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Netflix’sThis Is the Zodiac Speakingspills some shocking facts about the case that continues to haunt America. The Zodiac killer was an unidentified serial killer who operated in Northern California in the ’60s. The killer mailed taunting messages to regional newspapers, with his last letter claiming that he had killed 37 victims. The new documentary focuses on the only suspect that authorities named publicly, Arthur Leigh Allen.
According to the documentary, people who knew Allen claimed that he had told them that he was the Zodiac killer. These people also revealed that Allen drugged them as children and may have even brought them along to his crimes. The documentary included interviews with David and Connie Seawater and several other former pupils who knew Allen.
Robert Graysmith, the journalist who wrote the book about the serial killer and was portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2007 filmZodiac, provided the case background for the documentary.This is the Zodiac Speakingis the latest outing from Netflix, which has come up with content on other serial killing and murder cases as well.
1Night Stalker: The Hunt For A Serial Killer
Richard Ramirez aka the Night Stalker murdered at least fourteen people during various break-ins in Greater Los Angeles. Tiller Russell and James Carroll directed a four-part true crime docu-series about the serial killer that terrorized the country in 1984-85. Netflix’s documentary consisted of interviews with survivors & police officers and news footage from those times.
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Detective Gil Carrillo and his partner Frank Salerno lead the narration into the tale of the serial killer. As the documentary progresses, viewers get an inside look into the investigation and the victims of the Night Stalker. Richard Ramirez is revealed as the Night Stalker in the third episode of the series, with the final episode showing a picture of him eventually.
Interestingly,Night Stalker: A Hunt For A Serial Killerdid not include much about who the killer actually was. In real life, Ramirez had a troubled childhood which could be attributed to his violent behavior. Ramirez allegedly learned military skills from an older cousin, who was a Vietnam War veteran, and would later employ them in his killings.
The documentary was a chilling portrayal of the dark times despite sensationalizing things for the viewers. It has a 71% Tomatometer score onRotten Tomatoes.
2Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes
Michael Harte helmed this British documentary film on the Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Unlike other serial killer documentaries,The Nilsen Tapes, as the name suggests, reveals first-hand details of the murder from the killer himself through audiotapes recorded from his jail cell. In the ’70s and ’80s, Nilsen confessed to killing 15 young men and boys.
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The serial killer was arrested in 1983 and named eight of his victims. Seven of his victims remain unidentified. Nilsen was in the Army for eleven years. For a period of five years that began in 1978, Nilsen lured young boys into his home and strangled them. He then disposed of their bodies under the floorboards of his home.
Nilsen’s arrest happened after human remains were discovered in the drains at his home in North London. He was convicted on six counts of murder and was sentenced to life in prison. The serial killer died in prison at the age of 72 in 2018.
3The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness
Director Joshua Zeman met journalist Maury Terry during the filming of his 2009 documentary Cropsey. Terry is popularly known for his research into the Son of Sam killings in New York City. David Berkowitz was found guilty of shooting 13 people and killing six between 1976 and 1977. Zeman and Terry discussed the case at length before the latter’s death in 2015.
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The Netflix docuseries,The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness, explores the case through the lens of Terry who was convinced that Berkowitz did not act alone in the murders. Terry insisted that Berkowitz belonged to the satanic cult known as The Children, which he detailed in his 1987 bookThe Ultimate Evil.
According to the documentary, Terry suspicion’s were based on some of the inconsistencies in the case. Terry alleged that the police sketches of the murderer from eyewitnesses showed no resemblance to Berkowitz. The serial killer himself claimed later that he did not commit all of the members and even claimed that he was a member of a cult.
Director Zeman portrayed Maury Terry as the“last victim”of the Son of Sam killings, as the journalist’s obsession with the case ate away his life (via New York Post). Zeman even brought in Oscar-nominated actorPaul Giamattito provide the voice for Terry in the four-part docuseries.
4Breaking the Silence: The Maria Soledad Case
The Maria Soledad Casetook its place on the list for the sheer notoriety of the crime and for being one of the first femicides that sparked wide outrage. In Argentina’s Catamarca province, 17-year-old Maria Soledad was subjected to brutal violence at the hands of several men before being murdered. It was also crucial in exposing the corruption of higher officials in the state.
Soledad was attending a party on August 14, 2025, when she was kidnapped by her boyfriend Luis Tula, and handed over to a group of men. This group included Guillermo Luque who was the son of a powerful politician. Soledad’s body was found three days later and there was clear evidence of violence against her.
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The authorities determined the cause of death as cardiac arrest due to a forced cocaine overdose. There were attempts to deviate the case from the actual culprits, however, Tula and Luque were soon identified. It was believed that several prominent men were with Luque but only he was put to trial, suggesting a massive cover-up.
According to the documentary, no investigation took place for two months after the brutal killing. The case gained significant media attention when Soledad’s teacher Sister Pelloni and friends took to the streets in silent marches, seeking justice for the young girl. The first trial took place in 1996, six years after the murder.
It was declared a mistrial due to the biased actions of Judge Juan Carlos Sampayo. A new trial in 1997 found Luque solely responsible for the murder and sentenced him to 27 years in prison. Tula was jailed for nine years for aiding in the murder. Luque got out in 2010 with a reduced sentence for good behavior.
Tula trained to become a lawyer in jail. His name came up in the news again when his ex-wife accused him of domestic abuse. She was granted a restraining order against Tula. Soledad’s murder and the subsequent trial resulted in more stringent rules in Argentina against femicide. The documentary was helmed by Lorena Muñoz and involved interviews with her close ones.
5Conversations With A Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes
Fans are familiar with Netflix’sMonstersseries based on the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, played byEvan Petersin the series. Around the same time, Netflix also released its third installment in theConversations with a Killerseries, titledThe Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes. Dahmer’s crimes involveddismembering and cannibalizing17 men and boys in Wisconsin between 1978 and 1991.
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The documentary is told through archival audio footage recorded between Dahmer and his defense team. The three-part series follows Dahmer’s crimes, his arrest, and his conviction on multiple murder charges. The docuseries included interviews with people who knew Dahmer and several of the victims.
One of the prominent questions raised in the series was how Dahmer managed to keep his killings a secret for many years. All the fingers point toward the failure of law enforcement. Michael Ross, who knew Dahmer and some of the victims, was in the bars where the killer picked his victims. He shared in the series that no police officer came to question him during the murder spree.
Konerak Sinthasomphone, one of Dahmer’s victims, managed to escape from him but was sent back with Dahmer after the police arrived at the scene. Dahmer’s neighbors Vernell and Pamela Bass appeared in the documentary, sharing that they tried to find out the truth about a“horrible smell”coming from Dahmer’s freezer.
Dahmer’s defense went for the insanity plea in court which did not convince the jury, who found him responsible for his actions.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3017
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
