Buzz
Over the past few years, Netflix has become a go-to destination for true crime enthusiasts. Whether it's new releases or lesser-known treasures, the platform boasts an extensive collection of captivating shows. From terrorist acts and serial killers to unsolved homicide cases, Netflix has it all to fuel your fascination. To help you choose your next true crime marathon, we’ve curated a list of 15 top-notch documentary films now available on Netflix.
1. Capturing the Killer Nurse (2022)
Charles Cullen spent over a decade working as a nurse in various hospitals and healthcare centers across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Wherever he was employed, patients mysteriously died at alarming rates. It wasn’t until 2003 that his coworker and friend Amy Loughren uncovered the truth and dedicated herself to bringing him to justice. Netflix premiered this documentary soon after releasing The Good Nurse, a feature film about the case featuring Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain. Cullen confessed to killing 40 individuals, though only 29 were verified. Some investigators speculate the actual number could be far greater. His actions led New Jersey to enact the Cullen Law, mandating healthcare facilities to provide transparent evaluations of former employees' performance and any concerning conduct. Pennsylvania and 35 other states subsequently adopted comparable legislation.
2. The Anthrax Attacks (2022)
Just seven days after 9/11, a wave of letters laced with anthrax spores circulated through the U.S. mail system. This documentary, blending interviews and dramatic reenactments, delves into the bioterrorism incident dubbed Amerithrax. Clark Gregg, famed for portraying Agent Phil Coulson in the MCU, takes on the role of the lead suspect and anthrax specialist, Dr. Bruce Ivins.
3. Girl in the Picture (2022)
Investigative journalist Matt Birkbeck stumbled upon a peculiar photo of a man holding a young girl, sensing a deeper tale—and his instincts proved correct. Birkbeck explores the horrifying crimes linked to Franklin Delano Floyd in his acclaimed books, Finding Sharon and A Beautiful Child. Director Skye Borgman transformed Birkbeck’s work into this 2022 documentary, featuring insights from the journalist, law enforcement, and individuals connected to the case. One aspect not covered in the film is the fate of Suzanne Sevakis, the titular girl, who had a 1-year-old brother, Philip, abducted alongside her and her sisters. In 2019, a man emerged, asserting he was Philip, a claim DNA evidence verified. He had been adopted by a North Carolina family shortly after the abduction.
4. American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
This gripping Netflix documentary, directed by Jenny Popplewell, revisits the harrowing 2018 case of Shannan Watts, a pregnant Colorado woman, and her two young daughters, who were murdered by her husband, convicted family annihilator Chris Watts. Through police body cam footage, home surveillance videos, and Shannan’s social media updates, Popplewell reconstructs the months leading up to their deaths and the subsequent investigation. Within its first month, the documentary was viewed by over 50 million households, earning the title of Netflix’s most-watched documentary at the time.
5. Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
Skye Borgman’s 2017 documentary unveils the astonishing tale of Jan Broberg, an Idaho girl from a small town who was abducted twice by her neighbor during the 1970s. Broberg, now an adult, shares the surreal details of her kidnappings, which are as shocking as the crimes themselves. She later teamed up with Nick Antosca for Peacock’s A Friend of the Family, a dramatic series inspired by her ordeal, featuring Jake Lacy as Robert Berchtold.
6. Why Did You Kill Me? (2021)
The 2006 killing of 24-year-old Crystal Theobald might have gone unsolved if not for her mother Belinda Lane’s relentless pursuit of justice through social media. With the help of Crystal’s cousin Jaimie McIntyre, Belinda created a MySpace profile using her daughter’s photos to lure those responsible. The documentary explores this catfishing scheme and the emotional toll it took on the family. Director Fredrick Munk chose to recreate the crime using miniatures rather than live reenactments, aiming to present the story factually without sensationalism.
7. Amanda Knox (2016)
In 2007, Amanda Knox, a 20-year-old American student studying in Perugia, Italy, was wrongfully convicted of murdering her roommate, British exchange student Meredith Kercher. This Emmy-nominated 2016 documentary delves into the flawed investigation, the global media frenzy surrounding the case, and the lengthy legal battle to exonerate Knox. Today, a mother of three, Knox has emerged as an author, advocate, and host of Vice’s The Scarlet Letter Reports, a series highlighting women vilified in the media.
