8 Must-Watch True Crime Documentaries From the State of Iowa

There have been some very interesting true crime documentaries to come out of the Hawkeye State in recent years! As a person that's a bit obsessed with the subject, I've watched quite a few of them. Here are 8 of the popular documentaries, docuseries, or true crime show episodes that are based here in Iowa:

Lover, Stalker, Killer (2024)

• 1 episode - available on Netflix
• This documentary follows the 2012 murder of Cari Farver, a 37-year-old woman from Macedonia, Iowa who was unknowingly involved in a love triangle. Cari disappeared after two weeks of dating an Omaha man named Dave Kroupa, but someone claiming to be her continued to stalk and harass Dave and the people close to him for years. After a shocking investigation, it turns out that Cari was not the perpetrator, but the victim of another woman in Dave's life that had been deceiving him all along.

Dateline NBC: "The Farmer's Wife" (2025)

• Season 34, episode 12 - available on Peacock
• In June of 2021, a 42-year-old farmer named Ryan Cooper was murdered at his home in Traer, Iowa. The small town rumor mill begins to churn, which leads investigators to uncover an affair and murder plot between Ryan's wife Karina Cooper and a local man named Huston Danker. The episode follows the investigation, as well as the trials of Karina and Huston, who were sentenced to life in prison in 2025.

Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? (2024)

• 3 episodes - available on HBO Max
• In July of 2012, two cousins, 10-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey and 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins, were abducted from Evansdale, Iowa. Their bodies were discovered five months later in a remote area of Bremer County. The docuseries takes a deep dive into the case, which remains unsolved to this day.

Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit (2025)

• 3 episodes - available on Hulu
• 27-year-old TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit went missing from her apartment in Mason City, Iowa in the early morning hours of June 27th, 1995. More than 30 years later, we still don't know exactly what happened to her. There was evidence of a struggle and possible abduction in the parking lot near Jodi's car, but her body has never been discovered. Although Jodi was declared legally dead in May 2001, the infamous Iowa cold case continues to be investigated. This series dives into some of the false rumors that have been spread over the years, various tips that police have received, and several of the persons of interest.

Queen of Meth (2021)

• 3 episodes - available on HBO Max
• This mini-series follows the life and crimes of Lori Arnold, the sister of actor Tom Arnold. Lori visits her hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa, where she was once a prolific drug dealer and owner of a biker bar called The Wild Side. She reflects on her childhood, her reign as the "Queen of Meth," her arrests, and the consequences of her crimes that she and the people close to her are still dealing with today.

My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders (2026)

• 3 episodes - available on Paramount+
• The most recent of the titles on the list, this docuseries dives into the life of Donald Dean Studey and his daughter Lucy Studey McKiddy's allegations against him. Lucy claims that her father, who passed away in 2013, was a serial killer that killed 50 to 70 people over three decades. She also says that she remembers helping him dispose of the bodies in a well near their property in Fremont County, Iowa. The docuseries dives into Lucy's story, the divide between her and her siblings, allegations of abuse from Donald's ex wives, and a 2022 search of the property.

The Murder Tapes: "I Did It" (2019)

• Season 1, episode 6 - available on HBO Max
• After a 53-year-old Iowa woman named Michelle Kinney is found murdered at her apartment in Dubuque in 2018, friends and family are shocked and confused. Thanks to traffic camera footage, police are able to identify 53-year-old Garry Cornell James as the suspect. The episode features body camera footage of Garry's eventual confession, as well as interviews with investigators.

Who Took Johnny? (2014)

• 1 episode - available on Netflix
• One of Iowa's most infamous cold cases is the disappearance of Johnny Gosch. In September of 1982, 12-year-old Johnny went missing during his morning paper route in West Des Moines. This resulted in Johnny being one of the first missing children to have their photo featured on milk cartons. The documentary examines the unsolved case and Johnny's mother Noreen's unending search for answers.

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