True crime entails much more than what’s shown on the TV screen. Understandably, a lot about it gets left behind the scenes, which only more attentive and fascinated people may question and dig deeper into. Such persons tend to come together and discuss their findings and opinions, like those who share similar interests usually do.
This time, our Bored Panda team found them gathered under this popular thread, discussing their controversial takes on true crime cases. If you’re curious, these hot takes can be found below, just a scroll away.
#1
Capital punishment should be abolished. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t a deterrent to crime, and it costs more than it does to keep an inmate incarcerated for their entire life.
theloons:
Agree. It’s barbaric and evil. Whether it’s a deterrent or not doesn’t matter to me. I agree that it isn’t, but even if it were it wouldn’t change my stance on it.
Image source: morbidology, Ron Lach
#2
A polygraph is barely more reliable than flipping a coin and while some presenters are getting better at pointing out that they are not acceptable as evidence in a courtroom, they are still talked about too much which I feel gives them a false sense of reliability.
Image source: dayison2, Getty Images
#3
There should have been more repercussions for the social workers who failed Gabriel Fernandez.
I try not to think about the fact that his two get to wake up every morning and see sunlight. Injustice.
Munchkinpea:
I couldn’t agree more. I’m fairly desensitised to true crime stuff, but I found the Netflix documentary about Gabriel devastating. I had to keep taking breaks as I was crying so hard.
I feel sorry for his teacher who seems to have tried repeatedly to get him help, but not received any support.
He should have remained with his great-uncles who loved and cared for him, like parents are supposed to do.
Image source: sodabuttons, Netflix
#4
Eileen Wuormos didn’t deserve [it], she should’ve been sent to a mental institution for the rest of her days.
MoonlitStar:
The main thing I didn’t get about her case is that she was so obviously mentally ill to the point of insanity- even a person without any professinal knowledge of mental health could blatantly see that- it wasn’t something that was up for discussion to my mind so why wasn’t she treated as such. The entire case was sensationalised beyond belief by the media it was akin to death according to the media circus and public opinion in the US. It’s still sensationalised to this day over 20 years since.
I agree she should have been placed in a secure mental health facility for life rather than what happened to her.
Image source: anon, Florida Department of Corrections
#5
Lacey Fletcher was not on the couch for 12 years.
Humanehuman1:
Right?? Like there has to be more to this! Also, I feel like this case is almost downplayed (for lack of a better word). She literally LIVED for a significant period of time with MAGGOTS eating her flesh. I feel nauseous even writing that out.
Sethsears:
I have some gross personal insight into this.
My 90+ year old grandmother developed lymphoma directly on the top of her head. She saw a doctor and received treatment for it, but as she was getting treated, it began to rot. She couldn’t simply have it removed in surgery due to its size and her age. She (and everyone around her) had to endure the tumor “dropping off” of her. (At least, that’s how I remember it going, I was a kid at the time).
The smell was unbelievable. I can’t even tell you. The smell of flesh rotting off a living person is so strong that when we took her to the library to pick up a book, we had to roll all the windows in the car down and stick our heads out each respective window to keep from gagging. That was from a golf ball sized tumor! I can’t even imagine the smell around Lacey’s couch. Even if you accept her parents were mentally ill/in denial/noseblind, I have no idea how the smell wouldn’t have clung to them.
Image source: Limp_Marionberry_900, bakerfuneralhomeonline.com
#6
A lot of the mysterious disappearances aren’t mysterious. When people disappear in the wilderness, it isn’t a mystery. They’re often victims of unfortunate hiking accidents. Bodies aren’t easy to find so many of these people will never be found.
Image source: Ironinvelvet, Suliman Sallehi
#7
Social media groups “discussing” active investigations do more harm than good.
Image source: Unibean, Mikhail Nilov
#8
True crime fans aren’t as smart and intuitive as they think they are and have a totally unearned sense of arrogance from just being documentary watchers alone.
I work in documentary and have done true crime specifically. A lot of information is held back by LE and even gentle editing is by nature manipulative.
True crime fans are like, “You can tell just by looking at him in that photograph something is wrong with him.”
No, we’ve set you up to think that. By merely implying someone is tied to a crime in any way, your brain colors in the lines and tells you their eyes look empty. Doesn’t help that we put spooky music over their picture while we slowly zoom in on the image.
Conversely, take the same photo of a person but put different music over it and imply he’s a homicide victim, and the same true crime fan will be like, “Aw he looked so sweet 🥺”
And, look. I say this as a true crime fan.
