People Magazine names Pacific Northwest true crime documentaries among best on Netflix
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – People Magazine released a list in late December of the best true crime documentaries on Netflix – including a few with ties to the Pacific Northwest.
The list features 26 documentaries that explore a range of crimes from fraud and heists to serial killers.
"Wild Wild Country"
The first documentary with Oregon ties, is 2018’s “Wild Wild Country.” The six-part docuseries explores a former religious cult in central Oregon called the Rajneeshpuram.
Led by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh -- who preached messages of love, meditation, and living in the moment -- members of the group bult a commune in 1981 on the 64,000-acre Big Muddy Ranch in Wasco County. At its height, Rajneeshpuram had nearly 7,000 members from all over the world.
DON'T MISS: The Rajneesh in central Oregon
“The docuseries told the story of Rajneeshpuram, a cult-like commune in Oregon that initially seemed peaceful,” People explained. “But conflicts with the wider community led to an almost unbelievable series of events that included alleged attempted murder, voter fraud, immigration fraud and even a bioterror attack.”
The docuseries was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and was later nominated for five Emmy awards -- winning for outstanding documentary, People noted.
"D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!"
The second Pacific Northwest documentary on the list is “D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?!”
The 2022 four-part series tells the story of a man, who called himself Dan Cooper, who hijacked a flight in 1971 from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington.
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“After demanding and receiving ransom money...Cooper put on a parachute, opened a door and jumped out of the plane never to be seen again," People said. "The docuseries offers new clues and interviews experts who all try to answer the same question: where is D.B. Cooper?”
Other documentaries on the list include "Downfall: The Case Against Boeing," which explores the "downward spiral" of aerospace manufacturer Boeing. While the company has roots in Seattle, Washington, it is headquartered in Virginia.
The 2022 documentary was also selected for the Sundance Film Festival.
People Magazine also lauded "American Nightmare," about a woman who was kidnapped from her boyfriend's home in 2015, which later became known as the "Gone Girl Kidnapping," along with “Don’t F—k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer,” and “The Tinder Swindler.”