Netflix has once again sucked us into the wild world of true crime [1] with its latest binge-worthy docuseries, Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist [2].
Written and directed by Barbara Schroeder, this tale begins on Aug. 28, 2003, when Brian Wells, a 46-year-old pizza delivery driver, walks into a bank with a bomb strapped around his neck and delivers a note demanding $250,000. When the bank is unable to produce the full amount of funds, things quickly deteriorate [3] — so we'll avoid spoilers — but at the core of the robbery stands the mastermind Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong [4]. Her purported duplicity turns the bizarre bombing case into a perplexing story of mayhem, murder, and devotion.
The four-part series premiered this month on Netflix in the wake of other critically acclaimed true crime shows such as Making a Murderer [5], The Jinx [6], The Keepers [7], and Wild Wild Country [8]. And if you're like us, you probably can't get enough of these real-life dramas. That's why we've scoured the internet and found eight more documentaries so riveting, your jaw will drop.
Tabloid (2010)
In 1977, former Miss Wyoming Joyce McKinney allegedly kidnapped an American Mormon missionary traveling in the UK and used him as a sex slave. She insisted her actions were an attempt to rescue him from a cult. British police claimed she fled to Canada wearing a red wig and posed as part of a mime group to escape authorities.
Directed by Errol Morris, the film uses interviews with the accused as well as reactions from the press to create a captivating tale that blends fact and fiction, much like the tabloids themselves.
Watch it on Netflix. [9]
The Staircase (2004)
This docuseries tells the story of Michael Peterson, who in 2001 stood accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen. Authorities found her body at the foot of the stairs in their North Carolina home. During the trial, we learn that a family friend died in a similar manner 20 years prior, adding shades of doubt to an already dark crime.
This Summer, Netflix will air three new episodes [10] to continue this series.
Watch it on Netflix. [11]
Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017)
This documentary revolves around the death of Dee Dee Blanchard, whose daughter Gypsy became a suspect in the crime despite the young woman's severe mental deficit and physical handicap. Authorities soon discover, however, that Gypsy's medical problems were a fabrication concocted by her mother to attract community sympathy and financial support. Not only can Gypsy walk and talk, but she knows a lot more than she's letting on about her mother's suspicious death.
Watch it on HBO. [12]
Monster: The Josef Fritzl Story (2010)
Through a series of interviews, this film tells the story of Elisabeth, whose father, Josef Fritzl, locked her in the cellar of their home in August of 1984. Nearly 18 at the time, Elisabeth became the object of repeated rape and torture, eventually giving birth to seven of her father's offspring during her 24 years of confinement. Her story of survival is the one bright spot in this dastardly tale.
Buy it on Amazon [13] or watch it on YouTube [14].
Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop (2015)
This film explores the curious downfall of New York City Police Officer Gilberto Valle III, whose wife reports him to authorities when she discovers his online chatroom conversations about kidnapping, raping, and eating young women. Valle insists the comments were part of a fetish fantasy and that he never intended to act upon them.
The most interesting aspect of this film is the questions it poses regarding the jurisdiction of our legal system. Is the mere discussion of illicit intention grounds for punishment? And at what point does one's fantasy become folly?
Watch it on HBO and Amazon Prime. [15]
Without Charity (2013)
In September of 2000, 18-year-old Charity Payne helped four men plan the burglary of her ex-boyfriend's home by sharing how to bypass the security system. During the robbery, the men killed three carpenters working on the property, and the question behind the documentary becomes how much Payne's involvement influences the men's actions.
Watch it on Amazon Prime. [16]
Cropsey (2009)
Directors Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman hang the conceit of their documentary on an urban legend akin to the boogeyman, only to uncover the real-life version in Andre Rand, a Staten Island native convicted of kidnapping children. This one will stay with you for a long time.
Watch it on Amazon Prime. [17]
The Imposter (2012)
This film documents the 1997 exploits of French con man Frédéric Bourdin. As the title suggests, Bourdin impersonates Nicholas Barclay, a Texas boy who went missing in 1994 at the age of 13. Despite speaking with a French accent, being in his early 20s, and having brown eyes rather than Barclay's blue, this imposter manages to fool the Texas family into accepting him.
Even though both Bourdin and the Barclay family use hindsight to dissect their actions, their answers leave us scratching our heads over two huge questions — why would a grown man steal a teenager's identity, and who is to blame for his success?
Watch it on Amazon Prime. [18]