4 True-Crime documentaries that you should binge on Netflix!

The world of True Crime is like a black hole, once you get sucked into it there's no way out. I don't know about you but a perfect night for me is a well-made true-crime docu-series that I can binge on while tucked in bed. So, I open my vault of some of my favorite True Crime documentaries that you should binge on Netflix!

4. Amanda Knox

Quick Synopsis: Directed by Rod Blackhurst and Brian McGinn, the documentary follows the trial and release of Amanda Knox, who was convicted of murdering her roommate Meredith Kercher.

My two cents: Meredith Kercher was found dead in her apartment (that she shared with Amanda Knox), she had multiple stab wounds, and was sexually assaulted. Now you would wonder how Knox got tied up in the case? that's where the documentary steps in. It gives you a point of view from both sides. The case is an apt representation of how influence can ruin someone's life, the way the media sensationalized the case really affected the trial. Focusing on a woman's sex life and judging her character based on her past relationships was more necessary than the whole case? Foxy Knoxy was an alias given to Knox by her friends in high school because of her soccer skills, but that alias was twisted into something so loathsome and something to be frowned upon. Just like Amanda said, "If I'm guilty, it means that I am the ultimate figure to fear because I'm not the obvious one. But, if I'm innocent, it means everyone is vulnerable, and that is everyone's nightmare. Either I'm a psychopath in sheep's clothing, or I am you" It's up to you to decide whether she's guilty or innocent but watch the documentary to see how sexism and biases come to play even in a murder trial.

Aftermath: Amanda and her then boyfriend Rafaelle after spending four years in an Italian prison, both were acquitted in 2015. Knox returned to her hometown in Seattle. She currently works with The Innocence Project, a non-profit organization that works with people who are wrongfully convicted.

3. The Alcàsser Murders

Quick Synopsis: El caso Alcàsser (trans: The Alcàsser Murders) is a Spanish docu-series that explores the murders that took place in 1992. Three teenage girls were kidnapped, tortured, and raped. The series follows the worldwide storm it created back then.

My two cents: Directed by Elías León, the series is a bone-chilling trip to the past. Three young girls, Miriam García Iborra, Antonia "Toñi" Gómez Rodríguez, and Desirée Hernández Folch (from Alcàsser, Valencia, Spain) on 13th November 1992 hitchhiked to a nightclub called Coolor, that was located in the suburbs of Picassent, exactly four kilometers from their hometown. The girls then were seen climbing a white sedan that was filled with men at a petrol station. That was the last time they were seen alive.

This was one of the most disturbing docu-series that I had watched last year. Director Léon connects the dots by showing the viewers old archival footage of the media chaos. With new interviews of the victim's families and their feelings on the whole case back then. Léon shows how the media benefitted from the families and aired their emotions publically to gain views. It's so unfathomable to see how the media treated this whole case, especially Nieves Herrero, a renowned Spanish Journalist who aired a live show called the Alcàsser girls, which essentially was the victim's families expressing their grief and making a spectacle out of it. The sheer insensitivity and ignorance is what's more shocking. This five-part series gives an in-depth breakdown of what took place. From their disappearance to the retrieval of the bodies. This case shook the country to its core and to this day is considered one of the most gruesome cases in the history of Spain.

The whole series begs to ask the question, what's the fine line between journalism and reality television? but all in all, it's a definite stream.

Aftermath: 75 days after, the bodies were retrieved and two men were suspected of the crime, Miguel Ricart and Antonio Anglès. Miguel Ricart went on serving or 21 years in prison, whereas Antonio Anglès disappeared after the murders and has been a fugitive ever since. Currently, He's suspected to have fled to Ireland.

2. The Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Quick Synopsis: This docu-series follows detective Gil Carrillo and Homicide Investigator Frank Salerno and their desperate chase to catch the notorious killer who was responsible for a series of murders and sexual assaults in 1985, Los Angeles.

My two cents: By now, all the true-crime fanatics know who Richard Ramirez a.k.a the Night Stalker is. The nocturnal beast who ravaged the streets of Los Angeles. The documentary again serves you with some archival footage and a first-hand account of detective Gil Carillo. Directed by Tiller Russell, the series gives you an insight into how the police handled the case during those five months when he was actively murdering and abducting victims to his ultimate arrest. To make the series more raw and riveting, Russell manages to interview

Anastasia Hronas, who was abducted and assaulted by Ramirez, gives an account of her torture and what happened.

The director makes sure to keep it to the point and not lose track. While I think Russell could've done a better job with the blaring music in the background while the people gave their interviews, this four-part series is a definite stream for true crime fans.

Aftermath: On 20th September 1989 Ramirez was convicted of all charges. Thirteen counts of murders, five attempted murders, and eleven burglaries. Ramirez later died due to complications from B-cell lymphoma in 2013, he had been on death row for more than 23 years.

1. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

Quick Synopsis: Brian Knappenberger's directorial shows the story of a boy who was brutally murdered in 2013 by his own kin and what followed is not only a trial that'll shock the world but expose the system's ignorance and injustice that lead to the ultimate death of the eight-year-old.

My two cents: This documentary is by far one of the hardest things I've watched. To see and know what all Gabriel had to go through is heartbreaking. The series opens up with a harrowing account of a medical professional who was the prime witness of Gabriel's injuries. The almost lifeless body held a story, the story of Gabriel's abuse. The documentary in detail explains the horrific abuse that took place. His own mother and stepfather abused him every single day. From feeding the boy kitty litter to putting out cigarettes on his head, this had become a daily routine for Gabriel. Despite all the injuries on his body, his mother had only one thing to say about his injuries, 'He slipped in the bathtub'. Brian makes sure to interview each and every single one who witnessed Gabriel's injuries, from a nurse who assisted him in his final moments to a security guard who saw his injuries and reported to the CPS immediately.

Knappenberger does a good job of documenting the whole trial and bringing justice to Gabriel in his own manner. What's shocking is how the system failed a child and ignored his desperate cry for help. The director made sure to show the flaws of the system. This six-part series is a heart-wrenching account of a boy who was just looking for his mother's love. One of the most emotional moments in the series was when there was a project in their class for Mother's day, despite the abuse Gabriel chose to participate and wrote in one of the blanks that he just wants to be loved by his mother. This series is a must-watch, as it is a hard-hit reality. There are still many Gabriels out there who are looking for their justice.

Aftermath: Supreme court judge George G. Lomeli sentenced Gabriel's mother, Pearl to life in prison without parole, whereas Isauro Aguirre was sentenced to death. Two social workers and two supervisors for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services were fired and charged with child abuse and falsifying public records.

Let me know what are your thoughts! Thank you so much for sparing your time! I hope you have a great week ahead! Take care, you're loved and I support you.