8. Operation Varsity Blues (2021)
Over seven years, Rick Singer orchestrated a multimillion-dollar scheme, exploiting wealthy parents eager to secure their children’s admission into elite U.S. universities. The scandal erupted in 2019, resulting in the arrest of numerous high-profile figures, including actresses Lori Loughlin (who served a two-month prison term) and Felicity Huffman (who received a 14-day sentence). Stranger Things star Matthew Modine portrays Singer in dramatized segments.
9. Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes (2021)
Much like Netflix’s 2019 series Conversation with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes unveils 250 hours of previously unreleased audio recordings from the prison cell of notorious Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen. In these tapes, he recounts his life, his crimes, and how he eluded law enforcement for years. David Tennant earned the 2021 International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his role as Nilsen in the drama series Des, which debuted shortly before this documentary.
10. Our Father (2022)
Our Father delves into the shocking story of a woman who, while researching her family history, uncovered that she had over 50 half-siblings, all fathered by the same man. That man was Donald Cline, an Indianapolis fertility doctor who, during the 1970s and 1980s, secretly used his own sperm to impregnate patients. The documentary also highlights how at-home genetic genealogy tests like 23andMe have revealed numerous instances of fertility fraud. Produced by Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions, known for horror films such as Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Get Out, Halloween, and The Black Phone, this real-life tale is as chilling as any fictional thriller.
11. ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke (2019)
This entry in Netflix’s ReMastered series honors the iconic musician and civil rights advocate Sam Cooke. The film traces Cooke’s rise to fame, his revolutionary impact on the music industry, and his influence on the civil rights movement. Tragically, Cooke’s life ended in 1964 when he was fatally shot by a hotel manager in South Central Los Angeles, who claimed self-defense after Cooke allegedly attempted to assault a woman he brought to the motel.
Over the years, many details surrounding Cooke’s death have been disputed and found inconsistent, leaving his passing shrouded in mystery. Etta James, a fellow musician who saw Cooke’s body, later described the gruesome scene: “Cooke was so severely beaten that his head was nearly detached, his hands were shattered, and his nose was disfigured.”
12. Long Shot (2017)
Despite its brief 40-minute runtime, Long Shot delivers a powerful narrative. This intimate documentary tells the incredible story of Juan Catalan, who was falsely accused of murder. With the relentless efforts of his defense attorney Todd Melnik, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and an episode of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, Catalan was exonerated. Pretty, pretty remarkable.
13. Team Foxcatcher (2016)
John du Pont, a wealthy philanthropist and heir to the du Pont fortune, had numerous interests, but his greatest passion was amateur wrestling. He founded “Foxcatcher Farm” at his Liseter Hall estate in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, which served as both a training facility and home for several wrestlers. However, in 1996, du Pont’s deteriorating mental health and obsession with wrestling culminated in the tragic murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz, whose brother Mark—also an Olympian—was part of the Foxcatcher program. This documentary was released two years after Bennett Miller’s film Foxcatcher, featuring Steve Carell as du Pont, Mark Ruffalo as Dave Schultz, and Channing Tatum as Mark, which received five Oscar nominations, including nods for Carell, Ruffalo, and Miller.
14. Into the Deep (2020)
Emma Sullivan’s Into the Deep chronicles her experience filming Danish inventor Peter Madsen as he pursued his ambitious goal of launching a homemade rocket into space in 2016. However, a year into production, Madsen became the prime suspect in a murder case. Through interviews with those who believed they understood Madsen, Sullivan offers an intimate and unsettling glimpse into the mind of a criminal. Despite debuting at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, the documentary faced a two-year delay before its Netflix release due to legal complications.
15. In Broad Daylight: The Narvarte Case (2022)
In July 2015, five individuals, including photojournalist Rubén Espinosa and activist Nadia Vera, were brutally killed in Mexico City’s Narvarte district, a typically peaceful residential area. Despite arrests and suspects, the case remains unresolved as of January 2023. This documentary examines the lives of the victims and their families, shedding light on the pervasive corruption hindering the investigation and the alarming increase in journalist fatalities in the region. Director Alberto Saúl Arnaut Estrada, known for Armed to the Teeth, continues his critique of the Mexican government in this film, which is also available on Netflix.
