jail or a psychiatric facility. Chilling.
I Am A Killer
There’s something fascinating, albeit terrifying, about what goes in the mind of a murderer, and that’s exactly what I Am A Killer depicts. The series features in-person interviews with death row inmates convicted of capital murder, who give their account of their crime.
American Murder: The Family Next Door
American Murder: The Family Next Door tells the story of the 2018 Watts family murders, which took place in Colorado. It features real life archival footage including social media posts, court hearings, text messages and home video footage. It’s CHILLING.
NetflixMemories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes
Coming to Netflix on 18th August 2021, this will reveal never-before-heard information on serial killer Dennis Nilsen. After his death in 2018, Netflix gained access to his private collection of recordings that were left in his cell. They've informed this doc.
NetflixMurder Among The Mormons
The latest extraordinary true crime story that is sending social media into a frenzy, Murder Among The Mormons explores the 1985 bombings in Salt Lake City, the implications it had on the Mormon Church, and the involvement of document dealer Mark Hofmann, who begins the series as a victim, but is slowly revealed to be its prime suspect.
NetflixThe Ripper
Using interviews with investigators and witnesses, this new four-part documentary examines the impact of the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who killed 13 women between 1975 to 1980.
How To Fix A Drug Scandal
In documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr's four part docuseries, we follow the story of 35-year-old crime drug lab chemist Sonja Farak, who was arrested in 2013 for tampering with evidence, alongside colleague Annie Dookhan – and that is only the beginning of this astonishing tale.
The Innocent Man
A documentary adaption of John Grisham's only non-fiction work, The Innocent Man raises concerns about two murder cases in Oklahoma – Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz, two men who were wrongly convicted in the 1982 murder of Debbie Sue Carter, and Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot – who were convicted in the 1984 murder of Donna Denice Haraway, but maintain their innocence to this day.
Room 2806: The Accusation
This documentary examines the sexual assault case levelled against French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn, at the height of his career.
Trial By Media: The Truth Behind The Crimes
This fascinating docu-series examines famous court cases, whose outcomes may have been affected by the extensive media coverage they received.
Unabomber In His Own Words
With footage from a rare interview, this documentary traces the Unabomber's – Ted Kaczynski's – campaign of terror from 1978 to 1985, from childhood to young intellectual, to one of the most-feared terrorist's in history.
NetflixTiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
You won't even believe your eyes as this is truly wild. This popular Netflix true-crime series comes from the makers of the infamous Fyre Festival. The series traces the story of the eccentric zoo owner, Joe Exotic, who owns a collection of wild cats with his two husbands. Tragically when an animal rights activist starts to campaign for the animals' release, Joe has her murdered...
NetflixDon't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
A twisted killer's gruesome videos that begin with cat murders and move onto gruesome human murders - where victims are lured by internet posts - lead to a collection of amateur online detectives launching a highly dangerous manhunt that brings them into the dark underbelly of the internet.
Delhi Crime
The shocking real-life story about a young woman who was gang raped on a bus in Delhi. The story fuelled widespread anger and hit headlines across the world.
Lorena
This four-part series explores the famous 1993 court case between John Wayne and Lorena. After suffering years of physical and emotional abuse in their marriage, Lorena cuts off her husband’s penis leaving him mutilated. During the infamous court case, the media failed to mention the years of abuse Lorena endured, instead focusing on the crime she committed against John. This series sheds necessary light on the racism, misogyny and biased reporting Lorena suffered from.
Abducted in Plain Sight
Literally everyone is talking about this mind-blowing documentary about an Idaho family whose sociopathic neighbour becomes fixated on their 12-year-old daughter. Very creepy, very gripping.
Murder Mountain
Hunboldt County in California runs a big business of legal marijuana, attracting vistors from all around the world. However, many are never seen again.
Dirty Money
This compelling Netflix Original documentary, directed by Oscar award-winning director, Alex Gibney, explores corporate greed. Each episode covers a different business and its controversies with episode one kicking off with the 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal. Warning: this will leave you raging.
NetflixMaking A Murderer Part 2
The documentary that lit the fuse on our true crime obsession? None other than Making a Murderer. Three years later, it's back for Part Two. Following on from Part One, a ten-part masterpiece looks at the almost unbelievable case of Steven Avery, who is freed from prison after being wrongly convicted of rape, only to be arrested for the murder of another woman. For Part 2, Steven and his nephew Brendan are still trying to clear their names with new legal representation, and it's just as addictive as ever.
NetflixWild Wild Country
Rural Oregon is not quite the place you would have assumed played host to a 'utopian city' founded by 'religious guru' Baghwan Shree Rajneesh and his group of loyal followers. But Rajneeshpuram defies all of your expectations. Enter the world of Wild Wild Country to discover the fascinating story behind this religious group who found fame in America in the 1980s for their conflicts and alleged bioterror attacks on the local community and the extremely divisive personality Ma Anand Sheela. Trust us, it's as wild as it sounds.
NetflixThe Confession Tapes
The Confession Tapes focuses on six separate homicide cases where the prosecution got a conviction primarily based on taped confessions that the suspects claim were coerced. It consists of seven episodes made up of a mix of archival footage and interviews with suspects, their families and the detectives who worked on the case. The docu-series sheds light on the ways in which brutal police interrogations can shape the way a suspect thinks and, ultimately, manipulate them into admitting to something they may not have done.
The Keepers
Sister Cathy Cesnick, a 26-year-old nun from Baltimore, was murdered in the 60s and the case remains unsolved. The Keepers suggests she may have been about to expose a paedophile ring involving the Catholic church.
Audrie & Daisy
An important and timely documentary about two teenage girls - from different parts of America - who passed out from drinking alcohol and were sexually assaulted by men they thought were their friends. Afterwards, both girls discovered that their assaults were recorded on mobile phones - then circulated, a nightmare that pushed them both to suicidal thoughts. The feature-length documentary, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival, is not an easy watch but intelligently and sensitively made.
NetflixCaptive
This documentary series compiles some of the most complex and high stake hostage situations in history. Made up of eight episodes, it features victims from eight different countries recounting their experiences in interviews and looks back at archival footage.
Movieclips Trailer Vault/YoutubeDeliver Us From Evil
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, it focuses on the life of Irish Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady, who admitted to widespread sexual abuse of children in California from the 70s to 90s. He spent seven years in prison, during which time the director, Amy J/Berg, interviewed him. The film also examines whether the Catholic Church tried to cover-up the abuse. In the aftermath of the documentary’s original release, O’Grady was ‘outed’ in the Dutch village where he had relocated.
NetflixConversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
Using a mix of archive footage and present day interviews, this gives a rare and shocking glimpse into the life of a serial killer. Ted Bundy started to confess to his crimes in the days before his execution in Florida, and some of that is shown in the documentary. It's chilling.
NetflixAthlete A
Larry Nassar will now forever be known as an evil abuser who used his position to harm many young female gymnasts. This story looks at those survivors and how there plight came to international news.
NetflixCrime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel
Elisa Lam went missing in the formerly "grand" Cecil Hotel, after being spotted in an elevator thanks to footage. This looks at the hunt to try and find her.
