Fitness
The 7 Scariest Documentaries To Watch On Halloween
Grab the popcorn and lock your doors!
Cut It Out Design Studio (Getty Images, 4)
Most people enjoy a good jump-scare movie on Halloween — hello “Insidious,” “The Ring,” and “The Conjuring.” But nothing is quite as frightening as a documentary about real-life murders, paranormal encounters, and deeply disturbed individuals. The fact that these people do — and did — exist is unsettling.
This year’s creepy documentaries have something for everyone, from serial killers and extraterrestrials to bizarre kidnappings, mysterious disappearances, poltergeists, and toxic love stories.
If you’re brave enough to binge these scary 2026 documentaries on Halloween, grab some popcorn, turn down the lights, and make sure your doors are locked!
“Maternal Instinct” (Netflix)
This dark true-crime documentary tells the chilling story of Taylor Parker, a woman from Texas who faked a pregnancy and then murdered her pregnant friend Reagan Hancock to steal her unborn baby. Parker was four months into her relationship with Wade Griffin when she announced her pregnancy online. She soon met Reagan and became part of her life. As Taylor’s supposed due date got closer, people started to suspect her pregnancy wasn’t real. In October, the two women met for a girls’ day out, and Reagan was never heard from again. When her body was found, Reagan had suffered 15 stab wounds and 98 cuts, and her unborn child had been taken from her, all while her three-year-old was still in the house. The baby Parker tried to claim as her own did not survive, and she was later convicted of capital murder. Taylor is now the youngest woman on death row in Texas.
“Unknown Serial Killers of America” (Oxygen)
“Unknown Serial Killers” first aired in 2025, and season 2 was released in August. The series explores different serial killer cases, exposing some of the lesser-known murders and the killers behind them. These heinous crimes have shocked communities all across America. Each episode features police reports, survivors’ stories, and the pain of families who lost loved ones. Viewer beware: this gruesome series about predatory killers is not for the faint-hearted.
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“The Investigation of Lucy Letby” (Netflix)
Investigators reexamine the disturbing case of Lucy Letby, a neonatal nurse in the UK who was convicted of murdering seven infants and trying to kill seven more. Authorities grew suspicious in 2015 when the number of deaths in the hospital’s NICU increased, and each death happened during Letby’s shifts. After accusations of causing air embolisms and giving harmful overdoses at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Letby was found guilty in 2023 and sentenced to life in prison. While her motive was never fully clear, prosecutors believe she targeted the most vulnerable patients out of boredom and a desire to play God.
“Paranormal Expedition” (Prime Video, Tubi)
A team of ghost hunters investigates a century-old, haunted mansion in South Carolina where a string of unexplained tragedies occurred — many of which were tied to supernatural folklore related to the property. This documentary film has all the high creep factors — spectral apparitions, cold spots, unexplained noises, and disembodied voices associated with the dark history of the mansion. Don’t watch this show on Halloween if you’re home alone!
“The Murder of Rachel Nickell” (Netflix)
In 1992, a 23-year-old British mother was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in public at London’s Wimbledon Common, right in front of her toddler son, who was the only witness. Bystanders found the boy holding onto his mother’s body, begging her to wake up. The documentary looks at the long and flawed police investigation, including the controversial arrest of Colin Stagg, who was later found innocent. The case went cold until 2006 when investigators identified Robert Napper, a man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and Asperger’s syndrome, as the killer (he was also accused of the Bisset murders in 1995). Napper is now held under indefinite detention at Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire, England.
“The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story” (HBO Max)
This three-part documentary tells the story of Andrea Yates, a Texas mother accused of drowning her five children, ages six months to seven years, in the family bathtub in 2001. The series reviews court records and Andrea’s medical history, including severe postpartum psychosis and schizophrenia. Yates became involved with preacher Michael Woroniecki, whose cult-like teachings encouraged fear and isolation. After confessing, Andrea explained that she believed she was evil and needed to save her children from eternal damnation. She thought killing them while they were still young and innocent would guarantee their salvation in heaven. Yates was first convicted and sentenced to life in prison, but in 2006, she was retried and found not guilty by reason of insanity. She was then sent to a low-security state psychiatric hospital in Texas.
“Skywatch” (Prime Video)
“Skywatch” is a UFO and mystery documentary that investigates unexplained events. A research team visits the remote and dangerous Bradshaw Ranch in Arizona, a place famous for reports of UFOs and strange aerial phenomena. The show mixes real investigations, adventure, and scientific theories, letting viewers draw their own conclusions. Are extraterrestrials real? That’s for you to decide.
Other noteworthy documentaries of 2026 that are sure to send chills down your spine this Halloween include:
- “The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare” (Netflix)
- “Signs of a Psychopath” — Season 11 (Max, Hulu, Discovery+, Investigation Discovery)
- “A Toxic Love Story” (Netflix)
- “The Crash” (Netflix)
- “Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini” (Hulu)
- “Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart” (Netflix)
- “Lost Women of Alaska” — Season 1 (Max, Discovery+)
- “Worst Ex Neighbor” (Netflix)
- “The Scream Murder: A True Teen Horror Story” (Hulu/Disney+)
- “A Deadly American Marriage” (Netflix)
- “The Mississinewa Triangle” (PARAFlixx)
- “True Haunting” (Netflix)
- “Somebody Knows Something” (Hulu)
More scary documentaries are set to drop later this fall and winter, so keep watching for more thrills and chills!
Have YOU watched any of the above? Let us know in the comments below.
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