But no one should be speaking so authoritatively , so gatekeeper-y, on anything just because of some documentary watching. Even the most well meaning and neutral documentary is biased.
Image source: bluejen, Alberto Calleja
#9
Andrea Yates should have been in a mental health facility until she is fit for release and while I can’t think of an exact criminal charge for her husband, he deserved to be held accountable.
Rears4Tears:
Andrea is in a mental hospital. Her attorneys successfully appealed her case, and the guilty verdict was overturned. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She can undergo a review every year to see if she is competent to leave the facility. But Yates opts each year to waive her right to be reviewed. She has never undergone review, choosing instead to continue treatment. And yes, her husband was horrible and should have been charged.
Image source: Touchthef**kingfrog, fitra zulfy
#10
Summer Wells’ parents know what happened to her.
Opening_Raspberry_91:
oh man this case kept me up at night when it first happened.
anon:
I think they sold her to someone.
Image source: nittiesthequeen, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
#11
I have come to believe that the Menendez brothers truly were horrifically [mistreated] by their father and that they were unfairly railroaded because of the family’s wealth. The more I learn about them, the worse I feel for those guys….
Image source: Necessary-Koala1840, Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California
#12
Lots of corruption and oppression in law enforcement and the courts. There are far more innocent people than we realize who are incarcerated.
Image source: Ok_Produce_9308, Donald Tong
#13
I still believe Elisa Lam was having some kind of psychotic break and got into that water tank herself and drowned.
Image source: Wild_Blue4242, Jim Winstead
#14
Not every [victim] was the bestest best friend, your best friend, a really great person a better person than everyone else, etc.
Image source: whereismom, Pavel Danilyuk
#15
Cops/detectives/police forces are often corrupt and [bad] at their jobs and mess up a lot of investigations through incompetence.
Image source: Impossible-Size7519, RDNE Stock project
#16
Unpopular opinion? Gipsy Rose is not the golden child she’s been elevated to be. She’s a liar and manipulator and was basically in on the scam the whole time. Yes, she’s a product of her environment but the whole ‘blame Nick’ thing she’s doing is lies.
#17
A lot of cases that didn’t get solved was due to inexperienced investigators (JonBenet), cops on the take (Keddie Cabin), or lazy police work (Kristin Smart).
Image source: anon, cottonbro studio
#18
Rex Heuermann [is responsible for] a lot more women whose bodies have not been found and whose loved ones may not even realize are missing.
Image source: DogMom814, Netflix
#19
Many parents’ lies mean that disappearance of their children will never be solved and they are to blame for this.
Whether it’s to protect themselves or others, the lies, hiring of spin doctors and refusal to cooperate with the police means they bear some responsibility for the unsolved crime.
bsa554:
Oh yeah…in a LARGE percentage of “missing child” cases at least one parent knows well what happened to their kid.
Don’t know how these people can live with themselves.
#20
The [criminals] are more like us than we want to believe.
Image source: TrueCrimeCases2024, Imad92 Asad
#21
Child Protective Services will never change. The number of children who slip through the cracks is tragic. Government beauracracy is responsible.
Image source: YugeMalakas
#22
Someone knows who the Zodiac is and no one believes them.
sai_gunslinger:
I know someone who thinks it may have been her grandfather. He was stationed in Cali and resembles the sketch. Some believe Zodiac moved to NY which is where we are. He was always doing cryptogram puzzles. He once made a suggestion for material to use to make a Zodiac costume. And some bodies were found in the woods near where he lived in NY.
Does anyone believe her? Not really. I’m not sure she believes herself. Stranger things have happened, but odds are low it’s really him.
Image source: Certain_Departure716, San Francisco Police Department
#23
The Menendez brothers should be released.
The parents were literal monsters.
Image source: Lonely-Hyena6969
#24
I think it’s dumb to base guilty or innocent on body behavior alone. Especially when people react to traumatic events like their love ones going missing differently.
Image source: whatthefuckisupkyle8
#25
I guess my opinion isn’t unpopular within THIS community, but it is to others…
I think it’s okay to be interested in listening to/watching true crime stories. I think there’s a lot we, as humans living in a society, can learn from these stories when we listen to them in a considerate way.
I think it’s okay to make media about cases, as long as it’s done respectfully.
I think some cases have really interesting ethical issues with no black or white answer and that’s okay. It’s important to be aware of these issues and think about them.
Image source: betteroffinbed, Andrea Piacquadio
#26
True crime adjacent: documentaries are not the word of god. They are fallible, they have an angle, they are meant to entertain, sometimes the producer ends up dating the suspect (I’m looking at you Staircase).
