Dive into the most shocking true crime stories that defined a generation. From high-profile murders to mysterious disappearances, these cases captivated and horrified millennials, leaving an indelible mark on their collective memory and sparking endless discussions and theories.
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00:00He stalked people on social media. He stalked the families on social media.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the most notorious scandals
00:08and incidents that millennials have lived to see.
00:10It's time to end this. All state and local units stand down immediately.
00:16FBI hostage rescue will be taking over.
00:19The Murder of Gianni Versace
00:32In 1997, the fashion world was stunned when this renowned designer was shot on
00:36the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. His assailant, 27-year-old Andrew Cunanan,
00:40was already infamous for a cross-country killing spree that left four others dead.
00:44Cunanan approached Versace as he returned from a morning walk,
00:47shooting him in the head with a .40-caliber handgun before fleeing the scene.
00:50After Versace's murder, with Cunanan on the loose, anxiety grew.
00:56Let me assure you that Miami Beach and Dade County are safe.
01:01The murder captivated millennials, dominating headlines while the nationwide manhunt that
01:06had begun with his earlier crimes continued. Eight days later, Cunanan was found dead on
01:10a houseboat having taken his own life. Fast forward decades later and the world still has
01:14numerous unanswered questions as to Cunanan's motives. The Disappearance of Madeline McCann
01:26This infamous case may be described as one of the most gripping and frustrating in recent history.
01:42The young British girl vanished while on vacation with her family in Praia da Luz,
01:46Portugal, in 2007. Despite years of heavy investigation by professionals around the
01:50world, we're no closer now than we were then to finding out what happened to her.
02:08Some believe she was kidnapped or killed by a stranger. Others are suspicious of her parents,
02:11Kate and Jerry, who left their kids alone at night to go eat tapas.
02:14In any event, Madeline McCann is a name that virtually any millennial would recognize.
02:20The Killing of Heyman Lee
02:40In 1999, Lee, an 18-year-old high school student, was found strangled in a grave in Baltimore,
02:45Maryland. Her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was soon arrested, convicted of her murder,
02:49and sentenced to life in prison. However, the case gained new life in 2014 when the
02:53hit podcast Serial examined the investigation, trial, and evidence used against Syed.
03:07Millions of millennials became obsessed with his involvement or lack thereof in Lee's fate.
03:11In 2022, after years of legal battles, Syed's conviction was overturned,
03:15only to be subsequently reinstated. The case remains controversial, with many still questioning
03:20whether justice was truly served. The Unabomber's Reign of Terror
03:37For nearly two decades, the United States was terrorized by a mysterious serial bomber known
03:41as the Unabomber. Ted Kaczynski, a former assistant mathematics professor turned recluse,
03:46carried out an American-wide mail-bombing campaign, targeting universities, airlines,
03:51and individuals he saw as symbols of technological destruction. His homemade
03:54explosives killed three people and injured 23 others. The story gripped the nation,
03:58with investigators struggling to track him down until The Washington Post published his 35,000-word
04:04manifesto at the FBI's urging. In a shocking twist, Kaczynski's own brother recognized his
04:08writing and turned him in. Arrested in 1996, the Unabomber's legacy of fear still lingers,
04:25especially for millennials who grew up hearing his name. The murder of Lacey Peterson
04:38On Christmas Eve in 2002, 27-year-old Lacey Peterson, who was almost eight months pregnant,
04:50vanished from her Modesto, California home. As the search for her intensified,
04:53suspicion quickly fell on her husband, Scott Peterson, whose calm demeanor and
04:57statements raised red flags. The case took a shocking turn when it was revealed that Scott
05:12had been having an affair with a woman who claimed he told her his wife was already dead. In April
05:162003, Lacey's remains and those of her unborn son washed ashore in San Francisco Bay, and Scott was
05:21arrested shortly after. His trial became a media spectacle, and he was convicted of first-degree
05:26murder in 2004. The Long Island Serial Killer
05:48The culprit behind the Gilgo Beach serial killings remains a chilling mystery. In 2010,
05:53police searching for a missing woman in New York discovered multiple sets of human remains.
05:57Over time, at least 11 victims, mostly petite women involved in sex work, were linked to the
06:02case. The gruesome findings sparked widespread fear and speculation, with theories ranging from
06:06a lone killer to a possible police cover-up. In 2023, authorities finally arrested Rex Heuermann,
06:20an architect with a seemingly normal life, but many questions have yet to be answered.
06:24Millennials continue to follow the story through documentaries, podcasts, and Reddit discussions.
06:39The Boston Marathon Incident
06:51In 2013, tragedy struck the Boston Marathon when two bombs exploded near the finish line,
06:58killing three people and injuring nearly 300 others. The perpetrators, brothers Tamerlin
07:03and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, had planted pressure cooker bombs in backpacks, turning a day of
07:07celebration into chaos. The attacks shocked the world, and the ensuing manhunt captivated
07:12millennials, with social media playing a key role in tracking developments.
07:21After a shootout with police, Tamerlin was killed while Dzhokhar was captured and later
07:30sentenced to death. The bombing left a lasting scar on the U.S., leading to heightened security
07:34at public events and sparking debates about domestic terrorism and radicalization in the
07:38digital age. The JonBenet Ramsey Case
07:54On December 26, 1996, a young beauty queen was found murdered in her family's Boulder,
07:59Colorado home. Her mother, Patsy, discovered a ransom note demanding $118,000, almost the exact
08:05amount of her husband Jon's recent bonus. JonBenet's body was located in the basement.
08:09She had suffered a skull fracture, been strangled, and may have been sexually assaulted.
08:22The case garnered massive media attention, with initial suspicion falling on JonBenet's parents
08:27and brother, Burke. However, DNA evidence later cleared them of involvement. The crime remains
08:32unsolved, haunting those who grew up seeing it unfold in the media and fueling endless online
08:36speculation. The Columbine High School Tragedy
08:46Experts we talked to feel it is tragic the isolation and hatred went undetected at the school,
08:52yet they say the key to preventing future violence may really lie with parents and kids at home.
08:59On April 20, 1999, the world watched in horror as two heavily armed students,
09:03Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, carried out a brutal massacre at their high school in
09:07Littleton, Colorado. The teens murdered 12 students and a teacher before taking their
09:11own lives, leaving behind a nation grappling with the shocking reality of school shootings.
09:15The attack, meticulously planned for over a year, involved homemade bombs and knives as well. In
09:32the aftermath, debates raged over gun control and media influence while myths and conspiracy
09:36theories spread rapidly. Columbine remains one of the most infamous school shootings in history,
09:40forever altering how the world views gun violence and school safety.
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10:06The Death of Caylee Anthony
10:20Dubbed the social media trial of the century, the story of Cayce Anthony captivated and outraged
10:25the nation. In 2008, the young Florida mother failed to report her young daughter, Caylee,
10:29missing for over a month. Even before Caylee's remains were discovered that December,
10:33Cayce's erratic behavior fueled suspicion. She repeatedly lied to police, changed her story,
10:43and partied instead of searching for her child. Despite intense public scrutiny,
10:47she was acquitted of homicide in 2011, a verdict often compared to the OJ Simpson
10:51trial for its shock factor. To this day, Cayce maintains her innocence, but few are convinced.
10:55If the lynch mob justice is as it was that I saw this afternoon, I'm concerned for her safety,
11:01that people will go after her. Wherever she goes, she will always be Cayce Anthony.
11:06Did we miss any major millennial true crimes? Let us know below.
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