True crime is all over Netflix and YouTube because it’s one the most interesting genres of content. It’s fascinating how cruel and twisted some people can be when the rest of us could never behave in this way. You get to step inside these investigations that sometimes take years to solve, meet all the suspects involved, and see how justice does or doesn’t play out. It’s a genre that will live on forever, and there are a ton of great of documentaries that put in the extra work to bring fresh insights to old investigation. We’re going to focus on 10 of those today:
I’ll Be Gone In The Dark – This series is all about the Golden State Killer investigation. It took a lot of research to put this one together. Michelle McNamara wrote a book that was a deep dive into the Golden State Killer, and he was eventually identified after her unfortunate death. Her book was turned into this inciteful documentary that you have to watch.
The Keepers – This is the story of Sister Cathy’s murder. It’s a dark documentary that exposed many disturbing allegations within the Catholic Church. It’s very unsettling and leaves you wondering how so much was covered up so easily.
Murder on Middle Beach – This documentary was directed by the victim’s own son. It follows his 8-year search into trying to find out who murdered his mother. It’s split into 4 parts and is an extremely tense watch.
The Jinx – This is the story of murderer Robert Durst. This HBO series is well-known for its shocking final scenes. It’s broken into 2 parts that were released 9 years apart. Every episode builds toward a stunning payoff that you will never forget.
The Staircase – This long-running case study follows Michael Peterson’s trial from multiple angles. There are hours of courtroom footage that pulls you deep into the messy details of the evidence and the justice system.
Making a Murderer – One of Netflix’s first true crime hits, it put Steven Avery’s story in front of millions. This was a fascinating watch that will have you reconsidering everything you heard and believed from each previous episode. The docuseries caused endless debates about guilt, innocence, and how broken the justice system is. I still Google the people from this case every so often to see if anything’s changed.
Don’t F**k with Cats – This is the story of an online manhunt for a man who recorded himself abusing cats. It’s a disturbing story but it also shows how far internet internet detectives will go to track down someone.
American Murder: The Family Next Door – This story is told entirely through real footage. It pulls you directly into the Watts family tragedy and uses real text messages, social media posts, and police recordings to show you the full story.
The Serpent (The Real Serpent) – There’s an eight-part series on Netflix, or you can watch the three-part series on Apple TV. This documentary is about the chilling crimes of serial killer Charles Sobhraj. It gives true crime fans a concise look at his manipulation and murders all across Asia.
Abducted in Plain Sight – Nothing on this list will leave you as shocked as this one. It’s all about the repeated kidnappings by a trusted family friend. The sheer level of deception and control makes it one of the most disturbing cases ever documented.
Top 10 Murder Mystery Documentaries
This list has everything from unsolved murders to full-on courtroom battles. They’ll put you headfirst into the minds of the most twisted individuals you can imagine. They cover the absolute darkest corners of the human psychology and show how far investigators have to go to track down these individuals. If you’re a true crime fan, you’ve most likely seen at least one documentary on this list, and if you enjoyed it – you’ll know what to expect from the rest of the list.
If you prefer to follow real cases in audio format instead of video, the best true crime murder podcasts has original investigative podcast journalism at the same standard as the documentaries above. For more in-depth real cases, check out my top 10 true crime books. For a full range of murder mystery entertainment across different formats, see our murder mystery entertainment guide.
Sherwin has been creating amazing murder mystery case files since 2023 – and he has no plans to ever stop. His cases have earned rave reviews from players around the world, and he’s since expanded into full murder mystery dinner party games. With 10 years of experience under his belt creating digital products, he brings a sharp eye for design and detail to every crime scene he builds.