Kurt Cobain is a great example of this. There’s one documentary that can have you 100% sure Courtney Love is to blame and another can make you feel 100% sure [is not].
Image source: reckless_reck, Mido Makasardi
#27
Sometimes an “unsolved” case is 90% the family being in denial.
beeboopbeepKt:
Diane Schuler comes to mind when mentioning family denial too.
theacondaa:
Kendrick Johnson comes to mind here. Very sad and unfortunate case. It was an accident, imo.
flat_tire_fire:
Yeah Maura Murray definitely just wandered into the winter and died of exposure and never got found. I feel bad for her family but dragging it out seems more traumatic than just accepting it.
Image source: mangocucumbers, Ivan Samkov
#28
Not every [criminal] is a narcissist, sociopath, or psychopath.
Equivalent_Spite_583:
It irks me to my core that ‘narcissist’ is thrown around so casually. While some people were dealing with one, they ‘pick up’ some of the traits done by said narcissist. That doesn’t make them one themselves, it just means they’ve been picked up learned behavior while enduring abuse. Not every ‘mean’ person is a narcissist, contrary to today’s young tiktokers’ standards.
Image source: charactergallery, Tima Miroshnichenko
#29
I think at least one of Ivan Milat’s brothers was involved in some of the backpacker [homicide]. The majority of the family is a half-step away from inbred.
Image source: truckturner5164, Lalu Fatoni
#30
I believe that Brittany Murphy and Simon Monjack’s [cases] are TOO coincidental.
Additionally, BMs mom was probably in love with SM.
Content_Pool_1391:
I feel exactly the same way. It just felt like they closed both cases with a nice little bow and brushed it under the rug. It doesn’t feel like anyone cares enough to say something isn’t right.
Image source: Shelisheli1, Columbia Pictures
#31
Casey Anthony is guilty.
Image source: Imnotatree30
#32
Maura Murray ran into the woods to hide from the cops and got lost. Animals scattered her remains.
Rripurnia:
That has been my take all along but I wonder if the stranger abduction theory holds any water after all – someone volunteering to help her go somewhere else and return to her car later on but things went sideways.
I’m listening to her sister’s new podcast and I’m eager to finally hear her thoughts on the case.
Image source: anon, Alexey Demidov
#33
Scott Peterson is guilty and I can’t believe anyone thinks otherwise.
Maura Murray sadly passed away in the woods and she will hopefully be found one day.
Adnan is guilty.
The West Memphis Three are innocent.
Kendrick Johnson was a tragic accident.
Image source: anon
#34
Adnan is 100% guilty.
TheMobHasSpoken:
I’m not sure if it’s true (partly because I can’t remember where I read it), but I read once that he was calling her cell phone constantly in the days leading up to her disappearance and then, once she disappeared, never dialed her number again. That sealed it for me.
Image source: ItsDarwinMan82
#35
Kendrick Johnson & Kenneka Jenkins were both freak accidents. Elisa Lam had a psychotic break. It’s not always foul play.
Image source: so_much_volume, Hanna Saad
#36
That Diane Schuler’s loser husband knew she had a drinking problem. But he will never admit it because he let her drive those kids. His insistence that she was not an alcoholic is not to clear her name. It’s to cover his own [bum].
Image source: Sad-Reminders, IFCAR
#37
Darlie did it and Darren had more involvement than thought. I was her neighbor and while I was young my mom always said they were “off”.
Her sister is on TikTok fighting for her innocence and giving “proof” as to how it couldn’t have been her. Something about a sock found outside. Gives me OJ “the glove don’t fit obviously it wasn’t me!” Vibes.
Image source: Sass_McQueen64
#38
Asha degree’s family is not telling the full truth. i’m not necessarily saying they’re responsible for her disappearance, but it seems like they know more than they let on. maybe an argument happened that night that led Asha to become so upset she ran away once everyone went to bed, or she actually had a history of running away (even if it was just down the road to her relative’s house) but her family didn’t divulge this to LE because they were afraid they would not be taken seriously.
I think the most likely scenario is that her family is aware of something that happened that drove Asha to become distraught enough to decide to run away, but her family doesn’t want to disclose it because it makes them look bad or they feel ashamed of it.
Image source: justpassingbysorry
#39
Barron Trump is the one who made the phone call to the Feds about all of the classified documents.
It will be resurrected just for my “I told you so” when it’s revealed.
Image source: spanishpeanut
#40
Very few cops actually know how to conduct an interview.
