42 best true crime documentaries on Netflix
The best true crime documentaries on Netflix come with the kind of real-life drama so gripping that for that hour or so, you forget everything else in life. It's for this reason that we Can't. Get. Enough. And we're not the only ones.
Whether it’s during your morning jog or curled up in the evening with a hot cuppa, we’re all obsessed with thrilling true crime documentaries.
Many people assume the best true crime documentaries are all about murders and serial killers. Not so. Some of the most gripping true crime documentaries on Netflix follow very different — and equally chilling — paths. Take the catfishing horror story that had the whole internet talking in Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. And don’t even get us started on the wild ride of matchmaking in Escaping Twin Flames — less soulmates, more restraining orders.
So, have you got your notepad ready and your detective hat on? Good. Because in the murky world of true crime documentaries, nothing is ever quite what it seems. From secret lives and dangerous roommates to millennial scamming and murder, these are the best true crime documentaries to watch on Netflix right now.
Here is our list of the best true crime documentaries to watch on Netflix now...
Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026The Investigation of Lucy Letby
The ongoing story of a neonatal nurse who was convicted of fatally harming infants is told in this documentary, including never-before-seen footage and testimony from previously unheard insider accounts. Truly shocking.
Netflix © 2024Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare
Catfishing might have started out as something of a dating app trend or behaviour, but we now know it can become very sinister. Kirat Assi tells her story in this Netflix documentary, which explores how catfishing can lead to coercive control. Glamour sat down with Kirat to hear more of her unbelievable experience.
NetflixThe Man With 1000 Kids
This one seriously has to be seen to be believed. It tells the story of mass sperm donor Jonathan Meijer, who donated at sperm clinics around the world, exceeding both national and international guidelines on how many families and clinics he should donate to. This resulted in him fathering a reported 1000 children. Glamour interviewed two victims of his fertility fraud, who told all about their ordeal.
NetflixEscaping Twin Flames
We are all either searching for love or know someone who is. Whether that's in a bar or on dating apps, or even turning to matchmaking. So it's not a far leap to see how people went to the Twin Flames Universe, a controversial community that preys on people looking for love, and pulls back the veil on how the community has hurt these people. We tell you, you will be shocked at how far this story goes.
© 2024 Netflix, Inc.Can I Tell You A Secret?
This one is a harrowing watch. Can I Tell You A Secret? recounts the crimes of one of history’s most prolific cyberstalkers, Matthew Hardy, exploring how the law failed his victims and the devastating impact his relentless stalking and manipulation had on their lives.
NetflixDon't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
There’s something oddly heartwarming about the internet coming together to protect animals. This documentary follows a twisted killer whose gruesome videos begin with cat murders before escalating to human victims, lured through online posts. In response, a group of amateur online detectives launches a dangerous manhunt, drawing them deep into the dark underbelly of the internet.
© 2025 Netflix, Inc.Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
Once again, a Netflix true crime documentary that took social media by storm. One of the biggest true crime cases of 2025, it follows a teenage girl and her boyfriend as they endure months of relentless harassment from an unknown caller. As police investigate, a shocking revelation emerges that completely upends their initial assumptions. Trust us, your jaw will hit the floor.
NetflixLover, Stalker, Killer
Based on a true story, of course, this twist-and-turn doc follows a mechanic trying online dating for the first time and getting caught up with a love match who is more sinister than she first appears. The real tale involves murder and arson – the stuff true romances are made of.
Mark WeissDirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam
Boy band and true crime fans, this one is for you. What an overlap. This Netflix doc charts the rise and fall of music boss Lou Pearlman, who was found to have exploited top 1990s boy bands such as Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and O-Town. One of the best Netflix true crime documentaries for people seeking less gore, more drama.
© 2024 Netflix, Inc.Worst Ex Ever
This one might put you off dating and love for life. The docuseries explores some harrowing stories of violent and deceitful romantic partners. Survivors, members of victims' families and investigators involved in past and present cases are interviewed, showing just how dark the world of dating can be.
NetflixDancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult
Don’t watch this if you plan to continue your nightly TikTok scroll in peace. The documentary follows young dancer Miranda Wilking, who became involved with a church called 7M while searching for management. She soon cut off contact with her family, who suspected she had joined a cult. The film features interviews with Miranda’s family as well as former members of 7M.
Courtesy of NetflixAmerican Nightmare
Obviously, we all adore Gone Girl, both the book and the film—but did you know about its real-life consequences? The Netflix hit American Nightmare dives into the shocking true story of a home invasion and kidnapping that was later accused of being staged after the “kidnapped” woman reappeared. In the media, the hoax was dubbed “the real Gone Girl.”
NetflixCapturing the Killer Nurse
Capturing the Killer Nurse focuses on how investigators proved that serial killer Charles Cullen was killing patients while working in various hospitals and nursing homes across New Jersey and Philadelphia. Charles is currently incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison and is not eligible for parole until June 2388. Eddie Redmayne also played Charles in a movie called The Good Nurse, alongside Jessica Chastain, released on Netflix in 2022.
