10 Best Documentaries About Serial Killers

The spine-chilling scenes where the serial killer moves toward the victim, crossing the line to carry out the disturbing act finally, are always unsettling but never enough, especially if you are a true crime lover. We all have heard or read some unnerving stories, and like everyone, we have a set of questions we want answers to. One of the questions is how do they come up with the horrendous murder idea. A serial killer interview can quench your thirst to discover the secrets. Still, watching documentaries showcasing prolific serial killers is the best way to find out about heinous crimes and innocent victims.

From Jeffrey Dahmer to H.H. Holmes and Ted Bundy, you’ll find true crime documentaries providing some of the most insightful and in-depth information providing you a peak in the mind of a serial killer. So if you’re into the stories of vile murderers, we have curated a list of the ten best documentaries about serial killers. So let’s delve into the list and add all these to your watch list if you haven’t seen them already!

The Best Serial Killer Documentaries

The wait is over; grab your favorite snacks and go through the list so you can tune in to watch some of the A-rated serial killers.

1. Capturing the Killer Nurse

Year: 2022
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes

Starting with the nurse story, this documentary is known to be quite disturbing, and you can easily watch it on Netflix. Charles Cullen, also known as a serial killer nurse, is known to carry out some of the most horrifying crimes to date. He didn’t stop at one hospital, and his crimes followed him to different hospitals.

The documentary is based on a book called The Good Nurse written by Charles Graebar, and a similar movie has also been released, which discusses in detail the flaws of all the institutions that helped him do all the vile murders without getting caught for so long. The film is a real reminder that you never know if a serial killer might be walking amongst you, be sure to check all signs.

2. Conversation with a Killer: Ted Bundy Tapes

Year: 2019
Duration: 1 season

The minute this documentary dropped on Netflix, it created a lot of noise. Ted Bundy was a charismatic, intelligent, and handsome man who volunteered to become part of the suicide hotline. Even though the hotline was designed to help people and talk them out of killing themselves, Ted used this to his advantage and brutally murdered women.

Instead of living as a good lawyer, he becomes a killer who discusses how he was in his senses when he went on a killing spree. What makes it extremely scary is that he knew what his actions were leading toward, yet he still killed these women. The tapes will leave you horrified, yet disgusted, and you might want to watch it with someone so you don’t feel even more scared.

3. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Year: 2021
Duration: 1 season

Childhood is the foundation of any kid’s mind, and children must be brought up in an environment that’s good for them because it leads to the recreation of people like Richard Ramirez. This man did everything, from raping to molesting women to degradation, and even tortured all his victims. He grew up with an abusive and alcoholic father and around cousin Miguel, who showed him a way to take his anger out. He showed him images of raped and dismembered people from the War of Vietnam.

As a kid, Richard used to sleep in the nearby cemetery to escape his father’s wrath. All this did a number on him as he became the famous night stalker. The documentary provides you with a sneak peek into the mind of Richard and the troubles the police face in catching him before he moves on to his next victim. If any of these actions trigger you, we recommend you avoid watching them. But if you’re someone who likes to explore and wants to know how the mind of a serial killer works, then indulge in this documentary.

4. World’s Most Evil Killers

Year: 2017
Duration: 7 seasons

The name gives away how the series is a compilation of some of the most vile killers worldwide. The series began in the year 2017, and now, it has six seasons providing people a peek into the minds of serial killers from different parts of the world. Each season has approximately 8 to 10 episodes and a duration of an hour. What makes it even more worthy is how it combines experts in the field, increasing the creditability of the show. You will see multiple forensic scientists, lawyers, writers, and even criminologists, giving expert advice on the matter, assisting you in understanding the killers and how their mind works when murdering each victim.

This is an accelerated version of Velma Barfield’s Story from the Ted Bundy tapes. The season concludes all the events and shows what happened to each victim and the fate of the serial killer.

5. The Jeffrey Dahmer Files

Year: 2012
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes

Another widely known killer is Jeffrey Dahmer; his documentary shows his life before he got arrested after the summer. It’s based in 1991 when the sexual predator and serial killer Jeffrey, and the documentary will leave you baffled. It re-enacts the events and shows pretty in-depth interviews of discussion of Pamela Bass, Dahmer’s neighbor, Jeffrey Jentzen, a medical examiner, and Patrick Kennedy, who was leading this investigation.

It’s creepy, unnerving, and will make you want to stare at the screen in awe. Jeffrey Dahmer is really one of the heinous serial killers.

6. The Women and the Murderer

Year: 2021
Duration: 1 hour 32 minutes

Another chilling and nerve-cracking true crime documentary brings another serial killer Guy Georges. This man was famous in the 1990s in France for killing multiple women. It circles the murderer, two intelligent women, a police chief, and the victim’s mother, who fought with all that they had to bring the case to light to get justice for their family and all the other women he had killed. This will truly make you feel inspired and courageous, making it a must-watch.

7. The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness

Year: 2021
Duration: 1 season

Unlike other documentaries, this is a bit different, Serial killer David Richard Berkowitz, sometimes referred to as the Son of Sam or the 44-Caliber Killer, is widely recognized. He said that a demonic dog owned by a man by the name of Sam gave him the order to shoot people with a certain kind of gun. The Sons of Sam documentary explores the disturbing worlds of obsession and insanity and questions whether Sam acted alone. This thought-provoking documentary effectively demonstrates how receptive the human mind can be when faced with evil.

8. The Nilsen Tapes

Year: 2021
Duration: 1 hour 24 minutes

The fascinating and terrifying true crime film The Nilsen Tapes explores the life of Dennis Nilsen, one of Scotland’s most notorious serial killers. The documentary gives a thorough and engrossing description of Nilsen’s crimes by combining old film, discussions with people who knew him well, and dramatic reenactments.

The documentary’s scary details and frightening visual aesthetic are complemented by the eerie musical score, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. This documentary comes highly recommended if you’re curious about murder investigations, human psychology, or how a killer thinks.

9. Killer Behind Bars

Year: 2012
Duration: 2 seasons

Take a tour into the world of crime with this riveting British TV documentary series that profiles several serial killers. There’s a surprising twist, though! Unlike other documentaries about serial killers, this one has the brilliant Professor David Wilson, a recognized expert in criminology who formerly taught at Birmingham City University. He delves deeply into the investigations of well-known serial killers in England, analyzing the evidence and clues with extensive knowledge and experience.

10. America’s First Serial Killer: H.H. Holmes

Year: 2004
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes

Holmes has given real meaning to the world of Serial Killer and was the first man in the U.S. who went on killing sprees. He is famous for his murderers in the Chicago Hotel in the 19th century; the place was labeled as the Murder Castle. It had different hidden entrances and even torture rooms to trick the people. Although, over the years, this was proven to be a lie. But Holmes agreed to murder 27 people and was sentenced to death for murdering his business partner Benjamin Pitezel.

The show portrays his life as a kid and re-enacts all the events providing expert advice on every murder. It’s exciting and a must-watch, especially if serial killer documentaries are your type of content.

Bottom Line

So what are you waiting for? Watch some of the best serial killer documentaries of all time and discover how the mind of a murderer works. All these true-crime events will be nerve-wracking yet interesting for you to watch. Binge-watch each of these documentaries with a side of your favorite snacks. Don’t forget they’re all jailed and away from people to avoid any harm in case you get too scared in the end.

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