Image source: Responsible-Two6561
#41
Not unpopular bur black and brown victims of homicide especially women are left unsolved because the police and public don’t care.
Image source: huelessheadhunter
#42
Madeline McCann’s parents would have gone to jail if they weren’t rich and white.
Image source: anon
#43
Nobody under the age of 18 should ever be tried a an adult.
Image source: SupersoftBday_party
#44
Scott Peterson is guilty.
ComteStGermain:
I agree, although I think that in his case circumstancial evidence alone works for me. The timeline alone and the fact that he went “fishing” on Christmas Eve was enough for me.
Image source: GoldenState_Thriller
#45
There was no owl on the staircase.
I’ve volunteered in a bird sanctuary, and any bird ever attacks you or comes into close involuntarily contact with you- there will be no question about what happened. Owls are precision hunters, and the thought that the owl somehow couldn’t avoid bumping into Kathleen seems very far fetched. But for arguments sake: If the owl was really startled or ill or whatever and flew into Kathleen, there would have been so much owl-evidence. You just cannot wrestle/fight/ward off any bird without it losing TONS of feathers . There would be feathers and plumes everywhere. Ever seen the bottom of a bird cage? Exactly.
Kathleen had only microscopic feathers on her, which she most likely picked up just from walking outside or under a structure where an owl once sat. The defence read about the feathers in the report and ran with the story, hoping people didn’t know too much about owls (and succeeded).
Image source: offermelove
#46
Brian Shaffer left the bar.
IamL0rdV0ldem0rt:
To add to this, I have never seen conversations about WHY everyone thinks he didn’t make it home that night. I think he probably did and whatever happened was the following day.
Image source: Gothsicle
#47
John Wayne Gacy had accomplices.
Image source: nomobjustice
#48
Not an unpopular opinion but definitely my hill.. PATSY WROTE THE NOTE!
wellgroomedmcpoyle:
Practice notes in the trash, their pen, their legal pad, “movie like” language and unbelievable length…fancy unnecessary words like “attaché”…one of the parents definitely wrote the note and it was more than likely Patsy. Also the fact that she, a woman near obsessed with keeping up appearances, was still dressed in the same outfit she wore to the party the night before…she never went to sleep that night.
Image source: 1nktoriou5
#49
Nicole Kessinger is obsessed with Chris Watts/stalked him and Shanann online/is extremely creepy but did not participate or know about the crimes (until later).
Image source: Shelisheli1
#50
Baby Deorr was never at the campsite and his parents know more.
nevertotwice_:
I don’t doubt their grief but the parents absolutely know more than they’re saying.
Image source: Virtual-Nobody-6630
#51
The True Crime community is one of the worst online communities in terms of actual effects they have on the people they center on.
I’ve been in a lot of different community spaces. Went through the one direction craze. Kpop Stan’s. The whole lot. Still have never been a part of another community that houses individuals so willing to be as obtrusive and annoying as possible about their theories and beliefs.
Image source: SpokenDivinity
#52
Whew lots of unpopular opinions and theories:
Damien Echols was not just a misfit who was judged for liking rock music. He had documented homicidal delusions and was very mentally ill. Investigators didn’t assume he was into sacrifices because he liked Metallica, it’s because he would tell doctors he wanted to sacrifice a child. He also didn’t get a fair trial, but that doesn’t change the other facts.
The jury was correct to find Casey Anthony not guilty. I’m confident she is guilty but the prosecution did not prove that at trial.
There has not ever been a clear timeline of what happened in the Degree house on the night of Asha’s disappearance. I’m not saying the family is guilty, but almost every major detail about what happened during that time has multiple different versions.
Image source: anon
#53
The Delphi [case] should have been solved within days or weeks, and justice may be denied because of investigative incompetence.
Image source: Agent847
#54
Maura Murray ran into the woods, hid somewhere to keep warm and succumbed to the elements. Her body is likely less than a mile from where her car was parked.
Image source: FabulousMamaa
#55
Brittany Murphy and her husband. Has anyone truly questioned her MOTHER??
Image source: dangerangel13
#56
Brock Turner should have gotten years in prison. Disgusting.
Image source: churchhill2578
#57
Steven Avery is guilty.
Yes, the police and the prosecutor involved did some awful things. I think he deserves a new trial. But i still think he’s guilty.
Image source: andthenshewrote
#58
Bryce Laspisa’s parents were too strict and bigoted mormons, and they caused his issues and him to flee. I really hope he’s okay somewhere far from them..
