I grew up watching true crime series like “48 Hours” and “Dateline” (there used to be “Unsolved Mysteries”) These shows have been detailing shocking crimes for decades The seemingly ordinary person's 180-degree turn into a criminal is detailed and drawn out through compelling narration, eyewitness testimony, and one-on-one interviews

True crime documentaries have more opportunity to delve into detail than popular network shows They offer insight into how the crimes unfolded, the lives of the victims, and the impact the crimes had on everyone involved I have compiled a list of some of the most shocking true crime documentaries I have seen These are not to be missed (However, after watching them, I suggest you book an animated cartoon or comedy show to watch)

I decided to watch the documentary about Shelly Papini's 2016 disappearance because of a shocking twist in 2022 that reveals the entire case was a hoax In “The Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini,” we learn what Sherri had planned in advance, what happened while she was missing, and how she tried to hide it all from her husband, children, and family, The film goes into incredible detail

The film also delves into the racism that tore the community apart because of Shelley As we now know, she blamed two Hispanic women for her disappearance, which turned out to be an outright lie It is heartbreaking to imagine the sense of loss and betrayal experienced by her ex-husband, her children, and everyone involved

Watch on Hulu

The murder of Shanann Watts and her two children, Bella and Celeste, shocked the nation Murder in America: American Murder: The Family Next Door stayed with me long after it ended The filmmakers blended raw police footage with family home movies to bring the horror of what happened to the three victims close to home We also hear from Chris Watts himself, through police interrogation interviews, about what he did to his wife and daughters

Be warned: this documentary is disturbing What makes this documentary unique is that there is no narration or one-on-one interviews as in most crime documentaries It primarily uses raw footage But that is part of what makes this film so frighteningly well done This is not an easy film to watch, so be prepared to stay awake for a while after watching it

Watch on Netflix

I had heard about Andy Puglisi's case before, but what drew me to this documentary was the rough footage of Andy's face and the gentle but troubling question in the title: In August 1976, in Lawrence, Mass Andy Puglisi and many other children were playing at the Higgins Memorial Pool in Lawrence, Massachusetts Suddenly, he disappeared and was never seen again

Decades later, Melanie Perkins, a childhood friend of Andy's, tells her friend's story in this powerful documentary This is clearly a labor of love for her, and she does an excellent job of investigating the case and showcasing the law enforcement fiasco of the time In addition, Perkins explores the broader issue of child abduction and the nature of the people behind it

View at Max

We are often unaware of the power of our words But documentaries like “I Love You, Now Die” show the impact of the words we say to each other When I watched the film, it was heartbreaking to watch the relationship between Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy turn deadly Conrad's parents were interviewed in the documentary and said they had no idea what was happening to their son

What the film does very well is present the complexity at the heart of this case We now know that Michelle Carter was ultimately convicted for her involvement in Conrad's suicide After watching this documentary, I realized that it is not black and white Should we be held accountable (legally) for the words we utter against others? There is no easy answer, and this is a sobering case with tragedy on all sides

Watch on Max

Most of us have had our online encounters, and I have met some interesting people through the Internet But “Lover, Stalker, Killer” takes it to the next level Dave Krupa describes his experience meeting Kari Farver Things start off well, and the two discover that they are on the same page in terms of wanting to keep a casual connection However, their romance takes a turn when Kali becomes obsessed, sending messages and threatening letters to Dave's ex-girlfriend, Liz Golier

In this case, however, not all is as it seems On the one hand, Cali's family seems unable to contact her, only receiving online messages and emails This is not the woman they know and love There are so many twists and turns in this documentary that I almost had to take notes to keep up But the ending was amazing and I will never forget it

Watch on Netflix