Netflix has an absolute treasure trove of binge-worthy, chilling documentaries that dive deep into the world of crime.
If you’re ready to question humanity and maybe sleep with the lights on, here’s your ultimate list of the best Netflix true crime documentaries you need to check out.
- Amanda Knox (2016)
Source: YouTube
The Amanda Knox case is one that gripped the world, not just for its legal twists but for the way the media turned it into a spectacle. This 2016 documentary provides an in-depth look at Amanda’s journey, from her initial arrest and wrongful conviction for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher in 2007, to her eventual acquittal years later.
What makes this documentary particularly powerful is the firsthand insight from Amanda herself, as she recounts how her life became a global tabloid obsession.
The documentary explores how the media, hungry for scandal, turned Amanda into “Foxy Knoxy,” a character in a murder mystery drama. It wasn’t just about the facts of the case anymore—suddenly, it was about painting Amanda as a dangerous, seductive figure.
With the intense public scrutiny came serious consequences, as Amanda and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were caught up in a legal battle that had more to do with perception than reality.
You’ll hear from the key players in the case, including Amanda’s parents, Italian prosecutors, and journalists who followed the story. It also dives into how the investigation was mishandled from the start. The lack of clear evidence, the questionable methods used by the police, and the rush to judgment all point to a legal system that was deeply flawed. The result? Years of wrongful imprisonment for both Amanda and Raffaele.
Watch the trailer here:
- American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
Source: YouTube
The Family Next Door is not just another murder story; it’s a harrowing dive into the real-life tragedy of Shanann Watts and her two daughters, who were murdered by Shanann’s husband, Chris Watts, in 2018.
What makes this documentary unique is its use of real footage—texts, social media posts, home videos, and police bodycam footage. This intimate approach pulls you into the everyday life of the Watts family, making the horrific crime even more shocking.
The documentary doesn’t waste time with reenactments or dramatic retellings; instead, it lets the real footage do the talking. You see Shanann, a vibrant, loving mother, posting happy family moments on Facebook, interacting with her husband and kids, completely unaware of the darkness lurking behind the scenes.
The seemingly perfect life she showcased on social media creates a stark contrast to the tragic reality of what was really happening.
As the story unfolds, you’re led through the timeline of events leading up to the murders. You witness Chris’s cold and detached behavior during police interviews, and his eventual confession to the horrific crime.
It’s not just about a family tragedy; it’s about the unseen cracks in relationships and the unthinkable actions that can result from them. The realness of the footage, combined with the heartbreaking nature of the crime, makes this one of the most emotionally impactful true crime documentaries on Netflix.
Watch the trailer here:
- The Tinder Swindler (2022)
Source: Netflix
Dating apps are supposed to be about finding love or, at the very least, making a connection. But in the case of The Tinder Swindler, swiping right led to something far more dangerous: financial ruin.
This documentary follows the shocking story of Simon Leviev, a man who posed as a billionaire on Tinder to con women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. His scam wasn’t just small-scale fraud—it was an international operation that left a trail of heartbreak and financial devastation across several countries.
Simon’s charm and extravagant lifestyle seemed legitimate to the women he targeted. He’d whisk them away on private jets, take them to five-star hotels, and shower them with gifts, all while claiming he was the son of a diamond tycoon.
But as the women soon found out, it was all an illusion. Behind the scenes, Simon was using the money he conned from one victim to fund his lavish lifestyle with the next.
The documentary does an excellent job of revealing how Simon’s elaborate scheme worked. It wasn’t just about smooth talk; it was a carefully orchestrated con that took advantage of people’s trust and emotions.
The women Simon scammed were left not only broke but emotionally shattered, questioning how they could have been so thoroughly deceived by someone who seemed to be their perfect match.
The pace of The Tinder Swindler keeps you on the edge of your seat, as you watch the women he conned come together to seek justice. Their determination to expose Simon for who he truly was adds a sense of triumph to what is otherwise a deeply upsetting story.
By the end of the documentary, you’re left questioning how far people will go for money and how much trust can cost. It’s a cautionary tale about the dark side of online dating, showing that sometimes, the person behind the profile is not who they claim to be.
Watch the trailer here:
- Don’t Fk With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Source: YouTube
Don’t Fk With Cats is one of the most disturbing and intense true crime documentaries you’ll ever watch. It begins with a group of internet users who band together to track down a man responsible for posting a horrifying video of animal abuse.
What starts as a simple mission to bring a cruel individual to justice quickly spirals into something much darker, as they find themselves hunting a man who craves attention—and is willing to kill for it.
The man at the center of this twisted story is Luka Magnotta, a name that would become infamous in the world of online crime. What’s particularly shocking about this documentary is how ordinary people, connected through social media, took it upon themselves to track down Magnotta after authorities failed to act on the disturbing animal abuse videos.
