11 Riveting Crime Documentaries That Will Keep You Hooked To Your Seats Till The Very End!

Thanks to the boom of OTT platforms, you can never run out of content to watch. If true crime is a beat that has always grabbed your attention, there is a line-up of some gripping, mind-boggling documentaries and series that'll compel you to clear your schedule so that you're able to binge-watch.

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The documentaries will give you a closer, and more unbiased approach towards the cases.

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From the usage of real footage to details that you were never aware of about some of the most popular and talked about criminal cases of the world, these documentaries will easily hold your attention.

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These true-crime documentaries and series are a must-watch.

1. American Murder, The Family Next Door

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It would be criminal if you're a true crime fanatic and yet haven't watched the documentary made on the disappearance and murder of Shannan Watts and her daughters Bella and Celeste. One of America's most talked-about cases will break your heart and give a closer look at the heinous crime committed by Chris Watts on August 14th, 2018.

Watch the trailer here:

The Netflix documentary gives you the exact timeline of events that led to the disappearance of Shannan and her daughters. Police footage, live body cameras on the caps, and accurate content from Shanann¡¯s Facebook page will ensure you don't hit pause until you watch it till the end.

You can start streaming the documentary here.

2. Casting JonBenet

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This isn't just a documentary, it's an experience. Casting JonBen¨¦t isn't just a deep dive into the case that rocked America; instead, it takes you through the casting process for the re-enactments in the documentary. Several Colorado-area actors are interviewed and tested for the roles of real people involved in the case, including John and Patsy Ramsey, Burke Ramsey, John Mark Karr, and Boulder police officials. To crack the respective roles, these actors display their emotions about the case and offer their speculations.

Watch the trailer here:

What was the case about?

The sensational, decades-old case revolve around a 6-year-old beauty queen who was found murdered in her family home on Christmas night in 1996. The documentary is a never-seen-before take on pop-cultural obsession and how we feed on to salacious details of people's personal lives.

You can start streaming the documentary here.

3. The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann

Netflix

The documentary takes you through the events leading to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a three-year-old who vanished from an Algarve holiday apartment at the seaside resort of Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007. The case grabbed eyeballs because of details like her parents enjoying a meal with friends 100 yards away when the incident happened.

Watch the trailer here:

The documentary explores the media, the investigation, and the McCanns. The McCanns did not take part in the documentary.

You can start streaming the documentary here.

4. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

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The documentary takes you through the torture and ordeal of an 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who was brutally murdered by his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre. The documentary details how Gabriel did not receive help when he needed it the most, hinting at the system's failure. It is based on in-depth reporting by L.A. Times journalist Garrett Therolf, ¡°The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez.¡±

Watch the trailer here:

This documentary chronicles Gabriel's 8-month torturous journey of being beaten, shot in the face with a BB gun, and forced to eat cat litter. He was even locked in a cupboard for hours and pepper-sprayed.

Gabriel's torture ends with his breath after his mother, and her boyfriend eventually beat him to death. You can start streaming it here.

5. Allen v. Farrow

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Allen v. Farrow is an American documentary television miniseries that promises to dig deeper into the allegation of sexual abuse made against Woody Allen in 1992. From home videos and interviews with family members to an interview by Allen's accuser, Dylan Farrow.

Watch the trailer here.

Many commentators eventually called it one-sided. Start streaming the docu-series here.

6. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

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This 4-part 2021 true-crime documentary miniseries is about the serial killer Richard Ramirez. Before his arrest, he was known as the ¡°Night Stalker." Ramirez was accused and proven guilty for the murders of at least 14 people and committed spurious other crimes, including kidnapping and torture, during the '80s in California.

Watch the trailer here:

This documentary explores the desperate search for him and the endless attempts by the cops to stop his notorious antics.

Watch the docu-series now.

7. Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

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Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is a documentary based on the power of an incredible community who unite to investigate the killer who posted videos featuring acts of animal cruelty online.

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The documentary throws light on how Internet crowdsourcing can prove beneficial in helping solve complicated crimes.

Watch it here.

8. The Staircase

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The documentary revolves around Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen, who died by falling off the staircase in 2001, Michael Peterson's wife. However, the case snowballed into a massive controversy that included an extensive court case that aimed to determine whether or not Michael was somehow involved in her death.

Watch the trailer here.

The way the documentary has been shot gives you a feel like you're following the case, real-time.

Watch the series here.

9. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

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This 2008 American documentary film was written, produced, edited, and directed by Kurt Kuenne. Kuenne's close friend Andrew Bagby was murdered after ending a relationship with Shirley Jane Turner. As soon as Shirley was arrested as a suspect, she announced that she was pregnant with Bagby's child. To dig deeper, Kurt interview numerous relatives, friends, and associates of Andrew Bagby and incorporate their loving remembrances.

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Kuenne had even confessed that he started the film as memorabilia which she wanted to show to friends and family of Andrew Bagby. Later, as things unfolded, he decided to release the film publicly.

You can start watching it here.

10. Mommy Dead and Dearest

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This 2017 American documentary film digs out details of the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard, for which her daughter, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and Gypsy's boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, were accused. From exploring the murder to tracing its aftermath, the documentary also focuses on the abuse that Gypsy suffered from her mother. Nicholas Godejohn was eventually given a life sentence for first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and his relationship with Gypsy.

Watch the trailer here:

From home videos, text messages, medical records, and other pieces of media, including interviews with relatives, friends, the show gives you a closer look at why Dee Dee Blanchard was murdered. It also gives you a complete picture of all the lies and manipulative narratives Dee Dee had spun around Gypsy's health.

Watch the documentary here.

11. Audrie & Daisy

Netflix

"Audrie & Daisy" unfolds the tragic tale of teenagers Audrie Pott and Daisy Coleman. This documentary is based on rampant cyberbullying and abuses they had to bear following heartbreaking sexual assaults and the police investigations that followed.

Watch the trailer here:

Considering how the world needs better policing and consequences for cyberbullying, online harassment, and doxxing, this documentary is a must-watch!

Watch it here.

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