10 Disturbing True Crime Moments That Broke The Internet

10 Disturbing True Crime Moments That Broke the Internet

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at ten true crime moments that caused enormous shockwaves throughout social media and the internet at large.

The Shooting of Brian Thompson

On the morning of December 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and murdered by a hooded figure on the streets of New York City. The brazen crime was like something out of a movie, and it understandably set the internet alight. The story was captivating enough on its own, but online communities immediately rallied behind the shooter, casting him as a folk hero striking back against unchecked corporate greed. The subsequent manhunt only amplified the frenzy, with live-tracking threads and fun speculative theories about his dramatic “Day of the Jackal”-esque escape. And when he was caught just a few days later, there was actually a palpable sense of disappointment. Sometimes, the real world is even more exciting than fiction.

Casey Anthony

Back in 2008, the death of two-year-old Caylee Anthony captivated the nation, and her mother, Casey, quickly became the prime suspect. The case exploded online, with people following every little detail like devoted detectives, from frantic 911 calls to evidence like duct tape and internet searches. When the trial began in 2011, it dominated social media and live streams, even drawing comparisons to the O.J. Simpson trial. The public was absolutely convinced of Casey’s guilt, and outrage built daily as shocking testimony unfolded. But when the jury acquitted her of murder, the internet erupted with fury. Memes, hashtags, and angry posts flooded forums and Facebook pages, branding her “the most hated mom in America.” Even now, years later, the reputation remains.

A Zodiac Cypher Is Finally Solved

During his infamous crime spree of the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer sent a number of ciphers to the press, begging people to partake in his twisted game. And that’s just what they did. One of the ciphers was quickly cracked by a couple in California, but the others remained elusive for more than fifty years. Fast forward to 2020, when a small team of amateurs finally cracked the cipher known as Z340. As this was the first major break in the Zodiac case in about a half a century, it understandably set the internet on fire, reigniting interest in the case and giving hope that, maybe one day, he will be identified. Or, at least that his other ciphers will also be solved…

The Murder of Bianca Devins

On July 14, 2019, 17-year-old Bianca Devins was murdered, and her case quickly exposed the flaws in social media. The Utica teen was brutally killed by a man named Brandon Clark, but the horror deepened when graphic photos of her body were posted to platforms like Instagram and Discord. These grotesque images spread rapidly, shared and reshared many times before they could be taken down. The response of social media companies was heavily criticized - while some acted quickly, others were accused of being slow or indifferent in removing the content. For many, this tragedy highlighted how poorly platforms were equipped to handle violent imagery, and it sparked ongoing debate about content moderation, user safety, and the responsibility of tech companies in preventing such exploitation.

The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann

The Daily Telegraph has called this “the most heavily reported missing person case in modern history,” and that’s no hyperbole. The three-year-old disappeared from her family’s resort room on the night of May 3, 2007 while her parents dined at a nearby restaurant. Forums and early social networks exploded with speculation about what happened, but more importantly, relentless scrutiny of her parents, Kate and Gerry. Instead of sympathy, the couple faced unprecedented waves of public outrage, with many accusing them of negligence for leaving their children unattended. Others went further, spinning elaborate theories that painted the parents as suspects. The viral spread of such claims created one of the first true “trial by internet” moments. The first of many…

The Golden State Killer Is Finally Caught

After decades of frustrating silence, one of America’s most infamous serial killers was finally caught in 2018. Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer, was identified through genetic genealogy when investigators uploaded DNA from his crime scenes to a public genealogy website, effectively linking him to distant relatives. This groundbreaking technique finally unmasked the man behind at least thirteen murders, dozens of sexual assaults, and over 120 burglaries throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The revelation spread like fire throughout the internet, with true crime enthusiasts left utterly flabbergasted that such an old cold case had finally been solved. For many, the arrest symbolized hope that even the most elusive criminals could no longer hide in the modern age of technology.

The Luka Magnotta Videos

In the early 2010s, Canadian man Luka Magnotta horrified the internet by releasing graphic videos of animal cruelty. And then in May 2012, he uploaded the infamous “1 Lunatic, 1 Ice Pick,” which showed him murdering university student Jun Lin. These disturbing clips disgusted even the most hardened LiveLeak user, sparking international outrage. Viewers were not only shocked by the brutality, but enraged by the apparent pleasure that Magnotta took in documenting his acts. They even galvanized a dedicated group of online sleuths, who meticulously analyzed every frame of the sick videos for clues in hopes of identifying the perp. The case marked one of the earliest - and to date, one of the most famous - examples of collective internet justice.

The Misidentification of the Boston Marathon Bomber

Online sleuthing certainly sounds cool, but there’s a reason it’s not encouraged by law enforcement agencies. We need look no further than the Boston Marathon bombing. In the aftermath, social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit became hubs for real-time updates and sleuthing, with people scouring footage from the marathon to try and identify the suspects. This led to a surge of misinformation, with users wrongly naming innocent people as the perpetrators. One notable case involved Sunil Tripathi, a missing college student who was incorrectly identified as the bomber and widely circulated as a suspect. The false accusations spread rapidly, amplified by passionate voices, highlighting both the internet’s power for collective action - and its potential for serious harm.

The Slender Man Stabbing

The line between reality and internet fun was unsettlingly crossed on May 31, 2014, when Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser stabbed their classmate Payton Leutner to appease the Slender Man. The monster originated on the Something Awful forums and quickly found immense fame through creepypastas, fan art, YouTube shows, and video games. Because Slender Man was a creation unique to the internet, the news that two girls had stabbed a classmate to “appease” him was especially disturbing. For many, it was hard to grapple with the idea that something they had created, proliferated, and even had fun with suddenly had real-world repercussions. The attack dominated social media and highlighted the potential danger of online myths on susceptible young users.

The Arrest & Death of Jeffrey Epstein

The sex offender’s 2019 arrest instantly captivated global attention, but it was his sudden death in a Manhattan jail cell that truly broke the internet. His passing sparked immediate skepticism due to alleged security lapses, like sleeping guards and mysteriously-malfunctioning cameras. Memes proliferated every corner of the internet, with a particular slogan gaining significant traction. Theories flourished, suggesting that he was silenced to protect the elites who are implicated in his crimes. The case continues to fascinate, with the release of the “Epstein Files” reigniting debate, raising new questions, and even roping in the President of the United States. What a timeline. Epstein’s case remains a cultural flashpoint, blending scandal, conspiracy, and mistrust - proof of how just one man’s downfall reshaped online discourse.

Did you partake in these discussions, or were you more of an observer? Let us know in the comments below!