THE docu-series Crime Scene: The Vanishing at Cecil Hotel has shone a light on the infamous hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
Eight years ago, a young Canadian student, Elisa Lam, died at the hotel under mysterious circumstances. The series has reignited interest and curiosity in the city known for its nefarious activities.
Here are five more true crime documentaries if you’ve enjoyed 'The Vanishing at Cecil Hotel':
1. ‘Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer’
A serial killer left a series of murders and sexual assaults in his wake during the summer of 1985 in Greater Los Angeles. Follow Detective Gil Carrillo from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and legendary homicide investigator Frank Salerno on a race against the clock to stop the Night Stalker.
Did you know? Ramirez was rumoured to have stayed at Cecil Hotel for a few weeks in the ‘80s.
The iconic crime documentary series, 'Unsolved Mysteries’ returns with 12 new episodes to explore and attempt to solve more unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences.
What happened to the French aristocrat who disappeared after murdering his entire family? Did the sudden loss of lives in Japan’s 2011 tsunami result in supernatural encounters?
Test your deduction skills with help from the detectives, journalists, and family members’ intriguing theories on what could have happened.
3. ‘Evil Genius: the True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist’
In 2003, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder in a small town in Pennsylvania caught the nation’s attention. What followed was a web of conspiracies on top of a bizarre cat-and-mouse game between Midwestern outcasts and the FBI. It culminated in the arrest of a former town beauty-turned-criminal mastermind.
Was pizza delivery man Brian Wells an innocent victim caught in a twisted plot, or a co-conspirator who trusted the wrong people?
Fifteen years on, ‘Evil Genius’ seeks to prove that there is more to the conspiracy and murders than was ever thought.
4. ‘American Murder: The Family Next Door’
In 2018, the tragic story of Shannan Watts and her two young daughters broke hearts worldwide when it first made headlines. This documentary seeks to finally give a voice to the victims.
Told through archival footage that includes social media posts, law enforcement recordings, text messages, and never-before-seen home videos, director Jenny Popplewell pieces together an immersive and searing examination of a police investigation and a disintegrating marriage.
5. 'Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes'
Ted Bundy’s personality, good looks, and social graces masked the fact that he’s a serial killer for years. It allowed him to hide in plain sight as he sexually assaulted and brutally murdered more than 30 women until he was caught in 1978.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, who also helmed ‘Crime Scene: The Vanishing at Cecil Hotel’, this documentary brings the infamously convoluted mind of a monster who defied serial killer-stereotypes through exclusive, never-before-heard interviews.
Catch these true crime documentaries on Netflix. – The Vibes, February 19, 2021
