Mashable ME true-crime

From TikTok to witness list: How much can social media influence the Lindsay Clancy trial?

Olivia Tauber — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 23:24:14 +0000

TikTok users are conducting a parallel investigation of the Clancy case — and some of their commentary is reaching the courtroom.

True-crime fandom no longer wants to watch from the sidelines; it increasingly wants in on the case.

Consider the recent lineup: TikTok helped pull the Menendez brothers back into the national conversation decades after their convictions. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation …

Did AI play a role in a grisly double murder?

Neal Broverman — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 01:06:30 +0000

Massachusetts prosecutors allege that a 17-year-old used ChatGPT to create scenarios about family violence that he acted on.

Officials in Acton, Massachusetts, say a teenager charged with killing two members of his family was using generative AI chatbot ChatGPT to explore violent scenarios prior to the murders.

Arjun Aravind, 17, is accused of killing his 45-year-old mother, Sudha Venkatesan, and 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, this week. …

Inside the eBay harassment campaign that led to a $55.7 million settlement

Olivia Tauber — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:54:56 +0000

Former eBay employees sent two journalists live insects, threats, and disturbing packages in an effort to influence their coverage.

Critical coverage usually draws an angry email or two. For Ina and David Steiner, it led to live cockroaches, a fetal pig, and a bloody Halloween mask.

On Monday, July 27, eBay and several former executives agreed to pay $55.7 million to resolve the couple's …

Netflix just dropped its wildest true crime doc in years

Kristy Puchko — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 22:00:00 +0000

An Anaheim love triangle is way more twisted that you could predict.

Netflix has been on a streak lately, releasing outrageous true crime documentaries that are stranger than fiction. There's been The Perfect Neighbor, a grim recounting of a manipulative murder told through police bodycam footage; Maternal Instinct, in which a con woman faked a pregnancy, before going to fatal …

Is ‘Roofman’ based on a true story? Inside the real crimes that inspired Channing Tatum’s wild new movie

Mamta Raut — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:43:46 +0000

Truth really is stranger than fiction.

Cybercrime exhibit at Vegas Mob Museum tracks real-time attacks

Neal Broverman — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 22:45:06 +0000

"Digital Underworld" features decades-old hacking tools, along with a live cyberthreat map.

The newest exhibit at Las Vegas's Mob Museum may not contain flashy items like Bugsy Siegel's sunglasses or the bloody wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but it's still a riveting look at modern organized crime.

"Digital Underground," which opened this week, highlights the scourge of cybercrime. …

'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' and 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' are true crime polar opposites

Belen Edwards — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Which serial killer show comes out on top?

Every time a TV show dramatizes a grisly true crime story, it faces a dilemma. Is it possible to retell a tragedy without exploiting the victims and their families? Not only that, but can you recreate these deaths without sensationalizing, or even glorifying, the killer responsible?

These questions have …

‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’ ending explained and the horrific true story of the serial killer —separating facts from fiction

Mamta Raut — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 06:52:07 +0000

Yes, he wore their skin — literally.

Who was Ed Gein? The new Netflix 'Monster' was the inspiration for 'Psycho' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

Chance Townsend — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 18:38:36 +0000

The new season of 'Monster' reimagines Ed Gein’s horrific legacy. Here’s what the show gets right, what it doesn’t.

The third season of Netflix’s true crime anthology Monster dives into the life and crimes of serial killer and grave robber Ed Gein. The Wisconsin-born farmer gained national infamy in 1957 after police, investigating the disappearance of local store owner Bernice Worden, discovered her body — and …

Deepfake voice scams are more sophisticated than ever: How to keep your family safe

Neal Broverman — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

AI-created voices are eerily similar to the real thing — and they're effectively stealing money and identities.

Earlier this month, Florida mom Sharon Brightwell received a panicked call from her daughter, who said she was involved in a car crash that injured a pregnant woman. But it wasn’t Brightwell’s daughter, April, on the other end of the line; it was a cloned voice of …

'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' trailer teases true crime series about 'Killer Clown'

Mashable ME — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:33:49 +0000

Michael Chernus ("Severance") plays Gacy.

Netflix announces Fred and Rosemary West true crime documentary with chilling trailer

Mashable ME — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:20:25 +0000

A three-part series about the British serial killer couple is coming.

JonBenét Ramsey: What happened and why Netflix is releasing another doc about her

Chance Townsend — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Reexamining one of America's most-infamous cold cases.

