10 Captivating True Crime Documentaries You Have to Watch

There's an undeniable curiosity within us all about the dark corners of society. After all, a criminal could be lurking in the most unexpected places—perhaps a neighbor, friend, or even a spouse. Immersing ourselves in the lives of those impacted by crime offers a unique perspective, and documentaries provide an unfiltered look into their world.

Warning: Some of the documentaries listed below feature highly graphic content and disturbing depictions of criminal acts.

10. Dear Zachary

This documentary, filled with shocking twists, will keep you hooked and likely lose you a night of sleep. Deeply emotional, Dear Zachary was created by renowned filmmaker Kurt Kuenne following the tragic murder of his best friend by his ex-girlfriend.

In honor of his late friend, Kuenne travels across North America to interview the numerous individuals whose lives Dr. Andrew Bagby had impacted during his brief time on earth. The documentary takes you on a roller coaster of emotions when it's revealed that Andrew fathered a child with his murderer just before his tragic death. She later gives birth to a son—the Zachary of the film’s title.

As Bagby’s parents fight to secure custody of their grandson, they are forced to interact with the one person they despise most—the woman who killed their son, who is released while awaiting her trial. The aftermath highlights the devastating flaws of a broken legal system.

9. Just, Melvin: Just Evil

A deeply unsettling film, Just, Melvin: Just Evil reveals the painful story of a family coming to grips with the terrifying legacy left by their abusive patriarch, the suspected murderer and pedophile Melvin Just. The generational cycle of abuse and the complete failure of the family’s maternal figures is heartbreaking. Particularly tragic is a mother's remark suggesting that a mentally and physically disabled daughter craved attention, recalling: “If he got it a quarter of the way inside of me I would get paid a quarter.”

Family members affected by the abuse recount their experiences in a disturbingly calm way, which also extends to their discussion of Melvin Just’s involvement in the murder of a young nurse. The audience observes a confrontation with the perpetrator, where he feigns innocence, though unconvincingly. The chilling effect of this interaction will send a shiver down your spine.

8. Capturing The Friedmans

This Academy Award-nominated documentary tells the story of a seemingly average middle-class family who finds their lives turned upside down when two of its members are accused of child abuse. The situation spirals out of control after a sting operation reveals schoolteacher Arnold Friedman possessing child pornography.

Following an investigation, Arnold and his son Jesse are charged with sexually abusing young boys during a computer class held in their basement. The case ignites a media frenzy as both Arnold and Jesse are granted bail to await trial.

Directed by Andrew Jarecki, the film includes intimate home video footage that gives a compelling glimpse into the increasingly tense atmosphere within the Friedman household. Despite Arnold pleading guilty to child abuse, his sons and relatives remain fiercely loyal to him, while harboring a surprising contempt for their mother, who struggles to cope with the family's collapse. Are the sons showing rightful loyalty or are they in deep denial? You decide.

7. There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane

An eye-opening documentary, There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane unveils the heartbreaking tale of a respected suburban mother who causes a tragic head-on collision after driving the wrong way down a New York highway in 2009. The crash claims the lives of four children in her minivan as well as three adults in the other vehicle.

A toxicology report reveals that Diane was intoxicated, under the influence of alcohol and marijuana at the time of the crash. Witnesses recount seeing her drive erratically for miles, vomiting on the roadside, and then tragically entering the turnpike in the wrong direction.

Despite the evidence, Diane’s family refuses to believe that their cherished wife and mother could have endangered her children by driving under the influence. They challenge the toxicology report and continue searching for ways to exonerate her, a pursuit that is still ongoing.

6. The Cheshire Murders

This powerful HBO documentary delves into the tragic consequences of a shocking and violent crime that tore apart a peaceful neighborhood in Cheshire, Connecticut. In 2007, two criminals, after following a family from a local grocery store, break into their home in the dead of night. They are disappointed to find less money than they anticipated.

The intruders hold the family captive and, after restraining them, force the mother to go to the bank to withdraw $15,000 in the morning, hoping it will secure their release. However, what follows is a horrifying series of escalating violence, including torture, sexual assault, and murder, leaving only one family member alive.

