The 30 Best Serial Killer Documentaries To Watch

Are you someone who’s always watching serial killer documentaries? If you are interested in what the serial killers thought or how did they become like this- we might have the perfect blog just for you! We have everything here just for you, from famous crime documentaries to brand new ones. Even some of the best lawyers and psychologists still wonder why they did this.

Explore the minds of cold-blooded killers and satisfy your cravings with some of the best serial killer documentaries of all time. Warning: Don’t blame us if you cannot sleep tonight! So, here is our ultimate list of serial killer documentaries to get your hands on.

1. Making A Murderer

• Director: Laura Ricciardi
• Writer: Laura Ricciardi
• Cast: Steven Avery, Laura Nirider
• IMDb Ratings: 8.6
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Steven Avery- an innocent guy, had to go through 18 years of jail time just for some wrong judgment. It is said that he was arrested as he was suspected of raping and killing a woman. But, in reality, he did no such thing.

However, when he was let out, he went and committed the crime of killing someone- this time, he really ended up doing this. The documentary will make you wonder- Are humans born criminals? Or, are we the ones making them that way?

2. The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst

• Director:  Andrew Jarecki
• Writer: Andrew Jarecki, Marc Smerling, and Zac Stuart-Pontier.
• Cast: Gary Jones, Joel Bennett
• IMDb Ratings: 8.6
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
• Streaming platform: HBO

Andrew Jarecki couldn’t have predicted that Rob Durst himself would get in contact and wish to talk more about his 2010 film All Good Things, based on the mysterious disappearances surrounding real estate tycoon Robert Durst.

A six-part miniseries that explored the disappearances and deaths that potentially contributed to Durst’s status as one of America’s wealthiest serial killers and night stalker, The Jinx: The Life And Deaths of Robert Durst, aired in 2015 on HBO.

3. Amanda Knox

• Director: Rod Blackhurst; Brian McGinn
• Writer: Matthew Hamachek; Brian McGinn
• Cast: Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito
• IMDb Ratings: 6.9
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

Featuring interviews with Amanda Knox, her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, Italian prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, and Daily Mail reporter Nick Pisa, the documentary chronicles the murder of Knox’s roommate Meredith Kercher and the subsequent investigation, trials, and appeals. Her notoriety bolstered by tabloid journalism, Knox was convicted of murder and spent four years in an Italian prison before her acquittal by the Supreme Court of Cassation. “I think I’m trying to explain what it feels like to be wrongfully convicted,” Knox explained in an interview.

4. Don’t Fuck With Cats: Catching an Internet Killer

• Director: Mark Lewis
• Writer: Mark Lewis
• Cast: NA
• IMDb Ratings: 8
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

Initially, the internet witch-hunt had been intended to catch a killer of animals but turned into something completely different and shows the horrific crimes. The three episodes of this true-crime documentary are worth every minute of viewing and include archival footage. Follow the shocking story of one of the modern era’s most horrifying serial killers.

5. Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

• Director: Joe Berlinger
• Writer: Joe Berlinger
• Cast: Stephen Michaud, Bob Keppel, Kathleen McChesney, Ward Lucas.
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Ted Bundy is a name that kind of became a household name in recent times. But why is he so famous? First, he was found to be guilty of killing 30 women at least and showing absolutely no remorse about it. What makes him more savage is that Ted Bundy continued to brag about his killings like they were some sort of achievement.

The four episodes of this documentary depict the life, crimes, and even the man’s death. His life was even made into a movie where Zac Efron portrayed the role of Ted Bundy. Indulge in this true gem with dramatic reenactments where the cold-blooded killer like Ted Bundy reveals his thoughts and actions and experience the narcissism of this deranged killer. It will send chills down your spine.

6. The Staircase

• Director: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade
• Writer: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade
• Cast: Michael Peterson, David Rudolf, Ron Guerette, Tom Maher.
• IMDb Ratings: 7.8
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

Documentary series on Netflix chronicles Michael Peterson’s controversial trial in 13 episodes. An eerily similar way to how two of his wives died is by falling downstairs – Peterson is a famous novelist who gets arrested.

During Michael’s trial, he hired his own documentary crew, which provided most of the footage for this documentary. As a result, there have been many conspiracy theories and hypotheses about Peterson’s guilt and how both of his wives actually died.

7. Killer Ratings

• Director: Daniel Bogado
• Writer: Daniel Bogado
• Cast: Wallace Souza
• IMDb Ratings: 7.7
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Souza was a famous politician as well as a TV personality from Brazil. The police found him guilty of killing a number of men to get more ratings for his show or for making his show extremely popular.

However, it took a while as no one was ready to say anything against him. The episodes show how the detectives worked together to build up this case and how the criminal mastermind planned everything independently.

