Best True Crime Documentaries to Stream

Humans love puzzles, mysteries, and drama. It’s why many people are so drawn to watching true crime documentaries: it unlocks our natural desire to solve puzzles and mysteries. These type of documentaries also allows us to examine the darker sides of humanity from a safe distance, while we get to speculate as to why criminals may act the way they do. Therefore, it’s no wonder why this type of documentary genre has become so popular in recent years.

 

Nowadays, being a true crime fan has gone from being a small niche interest to a widespread curiosity for many people around the globe. We are witnessing a boom period for this genre- especially due to the presence of streaming giants that have been swimming in content dedicated to crimes. 

As the genre grows, we now have a large selection to choose from. All the streaming platforms offer a wide range of murder mysteries and true crime stories.

Need a clue on where to start? Here are the top true crime documentaries you can stream now!

 

When healers do harm – is anyone safe? This documentary reveals how investigators proved ICU nurse Charles Cullen was killing patients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania hospitals.

 

The case: This documentary tells the story of the nurse serial killer and asks how he got away with murdering patients over a period of 16 years. Get an inside look at how Cullen killed his victims and how investigators proved their case.

 

Where to watch: Netflix

 

What happens when internet trolls are in a direct battle with a mother protecting her daughter? Justice is being served! 

 

The case: Meet Hunter Moore, a self-proclaimed “professional life ruiner” that created the Is Anyone Up website – which encouraged users to upload nude photos of their ex (without their consent ) to be ridiculed and insulted by visitors to the site. More than that, the website primarily featured stolen and hacked photos.

The synopsis for the three-part series follows one mother’s mission to take down her daughter’s nude photos from the website and bring justice to all the victims. 

 

Where to watch: Netflix

 

 

A love story made in hell. After nearly 40 years of silence, Ted Bundy’s former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall, and her daughter Molly share their experiences with the notorious serial killer.

 

The case: Ted Bundy – a name that needs no description. Even after all these years he still continues to strike fear and fascination in many. There are many documentaries about his crimes, his childhood story, and how he got caught. But this documentary offers a new perspective, one that deserves more attention – that of the survivors, those who knew the victims, and those who knew Ted Bundy.

 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

 

Murderers or victims? This six-part documentary series follows the story of the „Beatrice Six,” a group of wrongly convicted individuals from Beatrice, Nebraska.

In the small town of Beatrice, six people believe they committed a murder. The entire town is haunted by the memory of the crime, but that memory may not be true.

 

The case: In 1985, Helen Wilson, 68-year-old was raped and murdered. The crimes shocked the entire town. Leads were followed, but no suspect has arrested. A few years later, six people were arrested without evidence tying them to the crime or to each other. The strange thing is that 5 of them confessed to the crime. Almost a decade later, DNA evidence pointed at an entirely unrelated killer and led to the exoneration of the „Beatrice Six”.

What actually happened to Helen Wilson? Why did 5 people from the „Beatrice Six” group confess to the crime if they didn’t do it? Watch this mini-series and you may find out! 

 

Where to watch: HBO Max

 

Does love make us blind? How far will you go for love?

This four-part documentary series follows the downfall of the chef and owner of one of the most popular vegan restaurants in New York City. Love, lies, immortality, and bankruptcy are the ingredients that make this documentary a must-see.

 

The case: Meet Sarma Melngailis, a celebrated vegan chef who finds her life veering off the rails. A woman so gullible that she let a man she met online persuade her to drain $2m from her Manhattan raw-vegan restaurant because he claimed he could make her beloved dog immortal. More than that, she even married him.

 

Where to watch: Netflix

 

 

While some true crime documentaries can send chills down your spine, others also allow us to examine the bad behavior of humankind. But both bring in another crucial element – our natural desire for justice.