Netflix's Best True Crime Documentaries Set In The Dirty South
A watch list to keep you up at night.
The rise of true crime series has boomed over the past decade, with Netflix pioneering some of the most highly rated series in the genre. From NYC socialite scam artists to 1980s convicts confession to the murder of more than 600 people — audiences are hooked.
For many people, true crime is one of the genres you can't look away from. You're horrified, you're disgusted, and you can't stop watching. If you fall under that category, this list will provide plenty of hours of nail-biting documentaries outlining gruesome true crimes in Southern USA.
'The Staircase'
Location: Durham, North Carolina
Rating: 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
When Kathleen Peterson is found dead at the bottom of the Staircase, suspicions arise that her husband, crime novelist Michael Peterson was behind it. The docuseries investigates aftermath in the grief-torn family during the trial of Michael Peterson after being accused to bludgeoning his wife to death, amongst other theories about her demise.
'Bad Vegan'
Location: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Rating: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
This series chronicles the rise and fall of former vegan restauranteur Sarma Melngailis. While majority of the crimes involving her and her ex-husband Anthony Strangis occurred in New York City, the two spent several weeks in hiding in Pigeon Forge, TN a bizarre town with lots of distractions.
'Unsolved Mysteries: 13 Minutes'
Location: Dawson County, Georgia
Rating: 74% on Rotten Tomatoes
This episode of Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries reboot tells the story of Patrice Endres' disappearance when she mysteriously went missing from her hair salon during a 13-minute window between clients. Several decades later, the tragic case is still unresolved, and many of the details outlined in this episode are perplexing.
'The Confession Killer'
Location: Huntsville, Texas
Rating: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Confession Killer centers around convicted murderer Henry Lee Lucas and his confession to the murders of over 600 people during his time in Texas State Prison. But authorities are perplexed by inconsistencies, when Lucas can recount graphic unreleased details regarding the murders and burial sites, but provide impossible timelines that don't add up.
'Mindhunter' Season 2
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Rating: 99% on Rotten Tomatoes
Though David Fincher's Mindhunter is a fictitious show loosely based on truth, much of the plot and details were rooted in real-life events. The second season's serial killer is inspired by Wayne Williams, "The Atlanta Child Murderer", who was linked to over 30 deaths.
'Murder To Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story'
Location: Nashville, Tenneessee
Rating: 79% on Rotten Tomatoes
At the age of 16, child sex trafficking victim Cyntoia Brown was convicted of the murder and robbery of Johnny Allen and sentenced to life in prison. After serving time in a maximum-security prison in Tennessee, this series follows Cyntoia's legal journey to reclaiming her freedom back.
'Conversations with A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes'
Location: Bradford County, FL
Rating: 74% on Rotten Tomatoes
This series revolves around Ted Bundy, notorious serial killer during his time in Florida State Prison. The Ted Bundy Tapes are reflections of his life told in his own bone-chilling voice during his time on death row. Over 100 hours of archived footage was used to piece together this Netflix original.