Autumn is officially here, and as we look forward to a dip in temperatures, we have our Top 10 list of true crime documentaries, curated by our team, just for you.

In Short:

• Curated for Autumn: A hand-picked selection of 10 essential true crime stories, ranging from emotional deep dives to systemic exposes.
• Local & Global Focus: Features iconic Australian cases like The Bowraville Murders alongside international hits like Making a Murderer.
• Where to Watch: Each recommendation includes direct streaming info for Netflix, BINGE, ABC iview, and SBS On Demand.

1. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

Where to watch: BINGE / Apple TV+

A chilling, multi-year investigation into the eccentric real estate heir Robert Durst.

It features one of the most shocking "hot mic" moments in television history that literally changed the course of a legal case.

2. Making a Murderer

Where to watch: Netflix

The series that reignited the true crime boom.

It follows the story of Steven Avery, a man exonerated by DNA evidence after 18 years in prison, only to find himself the prime suspect in a new, grisly murder.

3. EXPOSED: The Case of Keli Lane

Where to watch: ABC iview (FREE)

One of Australia’s most baffling mysteries.

Investigative journalist Caro Meldrum-Hanna re-examines the conviction of Keli Lane for the murder of her baby daughter, Tegan, despite no body ever being found and a trail of secrets that spans decades.

4. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Where to watch: Netflix / Apple TV+ (Buy/Rent)

Fair warning: this is arguably the most emotionally devastating documentary ever made.

Originally intended as a home movie for a son to know his late father, it spirals into a horrific legal nightmare that will leave you reeling.

WATCH THE TRAILER

5. The Staircase

Where to watch: Netflix

This long-running series offers unparalleled access to the defense team of novelist Michael Peterson after his wife, Kathleen, is found dead at the bottom of a staircase.

It’s a masterclass in how a trial is built and dismantled.

6. Australia’s Greatest Conman?

Where to watch: SBS On Demand (FREE)

A fresh and fascinating local production. Marc Fennell explores the life of John Friedrich, the man who led a high-stakes rescue squad and scammed the nation out of hundreds of millions of dollars before his world came crashing down.

7. 13th

Where to watch: Netflix

While many documentaries focus on a single crime, Ava DuVernay’s 13th explores a systemic one.

It provides a searing look at the American prison system and the history of racial inequality, proving that sometimes the crime is the system itself.

8. The Bowraville Murders

Where to watch: SBS On Demand (FREE) / Apple TV+

This powerful film documents the 30-year struggle for justice by the families of three Indigenous children murdered in a small NSW town.

It’s an essential, heartbreaking look at how the Australian legal system can fail the vulnerable.

9. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Where to watch: Netflix

A stylish, gritty, and genuinely terrifying look at Richard Ramirez’s reign of terror in 1980s Los Angeles.

It’s told primarily through the eyes of the two detectives who spent their nights chasing a "monster" they couldn't see.

10. Don’t Fk With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

Where to watch: Netflix

In this modern-day thriller, a group of internet sleuths teams up to track down a man who posts horrific videos online.

It’s a twisty, fast-paced dive into the digital footprint we all leave behind and the dark side of internet fame.