The year 2023 has brought a lot of record-breaking events, everything from high heat indexes to admissions of aliens. It has also brought us some of the most notorious, bizarre, and heinous true crime series, documentaries, and cases of all time. Here are just a few record-breaking cases of murder and mayhem brought to you by a variety of streaming services and courtroom tv dramas.
We thought we had seen it all and then 2023 happened. It brought with it a slew of new true crime cases and a resurgence of some old ones, brought back to the collective consciousness through new series, actors, and portrayals of the events. Everything from the Murdaugh family murders to the re-appearance of the Billy Milligan case, true crime has been at its peak this year. Could it be that the current high-intensity drama of our now daily lives acts as an amplifier of these criminals’ inner motivations? Or maybe people just want something to watch. Who’s to say, but one thing we do know for sure is that 2023 has been incredibly active in true crime cases, docs, and drama. Here are the top 10 most notorious of 2023–so far.
Alex Murdaugh – Murdaugh Murders
The Murdaugh family name used to be synonymous with law and order, now it is synonymous with the other side of the justice system. Alex Murdaugh was a prominent attorney and scion of a powerful law-practicing family in the small town of Hampton, South Carolina. He had a beautiful wife and two sons whose lives, from all outside accounts, seemed picture-perfect. Yet the cracks in that perfect family facade began to show when Murdaugh’s youngest son, Paul, was found responsible for a boating accident killing one friend, 19-year-old Mallory Beach, and injuring two others.
Yet the Murdaugh family troubles were just beginning. When all was said and done, there would be five dead bodies all attributed to various members of the family. Two of those bodies would, in fact, be members of the family itself. In June of 2021, Paul and his mother Maggie Murdaugh were murdered, and the main suspect — Alex Murdaugh himself. It was revealed Murdaugh was involved in a scheme to defraud his law firm and his own clients, and it is suspected that among his various motives, that he murdered his family to gain sympathy and take attention away from his crimes. Yet soon all of the Murdaugh family’s dark secrets came to light, and Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder in March of 2023. The Beach family recently received a $15 million settlement, and continues pursuing a suit against Murdaugh.
The Murdaugh family murders have been captured in multiple documentaries including Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal on Netflix, Low Country on HBO Max, and Murdaugh Murders on Hulu.
Brian Kohberger – The Idaho student murders
On a mid-November night in Moscow, Idaho, four college students went to sleep in the home they shared, and no one could have ever guessed it would be their last night together. The four students were found murdered the next morning.
Leads were followed and clues examined, but there seemed to be no solid leads as to who could have committed such an atrocious crime. The students were all successful and well-liked, with no known enemies. Finally, authorities caught a break and found a suspect. Brian Kohberger — a graduate student in criminal justice, ironically enough — was soon alleged by law enforcement to be responsible. The case has been documented on 48 Hours, 20/20, Discovery Plus, and more.
Brian was arrested and trial proceedings have begun. Due to the heinous nature of the crimes, the death penalty is actively being sought against him, and the prosecution believes they have a solid case. While no real motive has yet to be revealed, one thing is certain, life in the small Idaho town of Moscow will never be the same.
Natalia Grace – The Curious Case of Natalia Grace
In truly one of the oddest true crime stories the world has ever seen, this bizarre case of he said/she said has evolved into a mystery that may never actually be solved.
The case centers around one young girl — who, her adoptive parents claim, is not so young. The Barnetts adopted Natalia Grace from a Florida-based agency after her previous adoption fell through. The Ukraine-born Natalia, who lives with a rare form of dwarfism, was reported to be around 7 years of age. Yet in a case straight out of a horror film, the adopted parents came to believe the girl was actually a malingering — and malevolent — full-grown adult. The Barnetts went to court to have the girl’s legal age changed, and then set her up in an apartment home.
However, there are two sides to every story, and this one especially had its own dark twists and turns. After Natalia was taken in by another family, an investigation ensued. Was Natalia actually an adult, or had her adoptive parents abused and then abandoned a child? When the adoptive parents split up, even more dark details of their relationship and the inner dynamics of the family emerged, causing officials and viewers to question everything the Barnetts had claimed.
The parents were taken to court on “dependent neglect” charges, as Natalia’s true age still has not been determined — however, her disability did qualify her as a dependent. The couple were ultimately found not guilty, however the truth remains elusive, and the girl’s real age is still a mystery. The story was detailed in HBO Max’s series The Bizarre Case of Natalia Grace, and we couldn’t agree with the title more, this case truly is bizarre.
Larry Ray – Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence
Students go to college to learn, however, the education the students of the documentary Stolen Youth received, was more than a little off-curriculum. The Hulu documentary Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence premiered on Hulu and shone a light on one of the most insidious and odd true crime cases of the year.
The story focuses on a group of students who become entranced by one of their dormmate’s fathers who upon his release from prison, moved into their dorm. Before long, Larry Ray had convinced the group of students to move off campus with him, and things just get weirder from there. Through a series of odd brainwashing techniques explored in the documentary, he convinces them that they “owe” him. Soon the students are bringing him money in, anyway they can.
Finally after several of the members default, charges are able to be brought and the truth behind the cult is revealed. Unfortunately, though, not before years were lost, lives were ruined, and millions of dollars were collected. Check out the methods and madness behind this bizarre leader who created the notorious Sarah Lawrence cult in this gripping documentary.
