If your Netflix My List, like mine, is usually refreshed with documentaries as new monthly schedules roll around, July’s schedule has plenty to offer. The streaming platform is releasing a mix of true crime, disaster, and historical documentaries that revisit shocking events and cases.
From headline-grabbing cases to stories that unravel years later, this month’s lineup covers a wide range of compelling real-life stories. Here are four Netflix documentaries that you should look out for in July in the U.S.
Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea
This is going to be a bumpy ride
Natural and human-made disasters can make for some in-depth and intriguing documentaries, and the new disaster docufilm, Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea is a prime example of that. It revisits the 2012 Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster, one of the deadliest cruise accidents in modern history, when a luxury liner carrying more than 4,000 passengers struck rocks off the coast of Italy and capsized. The accident throws the ship and its passengers into panic as they navigate chaos, scrambled communication, and a high-stakes evacuation while facing an imminent fate.
Quiz
Best true-crime documentaries on Netflix
Trivia challenge
Think you know your cold cases from your con artists? Test your knowledge of
Netflix’s most gripping true-crime stories.
DocumentariesCold CasesCon ArtistsMurdersDocuseries
Which Netflix docuseries follows the story of Steven Avery, a man who was exonerated
after 18 years in prison only to be charged with murder shortly after?
Correct! Making a Murderer, released in 2015, became a cultural
phenomenon and sparked widespread debate about wrongful convictions and the American justice system.
Filmmakers Laura Ricciardi and Monika Chai spent ten years documenting Steven Avery’s case in Manitowoc
County, Wisconsin.
Not quite — the answer is Making a Murderer. Released in 2015, it
follows Steven Avery, who was exonerated of sexual assault after 18 years only to be charged with the
murder of Teresa Halbach. The series raised serious questions about police misconduct and evidence
tampering.
The Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler focuses on a con man who posed as a
wealthy heir to which real-world business dynasty?
Correct! Simon Leviev falsely claimed to be the son of Lev Leviev, a
real Israeli billionaire diamond mogul. He used this fabricated identity to romance women on Tinder and
manipulate them into lending him hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Not quite — the answer is the Leviev diamond family. Simon Leviev, whose
real name is Shimon Hayut, posed as the son of Israeli diamond billionaire Lev Leviev to gain the trust
of women he met on Tinder. He then swindled them out of large sums of money under the guise of being in
danger.
The Keepers, a 2017 Netflix docuseries, investigates the unsolved murder of which
victim?
Correct! Sister Cathy Cesnik was a beloved Catholic nun and high school
teacher in Baltimore whose 1969 murder remains officially unsolved. The Keepers digs into allegations
that her death was connected to a cover-up of sexual abuse at Archbishop Keough High School.
Not quite — the answer is Sister Cathy Cesnik, a Catholic nun and
teacher from Baltimore. The Keepers examines her mysterious 1969 murder alongside disturbing allegations
of institutional abuse at the Catholic school where she worked, suggesting the two may be deeply
connected.
Which Netflix documentary features Robert Durst, a real estate heir, who made a
stunning apparent confession while wearing a hot mic?
Correct! The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst is an HBO
production that is widely available and referenced on Netflix platforms. In the final episode, Durst was
caught on a bathroom microphone muttering, ‘What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.’ He was
later convicted of murder in 2021.
Not quite — the answer is The Jinx. Robert Durst, a wealthy New York
real estate heir, was the subject of this explosive docuseries. In a bathroom he thought was private, he
was caught on a live microphone apparently confessing to multiple killings, leading to his eventual
arrest and 2021 murder conviction.
Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer centers on the online manhunt for a
killer who first gained notoriety by posting what kind of videos online?
Correct! Luka Magnotta first drew internet attention by posting videos
of himself killing cats, which prompted a massive online community to try to unmask him before he
escalated. The series shows how amateur internet sleuths tracked him long before he committed murder.
Not quite — the answer is videos showing the torture and killing of
cats. Luka Magnotta posted these videos online, which prompted a group of internet users to attempt to
identify him. Tragically, their investigation came too late to prevent him from murdering Jun Lin in
2012.
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. tells the story of Sarma Melngailis, a celebrity
restaurateur who was manipulated into committing financial fraud by a man who claimed he could do
what?
Correct! Anthony Strangis, the man Sarma married, convinced her that he
had mystical powers and could make her beloved dog Leon immortal if she proved her loyalty — which she
did by funneling money and going on the run with him. The story is as bizarre as it sounds.
