7 true crime documentaries to watch if you loved ‘Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers’

Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, Netflix’s new documentary, revisits the case of Aileen Wuornos, who murdered seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990 and was executed in 2002.

Featuring rare footage from a 1997 prison interview by artist Jasmine Hirst, it offers a raw look at Wuornos’s mindset and the trauma that shaped her life.

The film combines these recordings with new interviews from law enforcement, family, and friends to trace her path from an abusive childhood to a life marked by violence and survival.

If viewers were captivated by Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, here are seven true crime documentaries that similarly dive into the minds of criminals and the pursuit of justice.

Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.

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The Staircase, Making a Murderer, and 5 other true crime documentaries to watch if you loved Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers

1) Don’t F**k with Cats

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is a true crime docuseries (Image via Netflix)

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019) is a true crime docuseries written and directed by Mark Lewis. It follows the real-life case of Canadian porn actor Luka Magnotta and the online manhunt that began after he shared a disturbing video of animal cruelty.

The documentary centers on a group of amateur internet sleuths who set out to track down Magnotta after his shocking video surfaced online. Their investigation takes a darker turn when Magnotta escalates to murdering Jun Lin, a Chinese student studying in Montreal.

Like Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, this documentary explores the thin line between justice and obsession, exposing how violence and society’s hunger for notoriety reveal dark truths about human nature.

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2) The Staircase

The Staircase is an American biographical crime drama miniseries (Image via Netflix)

The Staircase is an American biographical crime drama miniseries created by Antonio Campos, inspired by the 2004 true crime docuseries by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade.

Starring Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as his wife Kathleen, the series revisits the mysterious case of Kathleen’s death, found at the bottom of the staircase in their home.

The story follows Michael Peterson, a novelist accused of murdering his wife, as a complex legal and emotional battle unfolds within the family. Amid the chaos, a French documentary crew begins filming the case, capturing the tensions and shifting truths surrounding one of the most debated criminal trials in recent history.

Much like Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, The Staircase dives into conflicting narratives and unreliable testimony. Each dissects how perception and media portrayal can distort real-life tragedy and blur guilt and innocence.

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3) Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer revisits the crimes of Richard Ramirez (Image via Netflix)

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer revisits the crimes of Richard Ramirez, who terrorized California in the 1980s. Focusing on survivors and investigators, it aims to deglamorize his violence but often relies on dark, stylized visuals that risk sensationalizing the story.

The series follows detectives Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno as they track the killer amid police missteps and media chaos. While it highlights their pursuit and the case’s impact, it offers little insight into Ramirez himself, instead revealing society’s uneasy fascination with real-life horror and the comfort of seeing justice done.

While Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers focuses on a killer’s psyche, Night Stalker mirrors its intensity by tracing fear, trauma, and the investigators’ pursuit of justice, highlighting society’s fixation on real-life evil.

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4) Making a Murderer

Making a Murderer is a true crime documentary series (Image via Netflix)

Making a Murderer is a true crime documentary series by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos. It follows Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man wrongfully imprisoned for 18 years, later convicted of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach.

The series also covers the case of his nephew Brendan Dassey, accused as an accomplice, raising questions about police conduct and coerced confessions.

Season 2 continues with efforts by Avery’s new attorney, Kathleen Zellner, and Dassey’s legal team to overturn their convictions.

Both Making a Murderer and Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers question the justice system and how class, bias, and media scrutiny can shape public perception of guilt, innocence, and motive.

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5) I'll Be Gone in the Dark

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is an American true crime documentary series (Image via Prime Video)

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a true crime documentary series. It follows writer Michelle McNamara as she investigates and writes a book about the Golden State Killer.

The series portrays McNamara’s obsessive search for the serial rapist and murderer who terrorized California in the 1970s and ’80s. Juggling family life with late-night research in online forums, McNamara’s investigation became personal.

Like Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, this series mixes crime investigation with personal stories, showing the emotional cost of facing violence and trying to understand it.

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6) The Keepers

The Keepers investigates Sister Cathy Cesnik’s 1969 murder (Image via Netflix)

Ryan White’s Netflix documentary The Keepers began as an investigation into the 1969 murder of Baltimore nun Sister Cathy Cesnik but uncovered decades of child abuse and cover-ups involving the Catholic Church and local authorities.

Centered on survivor Jean Wehner’s testimony against priest Joseph Maskell, the series exposes how institutions silenced victims and concealed crimes.

White, whose family attended the same school, spent three years on the project. Despite criticism from the Archdiocese, The Keepers gave survivors a voice, revived interest in the unsolved murder, and pushed for renewed accountability within the Church.

Both The Keepers and Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers uncover buried trauma and institutional failure, showing how systemic silence and abuse can destroy lives long before the crimes are even committed.

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7) The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer

The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer is a true-crime docuseries (Image via Apple TV+)

The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer is a true-crime docuseries exploring the horrifying crimes of Herb Baumeister, whose Indiana estate, Fox Hollow Farms, became a burial site for his victims.

The series follows Hamilton County coroner Jeff Jellison as he reopens the case decades later, using new DNA technology to identify remains and uncover evidence that points to possible accomplices and long-hidden truths.

Like Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, this series reopens a chilling case with new evidence, as it unites forensic insight with the search for truth and closure.

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Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.

Edited by Moakala T Aier