Who needs Law & Order or NCIS when there could be a crazy person lurking right around the corner from you? Maybe your neighbor is the next big serial killer and you don’t even know it.
If you don’t think that’s possible, all you need to do is turn on one of the many true crime shows available on television or streaming services — and there are a LOT of them.
There are shows about serial killers, crazy neighbors, murderous wives, hotels with dark histories and on and on. Whatever your true crime interest, there’s sure to be a show that covers it.
If you’re looking for a show with a true fright factor, we’ve got you covered.
Here are 21 true crime shows that are so scary, you’ll need to lock your doors before tuning in! Better yet, make sure you don’t watch these alone!
Did we miss one? Let us know in the comments.
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes – Netflix
How does a serial killer think when he’s on death row? This four-part documentary series gives viewers a look inside this madman’s mind through a selection of audio snippets from more than 100 hours of interviews with the notorious killer. Bundy was convicted of murdering more than 30 women in the 1970s and was executed in 1989, but his legacy lives on. What’s even scarier than hearing him talk is knowing how many women exalted him after his conviction (both then and now) because of his supposed good looks and charm.
Horror at the Cecil Hotel – Investigation Discovery
This infamous Los Angeles hotel has a history of deaths, suicides, and occurrences, some of which can never truly be explained. The hotel was the basis of American Horror Story: Hotel, the anthology series’ fifth season. Perhaps the most frightening occurrence was the mysterious death of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old student who was found naked and dead in the hotel’s water tank. While that’s scary in and of itself, it’s what happened in the elevator before her disappearance that will send you running to turn on all the lights. Surveillance video captured her acting strangely in the elevator and the only thing I can say is you have to see the video for yourself. It will haunt you long after this documentary ends.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace – FX
There’s a reason why Darren Criss won multiple awards for his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan, the man who murdered the famous designer in 1997. Criss is brilliantly horrifying as Cunanan as it details the events leading up to Versace’s shooting and what happened after. This is one series you’ll want to binge, and you’ll have no choice because you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen.
Aileen: The Life and Death of a Serial Killer – Amazon Prime
If you’re thinking about picking up a hooker, you might think again after watching this documentary. Aileen Wuornos is better known as America’s first female serial killer who was convicted and eventually executed for killing seven men in Florida in 2002. Although the focus is the family’s attempt to get a stay of execution because the court’s found her mentally sane when she was obviously insane, it features the last interview with Wuornos and seeing her madness will send chills down your spine.
Snapped – Oxygen
We’ve all gone a little crazy sometimes, but the women featured on this series have truly snapped. The series focuses on high profile or bizarre cases of women accused of murder. Most of the women have killed either their husband or a significant other and, yes, jealousy and betrayal are some of the main reasons these women killed. Still, you’ll be haunted by these women’s stories and will want a friend to be with you as you watch.
In Pursuit with John Walsh – Investigation Discovery
John Walsh has never given up his drive to find justice for murder victims and their families. This is a guy who could have crawled into a hole and disappeared after his son Adam was brutally murdered in 1981. Instead, Walsh brings victim’s stories to life in an attempt to bring the perpetrator to justice. Who knows? Maybe you know one of the people being hunted for murder and can help bring closure to desperate families.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst – HBO
This six-part docuseries focuses on real estate heir Robert Durst who was accused of killing his ex-wife and two other people in three different states. Durst was acquitted of one of the murders for lack of evidence even though he admitted to dismembering and killing his neighbor. His arrogance is probably the most frightening as was his chilling statement at the end of the last episode when he thought the cameras were off.
The Keepers – Netflix
The Roman Catholic Church has been in the news quite a bit lately and for good reason. Accusations of sexual abuse by priests have haunted the Church for years. This seven-part docuseries focuses on the murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik who many believe was murdered because she had suspicions that a priest at the school she taught at was sexually abusing students. Her death remains a mystery, but the circumstances surrounding it, will leave you spooked.
Nurses Who Kill – Netflix
Nurses are supposed to take care of you, but the nurses featured in this docuseries have decided that the best course of action is to take matters into their own hands. And that means murdering their own patients whether as an act of mercy or just because they could. Why and how these nurses killed is the focus of the show and you can’t help but wonder what kind of crazy nurse you’ll run into the next time you’re in the hospital.
