The 10 Creepiest True Crime Series Streaming on Max
Max (formerly HBO Max) has become a streaming destination for true crime connoisseurs over the last few years. Sure, they’ve always had wild documentaries like There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane and Mommy Dead and Dearest. However, over the last decade, they’ve slowly acquired some of the most unsettling docuseries that keep the internet up at night. So, we thought it was time to collect 10 of the creepiest true crime series on the streamer. Check out our list below.
Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (2020)
Over 40 years ago, 30 African American children and teens were abducted and murdered. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms re-opens the case, and this docuseries sheds new light on the chilling story. This five-episode series digs into the unanswered questions and the other suspects that should have been investigated. This title is definitely one of the saddest and most haunting currently on Max.
Behind Closed Doors (2019)
This two-part documentary investigates the double murder of a 13-year-old and her family’s servant in India. As usual, the authorities failed. They also convicted the girl’s parents without nearly enough evidence to substantiate their arrest. It took them years to get their verdict overturned, and the case remains unsolved today. This story is upsetting for a myriad of reasons. However, a child being killed in their own home and no one knowing what happened is beyond disturbing.
House Of Hammer (2022)
Armie Hammer was an actor on the rise from a seemingly perfect family, at least until people scratched the surface. This three-part series walks you through the years of deceit, scandals, and abuse that are just the beginning of the family’s dark legacy. Because so many industry monsters hide in broad daylight, these kinds of stories are always creepy. Especially when you start to unpack how many people helped them cover up their crimes and how many people were harmed in the process.
I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (2020)
This six-part docuseries explores the Golden State Killer, a serial rapist and murderer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 80s. This series is inspired by Michelle McNamara’s book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. The book was released posthumously, and the documentary honors the late author by delving into her obsessive need for justice on behalf of the victims.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015 – 2024)
The unusual Robert Durst was the key suspect for the disappearance of his wife in 1982 and a couple of murders. When a movie about the case was produced, All Good Things, Durst developed a relationship with the filmmaker, Andrew Jarecki. That unusual connection led to two seasons of one of the creepiest and most bizarre true crime series to hit the internet. If nothing else, please watch the season one finale, which led to a very wild confessional. The second season covers everything after his arrest and includes new interviews and calls from Durst himself.
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023)
This series chronicles how police biases and a broken justice system aided a serial killer who prayed upon gay men in 1990s New York City. The killer wasn’t caught until 2001…ACAB forever. This harrowing four-part doc is based on Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green. The award-winning book set out to put a face to the victims, as opposed to the media’s usual focus on the killer. This Max true crime documentary also reminds us how important activism is when it comes to getting any form of justice in this country.
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God (2023)
The scope of Amy Carlson’s cult, Love Has Won, was so big that it had to be broken into a three-part Max series. Cults are inherently creepy, but this new-age religion allowed a former McDonald’s manager to convince people that she was divine, and the creator of the universe. I wish I could say that’s as weird as this one gets, but that’s only the beginning. The group seemingly latched onto any conspiracy theory they could get their hands on and was, of course, outed for abusing members.
Mind Over Murder (2022)
Six people are tried and convicted for the 1985 assault and murder of an elderly Nebraska woman. Although five of them confessed to the crime, they were all exonerated in 2009 due to DNA evidence. It turns out the police psychologist, Wayne Price, convinced them they had repressed memories of the crime to help sway them to confess to a crime they didn’t commit. This is another case where authorities were more interested in putting innocent people in prison than following the evidence. This Max docuseries is an infuriating and upsetting six-part journey.
Murder on Middle Beach (2020)
A first-time filmmaker sets out to solve his mother’s murder near her home in 2010. Because this is America, many of us are left with unanswered questions regarding murdered loved ones. Again, this country has a broken justice system that doesn’t care about victims or their families. However, I can’t imagine having to investigate a loved one’s murder while still dealing with that grief. I also cannot imagine doing it on camera for a documentary to help get people to care. This is sadly one of the few ways to force the police to do their jobs now. This Max docuseries is the culmination of eight years of family interviews, untangling secrets, and fighting for access to case files the authorities refused to hand over.
The Murders at Starved Rock (2021)
Three women were murdered in a state park in 1960. The person who was convicted for the crime sets out to clear his name after serving 60 years in prison. All murders are disturbing, but knowing that the person who committed this crime walked free the whole time is a new level of unsettling. It’s also always chilling to know how many innocent people are shoved into prisons and lose decades of their lives. This is another Max docuseries that proves nothing is scarier than the American justice system.
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