How do you like to unwind? Plenty of my friends love to read, hike, and watch movies. I love all that, too, but there is sometimes only one thing that rings my bell: watching true crime documentaries.
Coming from the generation raised byForensic Files, I’ve always enjoyed analyzing the darker side of humanity, and it doesn’t get much darker than these docs.
Have you got your coziest blanket and your “True crime, in bed by nine” coffee mug? Good, because I’m about to reveal the most binge-worthy true crime docs you may now stream on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more!
Release year
2016
Runtime
1 hour 32 minutes
Out of all the true-crime stories in recent history, there was something especially compelling about Amanda Knox. She was accused and convicted of murdering her roommate and became a pariah in the press before ultimately getting acquitted. And all of this played out in the internet age, meaning that those of us following the case got to watch every wild new revelation unfold in real time. Over and over again, I found myself asking the question, “Will we ever know what’s really going on here?”
Thanks to theAmanda Knoxdocumentary on Netflix, you can. It features interviews with various people involved with Knox’s case, including her boyfriend-turned-fellow convict. But the most compelling thing about this doc is Knox herself, who finally gets to tell this topsy-turvy story in her own words. And whether you are new to her case or have been following it for years, this documentary is the perfect way to dive into one of the most infamous stories in true crime history. As of this moment, it’s my favorite ofNetflix’s original true crime documentaries!
Netflix
This is a down-and-dirty examination of a downright infamous criminal case.
2025
1
3
Status
Ended
Sometimes, the most chilling true-crime tales are the ones that serve as reflections of our own culture. For example,American Murder: Gabby Petitochronicles what happened to a woman and her boyfriend after they began traveling across America in an RV and vlogging their various adventures. It was two dreams come true–traveling the country and becoming a successful YouTube influencer–for many of us watching at home.
Unfortunately, those dreams turned to nightmares when Gabby Petito was found murdered, and her boyfriend was suddenly on the run. This documentary explores every wrinkle of the investigation and presents each new detail in the case in a way guaranteed to break your heart all over again. Accordingly, it’s heavier than most true crime docs because it walks us through exactly how a loving relationship can become something dangerous and even deadly. There’s also an implicit warning for those who want to become internet famous: be careful what you wish for!
Thrills and chills are just a click away with this creepy documentary series.
2020
1 hour 25 minutes
Alabama Snakeoffers a bit different of a story in the true-crime genre in that it chronicles the tale of a man who tries to turn rattlesnakes into murder weapons!
The original case goes back to 1991 and involves a Pentecostal preacher who was accused of killing his second wife by forcing her into a cage full of venomous rattlesnakes. Those who took note of the case at the time understandably had quite a few questions, ranging from what the preacher’s motives were to how he planned a most unconventional murder. Alabama Snake answers all of these questions in a way that makes it one of our new favoritegripping crime docs!
HBO Max
After watching this, you’ll never look at snakes the same way again!
2017
1 hour 57 minutes
In 2014, two 12-year-old girls stabbed their friend 19 times for the strangest reason of all: they wanted to gain the approval of Slenderman, a fictional internet boogeyman who has been at the heart of countless creepypastas. At the time, the case got under my skin, and not just because pre-teens were trying to kill each other. I was also alarmed by the fact that our culture had gotten so weird that we were making our own monstrous gods and even trying to appease them with human sacrifices.
Because of my alarm, I didn’t follow the case too closely, but I still had many questions. Fortunately,Beware the Slendermananswered most of them. Watching the documentary, I couldn’t help but make comparisons toThe Babadook, one of my favorite horror movies. That movie is compelling largely because it asks us to consider whether monsters or mental health problems are the real issue. Sadly,Beware the Slendermanproves that this is a question that we must address in real life, treating the mental issues of young people before they become the very monsters they are trying to impress.
2024
5
Daughters of the Cultis based on the exploits of someone who’s not exactly a household name: Ervil LeBaron. Of course, you might know him by his scarier nickname: “Mormon Manson.” He led the Church of the First Born Lamb of God, which was polygamous. That part is important because he had over 50 children, raising them in his twisted ways, even as his cult members carried out a series of mass murders.
The name of this documentary gives away its true focus—the children of this crazed cult leader. Some of his surviving daughters have stepped forward to give a brutally frank accounting of what it was like to be raised by such an infamous figure within the confines of his deadly cult. In this way, the whole thing is more compelling than the average true-crime documentary because it goes beyond the cult leader himself to explore the harrowing and heartbreaking details of the children who survived his wrath.
Hulu
Life after leaving a cult is far weirder (and far, far scarier) than anyone realizes.
You might have plenty of true crime docs under your belt, butDevil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franketouches on a particularly sensitive subject: child abuse. The titular Ruby Franke was an insanely successful mommy vlogger who became a YouTube megastar for chronicling the exploits of her six children. That streaming empire fell apart, however, when she was accused of abusing her children in a case that set the internet on fire.
Hearing about the nasty allegations against Franke (who was ultimately convicted), I kept asking a singular question: “How did this happen? Why would anyone do this to her children?” The documentary lays everything out, from the role of her business partner/mentor to Franke’s own motivations. Additionally, the doc features her ex-husband and her oldest children, giving further insight into how things went so wrong with this famous family.
Whether with rage or sadness, this documentary will leave you shaking.
1 hour 11 minutes
As noted before, true-crime fans sometimes love to learn more about killers who are relatively unknown. Sometimes, though, you want to dive into a more famous case to learn some new (or at least, new to you) details. It doesn’t get much more famous than the murder trial of O.J. Simpson. And the explosive true-crime documentaryTMZ Presents O.J.: How He Really Did Ithelps shine a new light on what is arguably the most famous in history.
If you already know plenty about O.J. Simpson’s alleged murder of his wife, then what does this documentary have to offer you? Among other things, it includes insight from Jim Holcomb, an LAPD officer who might just know what Simpson’s neighbor (who wasn’t allowed to testify) had to say about the allegations. Thanks to this and other insider details, I recommend this doc to anyone, especially those who (like me) remember watching the low-speed Bronco chase back in middle school.
Tubi
Tubi is full of horror movies, but few things are scarier than this classic murder case.
2022
Fortunately, none of us knows exactly how a murderer thinks. But that’s part of what makes true-crime documentaries so compelling: we get to puzzle through interviews and old photos in order to piece together why someone did the unthinkable. That’s why I foundSuburban Nightmare: Chris Wattsso compelling. Watts was a family man who seemed to have a great marriage, but he nonetheless ended up fatally strangling his wife and two daughters.
Beyond the mystery of why he did it, Watts is a compelling figure because (as true-crime fans already know) most of those who kill their families end up killing themselves as well. Watts did not do so, which means he was able to give statements about his murderous motivations. By the time the documentary credits roll, you may not be fully satisfied with the answers. But you’ll be one step closer to closure, which can only come from understanding why killers so often do the unthinkable to those they love.
This is what happens when the suburban dream becomes a deadly nightmare.
Want to get a little spooked-out tonight? Or maybe you just need to waste a little time before your favorite grisly podcast uploads a new episode? Either way, this definitive list of binge-worthy true-crime documentaries is sure to keep you busy!
