If You Love True Crime, Watch These 10 Netflix Original Documentaries

For true-crime fans who want to delve deep into some of the most infamous crime cases of the last few decades, Netflix has a wide offering of well-made documentary films and series that you can get started with.

While some of these documentaries may contain some sensitive and disturbing content, they also give you a good perspective (usually from the investigators’ point of view) of the story and aftermath of each case.

American Nightmare

American Nightmare is a three-part true crime docuseries that tells the story of the 2015 kidnapping case of Denise Huskins. Denise is kidnapped at night during a home invasion witnessed by her boyfriend. Things quickly flip around when Denise reappears after her kidnapping, turning suspicions against the couple and landing accusations of staging the crime. Denise is labeled the real-life “Gone Girl” by media outlets, and the murky truth about the entire ordeal makes up the rest of this docuseries. American Nightmare has garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews, with many critics praising the show for covering themes such as police blaming, institutional bias, and media trials.

Girl in the Picture

Based on the books A Beautiful Child and Finding Sharon by Matt Birkbeck, author and executive producer of the film Girl In The Picture tells the harrowing story of Sharon Marshall, a young girl abducted by a fugitive and raised as his daughter. The tragedy of her life, the mystery behind her identity, and finding the truth about her demise are explored in this film. Girl In The Picture stayed on top of Netflix’s movie charts for weeks after its release in 2022 and has received positive reviews from critics.

American Murder: The Family Next Door

American Murder: The Family Next Door is a documentary film based on the Watts family murders, which unfolded in 2018 in Colorado. The case, depicted in the documentary in found-footage style, including interviews and quotes, follows the disappearance and murders of Shannan Watts and her two daughters. Shannan’s husband, Chris Watts, is the prime suspect, and this documentary answers questions about the identity of the killer, what happened to the family, and the motive and aftermath of the crime.

If you like this documentary, you can also check out American Murder: Gabby Petito, a standalone story about a domestic violence case, or American Murder: Laci Peterson, which talks about the disappearance of a pregnant woman.

Take Care of Maya

Take Care of Maya is a documentary film that delves into the Florida case of Maya Kowalski and her parents after a mysterious, undiagnosed illness struck her as a child. Maya’s parents, Beata and Jack, have to battle the authorities after they are accused of child abuse, given the high doses of ketamine that Maya is administered to deal with her pain and illness. Beata is suspected of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, and Maya is placed under state custody, worsening her condition and causing further distress for the family. The documentary takes the audience through how the rest of this case plays out, including the Kowalskis’ battle to prove their innocence and get Maya back into their care.

Why Did You Kill Me?

This American documentary film follows the murder of 24-year-old Crystal Theobald, who was shot at an intersection while she was in the car with her brother.

The documentary breaches a gray area when the mother of the victim starts to plan her revenge on the perpetrators using the social media platform MySpace. A fake profile for Crystal is created, and the question, “Why did you kill me?” becomes the core of the documentary as Crystal’s mother tracks down her killers.

Can I Tell You a Secret?

Can I Tell You a Secret is a British Netflix documentary with two parts, which deals with the stories of three different women who are all stalked by the same person. They find out that they are not his only victims after their social media accounts are compromised by the cyber stalker. He appealed to them by posing as a woman, confiding in them with the titular phrase, “Can I tell you a secret?” This was then followed by repeated harassment, blackmail, and stalking.

Can I Tell You a Secret has been praised for its focus on the stories of the women and the investigation rather than the stalker himself, which many true-crime documentaries resort to as a means of sensationalism.

Worst Roommate Ever

Worst Roommate Ever is an anthology docuseries covering different cases of nightmare roommates, ranging from conmen to serial killers. Notable episodes include “Call Me Grandma,” which tells the story of Dorothea Puente, a convicted serial killer who ran a boarding home where she secretly murdered elderly and disabled tenants. There is also the case of the “Marathon Man” Youssef Khater, who was convicted of attempted murder and carried out various cons such as embezzlement and forgery.

Worst Roommate Ever has been renewed for a third season. Its spin-off docuseries, Worst Ex Ever, can be streamed on Netflix.

Don’t Pick Up the Phone

One of the most eccentric documentaries that Netflix has to offer, Don’t Pick Up the Phone, is a three-part docuseries that outlines the strip search phone call scam that unfolded over a decade from 1994 in rural areas of the USA. This involved a hoax caller who called up restaurants (usually serving fast food) located in the USA, imitating a police officer. He then convinced the stores’ managers to conduct strip searches and other acts on female employees (and sometimes, even customers), with over 70 such calls being made in many US states.

Don’t Pick Up the Phone outlines the breakthroughs and hunt for the hoax caller conducted by the case’s detectives, and the trial that happened ten years after the first call was made. It also talks about the victims’ stories and how they sought accountability from their employers.

Capturing the Killer Nurse

Based on the real-life case of serial killer Charles Cullen, Capturing The Killer Nurse explores the chilling string of medical homicides that involved a nurse who was killing patients in hospitals and a nursing home where he worked. Spread over 16 years, Cullen dubbed the “Angel of Death,” confessed to 40 murders, with the suspected number being higher. This documentary film covers interviews with Cullen, investigators, friends, family, and his co-worker Amy Loughren, who ultimately helped detectives capture Cullen.

You can also stream The Good Nurse, a Netflix film about this case, starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne.

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer is a four-part documentary miniseries that details the story of the serial killer Richard Ramirez. The audience is able to see the story from the perspective of the detectives who worked on the case in a race against the clock as they try to uncover the identity of a serial killer on a killing spree in Los Angeles. What makes the Night Stalker (also known as the “Walk-In Killer”) a curious case is that his string of murders are seemingly disconnected, with no similarities between the victims. The hunt unfurls amid paranoia among residents of LA while the media, too, tries to uncover the Night Stalker’s true identity.

This docuseries has been praised for its portrayal of the killer (despite some sensationalism) as well as the panic that set in homes in LA.

Netflix has a lot to offer if you are looking to expand your taste in the true crime genre. Using the Netflix secret code 9875, which you can type in your search bar, you can filter out the vast shelf of true-crime documentaries in Netflix’s library.