10 Documentaries Telling Stories of Brutal Criminals

The past is full of stories of ruthless criminals. Some of these events are so interesting and chilling that they have been the subject of movies, TV series and even documentaries.

While watching these crime documentaries that show the darkest sides of humanity, you will feel like a detective trying to solve the whole mystery.

The best crime documentaries:

The illiterate Ward family lives in a village in New York. Documentary about Delbert Ward, accused of killing his brother of four brothers: Brother’s Keeper

• Release Date: 1992
• IMDb: 7.5
• Directors: Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky

Allegedly, Delbert kills his sick and deteriorating brother to end his suffering. However, Delbert, who does not accept these allegations, makes him confess as if the police had done it. Turning out not guilty, Delbert is acquitted by the court.

The documentary, which attracted great attention in the world and in America when it was broadcast, won the Sundance Audience Award.

The striking story of the Friedmans, a seemingly ordinary and beloved family: Capturing The Friedmans

• Release Date: 2003
• IMDb: 7.7
• Director: Andrew Jarecki

The Friedmans are a typical American family in appearance. The father of the Long Island family, Arnold Friedman, is a beloved teacher. Anne Elaine Friedman is a housewife devoted to her family. Each of the three children of the family is an exemplary student. This happy family picture is disrupted by a lawsuit in which the father of the house is accused of buying and selling child pornography and events develop.

Documentary about the former US defense secretary’s life and confessions about events such as the Vietnam War: The Fog of War (100 Years Confessions)

• Release Date: 2003
• IMDb: 8.1
• Director: Errol Morris

The Fog of War is a documentary made in the United States. The documentary, directed by Errol Morris, tells the story of Robert McNamara’s life, his start in business, and his role as defense minister during the presidency of John F. Kennedy.

The documentary includes statements by McNamara, who was involved in international events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. The documentary received the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Adi, who survived the genocide in Indonesia, wants to face those who killed his brother: The Look of Silence

• Release Date: 2014
• IMDb: 8.3
• Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

The sequel to the 2014 Oscar-nominated documentary The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence tells the story of Adi, who lost his older brother in Indonesia in the 1960s.

Investigating the murder of his brother, Adi decides to confront the murderers in power and events develop.

A man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 18 years is again accused of murdering someone a few years after he is released from prison. Documentary that made a huge impact in America: Making a Murderer

• Release Date: 2015
• IMDb: 8.6
• Directors: Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos

Making a Murderer is one of the crime documentaries broadcast on Netflix. The documentary follows Steven Avery, who was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder.

A petition sent to the White House after the documentary was released garnered more than 500,000 signatures.

One of the most interesting cases in American history: OJ: Made in America

• Release Date: 2016
• IMDb: 8.9
• Director: Ezra Edelman

Inspired by a true event, the documentary is about former American football player OJ Simpson being accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Lyle Goldman.

The case had become the agenda of the world, not only in America. The documentary, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary at the 89th Academy Awards, details everything from Simpson being a folk hero to being acquitted from a lawsuit.

The blood-curdling tale of Ted Bundy, one of the scariest serial killers ever: Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

• Release Date: 2019
• IMDb: 7.7
• Director: Joe Berlinger

In the documentary released as a four-part documentary on the thirtieth anniversary of Ted Bundy’s execution; Bundy’s life, murders, trial, detention, escape and execution are described in detail.

The award-winning documentary ‘Collective’ is about scandals and political corruption in many fields, especially in health services.

• Release Date: 2019
• IMDb: 8.2
• Director: Alexander Nanau

It begins when, after a fire in a nightclub in Bucharest, Romania, a doctor treating the survivors realizes that most of the patients died from injuries that were not even life-threatening. The doctor, who informs the journalists, ensures that the scandals in Romania are revealed.

The documentary won several awards, including the European Film Awards and the National Society of Film Critics Award.

A documentary using real footage that will shock you at the end: American Murder: The Family Next Door

• Release Date: 2020
• IMDb: 7.2
• Director: Jenny Popplewell

The documentary, released on Netflix, chronicles the disappearance of Shanann Watts and her two young daughters in Colorado in 2018. Real images are also used in the documentary, which has a great impact around the world and is about a real event.

The story of the man who introduced himself as a rich diamond king and cheated on women he met on Tinder: The Tinder Swindler

• Release Date: 2022
• IMDb: 7.1
• Director: Felicity Morris

The Tinder Swindler, which has become very popular since the day it was published, tells the story of Simon Leviev, who pretends to be a rich person, defrauding women he met on Tinder, one of the dating apps.