8 Thrilling Documentaries About Serial Killers
The world went wild for Netflix's ten-part documentary Making A Murderer, with audiences begging for more episodes about the modern day murder mystery. A second season has now been confirmed, but if you're thirsting for eerie documentaries in the meantime, these serial killer biographies will keep you on the edge of your seat for a few hours!
Following Dahmer's arrest for the rape, murder, and cannibalism of 17 men from the 70s until the 90s, he agreed to sit down with a documentary crew and discuss his motivation for the attacks. The prolific killer stays calm and unaffected while he talks about the murders, making this film a supremely chilling watch.
This fascinating watch is conducted through the eyes of a survivor who lived through an attack by Dennis Rader, the so-called BTK killer, who bound and tortured his victims before killing them. Rader was a church leader and respected member of the community until the story of these horrific attacks came to light.
Female serial killers are a rare breed so this documentary about Aileen Wuornos, who killed six men in a two-year period, is particularly fascinating. It focuses on answering the question of whether Wuornos was really insane after she was tried as mentally sound.
If you found yourself thanking your lucky stars that Hannibal Lecter wasn't real while watching The Silence of the Lambs, this documentary will really give you the chills. It explores the stories of various serial killers who were similar, and at times worse, than the fictional cannibal.
Bundy was such an attractive and charming man that when he admitted to murdering more than 28 women in the 70s, many people simply didn't believe him. This documentary goes into detail about the murders and will leave you thoroughly creeped out.
Albert Fish was an elderly serial killer and cannibal who molested and murdered children in New York City during the Depression. This chilling film describes how he used passages from the bible to structure and justify the killings, and it will leave you on the edge of your seat.
If you feel like delving into the history of serial murderers, this film will interest you. During the 1893 World's Fair, Holmes lured victims to his house of horrors where he used vats of acid and gassing chambers, amongst other techniques, to dispose of his victims and hide their bodies in the walls.
Robert Pickton was an extremely wealthy pig farmer who murdered as many as 49 victims on his farm in Canada and reportedly got caught because he "got sloppy" in his enthusiasm to make the number an even 50. Although Pickton was sentenced in 2007, his case is still under investigation, making this a fascinating and particularly creepy watch.
You might want to grab a friend to watch these documentaries with just in case the scare factor gets too high - these films will certainly have you checking under the bed before you go to sleep!