The Surveillance Report: New True Crime Documentary Releases – September 2025 Edition
- The Emerald Sleuth
- Aug 31
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 29
Welcome to The Surveillance Report: New True Crime Documentary Releases – September 2025 Edition
September brings a smaller lineup than last month, but there are still some noteworthy true crime releases landing across platforms. Think of it as the calm before the storm, because October is already shaping up to deliver several wild, high-profile documentaries tied to the Halloween season slate. That makes this month a solid warm-up and next month one to watch closely.
Scroll through, take notes, and don’t forget to cast your vote at the bottom; we want to know which documentary you’re most excited to stream first.
Disclaimer: I have not viewed any of the documentaries listed in this post. All descriptions and details have been compiled from official press releases, streaming platform announcements, and other publicly available sources. Information is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing.
Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence
Release Date: September 1, 2025
No of Episodes: 4
Platform: ID/HBO Max
This documentary examines the disturbing relationship between “momfluencer” Ruby Franke and her spiritual counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, charting how spiritual manipulation through Hildebrandt’s ConneXions program devolved into child abuse, revealed when Franke’s emaciated 12-year-old son escaped and exposed the violent, cult-like control operating behind the scenes .
New episodes debut weekly beginning September 1 on ID.
Betrayal: Under His Eye (S3)
Release Date: September 2, 2025
No of Episodes: 3
Platform: Hulu
This season follows Stacey, a single mother whose whirlwind marriage to Dr. Justin Rutherford unravels when a hidden camera is discovered in their home. As secrets come to light, her family is upended and a key witness comes forward leading to Rutherford’s arrest amid accusations of plotting murder to silence them. Season 3 includes interviews with Stacey, her children, relatives, survivor advocates, and actor Anthony Edwards; plus chilling audio, court testimony, and unseen evidence.
New episodes stream weekly starting September 2.
Blood & Myth
Release Date: September 4, 2025
No of Episodes: 1 (feature-length documentary)
Platform: Hulu
Based on the Audible Original Midnight Son, this true-crime documentary investigates a violent crime in a remote Indigenous village in Northwest Alaska. It follows Inuit actor Teddy Kyle Smith, who became the subject of a manhunt, and the cultural legends of the Iñukuns that shaped his actions. Executive producer James Dommek Jr. guides the story, weaving together crime, survival, folklore, and the justice system through an Indigenous lens.
Available to stream beginning September 4 on Hulu.
Love Con Revenge
Release Date: September 5, 2025
No of Episodes: 6
Platform: Netflix
This series follows Cecilie Fjellhøy, known from The Tinder Swindler, teaming up with private investigator Brianne Joseph to investigate victims of romance fraud. It explores how scammers exploit trust and affection to steal money and manipulate lives, drawing attention to the emotional and financial damage such crimes inflict.
Airing Schedule: All three episodes are set to drop starting September 5th.
Most Wanted: Teen Hacker
Release Date: September 5, 2025
No of Episodes: 4
Platform: HBO Max
This four-part documentary chronicles the exploits of 15-year-old Finnish hacker Julius Kivimäki (now Aleksanteri Kivimäki), who was named one of the world’s most dangerous hackers by the FBI. It includes interviews with the hacker, cybersecurity experts, SWAT team members, FBI agents, and victims using archival footage, dramatizations, and first-person accounts to trace his crimes and the global hunt that followed.
Airing Schedule: Episodes are expected to release weekly starting September 5.
The Tech Bro Murders
Release Date: September 9, 2025
No of Episodes: 6
Platform: ID; also available on Max
This docuseries delves into dark, Silicon Valley–adjacent murder cases; ranging from a Google X executive found dead on his luxury yacht to a cold case linked to a politically ambitious tech consultant. Led by retired Palo Alto PD detective Sandra Brown, the series features interviews with victims’ families, law enforcement, and experts, blending archives with first-hand accounts to reconstruct each case.
