The 26 Best True Crime Documentaries to Watch on Netflix: From Uncovering the ‘Gone GirlKidnapping’ to Reexamining the Night Stalker’s Murder Spree

Mar. 15, 2025

Richard Ramirez in ‘Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer’.Photo:Courtesy of Netflix

Courtesy of Netflix

We’re all hooked ontrue crime, and according to scientists, there’s a good reason why.

Our brains are hardwired to naturally be curious about crime and the motives of criminals because it helps us as a society to better protect ourselves from them, perBBC. On top of that, it’s hard to resist a great whodunnit and watching a criminal be brought to justice.

For fans of the genre, Netflix is a great place to find tons of true crime content. The streamer has both documentaries and docuseries that focus on a wide range of crimes, like serial killers, fraud, heists and more.

Whether you want to dig into the so-called “Gone Girlkidnapping” or reexamine the case of the Night Stalker, Netflix has a wide range of true crime docs to add to your queue.

Here are the best true crime documentaries on Netflix to stream now.

American Nightmare

Aaron Quinn and Denise Huskins in ‘American Nightmare’.Courtesy of Netflix

In 2015, Denise Huskins was kidnapped after a man broke into her boyfriend’s home and sedated them both. Police initially blamed her boyfriend for the crime, then deemed the entire ordeal a hoax, calling it the “Gone Girlkidnapping.”

But months later, surprise evidence finally led an investigator to the real culprit.American Nightmaretells the story of the crime, how law enforcement got it all wrong and the eventual clues that helped solve the case.

WatchAmerican Nightmareon Netflix

Get Gotti

John Gotti in ‘Get Gotti’.Courtesy of Netflix

This three-part 2023 docuseries follows the rise and fall of mob boss John Gotti. Once the organized crime leader was put on trial, his casual attitude turned him into a tabloid celebrity and media favorite, all while the FBI was trying to prosecute him for murder, racketeering, tax evasion and more.

WatchGet Gottion Netflix

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

Rulon Jeffs and wives in ‘Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey’.Courtesy of Netflix

2022’sKeep Sweet: Pray and Obeyinvestigates the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and itsleader, Warren Jeffs.

The docuseries features interviews with some of Jeffs' former wives (he had over 70) and recounts his alleged rampant abuse of power. Criminal trials shown in the series later found that Jeffs sexually abused women and children, which eventually sent him to prison for life.

WatchKeep Sweet: Pray and Obeyon Netflix

Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal

Alex Murdaugh in ‘Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal’.Courtesy of Netflix

Now with two seasons, this 2022 docuseries covers the bizarre and ever-growingscandal around the Murdaugh family.

The docuseries begins with the death of Mallory Beach, who died after Alex Murdaugh’s son, Paul Murdaugh, crashed a boat. But things take an even stranger turn when Paul and his mother are found shot to death two years later.

What unfolds in the series is a web of not just murderous lies, butfraud, money launderingand corruption, too.

WatchMurdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandalon Netflix

Wild Wild Country

‘Wild Wild Country’.Courtesy of Netflix

2018’sWild Wild Countryquickly became a smash hit. An official Sundance selection, the docuseries toldthe story of Rajneeshpuram, a cult-like commune in Oregon that initially seemed peaceful.

But conflicts with the wider community led to an almost unbelievable series of events that included alleged attempted murder, voter fraud, immigration fraud and even a bioterror attack. The series was nominated for five Emmys and won for outstanding documentary.

WatchWild Wild Countryon Netflix

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Frank Salerno in 1985 after the Richard Ramirez trial in ‘Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer’.Courtesy of Netflix

The 2021 four-part docuseriesNight Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killerexamines thekilling spree of Richard Ramirez, aka the Night Stalker.

Beyond the docuseries, Ramirez’s crimes also inspiredthe 2024 horror filmMaXXXine.

WatchNight Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killeron Netflix

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker

‘The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker’.Courtesy of Netflix

Caleb Lawrence McGillvary became a viral sensation in 2013 when he recounted how heallegedly saved a woman’s lifein a local news segment. But the fame turned to infamy when McGillvary later became the prime suspect in the murder of a 73-year-old man.

