A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
From chilling serial killer investigations to shocking courtroom dramas, these compelling true crime documentaries will have you glued to your screen
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This is one of those true crime documentaries that will send chills down your spine. Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer takes us back to Los Angeles in 1985, as a brutal serial killer terrorizes the city. Two police detectives do everything they can to stop the killer—but can they catch someone who seems to attack at random?
The detectives, along with others involved in the investigation, recall what happened in Los Angeles between April and August 1985, and the eventual capture of one of America’s most vile serial killers: Richard Ramirez. Through first-hand interviews, archival footage and crime scene visuals, the series explores how Ramirez targeted victims across different neighbourhoods with no clear pattern. This randomness made the case especially challenging to solve.
American Murder: The Family Next Door tells the story of Shanann Watts and her children, who went missing in 2018 in Colorado. What begins as a desperate search for a missing family quickly unravels into something far more sinister as investigators turn their attention to Shanann’s husband, Chris Watts. This must-watch true crime documentary uses firsthand footage to examine the tragic story of what happened to Shanann, who was pregnant when she disappeared, and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste. It also serves as a reminder of the complexities hidden behind seemingly perfect facades. Nowadays, Chris Watts is among the most notorious killers in the U.S.
This documentary will have your head spinning. Robert Fisher is on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for allegedly killing his family and blowing up their home in Scottsdale, Arizona, back in April 2001. He’s believed to have fled after these brutal events, and 20 years later, police are still looking for clues to his whereabouts, making this case one of the strangest unsolved mysteries.
The true crime documentary does a good job of looking at Fisher’s past, why he might have killed his family and different theories of what happened to him. Did he kill himself? Change his name? Use his camping skills to live in the wild? The film carefully looks at each possibility, letting viewers decide which answer makes the most sense in this puzzling case.
John Wayne Gacy is one of the most infamous serial killers in American history. What sets this documentary apart is its inclusion of previously unreleased prison interviews with Gacy himself. This six-part docuseries explores Gacy’s troubled childhood, his public persona as a charitable businessman who performed as a clown at children’s hospitals and the gruesome discovery of 33 murdered boys and young men beneath his suburban Chicago home.
It also asks important questions about how he got away with his crimes for so long, especially because many victims were from groups that society often ignored. Police officers, reporters, survivors and victims’ families share their stories, helping viewers understand both the killer and the real people whose lives he ended.
This Emmy-winning true crime documentary leaves you with so many questions. Have You Seen Andy? tells the story of 10-year-old Andy Puglisi, who went missing in August 1976 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Despite massive search efforts, Andy was never found. The filmmaker, Melanie Perkins, was a friend of Andy’s at the time of his mysterious disappearance.
The documentary took Perkins almost 22 years to finish and uses touching home videos and conversations with Andy’s loved ones to take a hard look at how police mishandled the case. As Perkins keeps searching for the truth decades after Andy disappeared, the film serves both as a way to remember a lost child and to show how friendship can last long after someone is gone.
Urban legends are made-up stories meant to scare us. For some people, though, these fictitious stories seep into reality. Beware the Slenderman investigates the chilling 2014 case where two 12-year-old girls in Waukesha, Wisconsin, stabbed a friend multiple times. The reason? They believed it would please a character named “Slenderman,” a fictional internet bogeyman.
It’s one of those true crime documentaries that will make you reflect on the internet’s influence on people, mental health and how one terrible decision can change many lives forever.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez follows the story of Aaron Hernandez, who went from being a professional football player to a convicted killer. The three-part Netflix docuseries traces Hernandez’s journey from high school football fame to signing a major contract with the New England Patriots, only to be arrested in 2013 for the murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional player and partner of his fiancée’s sister. Through exclusive interviews, recorded phone calls and court footage, the docuseries attempts to understand how a man with so much promise ended up behind bars.
This film covers the Central Park Five case (also known as the Central Park jogger case), in which five Black and Latino teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a White woman in New York City back in 1989. The case quickly drew national attention, and the police arrested five teenagers—Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise—despite no physical evidence linking them to the crime.
Through interviews with the five men, their families and key figures involved in the case, the documentary paints a powerful picture of systemic racism, police misconduct and the flaws in the justice system. The film also includes an expert analysis of how the case was mishandled and how media sensationalism fueled public opinion against the teens. It’s among the most important documentaries about race and racism in the U.S.
This is one of those true crime documentaries that produces more questions than answers. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel covers the case of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old Canadian college student who went missing while staying at the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles in 2013. Nearly three weeks after she went missing, her body was found floating in the water tank on the hotel’s roof. This compelling true crime series covers the investigation into Lam’s death and the dark history of the Cecil Hotel. One of the most chilling parts is the surveillance footage of Lam in the hotel’s elevator, and the reason for her behavior in that footage is one of the biggest mysteries in the case.
