7 chilling true crime documentaries on Netflix to binge this weekend

Daily Record

19 hours ago

Netflix is home to some of the most disturbing true crime documentaries that are all the rage with fans of the genre - but these are the most chilling of them all.
There's nothing quite like cosying up under your duvet with a few nibbles, ready to delve into the latest true crime documentary on Netflix.
Recent figures from the streaming giant reveal the popularity of the genre, with American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden and Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders both making the Top 10.
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And who could overlook the impact of Making A Murderer and American Murder: Gabby Petito, sparking countless theories and debates across various platforms like Reddit.
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If you're searching for your next true crime documentary to binge this weekend, we've got you sorted with seven of our top choices - but they're not for the faint-hearted.
American Murder: The Family Next Door
This 2020 documentary recounts the true story of the Watts family murders, which occurred two years prior.
Utilising archival footage from social media posts and text messages to home video footage and police recordings, it unravels the mystery that shrouded the family, revealing midway through that Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife Shanann, and her two daughters, four-year-old Bella and three-year-old Celeste.
Reports of their disappearances began when friends of Shanann contacted the police saying they'd not heard from her, but Chris quickly became a key part of the search, even appearing on TV to plead for their return.
He claimed to have no idea of their whereabouts, but his lies and secrets began to unravel after a failed polygraph test.
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Viewers eventually discover the horrific events that transpired, after Chris murdered his wife and buried her in a grave at his workplace, where he also disposed of his two daughters' bodies in an oil tank.
His motives were never definitively established, but he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of first-degree murder and was handed five life sentences without the possibility of parole, with three to be served consecutively.
Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
In 2019, Netflix released what might be its most terrifying documentary, which traced the true story of an online manhunt.
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It charted an amateur investigation by social media users into a series of animal cruelty acts committed by a Canadian pornstar named Luka Magnotta.
In 2010, he shared a video of himself killing two kittens in a plastic bag by suffocating them with a vacuum cleaner.
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After witnessing the horrifying act when the video went viral, a Facebook group was created to try and gather evidence against him.
However, matters took a darker turn when Magnotta evaded authorities and began to commit more serious crimes, culminating in the murder of Jun Lin.
He posted the video of Lin's death online, and sent his body parts to various institutions including the headquarters of Canada's two major political parties.
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He fled to Europe but was apprehended in 2014 and convicted of Lin's murder. He was given a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.
The four-part documentary, Bad Vegan, chronicles the rise and fall of Sarma Melngailis and Anthony Strangis, founders of Pure Food and Wine, and a married couple.
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Their New York City restaurant was a favourite among A-listers such as Bill Clinton and Alec Baldwin, and was known for its pioneering vegan cuisine.
However, when Sarma married Anthony - who is actually named Shane Fox - her downfall and that of her restaurant began.
Sarma claimed that her husband, a conman, manipulated her into stealing money from their business.
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He managed to convince her that he had lived for centuries and could grant her and her dog immortality.
Eventually, he emptied her bank account and they both went on the run, only to be apprehended while ordering a non-vegan Domino's pizza.
In 2017, Anthony admitted to charges of grand larceny, criminal tax fraud, and a scheme to defraud. He received a five-year probation sentence for stealing nearly $1,000,000 from the investors and employees of Pure Food and Wine.
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Sarma also confessed to stealing over $200,000 from an investor and scheming to defraud, in addition to facing criminal tax fraud charges. She was sentenced to almost four months in prison and filed for divorce from Anthony in 2018.
The Tinder Swindler
Netflix's The Tinder Swindler revealed the deceitful actions of Shimon Hayut, who impersonated Simon Leviev, the billionaire son of a diamond tycoon.
The series follows three victims, Pernilla Sjoholm, Cecilie Fjellhøy and Ayleen Koeleman, as they join forces to uncover the true identity of a man who swindled them out of thousands of pounds to fund his extravagant lifestyle.
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He would whisk them away on romantic trips and lavish them with luxury, only to leave them drowning in debt.
The Netflix programme suggests that Hayut hopped from one woman to another, stealing an estimated $10,000,000, while also being sought globally for various crimes.
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Following the airing of the series, Hayut maintained his innocence and refuted claims of fraud.
It was later alleged that the real Leviev family were taking legal action against Hayut for defamation and invasion of privacy, after he impersonated the son of Israeli-Russian businessman Lev Leviev, even going to the extent of photoshopping himself into family photographs.
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare
Sweet Bobby unveils one of the most shocking instances of catfishing - the twisted tale of Kirat Assi's ordeal.
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Based on a podcast bearing the same name, the Netflix series recounts how Kirat was deceived for over a decade.
The actual individual behind the account - whom she believed to be a man named Bobby - wove a web of deceit, manipulating Kirat and their relationship, lying about health issues and creating multiple false personas to convince her she was interacting with a whole community of people acquainted with Bobby.
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Radio presenter Kirat's romantic illusions were shattered when she uncovered the truth about the man she believed she knew, only to find out he had a family and was oblivious to her existence.
Her world fell apart upon discovering the true identity of the person who had catfished her for over ten years, but she found empowerment by taking legal action, as revealed in the Netflix series, and later pursued a civil lawsuit.
Speaking to Metro about the ordeal, she expressed: "It's never gone away. It's always there. I hope by coming forward, other victims are not treated the same way."
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The Most Hated Man on the Internet
Netflix's 2022 release, The Most Hated Man on the Internet, delves into the story of Hunter Moore, infamously dubbed the 'king of revenge porn'.
Moore was the creator of IsAnyoneUp.com, a notorious 'revenge porn' site that encouraged users to upload images and videos, often containing nudity or explicit content, which reportedly included underage individuals and band members. Countless victims suffered as their private photos and social media details were disseminated online.
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The documentary series chronicles the downfall of Moore and his infamous website, culminating in his conviction and subsequent two-year imprisonment.
After the series, he made some shocking comments including that he was "proud of what [he] created" and claimed: "I did do my time, I feel like I did pay my dues, and it wasn't all negative, and I had a great time and I would definitely do it over and over again, but I would do it in a different way and I would definitely take back any of the trauma that anybody suffered from the website or anything negative that happened through the site because back then I didn't understand it."
Producers on the series also shared that Moore had initially agreed to be a part of the series before pulling out, but they were later glad to be able to share the story from the victims' narrative.
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Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey
This instalment of Netflix's Cold Case series follows the mysterious death of JonBenét Ramsey, a six-year-old found dead in her parents' basement.
On Boxing Day in 1996, her parents John and Patsy awoke to find her missing, and discovered a ransom note asking for $118,000.
After contacting the police and searching their home, John found her body dead in the basement, but the investigation that followed sparked numerous questions.
The Netflix show reveals the intricacies of the police case, and alleged mistakes made, as well as the media sensation around her death after controversy over her participation in child pageants, and the possible suspects.