True crime fans know the feeling. You finish a mind-blowing documentary, sit there in stunned silence, and then immediately start Googling every name, twist, and piece of evidence. If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. The best true crime documentaries to stream in 2025 are packed with cases that shock, disturb, and leave you questioning everything. From high-profile murder trials to cults manipulating their followers in broad daylight, these stories expose secrets, unravel cover-ups, and bring jaw-dropping confessions to light. Some dig into cold cases, while others reveal the shocking truth behind crimes we thought we already knew. Whether you crave bizarre hoaxes, courtroom bombshells, or cases that still haunt investigators, these must-watch documentaries prove that reality is far darker than fiction.
American Murder: Laci Peterson
Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she vanished in December 2002. Months later, her body was found—one day after the remains of her unborn son, Conner, surfaced. Her husband, Scott Peterson, maintained his innocence, but in 2004, he was convicted of her murder. American Murder: Laci Peterson explores this chilling case in depth. This three-part docuseries includes rare footage, interviews with Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, and insights from Scott’s former mistress, Amber Frey.
Face to Face with Scott Peterson
Right after you watch the Laci Peterson Case, switch to Scott Peterson’s story. This docuseries will make you question everything. Face to Face with Scott Peterson gives viewers an exclusive look at Peterson’s own version of events. It’s his first on-camera interview in over two decades. Streaming on Peacock, this three-part series revisits one of the most talked-about trials in recent history. Peterson, now serving life without parole, shares his thoughts from behind bars. With fresh insights and an unsettling video chat with the convicted murderer himself, this is a must-watch for those craving the best true crime documentaries to stream in 2025.
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What Jennifer Did
A home invasion, a frantic 911 call, and a case that made detectives stop in their tracks. In 2010, Jennifer Pan reported that masked men broke into her Toronto home and shot her parents. Her mother died. Her father survived. But something felt off. The door wasn’t forced open. Jennifer was left unharmed. And then, investigators uncovered a shocking secret—Jennifer had spent years weaving a tangled web of lies, covering up failing grades with fake report cards and fabricated college admissions. When the truth finally unraveled, so did her alibi. This chilling documentary unpacks how deceit led to deadly consequences.
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare
What happens when the person you love never really existed? Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare takes one of the longest catfishing cases in the UK and turns it into an eye-opening Netflix documentary. It follows Kirat Assi, a woman who spent years entangled in an elaborate online deception. A simple Facebook friend request turned into a romance, an engagement, and a decade of manipulation. The person she trusted most was nothing like they claimed to be. This mind-bending true crime doc exposes how online deception can ruin lives—and how one woman fought to reclaim hers. True crime lovers looking for the best true crime documentaries to stream in 2025 will find this story both infuriating and impossible to look away from.
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial
The murder of John Lennon is one of the most infamous crimes in music history. But there’s a lot the public never heard—until now. John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial sheds light on new details about the night Mark Chapman gunned down the former Beatle outside his New York home in 1980. Chapman shocked everyone by pleading guilty, meaning many key witnesses never testified in court. For the first time, this documentary gives them a voice. With narration by Kiefer Sutherland and firsthand accounts from those who were there, this series peels back the layers of a case that still haunts the world.
The Body Next Door
A corpse wrapped in 41 layers of plastic turns up in a quiet Welsh village. Suspicion immediately falls on an unlikely suspect—an elderly woman named Leigh Sabine. What unfolds is a story filled with twists, secrecy, and a mystery that spans generations. The Body Next Door blends small-town intrigue with psychological suspense, making it impossible to look away. Sky’s three-part docuseries keeps viewers on edge, unpacking a case that is as shocking as it is unsettling.
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey
Few crimes have captivated the public like the tragic murder of JonBenét Ramsey. The six-year-old beauty queen was found dead in her family’s basement the morning after Christmas in 1996, but decades later, the case remains unsolved. Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey takes a deep look at how the investigation went off the rails. From police missteps to relentless media coverage, this docuseries questions why justice was never served. It also revisits the long list of suspects, including JonBenét’s own parents.
Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini
In 2016, Sherri Papini went missing, only to reappear weeks later with a shocking tale of abduction. She claimed she had been kidnapped by two unknown women and endured brutal treatment. The truth? It was all a lie. Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini unpacks how Papini fooled her family, investigators, and the media for years before her web of deception collapsed. With interviews from those closest to the case—including her now ex-husband, Keith—this three-part Hulu docuseries offers a front-row seat to one of the most bizarre hoaxes in recent history. For anyone seeking the best true crime documentaries to stream in 2025, this one is an absolute must-watch.
Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult
TikTok fame meets religious control in one of the most disturbing true crime stories to hit streaming. Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult pulls back the curtain on 7M, a management company that promised young, ambitious dancers a shot at viral success. But behind the glitz, it was something far more sinister—a closed-off, invite-only church led by pastor Robert Shinn. Under his influence, dancers found themselves cut off from their loved ones, manipulated into total devotion, and, according to allegations, subjected to psychological and financial abuse. This documentary exposes how cult-like tactics can thrive in plain sight, even in the entertainment industry.
The Jinx: Part Two
The shocking true crime series that made Robert Durst a household name is back. In 2015, HBO’s The Jinx stunned audiences when the wealthy real estate heir seemed to confess on camera to multiple murders. Now, nearly a decade later, The Jinx: Part Two picks up where the first series left off, revealing new details about Durst’s conviction, his life behind bars, and his death in 2022. With never-before-seen footage and fresh insights, this follow-up is essential viewing for anyone fascinated by the case that redefined true crime storytelling.
The Menéndez Brothers: A Killer Conviction
Few cases have divided the public like the Menéndez brothers’ trial. In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menéndez shot their wealthy parents, José and Kitty, in their Beverly Hills mansion. Their defense? A lifetime of alleged abuse at the hands of their father. The Menéndez Brothers: A Killer Conviction gives them a chance to speak like never before. This Netflix documentary features exclusive audio interviews with the brothers from prison, offering their perspective on the crime and the trial that captivated the world. With renewed controversy surrounding their case, this doc asks tough questions about justice, trauma, and whether their life sentences were warranted. Also the Monsters
If you’re craving more chilling true stories, don’t stop here—check out 8 Celebrities And Their Terrifying Stalker Cases for a look at the disturbing world of celebrity obsession.
