Catching Killers: Netflix's Four-Part Hunt for Serial Murderers
A forensic-focused docuseries examining three major cases from the Green River killer to Aileen Wuornos
Netflix released Catching Killers on November 4, 2021, a four-part documentary series that shifts focus away from killers' psychology to examine how detectives and forensic science caught three of America's most prolific serial murderers across different decades and states.
The series deliberately prioritises investigative methodology and apprehension processes over killer backstories or motives—a refreshing departure from true crime conventions that often sensationalise offenders' lives. Instead, viewers follow the detectives and forensic experts who built cases, often against significant odds.
**The Green River Killer: DNA's Breakthrough**
Episode 1, "Body Count: The Green River Killer," examines unsolved murders near Seattle dating to the 1980s and 1990s. The victims were predominantly commercial sex workers and young runaways—groups whose cases often receive less investigative resources. What makes this case historically significant is the sheer scale: the killer murdered more women than Ted Bundy, one of America's most infamous serial killers. The episode highlights how DNA technology ultimately resolved these decades-old crimes, demonstrating forensic science's power to deliver justice long after initial investigations stalled.
**Aileen Wuornos: The Sex Worker Who Fought Back**
Episode 2, "Manhunter: Aileen Wuornos," documents the 1989–1990 murders of seven men in Florida. Wuornos, working as a sex worker at the time, shot her victims and claimed self-defence, alleging that they had raped or assaulted her during solicitation. The investigation showcased undercover police tactics as detectives worked to piece together evidence. Wuornos was convicted of six of the seven murders and sentenced to death, ultimately executed by lethal injection in Florida.
