kidnapped

These true crime documentaries are much better than Netflix’s latest

Documentaries can offer substantial insight into the lives, crimes and untold stories behind some of the biggest headlines worldwide, whether they’re examining the past or exploring current affairs. The market has become saturated with stories, particularly when it comes to true crime.

Netflix’s Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is no exception to this rule. The streaming platform continues to captivate viewers with almost unbelievable stories and a stereotypical, predictable twist that leaves people craving more.

That’s how they draw you in each time they promote a new, never before told story. Elizabeth’s story concerns a teenage girl snatched from her bedroom at knifepoint in Salt Lake City, Utah, back in 2002.

The case is described by Netflix as “one of the most intense and widely covered missing-persons cases America has ever seen”, and whilst that may hold true across the Atlantic, it doesn’t quite resonate in the same way over here.

It’s a story told in her own words; the ending being spoiled across the numerous adverts plastered on the streets of London. The first half of the documentary would have you believe the worst had happened, but the revelation of a middle-aged Elizabeth recounting her experience living off-grid in captivity makes the entire story even more unbelievable, though not in a mind-blowing way.

In truth, once the twist was unveiled, the documentary never really gained momentum or suspense. Instead, it followed the same pattern as many other Netflix documentaries. The case of Elizabeth Smart will, regrettably, be consigned to the pile of documentaries that caused a ripple, not a wave.

This isn’t the case for all documentaries, as some continue to leave a lasting impression on me years later. Documentaries need to stir you, to provoke you, to make you question the very fabric of society.

They don’t need to be packed with twists and turns purely for the sake of shock value.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish (2025)

One recent Netflix documentary that hits the mark is Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, which focuses on a teenage couple terrorised by a troll at the end of a phone line. It all started with a text message.

The relentless torment of Michigan high school students Lauryn Licari and her ex-boyfriend, Owen, led to an investigation that pointed to a multitude of potential suspects. Classmates, friends, even family members are drawn into the spotlight.

For this small town, it was a real-life whodunnit. The abuse hurled at the teenagers goes beyond simple bullying, with death threats, sexually explicit messages and horrific rumours lurking around every corner. The youngsters’ lives were deeply affected, as they recount the events as 18 year olds.

The most shocking part? The identity of the person behind those messages. I won’t ruin the surprise, but be prepared for your eyes to bulge and your jaw to drop.

You’ll never view an anonymous text message in the same light again.

The Keepers (2017)

In a similar vein to Netflix’s Making a Murderer, The Keepers delves into the unsolved murder of nun Catherine Cesnik in 1969.

Her former pupils suggest there was a cover-up by authorities after Sister Cathy suspected a priest had sexually abused students at Baltimore’s all-girls Archbishop Keough High School.

Now adults, the former students share their experiences at the Catholic school with those in positions of power there and within the local church, including sexual abuse, intimidation, and one student even witnessing the body of a deceased nun.

The Keepers transitions from the disappearance and murder of the nun to the concealment of abuse perpetrated by prominent members of the Catholic church, and the survivors’ ongoing battle for justice decades after the crimes. For true crime enthusiasts, sadly, there is no definitive answer as to what happened to Sister Cathy, but perhaps one day there will be.

Blackfish (2013)

There’s an old adage about not interfering with nature, and that extends to the animal kingdom. Blackfish examines the captivity of Tilikum, an orca implicated in three fatalities, including that of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, and explores the ramifications of confining orcas in such environments.

The film reveals the circumstances surrounding Tilikum’s capture back in 1983, the treatment marine creatures endured at various marine parks, and the orca’s interactions with trainers and other orcas. It’s essential viewing, though not suitable for those easily disturbed.

This documentary will make you reconsider ever visiting or financially supporting SeaWorld again.

When Louis Met… (2000) & Louis Theroux, Savile (2016)

Having established himself as a familiar face over the decades, Louis Theroux launched his documentary career with his Weird Weekends, immersing himself in the lives of others. He explored an array of unconventional and controversial subcultures, crime and the justice system, and celebrities.

Louis’ awkwardness is also his charm, something audiences have grown accustomed to witnessing over the years. Brits will appreciate his idiosyncrasies and intellect.

His most notorious work involves his encounters with former “childhood hero” Jimmy Savile, a story he revisits 16 years after his initial documentary with him.

The first documentary examined Savile’s ascent to stardom as a TV and radio presenter, alongside his domestic life. Whilst Theroux briefly touches upon the allegations of paedophilia and sexual abuse, Savile dismisses them with laughter.

It wasn’t until 2012 that the world was made aware of the true scale of Savile’s offences, exposing a host of predatory individuals in the aftermath of Operation Yewtree. In his 2016 film, Louis revisits his past association with Savile and converses with some of Savile’s victims and those who worked closely alongside him.

Given our current knowledge, it’s challenging to look back and not see the rumours as glaringly evident. How? Who? Why? For how long?

One is almost at a loss for words contemplating how a public figure, swamped with these types of allegations, was permitted to continue, and who was shielding him. The 2016 documentary prompts not only Louis but an entire generation to question what they believed they knew.

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World News // 3 hours ago

Hong Kong sentences pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison

Feb. 8 (UPI) — A Hong Kong court on Monday sentenced Jimmy Lai, a prominent pro-democracy figure and the founder of the now-defunct progressive Apple Daily, to 20 years in prison.

