Want to watch Netflix True Crime Documentaries? We’ve found some of the best documentary movies and series on Netflix right now! Maybe you’ll find some inspiration for your next binge-watch? Check it out and find a true crime documentary (or several) you need on your Netflix watchlist!

Our list of the best Netflix True Crime Documentaries is in no specific order.

Hopefully, you can find some inspiration. Maybe you’ll even discover a true crime documentary on Netflix you didn’t know of. In case you don’t know these titles (or need to be reminded of their topic), we’ve included a plot summary and trailer for each movie or documentary series.

 

See our list with (some of) the best Netflix True Crime Documentaries!

Making a Murderer (2015- ) Season 1 & 2

Filmed over 10 years, this real-life thriller follows a DNA exoneree who, while exposing police corruption, becomes a suspect in a grisly new crime.

At the moment there are 2 seasons available. This Netflix true crime documentary is one of those series that started a whole wave of true crime series. It became virtually viral!

The Staircase (2018) – Season 1 

Accident or murder? After the mysterious death of his wife, author Michael Peterson watches his life go under the microscope.

After watching this one, you’ll probably have your own opinion of whether or not Michael Peterson is guilty. It’s another one of those Netflix documentaries that has already become iconic.

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019) – Season 1

A twisted criminal’s gruesome videos drive a group of amateur online sleuths to launch a risky manhunt that pulls them into a dark underworld.

One of the most recent true crime documentaries from Netflix and it is absolutely wild. Do not miss this one! With just three episodes, it’s a quick watch and you will probably be hooked from the beginning.

Who Killed Little Gregory? (2019) – Season 1 

When their 4-year-old son is murdered, a young couple fights a twisting and arduous battle trying to identify a frustratingly elusive killer.

This documentary features a rather old case from France, so we’re seeing it play out over many years. It has a lot of twists and turns but feels all too familiar – in the creepiest of ways.

The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann (2019) – Season 1

The documentary series takes a detailed look at the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann, who vanished while on holiday with her family.

This Netflix documentary is about a true crime you probably know. Finally, this series tells you all about the case in a chronological way. And yes, it does make it all the more scary since so much went wrong along the way!

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019) – Season 1 

Present-day interviews, archival footage and audio recordings made on death row form a searing portrait of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy.

If you’re fascinated by serial killers (and many people are), then this is definitely a true crime documentary for you.

Amanda Knox (2016)

She was twice convicted and acquitted of murder. Amanda Knox and the people closest to her case speak out in this illuminating documentary.

Yet another documentary about how scary it is when “justice” is decided by people with their own agendas. This is one of the first Netflix true crime documentaries – and also one of the very best.

The Confession Killer (2019) – Season 1

Henry Lee Lucas rose to infamy when he confessed to hundreds of unsolved murders. This docuseries examines the truth – and horrifying consequences.

Sometimes all a person wants is a little fame and recognition. One way to achieve this is to confess to a whole lot of murders. Also, it’s a way to make friends with detectives who have cold cases they want to close. However, once you’ve confessed, you will also have to be punished.

A truly fascinating true crime documentary featuring a story I did not know beforehand.

American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)

In 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters went missing in Frederick, Colorado. As heartbreaking details emerged, their story made headlines worldwide. Told entirely through archival footage that includes social media posts, law enforcement recordings, text messages and never-before-seen home videos, director Jenny Popplewell pieces together an immersive and truthful examination of a police investigation and a disintegrating marriage. AMERICAN MURDER: THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR is the first film to give a voice to the victims.

AMERICAN MURDER: THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR is a Netflix true-crime documentary told chronologically and very matter-of-fact while being full of respect for the victims.

This story is entirely fact-based since it has no interviews or opinions shared. It is perhaps the purest and most direct form for a documentary ever.

American Nightmare (2024)

After a harrowing home invasion and kidnapping in 2015, a couple is accused of staging the ordeal when the woman reappears in this true-crime docuseries.

This true crime documentary sounds too crazy to be true, but it is a true story. And a very binge-worthy docu-series in three parts.

BONUS: The craziest Netflix true crime documentary!

The Netflix true crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight is not about a killer, but it is certainly shocking and very weird.

Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)

In this true crime documentary, a family falls prey to the manipulative charms of a neighbor, who abducts their adolescent daughter. Twice.

This true crime documentary proves that real life can always be weirder than fiction!

I usually keep up-to-date with all the horror news, and make sure Heaven of Horror share the best and latest trailers for upcoming horror movies. I love all kinds of horror. My love affair started when I watched 'Poltergeist' alone around the age of 10. I slept like a baby that night and I haven't stopped watching horror movies since. The crazy slasher stuff isn't really for me, but hey, to each their own. I guess I just like to be scared and get jump scares, more than being disgusted and laughing at the grotesque. Also, Korean and Spanish horror movies made within the past 10-15 years are among my absolute favorites.
Nadja "HorrorDiva" Houmoller
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