Netflix’s true crime industrial complex is showing no signs of slowing, this time setting its sights on one of America’s most haunting mysteries: the murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey.

With Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey set to drop on November 25, here's everything you need to …

'Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 5' trailer promises to finally tackle the big one

Mashable ME — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:42:43 +0000

Here we go.

Netflix is making a 'Sweet Bobby' documentary

Shannon Connellan — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:02:17 +0000

The true crime podcast about Kirat Assi's story is coming to the streaming service.

In 2022, journalist Alexi Mostrous investigated the story of Kirat Assi, a 29-year-old London radio broadcaster who was romantically catfished for eight years in one of the most complex cases of false identity you'll ever hear. Tortoise Media's resulting true crime podcast Sweet Bobby …

‘What Jennifer Did’: Netflix documentary maker rejects AI allegations, says ‘photos are real’

Sujita Sinha — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:21:09 +0000

The executive producer of the Netflix crime documentary has responded strongly to the accusations.

Before 'The Jinx: Part 2,' here's what to remember about Robert Durst

Chanel Dubofsky — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 22:00:00 +0000

A must-read before Chapter 7 hits Max.

With The Jinx: Part Two coming to Max, you might be scratching your brain trying to recall all the relevant details unfurled in the groundbreaking true crime series' first half. So let's look back.

On February 8, 2015, HBO released Andrew Jarecki's six-part documentary series entitled …

Netflix's true crime documentary 'What Jennifer Did' faces allegations of AI image editing

Sujita Sinha — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:37:30 +0000

The documentary delves into the case of Jennifer Pan.

'The Jinx: Part 2': The reckoning true crime needs?

Kristy Puchko — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Robert Durst goes on trial, and we see behind the scenes.

Watching The Jinx: Part 2 demands its audience look back — not just on the crimes of its subject, real estate tycoon turned notorious killer Robert Durst, but also on where we were when the first part aired on HBO. In February of 2015, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki had audiences at …

'May December' versus 'All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story'

Jason Adams — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Todd Haynes undoes the tangled knots of the tabloid noose.

Remember when there were three TV movies about Amy Fisher, all airing within a week of each other on major networks in 1993? It was one hell of a time to be alive, what with the tabloid papers, "investigative" series like Hard Copy, and deliciously cheesy televised …

Todd Haynes tells us how Mary Kay Letourneau influenced 'May December'

Barry Levitt — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Plus, how Julianne Moore developed the character of Gracie.

Watching May December on Netflix, you may notice an eerie similarity between Todd Haynes's latest and the real-life story of Mary Kay Letourneau, a teacher who was convicted in 1997 of raping her underage student — and years later, went on to marry him. Yet, that tabloid …

'Loki' Season 2 explainer: H.H. Holmes and The Chicago World's Fair

Chanel Dubofsky — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 02:00:00 +0000

Who was H.H. Holmes, and what's the deal with his "murder castle"?

Who'd have thought America's first serial killer would become part of MCU canon? Incredibly, in its time-hopping, Loki Season 2 touches down during 1893's iconic Chicago World's Fair, which was a hunting ground for H.H. Holmes. The titular anti-hero (Tom Hiddleston)'s Gal Friday, Mobius …

Meet the real pirate queens behind 'Our Flag Means Death' hijinks

Chanel Dubofsky — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The truth behind Season 2's fascinating female pirates.

The second season of Our Flag Means Death has arrived, not only reuniting the crew of the Revenge, but also bringing some new pirates into their fleet. With Season 1, series creator David Jenkins lovingly revived characters from history (i.e.

'The Woman In the Wall' blends horror and crime caper to tell a shameful part of Irish history

Shannon Connellan — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 11:48:05 +0000

Ireland's Magdalene Laundries sit at the heart of this Ruth Wilson-led series.

What do you know about the Magdalene Laundries? If you grew up in Ireland, or perhaps the UK, you’ve probably heard about this dark part of Irish history. But if you’ve been living elsewhere, chances are you might not have, despite how recently it happened. A criminally underrepresented part of …

'Telemarketers' review: A scam you need to see to believe

Belen Edwards — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

If you thought telemarketers were bad now, just wait until you've watched this true crime docuseries.

If you've ever been called by a pushy telemarketer, chances are you're frothing at the mouth to see these scammy nuisances get their comeuppance. That's the initial promise of HBO's docuseries Telemarketers, which dives into the madcap world of telemarketing firm Civic Development Group (CDG).