The group, spread out across different countries, used their internet sleuthing skills to piece together clues and identify Magnotta’s location, all while he played a deadly game of cat and mouse.
As the group delves deeper into Magnotta’s online presence, they realize that he’s not just an animal abuser—he’s planning something far worse. Their worst fears are confirmed when Magnotta escalates to murder, filming the gruesome act and posting it online. The documentary details the global manhunt that followed, as authorities finally caught up with Magnotta in a dramatic arrest.
Watch the trailer here:
- The Keepers (2017)
Source: YouTube
The Keepers is a deeply unsettling and emotional true crime documentary that peels back the layers of a decades-old mystery surrounding the murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik, a beloved nun and teacher.
What begins as a straightforward investigation into a cold case quickly evolves into a shocking exposé of widespread sexual abuse and a church-led cover-up.
The documentary doesn’t just focus on the murder itself—it delves into the lives of the survivors who were victimized by those in power and sheds light on the corruption that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked for years.
Sister Cathy’s murder in 1969 left a community in shock, but over time, disturbing allegations began to surface that her death may have been linked to her discovery of abuse at Archbishop Keough High School in Baltimore, where she taught.
As survivors, now adults, come forward with their harrowing stories, the documentary builds a case that the school’s priest, Father Joseph Maskell, was at the center of a ring of abuse that preyed on young girls. Sister Cathy, who many believe had uncovered the abuse, may have been silenced because of what she knew.
The series takes a methodical approach, piecing together evidence through interviews with victims, former students, and law enforcement.
What makes The Keepers particularly powerful is the courage of the survivors, whose voices are at the heart of the story. Their pain, resilience, and determination to seek justice, even decades after the crimes took place, make this documentary more than just a whodunit.
Watch the trailer here:
- Making a Murderer (2015)
Source: YouTube
Making a Murderer follows the story of Steven Avery, a man from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, who was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault in 1985. After spending 18 years in prison, Avery was exonerated by DNA evidence in 2003, only to be arrested two years later for the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach.
The documentary explores not only Avery’s case but also the systemic issues within the U.S. justice system that led to his conviction—twice.
What makes this documentary so gripping is the way it presents Avery’s case as a tangled web of police corruption, questionable evidence, and a justice system that seems determined to keep him behind bars.
Viewers are taken through every twist and turn, from the botched investigation into Halbach’s disappearance to the media circus that surrounded Avery’s trial. The documentary raises serious questions about whether Avery was framed by the very people who wrongfully convicted him the first time, as revenge for a lawsuit he filed against the county.
The series also introduces viewers to Brendan Dassey, Avery’s teenage nephew, who was convicted as an accomplice to the murder. Dassey’s confession, obtained under questionable circumstances, becomes a focal point of the series, highlighting the vulnerability of young people in the legal system. His story adds another layer of complexity to an already convoluted case, leaving viewers questioning the fairness of his trial.
Watch the trailer here:
- Evil Genius (2018)
Source: YouTube
Evil Genius is one of those true crime documentaries that starts off strange and only gets stranger. It tells the story of the 2003 “pizza bomber” case, a bizarre crime in which a man named Brian Wells was forced to rob a bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, with a bomb strapped around his neck.
What sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller quickly unravels into one of the most twisted and complex criminal cases in U.S. history.
The documentary begins with the robbery itself, a botched heist that ends in tragedy when the bomb explodes, killing Wells. From there, the investigation takes viewers on a wild ride through a tangled web of conspiracies, involving an eccentric group of characters led by Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, the so-called “evil genius” behind the plot.
As investigators dig deeper, they discover that Wells may not have been an innocent victim but a participant in the crime—though it’s unclear how much he actually knew.
Evil Genius excels at peeling back the layers of the case, revealing a story that’s as much about manipulation and control as it is about crime. Diehl-Armstrong, a highly intelligent but mentally unstable woman, emerges as the mastermind behind the plot, using her charm and cunning to manipulate those around her.
What makes this documentary so captivating is its ability to keep you guessing. Just when you think you’ve figured out the truth, another twist emerges, pulling you deeper into the mystery. By the end of Evil Genius, you’ll be questioning who was really in control and how a seemingly simple bank robbery could have spiraled into one of the most bizarre criminal cases in modern history.
Watch the trailer here:
- Icarus (2017)
Source: YouTube
Icarus starts as a seemingly straightforward documentary about doping in sports, but what it becomes is a bombshell exposé of one of the biggest scandals in Olympic history.
Directed by Bryan Fogel, the documentary begins with Fogel’s personal experiment: he aims to test the effectiveness of doping by taking performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and competing in amateur cycling races to see if he can evade detection.
But what begins as a personal investigation soon leads Fogel down a rabbit hole of corruption and deceit on a global scale, all centered around the Russian sports doping scandal.
