by: Maddie Rowley
I find there’s two ways I like to watch my shows—the old-fashioned way, lying prone on the couch, head propped up on a pillow while Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime plays the latest true crime docuseries straight through, or from bed, with the covers and my laptop pulled up to my chin as I scroll through YouTube with one pointer finger.
Sometimes, it’s just fun to get lost in the world of YouTube and watch a different type of true crime content, and there’s something comforting about watching it all from my cozy bed—especially during these uncertain and anxiety-inducing times of COVID-19 and social distancing. So, if you’re looking for something different yet captivating to watch, check out my five favorite YouTube true crime videos to watch now below!
Dark Side of the Ring Benoit Parts I & II: VICE
I wasn’t a fan of wrestling growing up, but my neighbor was obsessed with WWE/WWF and would act out the fight scenes in his yard with friends, so I was familiar with names like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, The Undertaker, etc. VICE just released their two-part documentary called “Dark Side of the Ring: Benoit” which covers the Chris Benoit case. In June of 2007, Benoit killed his wife and son and then hanged himself in his weight room. VICE interviews the wrestler’s friends and colleagues and goes through possible motives—one of which includes chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which also served as an explanation as to why NFL football player Aaron Hernandez allegedly committed murder and then killed himself. The combination of the 90s nostalgia (despite having never watched WWE/ WWF… which one is it? I don’t know) and true crime drew me into the story but it’s definitely a sad one!
A Knock on the Door: How did John Connolly Die? The Fifth Estate
Canadians set the bar high when it comes to true crime. I started listening to Canadian-produced true crime podcasts and watching their documentaries in the last year or so, and every single one (mostly by the CBC) has featured thorough, engaging reporting and top-notch storytelling. I’ve watched several Fifth Estate documentary episodes on YouTube but this one, which covers the death of university student John Connelly, really caught my attention. In 2001, police broke the tragic news to the Connelly family that their 22-year-old son had committed suicide by jumping off a 10-story building. The family knew their son would never kill himself, so they took the investigation into their own hands and found out he was murdered.
The Mystery of the Washed Up Feet: NightDocs
In January 2019 a severed foot stuck in a running shoe washed ashore on Jetty Island in Everett, Washington. This particular foot was the 21st limb to wash ashore between Washington state and Canada. Why are so many lone feet turning up on beaches? Is this the work of a serial killer or the remnants of a tsunami or could the answer lie somewhere else? NightDocs does a great job of taking you through the case and the different possibilities as to why this keeps happening. These videos must take forever to make with the impressive level of research and video production, so major kudos!
SOLVED: The Heist of the Mona Lisa: Joshua Miles
I love a good heist story, so learning more about how the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911 and was then recovered two years later seemed like a solid choice—plus it blends crime and history for an educational mix. Joshua Miles does a great job describing the heist, which brought the painting international fame as police worked every lead possible to recover it. Finally, after launching an undercover operation the burglar was caught and detectives learned why he decided to walk out of the Louvre Museum with the work of art hidden underneath his jacket.
Emma Walker: Tragically Murdered by Stalker Ex
Well-known true crime YouTuber Kendall Rae recounts the tragic story of an all-American teen who was murdered in her sleep. When Emma Walker’s mother came to wake her up for school on a November morning in 2016, she realized her daughter was unresponsive and immediately called 911. The police found that two gunshots were fired into her bedroom—one of which landed behind her left ear. Who would do such a thing? Who killed Emma?
If all else fails? Here’s access to approximately 157 full episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. Stay strong! We’re all in this together.
More True Crime YouTube Channels to check out: