The Best True Crime Documentaries On Netflix Right Now

Whether it's a quick short documentary film you want or your next big binge-watching series, we've got you covered.

We're always on the look out for new series too, so be sure to check back for regular updates to our list.

Sophie: A Murder in West Cork

The new true crime doc follows the murder investigation of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, a French film and TV producer who was killed while at her isolated holiday cottage in West Cork, Ireland, in 1996.

Describing the new documentary, Netflix said: "A shocking murder in rural Ireland sets off an increasingly convoluted quest for justice that spans decades and cuts across national borders."

The series includes interviews with Sophie's family members as well as local journalists who covered the story at the time.

Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story

16-year-old Cyntoia Brown was sentenced to life in prison after she killed Johnny Michael Allen out of self-defence.

Cyntoia was a victim of sex trafficking and claimed that she shot Johnny, who'd paid her $150 to have sex with him, out of the fear for her own life. The prosecution said she shot Johnny in his sleep so that she could rob him.

Cyntoia was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and robbery. She spent 15 years in prison while lawyers fought for her clemency.

Murder to Mercy is a 1 hour, 40 minute Netflix documentary wich explores her journey to freedom.

The Most Hated Woman in America

This 2017 true crime film covers the life and murder of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, America's most outspoken atheist activist.

She played a pivotal role in the US Supreme Court rulings banning mandatory prayer in public schools.

The docu-drama tracks the rise of her American Atheists organisation and the troubles her activism bestowed on her personal and professional relationships.

Tell Me Who I Am

The true story behind this 2019 documentary is so awful, you'll wish it was fictional.

Tell Me Who I Am follows Alex Lewis who, in 1982, lost his memory after a motorcycle accident at age 18.

Following this, the only person he remembers when he wakes from his coma is his twin brother, Marcus. Extremely vulnerable, he places his trust in him to help him put the past back together.

But Marcus is hiding a dark family secret, one which he wishes he could have forgotten too. In a bid to protect Alex from their childhood trauma, Marcus makes up parts of their childhood. But the truth comes out eventually.

Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey

The film is based on the true story of Lisa McVey, who was abducted at gunpoint in 1984.

Lisa, 17, had already had an incredibly harrowing background; she had suffered repeated sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of her grandmother's boyfriend.

And while she was cycling home from her job, she was kidnapped by serial killer Bobby Long, who also repeatedly raped and abused her over a graphic period of around 26 hours.

However, viewers have been left stunned that young Lisa managed to endure her tormentor, using reverse psychology to escape from his clutches, as well as mentally gathering as much evidence as possible to lead to his arrest after her escape.

The Fear of 13

Nick Yarris was convicted of murder, rape and abduction of a young sales associate in 1982 and sentenced to death. He was one of the first inmates on death row in Pennsylvania to demand postconviction DNA testing - and good job he did.

In September 2003, DNA evidence finally ruled him out of any links to the crime and Nick was exonerated. Nick Yarris was the 13th DNA exoneree from death row in Pennsylvania.

Nail Bomber: Manhunt

Each bomb contained up to 1,500 4-inch nails inside. London's black, Bengali and LGBT communities were the targets. The attacks led to three deaths and 140 injured civilians.

Reviewing the upcoming film, Radio Times said: "Although undeniably devastating, Netflix's documentary offers us a sense of hope as communities came together to catch David Copeland."

Casting JonBenét

This 80-minute documentary tells the harrowing story of six-year-old beauty queen, JonBenét Ramsay, who was found dead on Christmas night in her house in 1996. But this experimental film from Kitty Green breaks the boundaries of what a true crime documentary is, and how the story of a murder is told.

What we mean by that is: you could usually expect to see interview clips with detectives, archived news footage, and emotional interviews with the people closest to the victim in a true crime documentary. But not this time.

Green wanted her documentary to stand out from the rest. She wanted to cast people from JonBenét's local community to play her mother and father. But here's the brilliant twist: Green only used the audition tapes in the film to tell the story.

Those who auditioned, either to play Ramsay's mother or father, were asked to talk about their connection to the characters. With all of them living in the local area, having known the Ramsay's, you can see how the story of a little girl who was murdered doesn't always need to be told by detectives.

Describing the Grand Jury Prize nominated film, Netflix said: "Local actors from JonBenet Ramsey's hometown offer multiple perspectives on her 1996 murder as they vie to play roles in a dramatization of the case."

The Sons of Sam

Journalist and 'Ultimate Evil' author, Maury Terry, is convinced he didn't act alone. The Netflix series focuses heavily on his independent investigations into David Berkowitz, who remains incarcerated today.

Abducted In Plain Sight

Berchtold used an 'alien kidnapping' grooming narrative on his victims. Jan recalls waking up with her arms and legs tied to a bed and a cassette player telling her she'd been taken by aliens, and that the only way to save her family was to procreate with Robert Berchtold

get such a charming grip over them. Berchtold's brother, Joe, features in the film.

Amanda Knox

Both spent four years in an Italian jail while court proceedings went underway. They were finally acquitted of the murder in 2016. DNA evidence placed Rudy Guede, a friend of theirs from the Ivory Coast, at the scene of the crime, and he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

American Murder: The Family Next Door

34-year-old Shannan Watts and her two young daughters were the subjects of international headlines following their strange disappearance in Colorado in August 2018. Christopher Watts, her husband, later admitted to killing his pregnant wife and their two young daughters.

The 90-minute documentary from Netflix uses raw, firsthand footage of the events surrounding the murder and the tragic aftermath.

Why Did You Kill Me?

Despite not being involved in any organised crime, it later transpired that the gang responsible were retaliating after one of their own vehicles was shot at.Theobald's mother, Belinda Lane, witnessed her daughter being murdered from her car behind.

Since then, Lane promised to bring justice to her daughter and harnessed the power of social media to catch the people responsible.

Making A Murderer

The series predominantly follows Avery, who has been wrongly convicted before, with the first season covering his original trial and the second featuring his current lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, as they fight for a new trial.

Watch as the mystery unravels and new evidence builds the case for Bobby Dassey, Brendan's brother, to be considered a prime suspect.

Murder Among the Mormons

The true crime documentary follows the murderous events which took place in Salt Lake City in 1985. It starts with a series of pipe bombings that killed two people and severely injured another - rocking the Latter Day Saint (LDS) church community to its core.

The murders sent further shockwaves through the group when a trove of early Mormon letters and diaries were found destroyed in the vehicle of the third victim, Mark Hofmann.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

The 10-part series - produced by American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy - is based on the true events which saw Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Monster, be convicted of 16 murders.

Although diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and a psychotic disorder, he was found legally sane and was convicted of the killings in 1992.

Tiger King

You must have been living under a rock to have not at least heard the words 'Tiger King'. This series takes a look at the story of Joe Exotic, the owner of a big cat private zoo, and Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist who tried to take him down.

After plotting to kill Baskin, Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in prison in April 2019 for 2 counts of murder for hire and 17 charges of animal abuse.

Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel

Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

Released in 2019, this thrilling four-part documentary series came exactly 30 years to the day after Ted Bundy was executed by electric chair for the 1978 murder of Kimberly Leach.