8. Evil Genius

• Director: Barbara Schroeder
• Writer: Barbara Schroeder
• Cast: Trey Borzillieri
• IMDb Ratings: 7.5
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

It follows the strange story of a man who strapped a time bomb to the neck of a pizza delivery driver. This contemporary crime doc is only 53 minutes long and is a great choice if you do not want to be sucked into a full series.

9. Night Stalker: The Hunt For A Serial Killer

• Director: Tiller ​Russell and James Carrol
• Writer: Michelle McNamara
• Cast: Richard Ramirez, Gil Carrillo
• IMDb Ratings: 7.5
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

Serial killer Richard Ramirez terrorized Los Angeles during a period in the 1980s as he tortured and murdered a number of its citizens until those very citizens finally captured him in the heinous crimes.

Night Stalker deglamorizes Ramirez by turning its attention to the victims, survivors, and the police who tracked down the serial killer. Still, it does try to deglamorize the brutal serial killer by focusing on the victims, survivors, and the police who hunted down the sadistic serial killer and finally given the death penalty. It was a media frenzy case.

10. I’ll Be Gone In The Dark

• Director: Liz Garbus, Elizabeth Wolff, Myles Kane, and Josh Koury.
• Writer: Michelle McNamara
• Cast: Patton Oswalt, Paul Haynes, Amy Ryan.
• IMDb Ratings: 7.4
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
• Streaming platform: HBO

Adapting the true-crime novel by the late Michelle McNamara, HBO’s documentary series I’ll Be Gone In The Dark analyzes the crimes and creates a mystery around the identity of the Golden State Killer, a prolific serial killer who raped 50 women and killed 10 people over his escalating spree that began in the 1970s.

A retired cop still living in the area where his earliest crimes took place helped solve the mystery by matching DNA evidence to him. In I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, McNamara recounts the hunt for the Golden State Killer and the investigation undertaken by a dedicated arresting officer and McNamara. But, unfortunately, they tragically died before the truth was revealed.

11. Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez

• Director: Geno McDermott
• Writer: Geno McDermott
• Cast: Aaron Hernandez, Susan Candiotti
• IMDb Ratings: 7.4
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

Hernandez was an American soccer player by profession. He was suspected of killing a lot of people, but the case that led to his own suicide was also the case for while he was arrested and sent to serve an entire life in prison. He was found guilty of killing Odin Lloyd.

12. The Confession Killer

• Director: Robert Kenner
• Writer: Robert Kenner
• Cast: Nan Cuba, Bob Prince
• IMDb Ratings: 7.4
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

Henry Lee Lucas is the man in the main plot here. The strangest part about this documentary with 5 episodes is that Henry confessed to all the crimes he committed. Then, he went to the police, telling them everything- from how he killed 11 humans cruelly and all other details.

13. John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise

• Director: Rod Blackhurst
• Writer: Lucas Groth
• Cast: Terry Sullivan, Philip Hersh, Jay Levine
• IMDb Ratings: 7.3
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

At least 33 boys and young men were assaulted and murdered by John Wayne Gacy, known as “Killer Clown,” at children’s events as “Patches the Clown” or “Pogo the Clown.” In the documentary John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise, both Gacy and those whose lives have been changed by his murders tell their stories.

14. Unsolved Mysteries

• Director:  Raymond Bridgers
• Writer: NA
• Cast: Raymond Burr; Karl Malden; Robert Stack;
• IMDb Ratings: 7.3
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

In each episode of this Netflix series, a different unsolved murder or an infamous story is explored. As you scroll through the crime scenes, you will be shocked at how many are still unsolved. You can develop your own theories for each case while watching this docu-series with a friend!

15. Abducted in Plain Sight

• Director: Skye Borgman
• Writer: NA
• Cast: Jan Broberg, Robert Berchtold
• IMDb Ratings: 6.8
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

Abducted in Plain Sight, also known as Forever B, is a 2017 true-crime documentary film directed by Skye Borgman. The documentary covers the kidnappings of Jan Broberg Felt, an Idaho teenager who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s on two occasions. The story was first told in Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story, a memoir published by her and her mother. It contains interview footage with Broberg Felt. It was produced by Top Knot Films and released by Netflix in 2019.

16. American Murder: The Family Next Door

• Director: Jenny Popplewell
• Writer: NA
• Cast: Nickole Atkinson, Jim Benemann, Luke Epple.
• IMDb Ratings: 7.2
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

American Murder: The Family Next Door is seen in 52 million homes worldwide and follows the Watts family as they search for missing their family members, constituting the mother Shanann Watts and her two young daughters in Frederick, Colorado. The story made headlines worldwide for its heartbreaking ending.