The turning point in the documentary comes when Fogel connects with Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory. As Fogel digs deeper, Rodchenkov reveals shocking details about the state-sponsored doping program that was designed to help Russian athletes cheat in international competitions, including the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
What follows is a tense, almost spy-thriller-like unraveling of how far the Russian government went to ensure their athletes’ success, including tampering with urine samples, bribing officials, and covering up positive drug tests.
Rodchenkov becomes a whistleblower, fleeing Russia and exposing the elaborate scheme to the world, risking his life in the process. His testimony is a chilling reminder of how corrupt systems can manipulate sports for political gain, turning what should be fair competition into a theater of deceit.
The documentary is filled with moments of tension and disbelief as it reveals the lengths to which powerful organizations will go to maintain their dominance.
Watch the trailer here:
- Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020)
Source: YouTube
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich is as horrifying as it is compelling. This docuseries shines a light on one of the most notorious and chilling cases of the 21st century: the crimes of financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein, who for years used his wealth, influence, and powerful connections to sexually exploit and abuse young girls, had managed to avoid serious punishment—until his arrest in 2019.
This documentary doesn’t just focus on the crimes themselves; it digs deep into how Epstein was able to operate unchecked for so long, and the systemic failures that allowed him to continue his abuse.
At the heart of this docuseries are the survivors—women who were lured into Epstein’s orbit under the guise of opportunity, only to be manipulated, abused, and silenced. Their testimonies are heart-wrenching, revealing the sheer scale of Epstein’s exploitation.
The documentary makes it clear that Epstein’s crimes weren’t just about sexual abuse; they were about power. He used his money and influence to build a web of enablers, from socialites and politicians to lawyers and law enforcement officials, all of whom helped him evade justice for decades.
Watch the trailer here:
- The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (2023)
Source: YouTube
One of the strangest and most unsettling stories to come out of the true crime world in recent years is the case of Caleb “Kai” McGillvary, also known as The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker.
What starts as a viral internet sensation quickly spirals into a dark and twisted story of fame, mental illness, and murder. Kai first gained internet fame after a video of him went viral in 2013, where he recounted how he saved a woman from an attack by hitting the assailant with a hatchet.
His carefree, surfer-dude attitude and wild story turned him into an overnight hero, but the media frenzy surrounding him would soon take a dark turn.
In the documentary, we follow Kai’s rapid rise to fame, as he is embraced by talk shows, fans, and the media as a kind of modern-day folk hero. But as Kai’s popularity grows, cracks begin to appear in his story. Behind the charismatic and eccentric persona, Kai struggles with serious mental health issues, which are only exacerbated by the sudden media attention.
The documentary shows how the rush to turn Kai into a celebrity ignored the red flags about his behavior, leading to tragic consequences.
In 2019, Kai was arrested for the murder of a lawyer he claimed had drugged and assaulted him. The documentary delves into the complex details of the case, raising questions about whether Kai was a victim acting in self-defense or if there was something far darker lurking beneath the surface.
The film examines the role of media sensationalism, asking how a man who was once hailed as a hero could so quickly become a suspected killer.
Watch the trailer here:
- The Menendez Brothers (2024)
Source: YouTube
The Menendez Brothers takes a fresh look at one of the most controversial murder cases in American history. In 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez shocked the world when they brutally murdered their wealthy parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home.
This shocking crime quickly became a media sensation, with the brothers portrayed as spoiled rich kids driven by greed to commit matricide for their inheritance. However, this new series delves deeper, challenging the sensationalized narrative that has long surrounded the case.
This docuseries explores the complex backgrounds of the Menendez brothers, revealing the dark secrets of their childhood. Both Lyle and Erik claimed they were victims of severe emotional and physical abuse at the hands of their father, a powerful and domineering figure.
As the documentary unfolds, it presents chilling testimonies and interviews with family members, friends, and psychologists, shedding light on the brothers’ troubled upbringing and the trauma that may have led to their drastic actions.
The Menendez Brothers goes beyond the courtroom drama and examines the psychological toll of abuse, raising questions about how the legal system handles cases involving survivors of familial violence.
The series incorporates never-before-seen footage and interviews, allowing viewers to witness the emotional turmoil and conflicting loyalties the brothers faced as they navigated the aftermath of the murders and their ensuing trials.
As the series unfolds, it challenges viewers to reconsider their perceptions of guilt and innocence, making it clear that the Menendez brothers’ story is about more than just murder; it’s a haunting exploration of the lasting effects of trauma and the complex dynamics of family relationships.
Watch the trailer here:
True crime lovers, Netflix has got you covered with enough mind-bending documentaries to keep you hooked for days (maybe weeks). Whether you’re drawn to psychological deep dives, unsolved mysteries, or just can’t resist the thrill of a twisted crime, the world of Netflix true crime docs is ready to pull you in.
Grab some popcorn, maybe lock your doors, and get ready for a binge-worthy experience like no other!
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