Serial killers are scarier than ghosts. You can keep your jump scares and possessed dolls. Give us a cold case, grainy CCTV footage, mugshots, and a motive, and now we’re talking. The fact that these true crime stories actually happened, make them scarier and more difficult to pull away from. If you’ve ever said, ‘just one more episode,’ and then found yourself falling deep into a Reddit rabbit hole at 3 am, then welcome, fellow true crime enthusiast—you’re in the right place.
Netflix has become a true-crime goldmine, packed with high-profile cases, chilling unsolved murder mysteries, and stories about wrongful convictions that’ll leave you fuming. If you’re looking for the next true crime series to feed your obsession, test your detective skills, or just keep you up way past your bedtime, we’ve got you covered. Here are the 10 best Netflix true crime series every beanbag detective should watch right now.
10. American Murder: Gabby Petito (2025)
American Murder: Gabby Petito is a heartbreaking and almost too-real retelling of the tragic disappearance and murder of 22-year-old influencer Gabby Petito. The three-part docuseries traces Gabby and her fiancé, Brian, as they travel across the country in their van, documenting their turbulent relationship leading up to her disappearance.
Using a mixture of interviews, archival footage, and screenshots of their actual conversations, the filmmakers have woven an all-too-personal account of the entire incident, even using AI to generate voicenotes that sound just like her.
9. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (2022)
If you’re looking for true crime series that go beyond murder, check out Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey. The series sheds light on the secretive world of the FLDS, a breakaway Mormon sect led by Warren Jeffs, the man with 70+ wives. At first, it seems like any other religious organisation, but as you go deeper into the series, you realise that Warren Jeffs was running a tight cult under the pretext of religion.
Under his regime, women were expected to be completely obedient, always smiling, never objecting to anything. The phrase “Keep Sweet” was literally a rule. The four-part docuseries includes interviews with survivors and former members of the cult, as well as archival footage, photos, and recordings that reveal how much control Jeffs had, even after his arrest.
8. The Man with 1000 Kids (2024)
One from the weirder side of Netflix, The Man with 1000 Kids is a three-part documentary about Jonathan Jacob Meijer, a serial sperm donor who deceived countless families across the globe and has fathered over 1,000 children. The series includes interviews with families and donor-conceived children, as well as legal experts, fertility specialists, and journalists who investigated the case.
It documents how the families discovered the truth, the research that went into gathering evidence, and the legal battle that followed to stop him from donating further. It also explores the growing concern about the potential risk of accidental incest among his offspring. The Man with 1000 Kids is disturbing and creepy, but it raises an uncomfortable, and necessary, conversation about ethics in sperm donation and the urgent need for stricter regulation.
7. Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (2023)
A closely knit, sweet South Carolina community is tainted by a string of murders that all tie back to the Murdaughs, the most powerful family in the area. Originally intended as a three-part docuseries, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal was later extended to two seasons.
The first season lays the foundation, covering the initial deaths, establishing the power of the Murdaugh family, and highlighting the infamous boating incident that drew them into the spotlight. The second season then reels you in with the criminal proceedings and the fallout from the crimes.
6. Worst Roommate Ever (2022)
We all have a story or two about a nightmarish roommate who always forgot to wash the dishes or ate the last slice of pizza without asking, but trust us, the horrors these terrifying roommates unleashed make those petty annoyances look like a dream.
Created by Cynthia Childs and Blumhouse Television, Worst Roommate Ever shares real-life accounts from unsuspecting victims who let a criminal into their home. These aren’t just bad roommates; they’re fraudsters, murderers, and squatters who will make you want to bolt your front door shut and never let a guest in without running their fingerprints.
5. Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer (2019)
You know how when they kill the dog in a movie, people instantly hate the villain? Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is the true crime docuseries version of that rage. Only this time, it’s real, and the internet isn’t just mad, they’re on a mission.
This three-part docuseries follows a group of internet sleuths who launch a digital manhunt to track down a disturbing man who posts a video of himself harming two kittens. What starts as a search for an animal abuser turns out to be far more sinister when they realise the man they’re looking for has also committed murder.
4. The Hunt For Veerappan (2023)
True crime series get 100x scarier when they hit closer to home. The Hunt for Veerappan sheds light on the life and crimes of India’s most infamous serial killer, Koose Munisamy Veerappan. A sandalwood smuggler, poacher, and bandit, Veerappan terrorised the forests of South India for over two decades, leaving a bloody trail of more than 120 victims in his wake.
The series traces his entire journey, from his early days as a forest bandit to his dramatic final encounter with officials during Operation Cocoon. Using a mix of archival news clippings, real footage, and interviews with officials that worked on his case for years, the docuseries presents both the terrifying and the folk legend sides of his story.
3. This is the Zodiac Speaking (2024)
The Zodiac Killer is one of the most infamous killers of all time. Though never caught, his case has sparked numerous documentaries, podcasts, speculations, and films, including David Fincher’s critically acclaimed Zodiac (2007), starring Jake Gyllenhaal. So what’s different about this one? This Is the Zodiac Speaking is a three-part docuseries that revisits the murders with a tight focus on Arthur Leigh Allen, the primary suspect long viewed with suspicion but never formally charged.
At the emotional core of the series is the Seawater family, who reveal that they had known Arthur for years, even vacationing in several of the spots that later became the sites of the infamous killings. It’s eerie, intimate, and deeply unsettling.
2. House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths (2021)
House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths peels back the curtain on one of the most disturbing and baffling true crime cases, the mysterious deaths of 11 members of the same family in Burari, Delhi, in 2018.
Ten members were found hanging from iron grilles on the ceiling, blindfolded and bound, while the family matriarch was found strangled in another room, lying on the floor. The almost ritualistic nature of the deaths shocked the entire nation. This three-part docuseries doesn’t just delve into what happened but also explores the more pressing question, why it happened.
1. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
Created by Joe Berlinger, Conversations with a Killer is one of Netflix’s most successful true crime franchises. Each instalment focuses on a different serial killer, tapping into their minds using their own words. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes is the first series in the franchise, featuring over 100 hours of real audio recorded with Bundy while he was on death row. He speaks at length about his childhood, relationships, and the brutal crimes he committed.
Following the success of this spine-chilling docuseries, the franchise expanded to include Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes (2022), The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (2022), and The Son of Sam Tapes (2025). Unlike most other docuseries, these include real audio from the killers themselves, making them even more disturbing and gripping. They go beyond the horror of the crimes, leaning into the psychology of what led to them.
Where To Watch The Best True Crime Series On Netflix
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