17. The Ripper

• Director: Jesse Vile, Ellena Wood
• Writer: Joshua Zeman
• Cast: Alan Whitehouse, Keith Hellawell
• IMDb Ratings: 7.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%
• Streaming platform: Netflix

In The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness, the author draws on the experience of serial killer David Berkowitz, who terrorized New York in the 1970s. On the other hand, the documentary explores some shocking theories about the murders in depth.

Maury Terry becomes convinced that serial killer David Berkowitz did not act alone, and he endeavors to prove there is more darkness to the Son of Sam killings than anyone could have imagined. But unfortunately, his investigation costs him everything.

18. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer

• Director: Nick Broomfield
• Writer: Nick Broomfield
• Cast: Aileen Wuornos, Jeb Bush.
• IMDb Ratings: 7.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

Aileen Wuornos, a serial killer, murdered seven men. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer is one of those true crime documentaries that will indeed make you question the sanity of these killers. They share the story of the men she murdered in cold blood between 1989 and 1990, and her motives were not clear either.

19. Unmasking Jack the Ripper

• Director: Mark Ubsdell
• Writer: Richard Jones
• Cast: Paul Begg, Richard Jones, Jenny Phillips
• IMDb Ratings: 7.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
• Streaming platform: Amazon

It has long been known that Jack the Ripper was one of the most notorious serial killers because he was never captured, and his torment of the Whitechapel district in 1888 has been remembered for how violent it was. It attempts both to humanize the killer and include every detail about Jack the Ripper’s murders.

Several good reenactments are presented. In addition, the details within the film make it a compelling (and unsettling) watch, even if it is just a television documentary with little to do with the documentary form.

20. This Is The Zodiac Speaking

• Director: David Prior
• Writer: David Prior
• Cast: Pierre Bidou, Russell T. Butterbach, Les Lundblad.
• IMDb Ratings: 7.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
• Streaming Platform: Youtube, Amazon Prime

A notorious serial killer under the pseudo name ‘Zodiac killer’ almost seven people in the era of the 1960s-70s. The victims were from the region of North Carolina, where the killer went on with his killing rage. The man even sent several letters, riddles, and cryptograms at infamous locations without fearing the media, but none could catch him.

It still now remains unsolved, and a lot of famous detectives and tried taking up this case. But, unfortunately, they were not able to find out who did it. This is the Zodiac Speaking is one of those serial killers’ stories that still remain open to this very day.

21. The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness

• Director: Joshua Zeman
• Writer: Joshua Zeman
• Cast: Paul Giamatti
• IMDb Ratings: 7
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: NA
• Streaming platform: Netflix

David Berkowitz, a convicted serial killer who terrorized New York in the 1970s, is the subject of the book The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness. In contrast, the documentary examines some shocking theories about the murders in depth.

The author Maury Terry becomes convinced that serial killer David Berkowitz did not act alone and attempts to prove that more darkness than anyone imagined lies behind the Son of Sam killings, and his investigation costs him everything. Provided in the film, but the fact that this is a true-crime scene and utterly bizarre makes it compelling and intriguing to watch.

22. Tales of the Grim Sleeper

• Director: Nick Broomfield
• Writer: Nick Broomfield
• Cast: Grim Sleeper
• IMDb Ratings: 7
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
• Streaming platform: Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO.

The Grim Sleeper is an infamous serial killer in the Los Angeles area. Not much is known about this man, except for the fact that he killed women and girls for more than 25 years. The police could not catch him easily.

After a while, he was caught after a DNA test that matched his victim and was brought to court. Tales of the Grim Sleeper depicts how he remained to stay anonymous for so long is present in the true-crime documentaries. See how the crime department failed to take measures quickly that led to the loss of so many lives!

23. The Jeffrey Dahmer Files

• Director: Chris James Thompson
• Writer: Chris James Thompson
• Cast: Jeffrey Dahmer, Andrew Swant, Jeffrey Jentzen.
• IMDb Ratings: 6.4
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

Next in our serial killer documentaries list, we have ‘The Jeffrey Dahmer Files.’ This true-crime documentary uses actual archived videos and footage to prove its point. That is what makes it more chilling! This man, Jeffrey Dahmer, who killed almost 17 men that also included boys, was, in fact, a very normal-looking person who lived a real casual life.

No one predicted that he could even do such a grave deed. The details have been described by one of Dahmer’s neighbors and a detective who was engaged in his case. This is one of the best serial killer documentaries out there that will make you wonder how a normal man does a mass murder without any motives.

24. H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer

• Director: John Borowski
• Writer: John Borowski
• Cast: H. H. Holmes, Tony Jay
• IMDb Ratings: 6.3
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

The next serial killer documentary, H. H. Holmes, might not be America’s first serial killer, but there is no doubt that this is one gruesome murder story. This documentary depicts the ways how he used to put his victims into torture chambers and torture them in the Nazi way. He did the acid treatment on them, too, thereby killing them.