This deeply disturbing crime, combined with a missed chance for rescue by law enforcement and the community's ongoing struggle for closure, is presented with striking empathy. The chilling reality of the crime is even more unsettling because it could have occurred in any town.

5. The Central Park Five

Ranked as the fifth-best documentary of 2012 by the New York Times, The Central Park Five will stir up feelings of intense outrage at the grave injustice inflicted by the US legal system. In 1989, five African-American teenagers are falsely accused and quickly targeted as the rapists of a white woman in Central Park, sparking a massive media frenzy.

Amid mounting public pressure to close the case, NYPD detectives resort to aggressive interrogation tactics against vulnerable minors. Under intense duress, the boys begin to accuse each other and make false statements on camera, effectively sealing their fates both in the media and in the courtroom, despite DNA and circumstantial evidence that strongly points to their innocence.

By showcasing the tragic plight of five disadvantaged young boys who found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time, The Central Park Five casts a glaring light on racial injustice and the long path to redemption for those who were wrongly imprisoned.

4. Shenandoah

In Shenandoah, acclaimed photographer David Turnley captures the racial tensions that gripped the small town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, following the brutal murder of a Mexican man in an abandoned playground by a group of local high school football players.

What follows is an attempted cover-up by the local police in a small town where football reigns supreme. After the cover-up fails, the community finds itself divided between those who believe the law must be upheld and a vocal group of residents who rally behind the players' innocence, showing hostility toward those who think otherwise.

The film vividly captures the tensions in many small-town American communities, where deep loyalty to long-held traditions collides with tough economic realities, leading to misplaced resentment directed at recent immigrant populations.

3. The House Of Suh

This award-winning crime documentary evokes strangely empathetic feelings for the murderer, second-generation Korean-American Andrew Suh, a popular high school athlete. Suh's parents, who emigrated to the U.S. for a better future, favored him over his sister due to his gender.

The sister, Catherine Suh, is a manipulative and rebellious figure who is disliked by their father. Despite her strained relationship with her parents, Catherine becomes a successful businesswoman and ultimately takes on the role of Andrew's guardian.

After their mother is tragically killed in a violent attack at the store she owned, Catherine persuades Andrew to believe in an unproven conspiracy theory about her death. This theory leads to another murder—one masterminded by Catherine and carried out by Andrew.

The film raises the question of whether Andrew Suh, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, is a victim of a dysfunctional family environment or a ruthless killer.

2. West Of Memphis

Directed by Amy J. Berg and produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Damien Echols (one of the accused), West Of Memphis offers a chilling insider look at the abuse of judicial power, the occurrence of false confessions, and the suffering of the wrongfully accused.

In 1993, three young boys are found hogtied, castrated, and murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. Law enforcement quickly suspects a Satanist cult ritual and focuses the investigation on three local outcasts, who are soon convicted. It is later revealed that much of the “ritualistic” mutilation might have been caused by wild animals. DNA evidence fails to link the convicted men to the crime, and witnesses are found to have committed perjury.

The documentary takes viewers on a thrilling journey through the campaign to clear the names of the West Memphis Three, a group that gained support from high-profile figures like Johnny Depp. One of the convicted men shares his chilling experience from death row, and the community unites in a fight for a retrial.

1. The Brandon Teena Story

Serving as the inspiration for the renowned film Boys Don’t Cry, The Brandon Teena Story traces the life and tragic death of Brandon Teena, born Teena Brandon, a biologically female young person who chose to live secretly as a man in Falls City, Nebraska. While struggling to find his identity, Brandon turns to check fraud and starts a relationship with a local woman.

Brandon gains popularity among his peers, but his sudden outing leads to horrific violence and sexual assault at the hands of his male “friends.” When the crimes are reported to the authorities, they seem more focused on Brandon’s sexual identity and fail to intervene to prevent a fatal second attack.

The documentary presents stark interviews with Brandon’s friends, family, girlfriends, and even his murderers. It will leave viewers stunned and disturbed by the brutal treatment and disregard for a young transgender individual grappling with his identity in a small, rural town.