The Murder of Rachel Nickell – Review | Netflix Documentary

THE MURDER OF RACHEL NICKELL on Netflix is a true crime documentary feature film getting released alongside a fiction series about the same case. I can understand why both have been made, as this is a heartbreaking case that took a long time to solve. Read our full The Murder of Rachel Nickell documentary review here!

THE MURDER OF RACHEL NICKELL is a Netflix documentary about the brutal murder of Rachel Nickell. She was stabbed almost 50 times while walking near her own home. With her was her 2-year-old son as the only witness to the crime.

These true crime documentaries can be made in many ways, and I applaud the approach in this case. It has a very sombre feeling to it, and the case is covered through new interviews with both Rachel’s widower, son, a suspect, and many other people from law enforcement (or hired by them), alongside old news clips.

Continue reading our The Murder of Rachel Nickell documentary review below. Find it on Netflix from June 4, 2026.

The tragedy in Wimbledon

The case covered in The Murder of Rachel Nickell took place in 1992. On a nice day and in broad daylight, a young mother was killed on London’s Wimbledon Common. She had been out walking with her two-year-old toddler, who was found clinging to his mother and covered in blood.

Also, he was now the sole witness to the brutal murder of his own mother.

As such, the toddler is interviewed multiple times, and when it becomes clear that this questioning is hurting him and causing more trauma, his dad runs away with him. From what we learn in this Netflix documentary, I firmly believe his late wife would have done the same.

It is torment for the little boy, and he is struggling to move on, while being forced to stay in the most terrible and chilling moment of his life. An event that a two-year-old will likely not even understand, yet has to think back on and explain constantly.

Moving forward with kindness

After having left their home in the Wimbledon area of London, father and son try their best to move on and have a normal life. This appears to be exactly what he needed, so suddenly he starts talking about the day his mom was murdered.

His dad is quick to react and puts up a camera to record their chats, where he lets the boy talk and only gently tries to ask him questions.

Sadly, even with more information, it will be many years before the actual killer is found and the case is ultimately solved.

Watch The Murder of Rachel Nickell on Netflix now

This 2026 true crime documentary comes from BAFTA-nominated director Lucy Bowden. She previously directed the Hulu docu-series Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story and episodes of One Born Every Minute.

For me, the way this true crime documentary has been made is exactly as I prefer. The years-long police investigation is covered with exclusive archive footage. Including police interviews and brand new first-hand accounts from widower, André, and their now adult son, Alex. And also, a suspect, Colin Stagg.

The investigation was flawed, as we’ve seen so many times before. This resulted in Colin Stagg being wrongfully prosecuted. That probably has more to do with who and how he was than anything else. Ultimately, another stunning breakthrough would finally secure that justice was served. Over a decade later.

With a runtime of just 1 hour and 36 minutes, it keeps a tight pace while never feeling rushed. If you want to watch the limited series based on this case, I highly recommend also watching this documentary.

The Murder of Rachel Nickell is on Netflix from June 4, 2026.