5 true crime documentaries like I Am Vanessa Guillén you must watch

By Lori Meek
Published: November 28, 2022 (Last updated: May 11, 2024)
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We discuss 5 true crime documentaries like I Am Vanessa Guillén you must watch. Check you these brilliant recommendations

This true crime documentary movie tells the harrowing story of Army recruit Vanesa Guillén, who went missing in 2020. After months of searching, police finally found remains, and it turned out the young woman had been murdered by a fellow soldier. After the horrific crime, Vanessa’s mother and sister have been fighting hard to ensure the U.S.

The army takes sexual harassment cases more seriously on base to avoid a tragedy like this from happening again. It’s a sobering yet heartfelt film about a family’s struggle to prevent further harm after living through the worst possible nightmare. If you’re looking for another compelling documentary film detailing a real-life criminal case, be sure to check out the recommendations below. 

5 true crime documentaries like I Am Vanessa Guillén you must watch

The Girl in the Picture (2022)

This Netflix documentary film centers on the terrifying story of Sharon Marshall, who died under mysterious circumstances in a hit and run. As the film progresses, we learn more about Sharon’s life, who turns out to be a kidnapping victim that was kept prisoner for decades. The film was directed by Skye Borgman and is based on two books by Matt Birkbeck.


Tread (2019)

Directed by Paul Solet, Tread tells the unusual story of a welder who took his disagreements with his local community too far. By too far, we mean he built himself a fortified bulldozer and wreaked serious havoc upon his small town. This title is available to watch on Netflix. 


Beware the Slenderman (2016)

The Slenderman creepypasta has been a part of internet lore since the late 2000s. However, this HBO documentary isn’t just about the faceless ghoul. But actually about the brutal murder of a child at the hands of her supposed friends, also children. Directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky, this documentary film takes a look at the impact an internet boogeyman had on the minds of children who truly believed it wanted them to commit the most heinous of acts. 


Mommy Dead and Dearest (2018)

The small community of Springfield, Louisiana, was shocked when their beloved neighbor Dee Dee Blanchard was found brutally murdered in her own home. Even more worrying was that Dee Dee’s wheelchair-bound daughter, Gypsy, was missing and everyone assumed she’d been kidnapped. In reality, not only did Gypsy have no use for that wheelchair, but she had run off with her boyfriend after she played a key part in her own mother’s demise. This HBO film explores not only the circumstances of Dee Dee’s death but also the years of medical abuse she inflicted on her own daughter. 


Our Father (2022) 

Our Father explores a truly bizarre case of one fertility doctor who used himself as a donor in the 70s and 80s. Decades later, his biological offspring started finding each other with the help of DNA testing companies. The group of siblings started digging more into their origins, as they try to make sense of their “father’s” actions. 

Do you have any other recommendations for true crime documentaries like I Am Vanessa Guillén? Let us know!

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