15 Must-Watch True Crime Documentaries on Netflix Right Now (October 2025)

Mother of four Ajike “AJ” Owens was shot and killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, in June of 2023. Before that, Lorincz had made dozens of phone calls to local police to complain about local kids, including Owens’, playing around in the neighborhood — most of whom were Black. Director Geeta Gandbhir uses two years of police body cam footage leading up to the incident to paint a portrait of an increasing, racially motivated situation that led to Loincz fatally shooting Owens.

The powerful documentary exists as a damning indictment of America’s “Stand Your Ground” laws, which are easily exploited and used as fodder against those who aren’t necessarily posing a threat. Winner of the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, The Perfect Neighbor is a heartbreaking wake-up call to violence and abuses of justice, but it also depicts the loving community that existed before an aggressor with a gun showed up.

Between 1974 and 1991, Dennis Rader killed at least ten people in the Wichita, Kansas area before he was finally arrested and convicted to serve ten life sentences. He received the moniker “the BTK Killer” for using the term “bind, torture, kill” in letters he sent to local police. His daughter, Kerri Rawson, believed her father to be a loving family man. Then, in 2005, authorities showed up at Rawson’s door, asking if she knew that her dad was the BTK Killer.

This fascinating documentary takes a look at Rawson’s upbringing with her father who, unbeknownst to her, was enacting a reign of terror, and her current life helping the police search for more of her father’s possible victims as well as advocating for sufferers of crime and trauma. Not many famous serial killers have children, and this is a gripping, poignant look at someone who lived almost their whole life closer to them than his victims.

Catfishing on dating apps is often seen as a punchline rather than a serious crime, but as the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler proved, being deceived via online dating can have devastating consequences. Cecilie Fjellhøy, a victim of the aforementioned swindler, is shedding light on that subject with a new true crime investigative series, Love Con Revenge. 

In each episode of Love Con Revenge, Fjellhøy partners with private investigator Brianne Joseph to investigate cases of romantic fraud, doing all they can to track down the parties involved and hold them responsible. One of the investigations has already led to an arrest. The show is empowering and offers valuable insight on how to avoid scammers.

If you watched the 2011 film The Bling Ring starring Emma Watson, you may think you know the story of the Beverly Hills teenagers who broke into the homes of celebrities like Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson and Lindsay Lohan to steal millions in cash, clothes and jewelry. But this documentary series gets to the heart of the true story, featuring exclusive interviews with the thieves themselves.

The series provides an intriguing firsthand perspective on the motivations and consequences of their high-profile crimes, as well as taking a deep dive into the celebrity culture of the early 2000s, focusing on fame, celebrity obsession and materialism.

The murder of Gabby Petito by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, was a national obsession, particularly due to the disturbing nature of the crime. Petito and Laundrie were lifestyle vloggers traveling cross-country, making #vanlife videos. Nothing about their carefree existence ever made it seem like there was danger ahead.

But this three-episode documentary series reveals how far Laundrie went to try to cover up Petito’s murder. Perhaps he realized these attempts would be unsuccessful, as he ultimately wrote a letter admitting he killed Petito, which was discovered alongside his body. Interviews with Petito’s friends and family make this gripping series an emotional experience. 

This three-part docuseries explores the infamous serial killer David Berkowitz‘s impact on 1970s New York. Mixing present-day interviews with previously unheard recordings, Conversations with a Killer attempts to understand the psychology of the murderer, who killed six people in New York City and wounded 11 others with a revolver.

From the brazen letters he wrote to the police to his (admittedly false) claims that he was following orders from a demonic dog, the “Son of Sam” story is darkly fascinating and will prove addicting to true crime fans.

This new Netflix series examines a cold case from 1998 — that of Amy Bradley, a young woman who boarded a cruise ship with her family and then disappeared. 27 years later, Netflix investigates Amy’s story through interviews with her family members, friends and witnesses who claim to have interacted with her over the years.

It’s a tragic story, but there’s something inspirational about the way that Amy’s family has never given up on her. Their loyalty and commitment to the search tie the three-part docuseries together in a moving tribute.

An Irish widower hires a nanny to help him raise his two children. They fall in love and get married, then move to America as one big, happy family. Sounds like a modern-day fairy tale, right? But this story ended in Jason Corbett’s violent death at the hands of his second wife, Molly Martens, and her father, Tom Martens. 

The father and daughter allege that Molly was defending herself from Jason, who was abusing her. But in this docuseries, the filmmakers investigate these claims in hopes of figuring out what really happened on that bloody night. A Deadly American Marriage features interviews with Jason’s children as well as the professionals involved with the case.

Journey into the disturbing world of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a sect that gained national attention for its controversial leader, Warren Jeffs. Directed by Rachel Dretzin, the documentary provides a detailed examination of Jeffs’ rise to power and the shocking abuses that occurred under his leadership. Through interviews with former members, law enforcement and archival footage, the series portrays the psychological manipulation, polygamy and patriarchal control prevalent in the FLDS community. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey not only highlights the personal stories of those who escaped the sect but also unravels the legal and moral dilemmas surrounding the prosecution of its leaders.

Keep Sweet does a remarkable job of sensitively portraying the experience of the abuse survivors, allowing their voices to be heard without exploiting them. It also shines a light on the courage and resilience of the survivors.

Ever felt fed up with your roommates? Well, you might thank your lucky stars for them after watching this documentary series. Every episode delves into the unsettling stories of seemingly ordinary roommates who turned out to have sinister and sometimes deadly motives. 

These roommates’ faux pas go far beyond leaving dishes in the sink all night. Worst Roommate Ever showcases stories of manipulation, deception and, in some instances, violence that led to shocking outcomes. The series combines interviews, dramatizations and archival footage to provide a comprehensive and chilling look at the unnerving world of dangerous cohabitants. Worst Roommate Ever highlights the importance of vigilance and awareness when choosing who you live with. By blending firsthand accounts with structured narrative arcs, it creates a captivating viewing experience. 

Novelist Michael Peterson seemed like any other concerned husband when he called emergency services to report that his wife Kathleen had fallen down the stairs. But after finding her dead, authorities began to suspect that Michael had bludgeoned his wife to death and pushed her down the stairs to make it look like an accident.  

This twist-filled docuseries will have you second-guessing every instinct as you learn more about a deeply complicated marriage. The series was originally released on French streamer Canal+ in 2004, but received an update in 2013 as the case was reopened with new evidence. It won a Peabody award, received widespread critical acclaim and was later adapted into a limited HBO series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette.

If you thought Hollywood was sleazy before watching this true crime documentary, you’ll be glad you weren’t there between 1984 and 1985. 

Night Stalker tells the story of Richard Ramirez, a serial killer and sex offender who killed at least 14 people during a series of break-ins in L.A. and San Francisco. The four-part miniseries has a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

What if what happened to you was so horrible, no one could believe it? Denise Huskins was labeled “the real life Gone Girl” when she was kidnapped from the California home she shared with her boyfriend, then reappeared unharmed. 

Police assumed the kidnapping had been staged because the circumstances surrounding it were so bizarre, but this three-part documentary shows the incredible proof that the couple was telling the truth all along.

There’s something deeply heart-wrenching about a mother giving up her daughter for adoption in hopes that she’ll have a better life. But what if that mother learned that her daughter’s life turned out much, much worse than she could ever have imagined? 

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter follows Cathy Terkanian as she tries to discover what happened to her birth daughter, Aundria Bowman, after she went missing in 1989. Cathy’s determination will inspire you, but the conclusion will chill you to the bone.

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