Not quite — the answer is that he claimed he could make her dog
immortal. Anthony Strangis used this outlandish promise, along with psychological manipulation, to
convince Sarma Melngailis to embezzle money from her own acclaimed New York restaurant, Pure Food and
Wine, and eventually flee with him as fugitives.
Which Netflix true-crime docuseries examines NXIVM, the organization accused of
being a cult that recruited women as ‘slaves’ and branded them?
Correct! The Vow is an in-depth docuseries about NXIVM, a
self-improvement organization led by Keith Raniere that prosecutors proved was actually a criminal
enterprise. Former members describe how they were manipulated into a secret sorority called DOS, where
women were branded with Raniere’s initials.
Not quite — the answer is The Vow. This multi-part Netflix docuseries
examines NXIVM and its leader Keith Raniere, who was ultimately convicted of sex trafficking and
racketeering in 2019. Several high-profile members, including Smallville actress Allison Mack, were also
charged in connection with the organization.
The Staircase, one of the earliest true-crime docuseries on Netflix, follows the
trial of Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife at the bottom of what?
Correct! Michael Peterson was accused of killing his wife Kathleen at
the bottom of a staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home in 2001. The case became famous for the
bizarre ‘owl theory’ defense and was later adapted into a scripted HBO drama series of the same name.
Not quite — the answer is a staircase in their Durham, North Carolina
home. Michael Peterson claimed his wife Kathleen fell accidentally, but prosecutors argued she was
beaten to death. The case is also famous for the unusual ‘owl theory,’ which suggested an owl attack may
have caused her injuries before she fell.
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The documentary uses never-before-seen footage and firsthand accounts from real survivors to piece together the actual events of this disaster and the reasons behind the unfortunate string of events that led to it.
Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea begins streaming globally on July 10.
Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours that Changed Spain
The kidnapping that united a nation
Even if you live in the U.S., a foreign-language documentary worth a glance at this July is the Spanish docufilm Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours that Changed Spain (Miguel Ángel Blanco: las 48 horas que lo cambiaron todo). This historical documentary outlines the kidnapping of Spanish councilman Miguel Ángel Blanco in 1997, a major case that sparked one of the biggest public demonstrations in Spain’s recent history.
The documentary combines archival footage with testimony from journalists, investigators, government officials, Blanco’s family, and others who witnessed the first 48 hours of the kidnapping. Beyond the tense event and the truth of what actually happened to Blanco, the footage examines the long-lasting social and political ripples that rang through the years across Spain. It’s a fascinating documentary, especially if you’re an American and want to learn more about a global crisis.
Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours that Changed Spain begins streaming globally on July 10.
A Toxic Love Story
Love, lies, and deadly obsession
A Toxic Love Story is definitely one of the most intriguing releases Netflix has planned for July and sits at the top of my list, given its true-crime nature. Set in an affluent California suburb, the documentary begins with the arrest of a young woman accused of plotting a violent attack against her ex-boyfriend’s new wife. The case quickly attracts national attention, but as investigators begin untangling the events leading up to the arrest, it becomes clear that there is more to the story than the headlines suggest.
Through interviews, evidence, and accounts from those closest to the case, A Toxic Love Story pieces together a web of betrayal and deception that kept the truth hidden for years. As each new revelation comes to light, long-held assumptions begin to unravel, leaving behind one question: who was really telling the truth all along?
A Toxic Love Story begins streaming globally on July 22.
Worst Neighbor Ever
When the stranger next door brings the danger over
Worst Neighbor Ever is a true crime documentary to keep an eye out for this month, and it may feel familiar to you but also entirely new. A spin-off of Netflix’s Worst Roommate Ever, it explores how living next door to the wrong person can quickly turn everyday life into a nightmare. From elaborate fraud schemes and relentless harassment to violent crimes that spiral far beyond ordinary neighborhood disputes, this true crime docuseries revisits real cases where the people living next door became the biggest threat.
The series uses interviews with real-life victims, investigators, and those directly involved, alongside police footage, to spin the horror stories that unfold when neighbors turn out to cause more trouble than lend a helping hand.
Worst Neighbor Ever is currently streaming.
Want to explore more new titles on Netflix?
Make sure to stay on top of Netflix’s New and Popular tab and your region’s Top 10 charts. You can also make the best use of Netflix’s secret codes to filter your search and find some amazing hidden gems.
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Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