The 2023 documentaryThe Hatchet Wielding Hitchhikerfollows McGillvary’s rise to internet stardom and his disastrous journey to conviction.

WatchThe Hatchet Wielding Hitchhikeron Netflix

Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street

‘Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street’.Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix’s 2023 docuseriesMadoff: The Monster of Wall Streetdives into the crimes of financier Bernie Madoff, whodied in prison in 2021.

WatchMadoff: The Monster of Wall Streeton Netflix

Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami

Pedro “Pegy” Rosello in ‘Cocaine Cowboys’.Courtesy of Netflix

Set in Miami during the ’80s,Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miamishows how two high school best friends went on to create one of the largest drug smuggling operations in the city’s history.

WatchCocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miamion Netflix

American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing

‘American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing’.Courtesy of Netflix

In 2013, remote bombs were detonated at the Boston Marathon, killing three people andinjuring hundreds. What followed was one of the largest manhunts in American history, where the two brothers who perpetrated the attack tried to evade police.

American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombingchronicles the heart-racing manhunt throughout Boston that resulted in one of the brothers being killed and the other surrendering.

WatchAmerican Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombingon Netflix

Waco: American Apocalypse

David Koresh in ‘Waco: American Apocalypse’.Courtesy of Netflix

On top of analyzing the deadly 51-day “Waco siege," the documentary also dives deeper into the bizarre culture that Koresh fostered within his compound, one filled with corruption and brainwashing.

WatchWaco: American Apocalypseon Netflix

Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

‘Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer’.Courtesy of Netflix

Infamy, the dark web and murder all collide inDon’t F**k with Cats. The hit docuseries follows a group of internet sleuths who stumbled upon a video of a young man murdering kittens.

Outraged, the group enlisted others through social media to find out who the culprit was. Little did they know, he was enjoying his newfound fame and was about to film himself murdering a person.

WatchDon’t F*** With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killeron Netflix

The Tinder Swindler

Pernilla Sjoholm in ‘The Tinder Swindler’.Courtesy of Netflix

Simon Leviev (who has used many other names) is a conman who allegedly used dating apps to steal an estimated $10 million dollars from unsuspecting women.

AsThe Tinder Swindlerdives deeper into Leviev’s story, it also reveals that those crimes aren’t his only ones. As the doc explains, he held multiple identities and fake passports and was wanted in numerous countries.

WatchThe Tinder Swindleron Netflix

The Keepers

‘The Keepers’.Courtesy of Netflix

The series became a massive hit and even received an Emmy nomination for outstanding documentary.

WatchThe Keeperson Netflix

Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel

‘Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’.Courtesy of Netflix

The 2021 docuseriesCrime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotelinvestigatesthe mysterious death of Elisa Lam. After a bizarre 2013 security video captured Lam acting erratically, she was never seen alive again. A few weeks later, her body was found in a water tank on the roof of the Los Angeles hotel.

The docuseries not only looks into her mysterious death but also thenumerous other murders and suicidesthat have riddled the hotel’s history for almost 100 years — the Night Stalker even lived in the hotel during his killing spree.

WatchCrime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotelon Netflix

Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich

‘Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich’.Courtesy of Netflix

WhileJeffrey Epstein’s history of sexual abuse is well-documented, stories of his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, are far harder to find.

Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Richcovers the socialite’s crimes as well asher sex trafficking trialwhich landed her 20 years behind bars.

WatchGhislaine Maxwell: Filthy Richon Netflix

Athlete A

Maggie Nichols in ‘Athlete A’.Courtesy of Netflix

As they dug deeper, they discovered that multiple complaints had been made about Nassar and then covered up.Athlete Awas an official selection at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival and shed light on the shocking crimes that rocked the gymnastics world.

WatchAthlete Aon Netflix

This Is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist

Anne Hawley in ‘This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist’.Courtesy of Netflix

To date, the art is still missing and the culprits have never been identified. There’s also a $10 million dollar reward for anyone who returns one of the stolen paintings.