NetflixVictim/Suspect
Directed and produced by Nancy Schwartzman, Victim/Suspect sees Emmy-winning investigative journalist, Rae de Leon, examine the widespread pattern of women across the United States not being taken seriously by authorities after being sexually assaulted and instead charged for making false rape accusations.
NetflixKeep Sweet: Pray and Obey
There’s something undeniably compelling about true crime documentaries focused on cults. This harrowing four-part series examines the rise and fall of controlling cult leader Warren Jeffs and the institutionalised child abuse, sexual assault, and manipulation that occurred under his rule as the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Survivors who escaped the community now bravely share their stories, reflecting on life under Warren’s strict rules and revealing the final catalyst that drove them to flee.
NetflixEvil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist
Probably one of the most bizarre crime stories on our list, this documentary tells the story of a 43-year-old pizza delivery guy who walked into a bank with a bomb tied around his neck and armed with a shotgun demanding $250,000 in cash. When cornered by police outside the bank, he pleaded with them that he didn't have much time to live and that the bomb would go off any minute, which it ultimately did and led to his death. So what happened in the actual "pizza bomber" case, and who was behind this shocking heist?
Courtesy of NetflixInto the Fire: The Lost Daughter
A tenacious mother unravels the complex mystery surrounding the 1989 disappearance of the daughter she placed for adoption. It’s a heartbreaking story of the hopes she held for her child and her relentless journey to uncover the truth. Perhaps the only true crime documentary that will leave you shaking with sobs, not fear.
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator
Another fascinating look into the terrifying extremes of cult leadership and abuse of power, this series chronicles how hot yoga founder Bikram Choudhury managed to build a global empire in the seventies before recent allegations of rape and sexual harassment by his countless followers exposed the corrupt system that helped him succeed and ultimately led to his unravelling and downfall.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
In a massive fall from grace, Aaron Hernandez went from a celebrated NFL star to a convicted killer who was sentenced to life in prison for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. This documentary features in-depth interviews with his friends, fellow NFL players and insiders to offer further insight into how his life unravelled the way it did despite him seemingly being at the top of the sporting world. Perfect for fans of Monster.
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story
In 2004, Cyntoia Brown was only sixteen when she was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a 43-year-old man who picked her up for sex. In 2019, Governor Bill Haslam granted her request for clemency following a series of legislative changes in juvenile sentencing laws in Tennessee. This documentary examines Cyntoia's past, physiology and the changing law, which has enabled her to be a free woman today.
Courtesy of NetflixMadoff: The Monster of Wall Street
The rise and fall of American financier Bernie Madoff is explored in the docuseries Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street. The American financier orchestrated one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in the history of Wall Street, worth about $64.8 billion. It left the lives of his victims upended before he was eventually exposed amid the 2008 financial market crisis.
The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker
From social media fame to imprisonment, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker chronicles the fall-from-grace journey of homeless surfer-dude Kai Lawrence, who won thousands of fans on the internet thanks to a viral meme in 2013. However, what could have been a pathway to a better future led Kai to a conviction of double murder in 2019. He was sentenced to 57 years in prison and remains imprisoned in New Jersey today.
Strong Island
Strong Island follows the story of an unarmed Black man named William Ford Jr, who was killed by a 19-year-old white man. This documentary looks at the parallels between crime and racism as Ford became the prime suspect of his own murder during the police investigation. Unbelievably sad and shocking.
Courtesy of NetflixOur Father
Nothing is more shocking than the documentary Our Father - the story of an Indiana-based doctor, Donald Cline, who worked at a women's fertility clinic. While he seemed normal on the surface, his fertility patients were unaware that he was inseminating them using his own sperm without their consent.
House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths
The Burari Deaths is a bizarre documentary that centres on eleven family members who were killed by hanging or strangulation in the Burari neighbourhood of Delhi, India, in 2018. The random killings of the seemingly typical, middle-class family rocked India and hit the headlines - prompting the nation to get to the bottom of their murders.
Courtesy of NetflixSins Of Our Mother
Family is everything, right? Well, you'll rethink that when you watch Sins Of Our Mother. The harrowing documentary follows the story of mother Lori Vallow, who was supposedly brainwashed by a cult leader and subsequently accused of killing her two children. The documentary is helmed by director Skye Borgman, from the other hugely popular (and distressing) documentary, Girl In The Picture - so you're guaranteed a chilling watch.
NETFLIXGirl in the Picture
Probably one of the most chilling things we have seen in a long time - the Girl in the Picture, which Skye Borgman directs, is centred around a young mother whose tragic and mysterious passing is followed by the shocking kidnapping of her son. The events that follow during the subsequent decades are unbelievable...
© 2022 Netflix, Inc.Into the Deep: The Submarine Murder Case
When journalist Kim Wall disappears after boarding inventor Peter Madsen’s submarine, his shifting story about her fate hides a terrifying truth. What makes this Netflix true crime documentary especially captivating is that a film crew happened to be documenting the participants even before the murder, giving viewers an unfiltered look at the events as they unfolded.
