Halloween is normally a time for supernatural creatures, ghosts and witches. But if you're a true crime fanatic, you can as well spend Halloween 2025 watching docuseries about actual monsters.
There are many great docuseries out there, delving into killers you know or may not have heard of. How do you choose the one to watch at Halloween? Here are five true crime docuseries perfect for a night of unsettling binge-watching.
1. This is the Zodiac Speaking (2024)
There's something particularly intriguing about unsolved cases. And the Zodiac Killer, as he has been dubbed, is one of America's most notorious mysteries to date. Zodiac made at least five known victims in the San Francisco Bay Area between December 1968 and October 1969. Although the killer, in his last letter to the press, claimed as many as 37 victims.
The title of the docuseries is a nod to the way the killer started some of his letters. It follows the Seawater family, particularly David and Connie Seawater, who believe their father figure, Arthur Leigh Allen, might have been the Zodiac Killer, and they back their claim with evidence. They used to take trips with Allen, who was their teacher in the 1960s.
This is the Zodiac Speaking also includes the background of the investigation of journalist Robert Graysmith, who wrote the book Zodiac back in 1986. Was Allen truly the killer? Although a suspect at the time, police never reached a conclusion. Stream the docuseries on Netflix to learn more about the case.
2. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)
This docuseries follows the case of Richard Ramirez, the serial killer, sex offender and burglar who terrorized the Greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area from April 1984 to August 1985. He was dubbed by the media the Night Stalker, as most of his crimes occurred after dark.
The documentary details the investigation, the role of the press, and the extensive public manhunt that ultimately led to Ramirez's arrest. He was sentenced to death in 1989. The docuseries also accounts for his years on death row and death from cancer in 2013.
Hear how the Night Stalker affected the lives of the two lead investigators, as well as from some of his rape victims, by streaming the show now on Netflix.
3. Conversations with a Killer series (2019 - 2025)
Between 2019 and now, Joe Berlinger has created four docuseries titled Conversations with a Killer, each following a different notorious serial killer. What makes this true-crime documentary series stand out is the opportunity, if it can be called that, to hear straight from the mouths of these killers.
Here's a look at each:
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
This is one of the best Ted Bundy documentaries out there, following Bundy's life and crimes between 1974 and 1978 across five states. All this is done in an attempt to understand his psychopathic mind. The focus is on the death row interviews between Bundy and journalist Stephen Michaud in 1980.
But the show also lets us hear from investigators, Bundy's family and former friends, as well as surviving victims. It's not only about Bundy's twisted mind, but also the resilience of the people who survived him. Stream the docuseries on Netflix.
Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes (2022)
If the saying "wolf in sheep's clothing" fits anyone, it's got to be John Wayne Gacy. This notorious serial killer and sex offender terrorized Norwood Park Township, Illinois, between 1972 and 1978.
He would prey on young men and boys, dressing as a clown to lure them. He soon became known as the "Killer Clown" as a result. He has 33 known victims, but there might be many more. True to the series format, this documentary gives us never-before-heard recordings made during Gacy's incarceration.
Hear from Gacy himself, investigators, and surviving rape victims by streaming the docuseries on Netflix.
Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (2022)
From dark to darker, the third installment of Conversations with a Killer focuses on Jeffrey Dahmer, serial killer, sex offender and cannibal who made at least 17 victims between 1978 and 1991. The documentary follows his murder spree and madness closely, through the audio tapes recorded between Dahmer and his defense team.
The documentary also includes accounts from Dahmer's neighbors and victims' friends, as well as investigators and Dahmer's lawyers. Hear the full story on Netflix.
Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (2025)
The fourth installment of the series came out earlier in 2025 and focused on the serial killer known as the Son of Sam. His real name is David Berkowitz, a former soldier who committed a series of shootings between 1975 and 1977 in New York City.
His "pen name" comes straight from him - it was how he signed the letters he would leave at the crime scenes. This documentary accounts for Berkowitz's past and murders, being based on interviews the killer had with reporter Jack Jones in 1980.
The docuseries also features investigators, journalists and survivors who had only been wounded in his shooting sprees. Stream it on Netflix to get the full picture.
4. CHAOS: The Manson Murders (2025)
This is another fresh docuseries that came out in March this year, following the notorious case of Charles Manson, the serial killer who never laid hands on a victim. He was the leader of the cult called the Manson Family. He was a master manipulator, making his cult members commit at least nine murders in July and August 1969 in California.
He was convicted of both first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder the cases of seven victims, one of whom was film actress Sharon Tate. The case was extremely mediatized and still holds fascination today. The documentary is based on the book CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, and explores not just the murders but mind control, CIA experiments, and other potential cover-ups.
See archival footage, interviews, and even hear some of Manson's music in this docuseries, streaming on Netflix.
5. The Ripper (2020)
No, The Ripper is not about the notorious cold case of Jack the Ripper, although we'd all love to have that mystery figured out. This documentary centers on the UK serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper by the press. He murdered at least 13 women and attempted to kill seven more between 1975 and 1980.
The documentary revisits the crimes and investigation, including interviews with the investigators at the time, as well as journalists involved in the case, surviving victims and the families of those who died. Stream the series on Netflix to find out more.
If jump scares aren’t your thing, these true crime docuseries deliver something even more unsettling: the truth. Each one takes off the mask of human darkness, reminding us that real terror doesn’t need special effects. This Halloween 2025, trade ghosts for cold cases and spend the night in the company of Netflix’s most infamous killers.
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