This four-part Netflix documentary series takes a chilling look into the mind of one of the most infamous serial killers in history. In this documentary, you’ll hear Bundy reflect on his life, crimes and motives through chilling audiotapes and commentary from others about the extremely heinous murders he committed. These recordings provide a disturbing glimpse into the mind of a psychopathic killer who often manipulated or tricked his victims.
Director Erin Lee Carr’s thought-provoking two-part HBO documentary explores the controversial 2017 case against Michelle Carter. Carter was charged and eventually convicted of involuntary manslaughter after she, at 17 years old, sent startling text messages to her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, that seemed to encourage him to kill himself. Roy died by suicide in July 2014, at age 18.
The case gained national attention and raised serious questions about topics like mental health, social media and whether someone could be held responsible for another person’s suicide. This documentary tackles those topics and features interviews with key people in the story, including investigators, journalists, Carter’s defense attorney and Roy’s immediate family. With suicide being one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., make sure you know these suicide warning signs.
The Ripper is a documentary that discusses the Yorkshire Ripper murders, which took place in England in the late 1970s. Between 1975 and 1980, the Yorkshire Ripper, later identified as Peter Sutcliffe, brutally murdered at least 13 women and attempted to murder seven others. In the true crime documentary, investigators and witnesses recall this frightening time, how the investigation unfolded and how these brutal events sent shockwaves through England.
3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets is an award-winning documentary that covers the murder of 17-year-old Jordan Davis. Davis and three of his friends pulled into a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida, in November 2012. At the gas station, they got into a verbal altercation with 45-year-old Michael Dunn about how loud the rap music coming from their car was.
The altercation led to Dunn opening fire on the teenagers’ car. Davis was hit by three bullets and died at the scene. This documentary covers the shooting and Dunn’s trial, along with examining Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws.
Mommy Dead and Dearest covers the case of Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose. Blanchard was found murdered in her home in June 2015, and her very ill daughter, Gypsy Rose, was nowhere to be found. Police used social media to get a lead in the case, but what they discovered rocked the tight-knit community that Blanchard and Rose were part of.
This documentary touches on heavy topics, including child abuse, mental illness and one of the most perplexing conditions: Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Get ready for a documentary filled with shock, deception and the lingering question: Can years of psychological manipulation mitigate murder?
This is one of those true crime documentaries you’ll never forget. Deep Web discusses the rise of a darknet market called Silk Road, which was a black market for illegal drugs. Narrated by Keanu Reeves and directed by Alex Winter, this documentary examines the complicated case against Ross Ulbricht, the man who was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, computer hacking and drug trafficking, in connection with creating and running Silk Road. In 2015, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Deep Web covers a number of topics, including the dangers and politics of the dark web and the complexity of technological freedom. One of the biggest questions the documentary raises is whether Ulbricht acted alone or if multiple people operated under the owner’s username, the Dread Pirate Roberts.
This was a notorious case that rocked the public in August 1986. It was then that the body of 18-year-old Jennifer Levin was found in Central Park. The investigation into her murder eventually led police to a suspect—Robert Chambers, a rich, good-looking young man whom Levin knew.
The compelling true crime series discusses the details of the case, how it became so sensationalized in the media and how both Levin’s and Chambers’ reputations were presented to the world—and how those presentations influenced the case.
Cropsey blurs the line between urban legend and disturbing reality, delivering a haunting blend of childhood fear and real-life horror. Set in Staten Island, this documentary starts with a local myth: a shadowy figure named “Cropsey” who lurked in the woods and abducted children. For years, this tale was passed around as campfire stories—until real children started disappearing.
The Seven Five discusses the story of Michael Dowd, a former NYPD officer who led a life of crime while patrolling the streets of Brooklyn in the 1980s. Dowd would pocket thousands of dollars per week due to corrupt agreements and eventually be arrested for his brazen crimes. His arrest shed light on the widespread corruption in the NYPD during this time, as Dowd wasn’t the only corrupt cop on the block. The documentary features interviews with key players in the case, including Dowd himself, and explores the explosive details of one of the largest police corruption scandals New York City has seen.
Sam Cooke was an iconic soul singer, but he was also an activist with views that were considered controversial by many at the time of his stardom. Cooke was murdered in December 1964, but many believe the circumstances around his death are questionable. Remastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke features interviews from Quincy Jones, Smokey Robinson and others who discuss Cooke’s rise to fame, his views on civil rights and the controversy surrounding his death. Is there more to Cooke’s murder than meets the eye?
It’s always eerie to hear serial killers talk about their crimes, but there’s something extra chilling about this one. Interview with a Serial Killer covers the horrific crimes of Arthur Shawcross, also known as the Genesee River Killer. Shawcross was convicted of killing 11 women in Rochester, New York, in the late 1980s. The true crime documentary features a jailhouse interview with Shawcross as he discusses his life and his crimes—and the interview will send chills down your spine.