Image source: smurfette4
#59
I will get so much hate for this but i feel uneasy about The West Memphis Three. Not so sure about the innocence…
Image source: Sexyhorsegirl666
#60
Nicole Kessinger was at best aware that Chris Watts was going to [commit a crime] and at worst she helped him!!!!!!!!!!! The only reason she wasn’t investigated further is because Chris admitted to the crime and the case was closed. Idc idc idc!!!
Image source: attunedmuse
#61
I believe the foster parents were involved in the disappearance of William Tyrrell. I remember watching a documentary on the case and the producers of the documentary were so dismissive of their possible involvement and I remember saying to myself: “Um, why? This case feels like it has way more to it.”
Image source: z3r0suitsamus
#62
The Anglin brothers successfully escaped from Alcatraz and lived long lives in South America.
Also I really want there to be some crazy conspiracy behind the Dyatlov Pass hikers.
Image source: JudgeJuryEx78
#63
Defence attorneys/barristers/solicitors (etc) aren’t immoral monsters. They’re doing the job they’re paid to do and it’s a really important job.
FWIW- NAL but I am a paralegal in criminal defence in the U.K.
A LOT of people don’t realise that defence lawyers (using a catch-all term for brevity) are duty bound to act on their client’s instructions. If the client says they’re not guilty, it doesn’t matter what you personally as their lawyer believe, you represent them as not guilty. If, as their lawyer, you believe that the evidence against them is overwhelming and they stand little chance at trial, you can advise them of that however, you are ultimately bound by your client’s instructions.
You •cannot• represent your client in the event that they plead not guilty but tell you in private that they committed the offence. In the U.K. you have to withdraw from representing them due to “professional embarrassment”. The amount of people/podcasters I see/hear going on about defence lawyers as though they’re the devil incarnate for representing clearly guilty people is infuriating.
Defence lawyers, in the U.K. at least, do not invent theories for why their client is not guilty. They review the evidence with their client, take the client’s instructions, and then highlight any inconsistencies between the client’s story and the evidence and ASK THEM how that could be explained. They don’t fill in the gaps for the client.
Defence lawyers are the only people looking out for clients. Their objective is not to keep guilty people out of prison, their objective is to make sure they receive a fair trial and the justice system follows protocol in the prosecution of the client.
They’re not monsters. Phew, vent over!
Image source: mamahurricane
#64
The jury in the Casey Anthony case failed Kaylee Anthony. In my opinion, I believe they did in fact have enough evidence. That little girl never got justice.
Image source: z3r0suitsamus
#65
True crime internet sleuths that come up with something law enforcement missed are probably wrong. Coverups can happen, but they’re not as common as people think. Most law enforcement wants to get to the bottom of stuff as much as anyone else, but they are way better at it and have access to much more information that anyone on the internet does.
Image source: I_Am_A_Cucumber1
#66
Elisa Lam stopped taking her meds and had a psychotic break. The Netflix doc is absolutely disgusting for how they twisted her case. And I feel so bad for that metal band guy who was caught up in all that. Let her rest and let her family grieve.
Image source: anon
#67
The Zodiac is not Arthur Leigh Allen.
Image source: Wrong-Intention7725
#68
Bryan Kohberger is guilty and acted alone.
Image source: anon
#69
Jeffery Epstein [ended his life]. There’s no evidence that doesn’t square with “American prisons suck” and he had plenty of motive.
Image source: ASigIAm213
#70
My absolute favorite case is the Isdal Woman. I know many people disagree and have other theories, but I still believe that she was an agent or spy of some kind. There are too many clues to simply toss away – removed clothing labels, bogus names, secretive meetups, observing submarine drills, etc. I don’t know who she was an agent for (I believe the USSR and Mossad are likely guesses).
Image source: GroundbreakingAge254
#71
That all criminals can benefit from counselling, no matter what armchair psychologists think.
Image source: DesignerProcess1526
#72
Sandra Melgar is innocent.
SurrealCollagist:
The second I saw her interrogation years ago I totally thought she was innocent. I’ve heard/read people who said that there were things/facts mentioned at trial that show guilt, and I imagine there has to be Something or the jury wouldn’t have found her guilty. I suppose I should look into it more. Because all the prosecution could come up with as a motive is that she was bored with him… Would be interesting to hear from jurors.
Image source: anon
#73
Amanda Knox is 100% innocent.
Image source: MyPunchableFace
#74
Darlie Routier is 100% guilty.
Image source: KinkySpork
#75
That Jeffery Dahmer will always be the most fascinating case of all time for people who are actually really into psychology and true crime.
Image source: JJETTAS188
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