Instead of disposing of their leftovers or skeletons- he used to sell or donate these to different medical schools. His killing site was Chicago, where he almost built a labyrinth to trap a man. He was a prolific serial killer. He can almost be called a criminal mastermind by killing men who were visiting the World’s fair of 1893.

25. Cropsey

• Director: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio
• Writer: Joshua Zeman
• Cast: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio, Bill Ellis.
• IMDb Ratings: 6.3
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

A serial killer documentary based on an urban legend from New York- Cropsey revolves around a man who chose his victims from Staten Island. So how did an urban legend like Boogeyman come into being? Find out more from this documentary.

The victims consisted of five kids who were nowhere to be found. Embark on this journey as the creators try to find out what were his motives and connections with the children.

26. Bayou Blue

• Director: Alix Lambert, David Mcmahon
• Writer:  NA
• Cast: Ricky Wallace, Veronica Guidry, Octavia Jones.
• IMDb Ratings: 6.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 60%
• Streaming platform: VUDU, Apple TV

With the help of Hurricane Katrina and his choice of victims, serial killer Ronald Dominique/The Bayou Strangler avoided suspicion or attention in the years around Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to chronicling Dominique’s crimes as he raped and brutally murdered 23 men, despite authorities failing to notice or ignore his crimes because his victims were mostly black men with high-risk lifestyles, the true-crime documentaries also feature the victims’ families trying to make sense of the complicated case.

27. The Pig Farm

• Director: Malcolm Clarke
• Writer: Malcolm Clarke
• Cast: Maggie Huculak
• IMDb Ratings: 6.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

The Pig Farm is another serial killer documentary that will make you question the mindset of these ruthless people. Robert Pickton was a Canadian night stalker and serial killer who killed humans without rational motives. His only plan was to make his kill number at least 50.

But, this is not all. His gruesome crimes include killing the people, smashing them, and feeding their meat to the pigs on his farm. The stories will make you want to throw up as he even mixed the human meat with pork meat and sold it in the market.

28. I Survived BTK

• Director: Marc D. Levitz
• Writer: Marc D. Levitz, Steve Armstrong.
• Cast: Dennis Radar, Charlie Otero, Steve Relford.
• IMDb Ratings: 6
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

‘I Survived BTK’ or ‘Feast of the Assumption: BTK and the Otero Family Murders’ revolves around an unbelievable story of true crime. Charlie found out about the dead bodies of his family member in his teenage years. The cruelty, which stands for “bind, torture, and kills,” shocks the boy to his core.

Get on this journey of this documentary which will shake you. See how Charlie goes on this journey of self-healing. Is it even possible for someone to sit back tight and realize what happened to his family? Is it even possible to do that after knowing who exactly did the crime? Watch this blood-curdling documentary to find out the truth!

29. Interview With A Serial Killer

• Director: Christopher Martin
• Writer: Christopher Martin
• Cast: Arthur Shawcross, Maggie Deming, Paul Dierdorf.
• IMDb Ratings: 5.9
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
• Streaming Platform: Netflix

This documentary portrays the story of one of the most prolific serial killers- Arthur Shawcross. It consists of a tape from his prison, where he casually discusses the vicious things he has done in this life in detail. He has not only killed 14 women, but he also raped them before. There were even two children among these 14 heads.

However, he was a mentally unstable mass murderer who showed no remorse after murdering so many. Many will find this documentary highly brutal and disturbing. But, if you are into these things- you will find it quite alluring. He also happened to be a cannibal who not only mutilated all the dead bodies but felt immense pleasure devouring them. He really cannot get any worse!

30. Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation

• Director: John Borowski
• Writer: John Borowski
• Cast: Oto Brezina, Tony Jay
• IMDb Ratings: 5.7
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%
• Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

Albert Fish is a notorious serial killer who indulged himself in child abuse. ‘Albert Fish: In Sin, he Found Salvation’ is a true crime story that will give you goosebumps. His victims met with a cruel death. He is said to be a cannibal who killed children and devoured their flesh.

So, he had various torture chambers where he showcased his sadism. But then, he posed as a normal man and took people into his home, where he did his deeds. This is how he always used to get away. Albert Fish is such a name that alone makes people scared.

Thus we conclude our list of ’30 Best Serial Killer Documentaries.’ These documentary episodes show the lives of some famous serial killers who committed crimes brutally. Every documentary is a true crime show where the killers share their crimes and confessions.

Watching these will only make you question the mindset of these serial killers– Are they even mentally normal? Do these serial killers even understand the depth of the inhuman crimes they have committed? Decide for yourselves! Do you have any experience with these crime documentaries? Are there any important ones we missed?