When a true crime case is making headlines, there are usually multiple programs covering the same subject within months of each other.
Not every duel release is intentional, but topics such as Sherri Papini‘s kidnapping case and Erik Menéndez and Lyle Menéndez‘s infamous murder trial are great examples of multiple coverage on the same high-profile situation.
Papini made headlines in 2016 after she was allegedly abducted while going for a jog in her California neighborhood. She resurfaced 22 days later, which is when Papini claimed she had been beaten and branded by her captors. As new details emerged after her return, Papini was ultimately arrested in 2022 for orchestrating her abduction. She pleaded guilty to a federal judge later that year and was sentenced to 18 months in jail for committing mail fraud and lying to a federal officer about being kidnapped.
Papini’s case was explored in Hulu’s Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini, which debuted in June 2024. Sherri’s now-ex-husband Keith Papini and several of her family members and loved ones participated in the docuseries. One month after Perfect Wife started streaming, Investigation Discovery announced an upcoming docuseries where Sherri will speak out for the first time about the controversy. The show will debut in 2025.
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Meanwhile, the Menéndez brothers were arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree murder after their parents — José and Kitty — were found shot to death in their home. Two trials resulted in Erik and Lyle being sentenced to life without parole while they maintained that their mother and father were physically, emotionally and sexually abusive.
Their case received renewed support in September 2024 after becoming the focus of Murphy’s Monsters series. Monsters came under fire for several scenes alluding to an incestuous relationship between Lyle and Erik. Less than one week after Monsters was released, Netflix announced that Lyle and Erik were interviewed for The Menéndez Brothers documentary. The October 2024 release includes footage from conversations with juror Betty Oldfield, Kitty’s sister Joan Vander Molen and prosecutor Pamela Bozanich.
Keep scrolling for more examples of dueling true crime projects:
‘The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist’ vs. ‘The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring’
The Bling Ring — consisting of Rachel Lee, Nick Prugo, Alexis Neiers, Courtney Ames and Diana Tamayo — became infamous for stealing roughly $3 million in cash and belongings from Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Audrina Patridge, Rachel Bilson and many more celebrities’ homes from 2008 to 2009.
Following their 2010 arrests, the group was the inspiration behind Sofia Coppola‘s film of the same name and a book by New York Times bestselling author Nancy Jo Sales. There was a renewed interest in the case when Prugo and Neiers participated in Netflix’s 2022 docuseries The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist.
Lee broke her silence in a separate documentary on HBO titled The Ringleader. Lee was the main subject of the 2023 project as she offered her side of the story 15 years after the crimes originally made headlines.
‘Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini’ vs. Investigation Discovery’s Version
Sherri’s family and loved ones offered glimpses into her life since the kidnapping controversy in Hulu’s Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini and subsequent press interviews.
After serving time behind bars, Sherri remained tight-lipped about the situation. Investigation Discovery confirmed in 2024 that they were working on a documentary where Sherri would publicly address her legal issues for the first time.
“Sherri Papini drew worldwide attention when she went missing and then again, when she returned. While many perspectives have been told, there is one point of view that the world hasn’t heard and that is from Sherri herself,” President of ID Jason Sarlanis said in a statement at the time. “Investigation Discovery will present a new side of Sherri Papini’s case — told by her in her own words.”
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‘American Murder: Laci Peterson’ vs. ‘Face to Face With Scott Peterson’
Netflix and Peacock both revisited Scott Peterson‘s conviction for pregnant wife Laci Peterson‘s murder in two different documentaries.
Scott was arrested and charged with two counts of murder in 2003 after his wife disappeared. Laci, who was eight months pregnant at the time, was later found dead at age 27. After a high-profile trial, Scott, who denied any involvement, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Laci and the second-degree murder of their infant son, Conner.
Scott was originally given a death sentence, but the ruling was overturned in 2020. One year later, he was re-sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His case made headlines again in January 2024 when the Los Angeles Innocence Project announced they were trying to help overturn Scott’s murder conviction.
In July 2024, Peacock announced its three-part docuseries, Face to Face With Scott Peterson, which featured Scott breaking his silence two decades after he was found guilty for the murder of Laci and their unborn child. One week later, Netflix followed suit with the news that American Murder: Laci Peterson would be covering the same true crime case — and was released days before Peacock’s version.
‘Scoop’ vs. ‘A Very Royal Scandal’
Prime Video’s A Very Royal Scandal was a fictional recreation of Prince Andrew’s 2019 interview in which he denied knowing Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault. The accusations were revealed after Andrew’s connection with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein went public.
The topic was previously covered in Netflix’s Scoop, which was another dramatization about the infamous interview.
‘Monsters’ vs. ‘The Menendez Brothers’
The scripted version of Erik and Lyle’s story was released in September 2024 with Nicholas Alexander Chavez bringing Lyle to life while Erik was played by Cooper Koch. José and Kitty, meanwhile, were portrayed by Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny, respectively. Erik and other members of the Menéndez family slammed the series while Murphy stood by the production.
Lyle and Erik will get to tell their side of the story in Netflix’s The Menéndez Brothers doc.
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Diddy on Netflix vs. Diddy on Investigation Discovery
Sean “Diddy” Combs was indicted in September 2024 on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution, one day after he was arrested and taken into custody in Manhattan. (He pleaded not guilty to all charges before being denied bail.)
One day after he was indicted, Investigation Discovery announced an unnamed doc which will be “exploring the rise and influence of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and the allegations of violent behavior and illegal activity that have trailed the music mogul.”
50 Cent, meanwhile, teamed up with Netflix and director Alexandria Stapleton for a docuseries about Diddy’s alleged crimes. (50 Cent originally announced plans for the doc in December 2023, which was nearly a year before Diddy was arrested and sued by multiple women who accused him of sexual assault, which he has continued to deny.)
“This is a story with significant human impact. It is a complex narrative spanning decades, not just the headlines or clips seen so far,” 50 Cent and the director said in a statement that same month. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to give a voice to the voiceless and to present authentic and nuanced perspectives. While the allegations are disturbing, we urge all to remember that Sean Combs’ story is not the full story of hip-hop and its culture. We aim to ensure that individual actions do not overshadow the culture’s broader contributions.”
‘Quiet on Set’ vs. ‘Child Star’
Investigation Discovery made headlines in 2024 when directors Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz explored Nickelodeon’s past toxic work environment in Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. The docuseries specifically highlighted producer Dan Schneider’s time at the network with projects such as All That, The Amanda Show, iCarly, Victorious, Sam & Cat and more.
The five-part docuseries also featured Drake Bell breaking his silence about being the minor involved in a sexual abuse case against dialogue coach Brian Peck. (Peck was arrested in August 2003 for sexually abusing a then-unnamed child. Peck pleaded no contest to performing a lewd act with a victim around 14 or 15 years old and to oral copulation with a child under 16 years old, which resulted in a 16-month prison sentence.)
Child Star, meanwhile, came out later that same year with Demi Lovato at the helm of the storytelling as she appeared on and directed the documentary. The Hulu special featured Lovato sharing her experiences from child stardom while interviewing other actors about the pitfalls of fame such as substance abuse issues, money problems and more.