Airing Schedule: Episodes premiere Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT, beginning September 9.
Thirst Trap: The Fame. The Fantasy. The Fallout.
Release Date: September 9, 2025
No of Episodes: 2 (two-part series)
Platform: Paramount+
This documentary digs into the unexpected rise of TikTok star William White, whose viral lip-sync to Barry Manilow’s “Mandy” unleashed an obsessive fandom. Using interviews with superfans, ethical lines blur as online obsession morphs into doxxing, harassment, and emotional manipulation, exploring the dangerous fallout when fantasy collides with reality.
Airing Schedule: Available to stream starting September 9 on Paramount+, with no other release cadence confirmed at this time.
Beauty and the Bester
Release Date: September 12, 2025
No of Episodes: 3
Platform: Netflix
This three-part true crime documentary explores the extraordinary prison escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, who faked his death to vanish from Mangaung Maximum Security Prison, and the role of Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, whose ties to Bester allegedly fueled a path of deception, manipulation, and a cross-border manhunt that captured national attention.
Airing Schedule: All three episodes are set to drop starting September 12.
Cold Justice (S8)
Release Date: September 13, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET
No of Episodes: Unknown
Platform: Oxygen/Peacock/Oxygen app
Airing Schedule: New episodes debut weekly, beginning Saturday, September 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Oxygen.
No trailer available.
Death Row Confidential: Secrets of a Serial Killer
Release Date: September 13, 2025
No of Episodes: Unknown Platform: Oxygen
This docuseries details how convicted serial killer Joseph Naso, the “Alphabet Killer” convicted of four murders, was linked to many more cold cases after fellow inmate William A. Noguera coaxed confessions and critical evidence from him. The investigation, aided by cold-case detective Kenneth Mains, expanded the scope of Naso’s crimes, potentially connecting him to up to 26 victims.
Airing Schedule: Premiere September 13 at 9 p.m. ET with a two-hour special., followed by two back-to-back episodes on September 20 at the same time.
A Husband to Die For: The Lisa Aguilar Story (Dramatization)
Release Date: September 13, 2025
No of Episodes: 1 (TV movie)
Platform: Lifetime
Based on true events, this Lifetime dramatization tells the story of a pregnant woman who is brutally attacked in her own home. The film follows her fight for survival, the battle to protect her baby, and the investigation that unravels the shocking truth behind the crime.
Airing Schedule: Airs in a single-night slot, Saturday, September 13 at 8/7c on Lifetime.
The Case Against Adnan Syed: Part 5 – The Tree Grew
Release Date: September 18, 2025
No of Episodes: 1
Platform: HBO / HBO Max
Updated (September 6, 2025): This title was announced after this original article was published.
This new epilogue to the 2019 docuseries revisits Adnan Syed’s case in the wake of recent legal developments. Directed by Amy J. Berg, the episode follows the continued questions around the investigation, the emergence of new evidence, and the impact of Syed’s return home.
The episode debuts September 18 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and will stream on HBO Max.
Predators
Release Date: September 19, 2025
No of Episodes: 1 (feature-length film)
Platform: Theatrical Release
Updated (September 6, 2025): This title was announced after this original article was published.
The film's director, David Osit, traces the trajectory of To Catch a Predator, surveying its rise and fall with a clear, critical lens. It leverages unaired footage, interviews with journalists, law enforcement, academics, and even Chris Hansen, to explore the tangled ethics of turning humiliation into prime-time entertainment. This is a theatre only release at this time and no streaming date has been announced yet (when a streaming date is officially announced, this title will be added to that month’s release list, so stay tuned).
The Girl Who Survived: The Alina Thompson Story (Dramatization)
Release Date: September 20, 2025
No of Episodes: 1 (TV movie)
Platform: Lifetime
Set in the 1980s, this dramatization is based on true events and follows 15-year-old Alina Thompson, an aspiring model who sneaks out to a seemingly harmless amateur photo shoot, only to be drawn into a terrifying encounter with a predator.