However, what starts as a look …

HBO's 'Last Call' is true crime done right

Belen Edwards — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 10:07:38 +0000

Anthony Caronna's docuseries focuses on activism and victims' stories — with powerful results.

Between questions of ethics and criticisms of lurid dramatizations, the true crime genre has become as much a moral minefield as it is a source of entertainment for many. After all, behind every seemingly juicy murder case are grieving family members …

The Last Call Killer: Everything you need to know

Chanel Dubofsky — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 03:00:00 +0000

The HBO doc series "Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York" reveals a serial killer story that's horrid but important.

True crime can be a tricky genre, full of rubbernecking over human tragedy. However, HBO’s new documentary series, Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York, has been earning praise from critics for its sophisticated and empathetic approach to its dark material. The focus of the series is …

'The Crowded Room' is based on a disturbing true story

Chanel Dubofsky — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Tom Holland dips into true crime.

With episode 7, The Crowded Room finally reveals the big twist that's crucial to the core of understanding the drama series and its brooding protagonist, Danny Sullivan. Danny (Tom Holland) was arrested for a 1979 shooting in New York City, and he's been unfurling his mysterious backstory …

The 23 best true crime documentaries on Max

Alison Foreman — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 17:47:39 +0000

"Beware The Slenderman," "The Jinx," "Mind over Murder," and more.

Can't get enough of true-crime tales? With HBO Max and Discovery+ combining, Max has you covered with a wealth of documentaries that explore curious cases, horrendous homicides, outrageous criminals, and much, much more.

With so many options, how do you know which true crime doc is …

The best podcasts of 2023 so far

Chanel Dubofsky — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 18:04:10 +0000

We listened up. Now listen to our recs.

Somehow, we've reached the halfway point of 2023. If you're looking for some fuel to power you through your commute, to take with you on the road, or to listen to while taking care of daily tasks, there's truly excellent podcast content to choose from.

Each episode of …

The shocking true story behind 'Love and Death' is stranger than fiction

Chanel Dubofsky — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Was a devout Texas housewife a cold-blooded killer?

The story of a prim Texas housewife who hacked her good friend to death with an ax sounds like a salacious neighborhood rumor or an urban legend, but Candy Montgomery's 1980 murder of Betty Gore was all too real. And, as it happens, it's true crime catnip that's been adapted …

From ‘The Chaser’ to ‘Phantom Detective’; Korean movies like ‘Unlocked’ you shouldn't miss

Mashable Me — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 11:42:41 +0000

Netflix's 'American Murder: The Family Next Door' forces viewers to question their false perceptions

Brooke Bajgrowicz — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Netflix's American Murder: The Family Next Door is not a whodunit.

Netflix drops 'Unsolved Mysteries' evidence on Reddit to help internet sleuths solve cases

Jess Joho — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 19:38:42 +0000

The post dropped an entire Google Drive of evidence organized by each episode's case, containing not only the evidence that aired but also new speculation that didn't make the cut.

Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries' documentary reboot wants you to crack the case

Brooke Bajgrowicz — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Way back in 1988, NBC began airing Unsolved Mysteries, a weekly TV series that examined the strange events behind cold cases and paranormal activity.

'Atlanta's Missing and Murdered' shows how little America cares about Black kids' lives

Jess Joho — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 20:24:52 +0000

Cries for justice — for American power systems to make even the most basic concession that Black lives matter — are not in any way new.

The 15 best new true crime podcasts

Jess Joho — Wed, 13 May 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Here's the thing about being a true crime junkie: Despite the endless sea of new podcasts being released on a weekly and monthly basis, it's never enough.

Netflix's 'Trial by Media' nails true crime — but can't crack the case

Alison Foreman — Mon, 11 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Trial By Media, the six-part series available Monday on Netflix, asks an important question: How does the court of public opinion influence our judicial system and its verdicts?

Netflix’s chilling ‘The Confession Killer’ trailer digs into the truth of Henry Lee Lucas

Tricia Crimmins — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:12:30 +0000

For its latest true-crime docuseries, The Confession Killer, Netflix is tackling the case of Henry Lee Lucas, a serial killer who confessed to the murder of hundreds of people.

Netflix's true-crime docu-series 'The Devil Next Door' could be your next obsession

Tricia Crimmins — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 15:06:55 +0000

The Devil Next Door will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix on November 4.