Kai Lawrence –The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker
Hatchet-wielding hitchhiker. We feel like the name really says it all. Kai Lawrence went from hero to villain in the course of just a few short years, and this Netflix documentary captured it all.
Kai Lawrence was a homeless man who ended up saving a life with his legendary hatchet during a crime, a development that you will just have to see to believe. He was touted as a hero, becoming an overnight social media celebrity. Yet his fame only seemed to shine a spotlight on his increasingly bizarre behavior.
Within a few short years, a dead body would be linked directly to him, and the truth about his past would surface. It turned out Kai was not necessarily the hero he was made out to be, and a nationwide manhunt resulted in his ultimate capture and conviction. See the rise and fall of the man known as The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker in the true crime doc that showed the man behind the headlines.
Lori Vallow – Sins of Our Mother
Lori Vallow Daybell seemed like the perfect mother — until she wasn’t. With a handsome husband, three beautiful children, and a steadfast devotion to her church, it seemed like Lori Vallow had it all. Yet behind the scenes, her faith in her church began to falter, and she began to lean towards a more extremist point of view.
Before long, she met a young leader in a new religion named Chad Daybell, and her life altered course forever. While Chad was married also, the two began to become closer and closer as he taught Lori his bizarre belief system. The relationship would culminate in two dead spouses and two missing children. Despite a months-long search for the missing children, what was ultimately found was certainly not the hoped-for outcome. The children’s remains were discovered in June 2020. The entire sordid story was captured in the Netflix documentary Sins of Our Mother, as told from the viewpoint of Lori’s sole remaining child.
Lori Vallow Daybell went on trial, and in July of 2023 was convicted for the murder of her two children and the death of her spouse’s former wife. She was sentenced to life in prison.
Spencer Herron – Betrayal: The Perfect Husband
Spencer Herron seemed like the perfect husband. He was by all accounts a devoted teacher to his students, and an adoring husband to his wife of seven years, Jennifer Faison. Yet beneath the perfect facade, hid a monster.
Jennifer Faison thought she had the perfect marriage until the day she watched police escort her husband from their home in handcuffs. Spencer Herron had been arrested for sexually assaulting one of his students. As Jennifer struggled to understand what had happened she stumbled across her husband’s e-mails, discovering his affairs — all of them. It turned out Spencer had cheated on Jennifer their entire marriage, having multiple long-running affairs, including with friends, business associates, and sex workers. He used their wine bar as a front for some of his affairs, and even cheated on Jennifer the week of their wedding.
Yet believe it or not there was more; it turns out the student Spencer had been arrested for assaulting, was not the only one. Others came forward with allegations, and before long Spencer was convicted and sent to prison for his crimes. He has since been released on parole, with the condition of registering as a sex offender and having no contact with children. Yet Spencer’s big plan for his release? “To fly more under the radar.” What a creep.
Candy Montgomery – Love and Death
The notorious case of Candy Montgomery, the Texas housewife turned murderer made headlines in the 1980s when the case occurred. Yet in a strange resurgence of interest, Candy became the subject of not one but two true crime series in 2023; Candy the Hulu version starring Jessica Biel, and the HBO Max version, Love and Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen.
The story follows mild-mannered housewife Candy Montgomery as she begins an illicit affair with equally mild-mannered fellow church member Allen Gore. The affair eventually fizzles out as each person decides to work on their own marriage. Yet when Allen’s wife Betty is found murdered, and it turns out Candy was the last one to see her alive, things get a little more complicated.
Both series dive into the bizarre back story of Candy Montgomery’s life, and how she turned from a beloved housewife and churchgoer, to an axe-wielding murderer. While the case itself may be old, both series are new, and reveal many never-before-revealed details of the case.
Billy Milligan – The Crowded Room
Billy Milligan is the name of a real person whose legal cases helped put the diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder (now Dissociative Identity Disorder) on the DSM map. A character he reportedly inspired, called Danny Sullivan, is played by Tom Holland, across from therapist Rya Goodwin (Amanda Seyfried) in the Apple TV series The Crowded Room.
First brought to the attention of authorities in the early 1970s, the real Billy Milligan faced several rape, kidnapping, and burglary charges. (In the Apple TV series, “Danny Sullivan” is arrested after firing a gun at his stepfather into a crowd). Soon it was apparent that there was something very different about Billy Milligan; upon further examination, it was discovered he had one of the most well-documented cases of DID on record. His case was also the one that finally gave the diagnosis a true spot in the DSM, as he was the first-ever defendant found not guilty on the basis of having this condition.
The Apple TV series takes viewers on a journey through the mind of “Danny Sullivan,” based on Billy Milligan, as it explores the creation, development, and eventual unification of his various personalities. It is a wild ride that you will simply have to see to believe. Check it out on Apple TV.
The year 2023 is certainly a notable one, and with all the true crime that has come from it, now a notorious one. Between multiple trials, documentaries, and series, the true crime cases that are in the spotlight this year are certainly some of the most bizarre we’ve ever seen and are unlikely to be forgotten any time soon. So here’s to 2023, thanks for the memories that will now haunt our nightmares for years to come.
Published: Jul 31, 2023 05:55 pm