Airing Schedule: Airs in a single-night slot, Saturday, September 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime.
No trailer available.
Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story
Release Date: September 25, 2025
No of Episodes: 3
Platform: Sundance Now and AMC+
Correction: This actually premiered on August 28, 2025, with weekly episodes following. Original post dated incorrectly listed it as debuting September 25.
In her first documentary interview since the conviction of her kidnapper, Chloe Ayling recounts the harrowing experience of her 2017 abduction in Milan, the intense public scrutiny that followed, and her lifelong effort to reclaim her truth.
Airing Schedule: All episodes drop simultaneously on September 25 on both Sundance Now and AMC+.
20/20 (S48)
Release Date: September 26, 2025
No of Episodes: Unknown
Platform: ABC/Hulu
This long-running newsmagazine blends in-depth investigative reports, human interest stories, and high-profile interviews, anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts.
Airing Schedule: Fridays at 10 p.m. ET
No trailer available.
Dateline (S34)
Release Date: September 26, 2025- NBC
September 27- Peacock
No of Episodes: Unknown
Platform: NBC/Peacock
The long-running newsmagazine continues its signature format of investigative, human-interest storytelling; delving into mysteries, crimes, and emotional narratives with reporting from seasoned correspondents, but Keith Morrison will always be the GOAT.
Airing Schedule: New episodes will air Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, starting September 26. Streaming on Peacock begins the following day.
No trailer available.
48 Hours (S38)
Release Date: September 27, 2025
No of Episodes: Unknown
Platform: CBS/Paramount+
The long-running true-crime newsmagazine returns for its 38th season, continuing its investigative deep dives into real crime and justice stories, anchored by seasoned correspondents and structured to reflect both human drama and journalistic rigor.
Airing Schedule: Expected to air weekly on Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET, beginning September 27.
No trailer available.
I Was a Child Bride: The Courtney Stodden Story (Dramatization)
Release Date: September 27, 2025
No of Episodes: 1 (TV movie)
Platform: Lifetime
Based on true events, this dramatization follows the journey of Courtney Stodden, who became a media figure after marrying as a teenager. The film explores their complex path through sudden fame, evolving identity, and public scrutiny.
Airing Schedule: Airs in a single-night slot, Saturday, September 27 on Lifetime (time TBD).
No trailer available.
Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg?
Release Date: September 29, 2025
No of Episodes: 3
Platform: Hulu
This three-part documentary follows the 2011 case of Ellen Greenberg, a Philadelphia teacher found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances. Initially ruled a suicide despite having 20 stab wounds and multiple bruises, the case was closed without further investigation. The film tracks her family’s 14-year quest to reopen the inquiry and discover what really happened.
Airing Schedule: The complete series becomes available on September 29, 2025.
Quiet in Class
Release Date: September 29, 2025
No of Episodes: 3
Platform: HBO Max / Max
Updated: 9/29/25
This three-part documentary investigates the case of child sexual abuse material connected to an international school in Karlstad, Sweden. It examines how the material was uncovered, the criminal investigation that followed, and the institutional responses to the crimes. The series uses testimony, official records, and reporting to provide a clear account of the case.
All three episodes debut September 29 on Max.
No trailer available
That’s the full lineup of new release true crime documentaries dropping in September 2025 (known at the time of this writing. Streaming platforms often slip out late-month releases without much notice, so keep an eye on the comments, I’ll update this list there as new titles surface as time permits). Fewer in number, but still plenty to dissect while we wait for the wave of heavy hitters already confirmed for October.
Which one will you be queuing up first? Cast your vote below and let the Society know what’s landing on your watchlist from the new true crime documentary releases September 2025.
If you missed any of last month’s releases, you can find the August list here.
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Which new true crime doc release tops your list? Vote below.
Ruby & Jodi
Betrayal
Blood & Myth
Love Con Revenge