Courtesy of NetflixBad Vegan
Bad Vegan has received mixed reviews, and it's hard to sum up exactly what it is about, but, in short, it follows the story of a New York socialite, Sharma Melngailis, who starts up a popular vegan restaurant. Everything seems to be going well until she marries a mysterious man who claims he can make her dog immortal. From there, he sets her a series of bizarre and controlling tasks, forcing her life off track and into chaos. This four-part series is intense, bizarre and at times, pretty confusing.
Simon Leviev / InstagramThe Tinder Swindler
Where were you in 2012 when The Tinder Swindler? Told through the first-person stories of his victims, this documentary follows the almost unbelievable tale of Israeli con man Simon Leviev (real name Shimon Hayut), who posed as the heir to a diamond empire and tricked women into funding his lavish lifestyle. Consider this your official reminder to delete all dating apps immediately.
Courtesy of NetflixWorst Roommate Ever
You might think your sock-stealing, food-hoarding, messy housemate is bad, but wait until you watch this docuseries about the absolute worst roommates of all time. The series follows four seemingly harmless roommates, many of whom prey on people seeking financial relief through shared living arrangements. Their stories range from malicious financial schemes and cons to downright evil, violent actions against unsuspecting victims. Two seasons are available with a third in the works! And if your roommate has loud sex at 4am again, you could apply.
NetflixNight Stalker: The Hunt For A Serial Killer
Not for the faint-hearted, this documentary follows the victims, detectives, and investigation surrounding serial killer Richard Ramirez, who terrorised the Los Angeles area in the 1980s. Known as the “Night Stalker,” Ramirez gained notoriety for breaking into victims’ homes at night and committing horrifying crimes.
I AM A KILLER
There’s something fascinating, albeit terrifying, about what goes on in the mind of a murderer, and that’s exactly what I Am A Killer depicts. The series features in-person interviews with death row inmates convicted of capital murder, who give their account of their crime. It spawned spin-offs and multiple seasons.
NetflixMurder Among The Mormons
The latest extraordinary true crime story that is sending social media into a frenzy, Murder Among The Mormons explores the 1985 bombings in Salt Lake City, the implications it had on the Mormon Church, and the involvement of document dealer Mark Hofmann, who begins the series as a victim, but is slowly revealed to be its prime suspect.
Trial By Media: The Truth Behind The Crimes
This fascinating docu-series examines famous court cases whose outcomes may have been influenced by extensive media coverage, including the media circus surrounding the Jenny Jones murder and the Amadou Diallo shooting. In light of 2025’s reaction to Luigi Mangione, its relevance feels more urgent than ever.
NetflixTiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
Alongside baking sourdough, Tiger King became a defining staple of the pandemic. You won’t believe your eyes—this one is truly wild. The hugely popular Netflix true-crime series comes from the makers of the infamous Fyre Festival documentary and follows the outrageous story of eccentric zoo owner Joe Exotic, who ran a private menagerie of big cats alongside his two husbands.
NetflixWild Wild Country
Rural Oregon is probably not where you’d expect a ‘utopian city’ founded by the self-styled religious guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his devoted followers to appear. But Rajneeshpuram defies all expectations. Wild Wild Country takes you inside this fascinating story, exploring the group’s rise to fame in 1980s America, their conflicts with locals, alleged bioterror attacks, and the notoriously divisive Ma Anand Sheela. Trust us, it’s as wild as it sounds.
Tell Me Who I Am
This harrowing true crime documentary comes with plenty of trigger warnings, but the difficult subject matter is handled with care. After a motorcycle accident at 18, Alex loses his memory, and his twin brother Marcus helps him piece together their childhood. But Alex eventually discovers that these reconstructed memories may not be as truthful as they seemed…
NetflixThe Confession Tapes
The Confession Tapes focuses on six separate homicide cases where the prosecution got a conviction primarily based on taped confessions that the suspects claim were coerced. It consists of seven episodes made up of a mix of archival footage and interviews with suspects, their families and the detectives who worked on the case. The Netflix docu-series sheds light on the ways in which brutal police interrogations can shape the way a suspect thinks and, ultimately, manipulate them into admitting to something they may not have done.
NetflixCaptive
This documentary series examines some of the most complex and high-stakes hostage situations in history. Across eight episodes, victims from eight different countries recount their experiences in interviews, accompanied by archival footage. The insight into hostage negotiations is particularly fascinating, taking the series in a direction that sets it apart from other true crime documentaries on Netflix.
© 2025 Netflix, Inc.American Murder: Gabby Petito
This docuseries features intimate interviews with Gabby Petito's family and friends, examining the viral nature of the case and the warning signs of domestic abuse in her relationship with Brian Laundrie. It includes clips from her social media for a personal and harrowing experience.
Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire
This documentary uncovers the truths behind the mysterious Ghost Train Fire at Sydney’s iconic Luna Park in a ground-breaking three-part investigation. While the fire was originally blamed on electrical faults, there are also claims of arson by known figures. The series examines not only the lead-up to the tragedy and the fire itself but also the subsequent media coverage and the unusual — bordering on reckless — investigation conducted by New South Wales (NSW) police.