The Imposter chronicles the story of a truly baffling con. It starts when 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay goes missing from Texas in 1994. Three years later, he’s believed to be found in Spain and is sent back to his family. There are key things that are different about Nicholas, though—including his eye color and his newly developed European accent. Eventually, a bombshell drops on Nicholas’s family: The boy who claimed to be Nicholas isn’t actually their son. So who is this imposter, and why did he con this grieving family? Those questions, and more, are discussed in this jaw-dropping documentary.
Long Shot sounds like the plot of a movie, but it’s the real-life story of what happened to Juan Catalan. Catalan was arrested for a murder he did not commit, but his only shot at proving his alibi is within raw footage from a popular TV show being filmed at Dodger Stadium. Catalan’s lawyer goes on a wild goose chase for the footage—if he doesn’t find it, an innocent man goes to prison. This must-watch true crime documentary shows how one simple decision—like deciding to go to a baseball game—can change your life forever.
This is a case that outraged the nation as it unfolded. Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery chronicles the death of two-year-old Caylee Anthony, who lived with her mother, Casey Anthony, and her maternal grandparents in Orlando, Florida. Caylee’s grandmother reported Caylee missing in July 2008, and from there, an investigation was launched. The investigation eventually turned toward Casey, who told investigators a web of lies surrounding Caylee’s disappearance—and eventually, Casey is put on trial for Caylee’s murder. This three-part true crime series recounts Caylee’s case, Casey Anthony’s highly publicized trial and its shocking verdict.
This true crime documentary examines the cold case of Johnny Gosch, a paperboy in Iowa who went missing while delivering newspapers in September 1982. Gosch’s face was actually one of the first to be put on milk cartons—a tactic used to find missing children. The documentary features commentary from Gosch’s mother and covers the strange twists and turns in this cold case. Nearly 40 years after he disappeared, Gosch’s case is one of the most famous cold cases—but remains open.
This is another one of those true crime documentaries that will stay with you after the credits roll. The Witness recounts the case of Kitty Genovese, who was murdered in March 1964 in New York City. It was widely reported that 38 people saw or heard her murder but did nothing to stop it, leading to a study of the bystander effect. That report was the official story for decades. But was it the truth? Genovese’s brother strives to answer this critical question about his sister’s murder in this powerful documentary.
This award-winning documentary chronicles the journey filmmaker Rob McCallum and his brother Chris take to discover the truth about their missing mother. The documentary features interviews from Rob and Chris’s family members, who speculate on what happened to her. Rob and Chris learn new details about their mom and their own past as they try to solve a mystery that’s haunted them for years.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a six-part series based on the book of the same name by Michelle McNamara. It chronicles the case of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., also known as the Golden State Killer. The documentary recounts DeAngelo Jr.’s violent crimes and details how the investigation lasted for decades. The documentary also shows McNamara’s dedication to keeping the case alive and bringing the Golden State Killer to justice. McNamara’s book is among our recommendations for the best true crime books of all time.
This four-part true crime documentary follows the journey of Madison Hamburg as he tries to piece together what happened to his mother. Barbara Hamburg was found murdered on the lawn of her Connecticut home in March 2010, and her case remains unsolved. Through interviews with family members—including his estranged father, a prime suspect—Hamburg tries to find out what really happened to his mother, and he uncovers alarming secrets while searching for the truth.
People are naturally curious about real-life crime stories, as they let viewers explore the darker side of human nature from a safe distance. Many also enjoy the chance to piece together clues like a detective. On a deeper level, true crime often looks at important topics like justice, psychology and social issues so that we, the viewers, can better understand our society.
It depends on the documentary and how the story is told. The best true crime documentaries respect the victims and their stories, and they don’t glorify violence or prioritize shock over genuine storytelling. They also provide context and remind us of the human side of the story.
A good documentary tells the story clearly and keeps the viewer interested. A great one goes further—it explores bigger issues, like racism in the justice system, corruption or domestic violence, gives insights into human behavior and respects the victims and their loved ones.
Filmmakers dedicate years to researching and talking to people connected with the case—often including family members and friends of the victim, police who investigated the crime, lawyers and reporters. They might request police, forensics and court records, license news clips or gather photos and films related to the case. Sometimes they also discover new evidence or details that someone else overlooked.
Yes, they can. Some documentaries have resulted in retrials or reviews of old cases or helped free wrongly convicted individuals. These true crime documentaries can also scrutinize flaws in the legal system or uncover new evidence.
There’s something special about watching real people, real-life crimes and real-life consequences unfold onscreen. While scripted crime shows are free to craft their own twists and turns, true crime documentaries are built on interviews, archival footage and gripping facts and details that pull you into the investigation. That heady mix of suspense, psychology and social commentary explains why they continue to be a dominant force on streaming platforms.
We’ve selected the documentaries based on their storytelling, critical success, streaming access and the effect they had on viewers or the cases themselves. This list features acclaimed classics and unexplored crime stories on streaming platforms. We also took into account how each film handles its sensitive subject matter. Every must-watch true crime documentary treats victims’ stories with respect while also holding viewers’ attention. These films go beyond shock value and offer emotional depth, investigative insight and an examination of human behavior.