I Am a Killer – Netflix
In this series, you’ll hear directly from men who are sitting on death row for murder. It’s chilling to hear these men speak about their crimes as many of them show no remorse. Still, the series is a fascinating look into these killer’s minds, but be forewarned; some of these interviews are downright horrifying.
Fear Thy Neighbor – Investigation Discovery
Think you know your neighbor? Think again. Of all the shows that could possibly keep you on edge, this is the one. Crazy neighbors doing crazy things for the most ridiculously insignificant reasons. Would you murder your neighbor because their music was too loud? Well, someone’s neighbor did!
B.T.K.: A Killer Among Us – Investigation Discovery
Dennis Radar seemed a normal, upstanding guy but he was secretly a serial killer responsible for the murder of 10 people in Wichita, Kansas. This two-hour special delves into his murderous behavior and subsequent trial and conviction. Want to know what B.T.K stands for? It’s a nickname he came up with for himself about the things that stimulated him the most: bind, torture, kill. Scary is an understatement!
Cold Justice – Oxygen
Two veteran investigators attempt to crack unsolved murder cases. It’s frightening how many cases are still lingering, but Kelly Siegler and Yolanda McClary and their team have helped solve nearly 35 cases since the series first aired in 2014. Murderers are all around us walking free, and that’s the most frightening of all!
Making a Murderer – Netflix
There’s plenty of controversy surrounding this show because it focuses on his efforts to overturn his murder conviction. While Steve Avery was found not guilty of sexual assault after spending 18 years in prison, he was accused and arrested soon after his release for the murder of a 25-year-old woman. He was convicted of this crime but recently won the right to have his case reexamined. Avery maintains his innocence and believes that he was convicted on false testimony and planted evidence. The series will make you question the American justice system but will also make you wonder if this guy is just taking advantage of a couple of documentarians who felt his story was worth telling.
Evil Stepmothers – Investigation Discovery
There really are evil stepmothers in the world and this series focuses on some of them who make Cinderella’s stepmom look like a saint. The women featured in this series are unhinged and will go to any lengths to make their family’s lives a living hell up to and including murder!
The Murder Castle – Investigation Discovery
The world’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes, is the focus of this series. Holmes built a hotel for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago but it was a structure full of secrets. Hidden rooms, torture chambers, and stairways to nowhere were incorporated into the hotel as a way for Holmes to trap his victims. This was another guy who women thought was good-looking and charming but who had a sinister secret. This series takes you inside Holmes’ Murder Castle and gives you a detailed account of how he committed his crimes.
Mindhunter – Netflix
Although technically a crime drama, the series is based on a true crime book by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker called Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Set in the late 70s, it focuses on the FBI’s development of serial killer profiling and how speaking with these murderers and understanding how they think to help them solve current cases. There are some great performances here, most notably Cameron Britton as Ed Kemper. Pretty soon, you’ll be using their techniques to try to figure out if the people you know are secret killers. It’s the curse of being a true-crime aficionado.
Manhunt: Unabomber – Discovery Channel
This is another true crime drama series that will leave your head spinning. The series focuses on FBI Agent Jim Fitzgerald who attempted to use a new and different method to find and capture Ted Kaczynski, aka The Unabomber. Many in the agency scoffed at Fitzgerald’s theories, but if wasn’t for him and methods, Kaczynski might never have been caught!
Real Detective – Investigation Discovery
As if there weren’t enough murder cases to haunt your dreams, this series focuses on the perspective of the detectives trying to solve deadly crimes. What haunts them will haunt you! Let’s all share in the love of unsolved murders!
See No Evil – Investigation Discovery
There are cameras everywhere capturing all sorts of interesting things including crime (or non-crimes if you’re Jussie Smollett). This series gives a fascinating look into crimes that might never have been solved if it wasn’t for surveillance camera footage. Some may see these cameras as an invasion of privacy, but for victims of crimes, they are a lifesaver!
Kemper on Kemper: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer – Oxygen
This two-hour special gets you up close and personal with Edmund Kemper, aka The Co-Ed Killer, who murdered, sexually assaulted and mutilated the corpses of his victims, including his own mother. The special also talks with former FBI Special Agent John Douglas (the FBI guy featured in the Mindhunter series) who interrogated Kemper extensively after he was arrested. What makes someone kill? Kemper has an answer for you!