Today host Savannah Guthrie’s mother Nancy was last seen on Saturday night at her Arizona home – and now TMZ claim to have received a random note in relation to her kidnapping

There has been a new develop in the case of Today host Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother, with TMZ claiming to have received a “ransom note” in relation to her kidnapping. Savannah’s 84-year-old mother Nancy was reportedly taken from her home in Arizona’s Catalina Hills on Feb 1 before the alarm was raised by a family member later that day.

The police confirmed yesterday that they are treating Nancy’s disappearance as a crime after making a “very concerning” discovering in her home. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said: “We do in fact have a crime scene.

“We do in fact have a crime. She did not leave on her own. We know that.”

Now, American news outlet TMZ is claiming to have received a ransom note from Nancy’s kidnappers, asking for millions of dollars in Bitcoin to be sent to a specific Bitcoin address. In a video posted to TMZ’s X page, host Harvey Levin told the camera: “So we got something in our email that looks like a, is written like, a ransom note for Savannah Guthrie’s mother.”

Co-host Charles Latibeaudiere added: “Specific requests for specific amounts of money, bitcoin.” Harvey added: “And also they say at the bottom, there are certain things they are saying about what she was wearing and damage to the house.

“We have contacted the sheriff’s department, and we want to get them this letter. We had a little trouble getting through to the right person. We spoke with someone who is now forwarding this to somebody in the detective bureau. If my phone rings, I may have to stop.”

Charles added: “What’s interesting is, you know, there was just a news conference that just ended with the sheriff, and he was asked about—we’re going to do this segment in a few minutes—but he was asked about a ransom note, and he just said, ‘We are following all leads.'”

Harvey warned viewers that they don’t know whether the note is “authentic or not”, but noted that it did contain details about the crime scene. “They are acting as if, ‘Yeah, only we would know these things and we’re serious.’

“And there’s a dollar demand and an ‘or else’ in there, so we will let you know as this develops.”

They revealed that the Bitcoin address listed in the note is a legitimate address. Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department wrote on X, writing that they are “aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie”.

In light of her mother’s disappearance, Savannah announced last night that she would be dropping out of hosting duties at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony as “she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said.

“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote on Instagram on Monday.

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Feb. 2 (UPI) — The 84-year-old mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie, reported missing in Arizona over the weekend, appears to have been abducted from her home, police said on Monday evening.

Nancy Guthrie has not been seen since Saturday night at about 9:30 to 9:45 p.m. MST, outside of her Tucson home, Sheriff Chris Nanos of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.

She was reported missing at about noon on Sunday.

At a Monday afternoon press conference, Nanos did not share many details of the disappearance but said that police are treating her home as a crime scene, NBC News reported.

“We do in fact have a crime scene,” Nanos said. “We do in fact have a crime. She did not leave here on her own. We know that.”

Nancy Guthrie is described as about 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes.

Homicide detectives processed the scene at Guthrie’s home, which is not standard protocol, and Nanos said some details at the scene raise concern. He did not share what was found.

“This one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we found and located just in looking at the scene,” Nanos said.

Guthrie is “sharp as a tack” and this is not a dementia-related episode, Nanos said, but that she also is “not of good physical health” an it is unlikely that she left her home in the way that it appeared.

Savannah Guthrie, a co-anchor on the TODAY Show, did not anchor on Monday morning and NBC later announced that she would be pulling out of her host role for the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, which start later this week.

She shared a statement thanking people for their “thoughts, prayers and messages of support.”

“Right now our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom,” the statement said. “We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at: 520-351-4900.”

Jan. 26 (UPI) — The Mexican content creator Nicole Pardo Medina, known online as “La Nicholette,” reappeared publicly over the weekend at a church in Culiacán, one day after state authorities confirmed she had been found alive following four days in captivity.

Visibly emotional, Pardo Medina addressed a religious service held in a church in El Salado, a rural area of Culiacán, where she thanked attendees for their support during her disappearance. Videos shared on social media on Sunday show the influencer speaking through tears.

“Thank you to everyone for keeping me in your prayers, for every candle you lit, and for not losing faith,” she said, according to the recordings.

Pardo Medina was reported kidnapped on the afternoon of Jan. 20 in a residential area of Culiacán, the capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa. The case quickly drew widespread attention after footage from the security camera of her vehicle circulated online, showing armed men forcing her into another car.

On Jan. 24, the Fiscalía General del Estado de Sinaloa confirmed that the influencer had been located alive. Authorities did not disclose details about the circumstances of her release, identify possible suspects, or provide information about her medical condition. They also did not indicate whether a specific line of investigation has been established.

Unconfirmed reports from local media suggested that Pardo Medina returned to her home in the El Salado area by taxi. That information has not been corroborated by officials.

During the days she remained missing, another video circulated on social media in which the influencer reads a statement accusing a criminal group known as “La Mayiza,” also referred to as “Los Mayos,” a faction linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, of pressuring individuals like her to participate in criminal activities tied to organized crime. In the same video, she alleges being forced to hand over money to state patrols on behalf of a figure identified as “El Mayito Flaco,” among other claims.

Culiacán is considered one of the cities most affected by violence linked to organized crime in Mexico, amid internal disputes between trafficking groups. In recent months, those conflicts have fueled a rise in homicides, kidnappings and disappearances, according to official figures and security analysts.

State authorities have said the investigation remains ongoing but have released no further details.