True Crime Documentaries
The Man Who Took Shannon Matthews
In 2008, nine-year-old Shannon Matthews went missing. 24 days later she was found safe and well at the house of Michael Donovan. The kidnapping, which provoked a nationwide search, had been a scam. With exclusive access to family members, neighbors and professionals who knew Donovan, this true crime documentary tells the untold story of the man behind the kidnap and why he committed the crime.
Murdered: The Baby on the Beach
In April 1984, a five-day-old boy’s body was found on a lonely Irish beach. This led to a chain of events that saw an innocent woman attacked and would bring shame on the Irish state and the police. This engrossing true-crime documentary explores this awful event, which shone an uncomfortable spotlight on the treatment of vulnerable women in Irish society and changed Ireland forever.
Taken: Putin’s Stolen Children
It’s every parent’s worst fear. The nightmare of a child being taken. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been kidnapped by Russia and their families are desperate to get them back. This true crime documentary, part detective story, part thriller, sees investigators trying to piece together what has happened and who is responsible. It’s a case that leads to the very top of the Russian state.
Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley
Historian Lucy Worsley and her all-female team of detectives are once again turning their attention to women who kill. They examine how they did it, but more importantly, why they did it. New cases include a female who rivaled Jack the Ripper in brutality, an 1830s body snatcher and the tragic tale of an abused wife that inspired the classic English novel Tess of the d’Ubervilles.
The Queen and Her Lover
In 1567, Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary Queen of Scots, was murdered when his lodgings were blown up. Historians have since debated whether Mary was involved. This intriguing true crime documentary investigates the facts of the case and tries to ascertain if there’s any evidence to suggest the Queen of Scotland, or her lover, were behind the killing or if other shadowy figures were involved.