True crime documentaries are easily the best thing on Netflix in this day and age – their popularity has boosted tremendously over the preceding years and shows no signs of slowing down. There truly is something fascinating – yet disturbing – about watching a true crime case unfold in front of your very eyes. From brutal unsolved murders and serial killers to injustice within the so-called justice system and false confessions, these documentaries put you right into the middle of a criminal investigation and question every piece of evidence put before you.
In this article, we share 20 of the best true crime documentaries which can be watched on Netflix right now!
The Thin Blue Line
Through archival footage, interviews and reenactments, filmmaker Errol Morris makes a case for the innocence of a man erroneously convicted of murder.
Brother’s Keeper
This documentary explores the odd world of the elderly Ward brothers, illiterate farmers who have lived their entire lives in a dilapidated shack
3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets
This film examines the role of racial prejudice in the 2012 slaying of African American teen Jordan Davis, fatally shot after a quarrel over music.
Capturing the Friedmans
Documentary telling the story of a seemingly typical middle-class family living in New York whose lives are transformed when the father and youngest son are charged with despicable crimes.
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
Documentarian Nick Broomfield trains his lens on infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos, who began her murder spree in 1989.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend’s ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.
13th
In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists and politicians analyse the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.
Into the Abyss
This compelling documentary examines the emotional aftermath of a triple murder in Texas, interviewing the two killers, victims’ relatives and others.
Who Took Johnny?
The 1982 disappearance of Johnny Gosch rattled the nation and inspired new laws. Follow his mother’s decades-long quest to uncover the truth.
The Keepers
A group of brave women seeks the truth about the 1969 murder of nun Catherine Cesnik and the cover-up that protected a priest accused of sex crimes.
The Confession Tapes
This true crime documentary series investigates cases where people convicted of murder claim their confessions were coerced, involuntary or false.
Amanda Knox
She was twice convicted and acquitted of murder. Amanda Knox and the people closest to her case speak out in this illuminating documentary.
The Witness
In this documentary, Bill Genovese aims to set the record straight regarding his sister, whose name took on a tragic meaning after her 1964 murder.
Tabloid
Documentarian Errol Morris profiles a former beauty queen whose good looks hide a genius IQ and a criminal disposition.
The Imposter
An investigator sets out to unravel a mystery about a 13-year-old boy who vanished in Texas only to show up three years later in Spain.
Cropsey
Two filmmakers explore an urban legend from their own childhoods: a rash of child abductions that struck Staten Island, N.Y., in the 1970s and 80s.
The Fear of 13
After 20 years on Death Row, self-educated inmate Nick petitions the court to be executed, then tells his twisting, turning tale of despair and hope.
West of Memphis
After the 1994 conviction of three troubled teens for the murders of three younger boys, questions began to arise about the prosecution of the case.
Lost for Life
This powerful documentary shares the stories of prisoners serving life-without-
Newtown
This intimate portrait sheds light on the trauma experienced and strength displayed by those affected by the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.
Comments:
Dear Zachary made me cry, it was truly emotional and heartbreaking. A very good documentary that tried to bring to light the truth of what had happened and the rage and grief of loss.