Halloween is almost here and what better way to get into the spooky spirit than binging true crime documentaries?!? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite true crime documentaries and docuseries to watch on all streaming platforms.
True Crime Documentaries:The Staircase (2004)
In 2001, Kathleen Peterson was discovered deceased at the bottom of the stairs in her Durham, North Carolina home, leading to her husband, crime novelist Michael Peterson, being accused of her murder. Convicted in 2003, he served time until his release in 2017. A dramatization of this case, featuring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, premiered on HBO Max in 2022. According to David Schmid, author of Natural Born Celebrities: Serial Killers in American Culture, this docu-series exemplifies a popular trend in true crime: exploring the lives of individuals who seem unlikely to commit crimes, which makes their stories all the more intriguing.
Check out the trailer:
Watch The Staircase on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
The docuseries follows writer Michelle McNamara’s journey in uncovering the identity of the “Golden State Killer,” who committed 50 home-invasion rapes and 13 murders in California during the 1970s and 1980s. McNamara, who battled opioid addiction, tragically passed away from an accidental overdose in 2016, just two years prior to the killer’s arrest in 2018 thanks to DNA evidence. This film blends elements of true crime with a personal memoir, featuring McNamara’s home videos, text exchanges, and journal entries to tell her story.
Watch I’ll Be Gone in The Dark on Max.
True Crime Documnetaries: The Menendez Brothers (2024)
Amid the debate over Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, the Menéndez brothers are finally able to present their perspective for the first time in three decades. This Netflix documentary examines their 1989 crime, in which they murdered their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, claiming years of sexual abuse. It also covers the sensational trial that ensued, incorporating exclusive audio interviews with Lyle and Erik from California’s Donovan Correctional Facility.
Watch the trailer here:
Watch The Menendez Brothers on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Netflix’s The Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer is a 4-part docuseries that follows the investigation of the serial killer known as the Night Stalker who ran rampant in 1985 Los Angeles. The series reveals how 2 LA detectives caught the serial killer and brought justice for his crimes.
Check out the trailer:
Watch The Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: American Murder: The Family Next Door
You’ve probably heard this story or seen this documentary before, but it definitely deserves a rewatch. American Murder: The Family Next Door is a documentary that breaks down the disappearance of Shanann Watts and her 2 daughters. The doc gives an inside look at the family’s life with the use of Shanann’s Facebook videos, as well as text messages and other footage that help give a timeline of the case. What police uncover is absolutely chilling.
Check out the trailer:
Watch American Murder: The Family Next Door on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: Mommy Dead and Dearest
Following her release from prison, it feels like Gypsy Rose is everywhere right now. Mommy Dead and Dearest tells the tale of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and the murder case that brought her infamy. Directed by Erin Lee Carr, the documentary gives an inside look at Gypsy Rose’s upbringing and her grisly crime through home videos, interviews, text messages, and medical records.
Check out the trailer:
Watch Mommy Dead and Dearest on Max.
True Crime Documentaries: Abducted in Plain Sight
Directed by Skye Borgman, Abducted in Plain Sight is the story of how Jan Broberg Felt was kidnapped and manipulated by her adult neighbor and family friend when she was a child. The riveting film won a number of Best Documentary awards at festivals like the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Phoenix Film Festival.
Check out the trailer:
Watch Abducted in Plain Sight on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: The Ripper
The Ripper gives a detailed look at the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper who killed and attacked a number of victims throughout England from 1975-1980. The 4-part docuseries describes the resemblance that the Yorkshire Ripper’s actions had to 19th-century serial killer Jack the Ripper and goes deep with its investigation through interviews with detectives, journalists, and survivors.
Check out the trailer:
Watch The Ripper on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: Autopsy
Autopsy is a 7-episode docuseries that features forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, who tells the stories behind unnatural and suspicious deaths. The series originally aired on HBO and was directed by Arthur Ginsberg and produced by Gaby Monet.
Watch Autopsy on Max.
True Crime Documentaries: Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is a unique documentary featuring an online community that helped identify a murderer whose first victims were kittens. Interviews and archival footage are used to tell the captivating story that helped Don‘t F**k with Cats earn a spot in Netflix’s Top 5 Most-Watched Documentaries of 2019. The 3-part series also won awards such as a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program.
Check out the trailer:
Watch Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: Vengeance: Killer Coworkers
Vengeance: Killer Coworkers is a TV series that shows us the true stories of murder victims who met their attackers in the workplace. Each episode looks at a different murder case, taking viewers through the investigation and arrest of the killer coworker.
Watch Vengeance: Killer Coworkers on Max.
True Crime Documentaries: Sophie: A Murder in West Cork
Sophie: A Murder in West Cork depicts the death of French TV producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier who was killed outside of her holiday home in Cork, Ireland. Directed by John Dower, the docuseries chronicles the decades-long investigation of Sophie’s death and the search for her killer.
Check out the trailer:
Watch Sophie: A Murder in West Cork on Netflix.
True Crime Documentaries: Crimes of the Century
Crimes of the Century is a CNN miniseries that gives viewers a look at notorious crimes that have been heavily covered by news outlets. Each of the 8 episodes focus on different crimes such as the murder of John Lennon and the Amanda Knox trial.
Watch Crimes of the Century on Max.
True Crime Documentaries: Beware the Slenderman
Beware the Slenderman is an HBO original documentary directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky. The film follows the gruesome case of how an internet myth known as “Slender Man” led 2 pre-teen girls to try to murder their friend.
Check out the trailer:
Watch Beware the Slenderman on Max.
We hope that watching these true crime documentaries help you have a HollyGOOD Halloween season! Looking for a spooky film to get you in the holiday spirit? Check out our Scary and Not Scary Halloween Movie Guides!
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