In the last few months, my interest in true crime has reached an all-time high. While I’ve always enjoyed a good true crime show or movie, it’s never been my go-to genre. I understand that these shows and movies are usually uncomfortable to watch and make many people upset. Of course, that makes a lot of sense. Honestly, it would be more worrying if this genre didn’t make you upset and uncomfortable.
I feel the same way about them, and I often have to pause the show I’m watching to give myself a break from the content. I can’t seem to stay away for long though, and as soon as I finish one show, I’m quickly looking up another. As Halloween gets closer, these documentaries seem to feel like the correct genre to be watching. I’ve never been one for fictional horror because the content seems overdone and I feel that it is meant to upset audiences. These shows are similar, but they accomplish these uncomfortable feelings by showing you something real.
Over these months, I’ve watched many of these shows and movies, and while I don’t want to call any of them my “favourites” (simply because these are real people’s lives), there are definitely some that stick out more than others. So, in no particular order, here are six of the most memorable true crime documentaries to get you in that Halloween spirit.
1. ‘Girl in The Picture’ (Available on Netflix)
This is the only one of the six chosen documentaries that is a movie. The movie is just over an hour and a half and tells the story of Sharon Marshall, a young mother found dying on the side of the road. While I usually find myself having a difficult time staying focused on true crime stories told in a movie format, Girl in The Picture did such a wonderful job telling this tragic story without losing my interest for a moment. The story unravels into the most unnerving and chilling tale of Sharon’s life and the choices she made to survive.
2. ‘American Murder: Laci Peterson’ (Available on Netflix)
Laci Peterson’s story is told in three 50-minute episodes and is devastating the whole way through. The show details Laci’s disappearance and the events that followed. The most devastating and painful part of the show was learning that Laci was eight months pregnant when she disappeared. As sad as the show was, it kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited in anticipation of what would happen next.
3. ‘Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini’ (Available on Disney +)
Perfect Wife was the inspiration for this article (as inspiring as a show about a woman disappearing can be). This show, out of all the others, had the biggest twist which not only shocked me to my core but left me thinking about it for the next couple of days. The show is told over three episodes that are between 50-60 minutes long. It was told so brilliantly and still leaves me with chills when I think back to it.
4. ‘The Beauty Queen Killer: 9 Days of Terror’ (Available on Disney +)
I watched this one with my friend and by the end of the show, we were sitting wide-eyed and slack-jawed at our television. Almost 40 years after surviving nine days of torture and fear, Tina Risico speaks out for the first time and explains her story in her own words. This is another three-episode series that not only goes through Tina’s kidnapping but also the suspicion around her potential involvement in the crime. It’s the only documentary on this list that was able to have the survivor/victim speak out about what happened to them and that was something quite powerful that still leaves me remembering key moments in the show.
5. ‘Still Missing Morgan’ (Available on Disney +)
I decided to only include one show about a child on this list as these shows are usually much sadder and unnerving. This documentary is shown in four parts and is a review of the kidnapping of Morgan Nick. Morgan was only six years old when she went missing at a Little League game and 27 years later, she still hasn’t been found. While the show is tragic and heartbreaking, it’s fascinating to look at the re-evaluation of a cold case.
6. ‘At Witt’s End: The Hunt for a Killer’ (Available on Disney +)
This documentary was released on Disney + in Canada on September 25th of this year and is told in four parts. There are many connections to the Morgan Nick case (Still Missing Morgan) which makes the case even more interesting. The show dives into the disappearance and murder of 19-year-old Melissa Witt and the “hunt” for her killer. Morgan and Melissa went missing around the same area and this is heavily discussed throughout the show as they explain similarities between the cases, hoping to find a link. It’s very interesting to watch and since the re-evaluating of the case is so relevant, it’s hard to avoid the feeling of wanting to solve it yourself.
I really do want to preface that these documentaries deal with serious and heavy topics. All of them are told in a way meant to make you uncomfortable. Obviously, there is a difference between watching a show you know is fake and watching a show about a real person. I completely understand that difference, and if you don’t think you could handle stories about people’s lives with crime scene pictures, interviews and footage from the case, I would not recommend these. However, if you’re looking for the type of horror about real-life villains and monsters, this might be the genre for you!
Until next time! xx