Unsolved Mysteries and Chilling Tales: A Fresh Look at True Crime in 2025

Incomplete and Unfulfilled

Tylenol Murders

• Randomness: Horrifying cyanide poisonings
• Focus: Lacked depth in theories involving Johnson & Johnson
• Conclusion: Unsolved case left the documentary feeling incomplete

House of Horrors

• Location: Gloucester, England
• Criminals: Fred and Rose West
• Shortcomings: Didn't delve into backgrounds or grooming of Rose
• Victims: Deserved more attention but only scratched the surface

Family Secrets

• Premise: A woman's quest to uncover truth about her family's involvement in her baby brother's death
• Issue: Stretched the story too thin, trying to fill episodes rather than telling a concise story

Privacy and Power

Philadelphia High School

• Year: 2010
• Incident: Student accused of selling drugs based on a photo taken on a school-issued laptop
• Revelation: School took over 50,000 photos of students in their homes without their knowledge
• Impact: Highlighted invasion of privacy, even 15 years ago

Unique Perspectives

Aileen Wuornos

• Story: Told powerfully through her own words
• Interviews: Raw and stirring reflection on her life and regrets
• Unique: Provided a perspective many other documentaries lack

Kerri Rawson

• Background: Daughter of the BTK Killer
• Focus: Her experience growing up with a father who was a serial killer
• Impact: Showed the ripple effects of his crimes and the lasting impact on his family

Unresolved and Frustrating

Ellen Greenberg

• Death: Ruled a suicide, but parents and viewers suspected foul play
• Documentary: Presented a compelling case for foul play
• Outcome: Ruling was upheld, frustrating those hoping for justice

Florida Hunting Incident

• Story: Man went missing while hunting
• Wife: Quickly sought his life insurance and moved on with his best friend
• Investigation: Best friend's wife led an investigation into the husband's suspicious death
• Ending: Twisted tale with a rare happy ending in the true-crime world

Heartbreaking and Gripping

Gabby Petito

• Tragedy: Murdered by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie
• Documentary: Showed escalating tension in their relationship
• Impact: Heartbreaking look at a relationship gone wrong

Amy Bradley

• Disappearance: On a cruise ship in 1998
• Documentary: Presented various theories but left viewers questioning what really happened

New Evidence and Chilling Tales

Austin Teenage Murders

• Year: 1991
• Victims: Four teenage girls
• Documentary: Compelling but new DNA evidence linked the case to a deceased serial killer just weeks after its release

David Sconce

• Background: Mortician in the 1980s
• Stories: Shared chilling tales about his time in the industry
• Impact: Callousness and lack of remorse left viewers terrified

Dark Side of Fame and Justice

Ruby Franke

• Story: Cautionary tale about the dangers of influencer culture
• Contrast: Projected a perfect life online but inflicted abuse on her own children
• Impact: Disturbing look at the dark side of fame

Idaho College Murders

• Accused: Bryan Kohberger
• Turn: Took a plea deal
• Documentary: Provided an intimate look at the victims' families and the impact of the case on their lives

Systemic Failures and Bullying

Alabama Prisoners

• Documentary: Highlighted cruelty inflicted on prisoners
• Call to Action: Need for empathy and understanding, even for those who have committed heinous crimes

Teenage Couple

• Story: Bullied through anonymous text messages
• Documentary: Well-crafted cautionary tale about the pain inflicted by those closest to us
• Impact: Shocking and sickening look at the lasting scars of bullying

Florida Neighborhood

• Incident: White woman repeatedly called the police for nonsensical threats
• Documentary: Showed increasing tension and ultimately tragic outcome
• Indictment: Searing indictment of systemic failures in the justice system

Ongoing Search for Justice

Gilgo Beach Murders

• Investigator: Liz Garbus spent nearly a decade investigating
• Focus: Centered on the victims and their families
• Community: Highlighted the community built on shared pain
• Impact: Disheartening but important look at the lives lost and the ongoing search for justice