This Is a Robberyinvestigates the infamous heist and the ongoing quest to solve it.

WatchThis Is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heiston Netflix

The Devil on Trial

Ed Warren, David Glatzel, and Lorraine Warren in ‘The Devil on Trial’.Courtesy of Netflix

But the 2023 documentaryThe Devil on Trialgives a more evidence-based approach and questions why Johnson was motivated to kill. Viewers also get to know Ed and Lorraine Warren, who played an integral part in defending Johnson.

WatchThe Devil on Trialon Netflix

The Ripper

‘The Ripper’.Courtesy of Netflix

Known as the Yorkshire Ripper, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe stalked the British city’s streets at night, initially murdering sex workers before turning his hatred towards women regardless of their profession.

From 1975 to 1980, he murdered 13 women and attempted to kill many more. Netflix’s 2020 docuseriesThe Rippershows how the police tracked down the elusive killer and eventually brought him to justice.

WatchThe Ripperon Netflix

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

‘Downfall: The Case Against Boeing’.Courtesy of Netflix

The once-renowned aircraft manufacturer Boeing began its downward spiral in the early 2010s when its new787 aircrafts started having a litany of technical issues. At the end of the decade, things took a tragic turn when Boeing’s other new aircraft, the 737 Max, was involved intwo fatal crashes, killing over 300 people.

Downfall: The Case Against Boeingfollows investigators as they uncover issues with Boeing’s planes and discover alleged rampant negligence and corruption that has since led to a massive (and ongoing) lawsuit and criminal case.

WatchDownfall: The Case Against Boeingon Netflix

Into the Deep: The Submarine Murder Case

‘Into The Deep’.Courtesy of Netflix

Into the Deep: The Submarine Murder Casewas an official selection at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and tells the story of Peter Madsen, an amateur submarine builder who brutallymurdered and dismembered a journalistwhile she was submerged on one of his submarines.

The documentary chronicles the events leading up to the grisly murder and the investigation that followed.

WatchInto the Deep: The Submarine Murder Caseon Netflix

Blackfish

Tilikum watches as SeaWorld Orlando trainers take a break during a training session.Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP

Blackfishwas a groundbreaking 2013 documentary that, on the surface, was aboutthe orca Tilikumwho killed three people throughout his life. But beneath that, the documentary revealed much more, including the alleged mental and physical damage captivity can have on social animals like killer whales.

Blackfishbecame a phenomenon and even influenced numerous laws around the globe that regulated the treatment and legality of keeping and breeding orcas.

WatchBlackfishon Netflix

Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer

Richard Cottingham in ‘Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer’.Courtesy of Netflix

From the early 1970s to 1980, a killer stalked Manhattan, often targeting young sex workers.

The murderer, later identified asRichard Cottingham, would officially be linked to at least 16 murders, though he’s claimed responsibility for more.

The 2021 docuseriesCrime Scene: The Times Square Killerchronicles Cottingham’s crimes and the fear that New Yorkers lived in during his murderous reign.

WatchCrime Scene: The Times Square Killeron Netflix

D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!

‘D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!'.Courtesy of Netflix

2022’sD.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!retells theinfamous taleof an unknown man who hijacked a commercial flight in 1971. After demanding and receiving ransom money, he ordered the crew to take off once again.

While the plane was airborne, Cooper put on a parachute, opened a door and jumped out of the plane never to be seen again. The docuseries offers new clues and interviews experts who all try to answer the same question: where is D.B. Cooper?

WatchD.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!On Netflix

Why Did You Kill Me?

‘Why Did You Kill Me?'.Courtesy of Netflix

The 2021 documentaryWhy Did You Kill Me?follows a grieving mother whose daughter, Crystal Theobald, was murdered. To find out who killed her and to get revenge, the family created a fake MySpace profile.

Why Did You Kill Me?adds a unique twist to the true crime genre thanks to its catfishing revenge story.

WatchWhy Did You Kill Me?On Netflix

source: people.com