Jefferey Dahmer, the Menendez Brothers, and Gypsy Rose Blanchard are all household names in this new era of social media. While initially, true crime was spoken of in fear of what could happen and as a warning to those who would listen, it now entertainment for the masses.
If you were to take a quick search on any social media app, like TikTok, a plethora of accounts monetizing the torture and deaths of victims whose names have been lost to time begin to appear. One such account features someone making cookies while talking about the gruesome murders of college students, children, and your average-joe. Each cookie is adorned with a little smiley face, and if you weren’t listening to the people speaking, you would think that the content was just as happy.
True crime first lifted off with magazines like “True Detective” in the 20th century but became mainstream through the era of podcasts in the mid-2010s. As crime shows grew in popularity, so did the rise of social media and with gruesome images and grisly murders being talked of commonly, audiences became desensitized. By the time people stopped watching “Criminal Minds” and started consuming media about real murders with shocking, tangible implications it was too difficult to see the non-fiction aspect of their ‘show.’
The monetary aspect is even more shocking. “Monster,” a hit docuseries, dramatized the life and crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, a cannibal who targeted young men in Milwaukee. The families of the victims received no recompense and found the content to be disturbing.
Shirley Hughes, the mother of victim Tony Hughes, in an interview with Forbes said it’s “a shame that people can take our tragedy and make money.”
Meanwhile, Evan Peters, who played Dahmer, used his Golden Globe acceptance speech to highlight the victims and their families. However, the families of the deceased believed out of respect he shouldn’t have taken the role in the first place.
As the second season of “Monsters” comes out featuring the Menendez Brothers, another question comes to mind: how can you accurately portray these horrific tragedies?
Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, co-creators of the docuseries “Monsters,” used the second season to portray the myriad of media depictions of the court case. By doing so they played heavily into the slander that was published during the time and took a strong stance against the two men. While having an opinion about the crime isn’t an issue, when it comes to showcasing the trauma of two men as well as a gruesome crime, sometimes it’s better to display a little more decorum than playing into falsehoods.
Declan Kashou ’27 said, “The stories are, of course, compelling, but I do think that sometimes they appeal to the worst in us. Media about atrocious crimes should be more about breaking down how it was able to happen or highlighting heroics than just shock value and gore.”
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is infamous for participating in a plot to kill her mother after being a victim of Munchausen by proxy. After being released from prison, she was able to gain a platform on social media. This account has allowed her to profit around $6,000 from her nine million followers.
Profiting off the deaths of innocents as well as graphic descriptions can cause audiences discomfort and make many feel as if they don’t want to continue. These real world implications are the crux of the moral issues behind the creation and monetization of true crime.
Addie Sanft ’26 said, “True crime can be hard to stomach because of how horrifying it is that real people could do something like this.”
However, the content of true crime can be appealing despite its creepy nature.
“I think that podcasts really romanticize the content of true crime but that is part of what draws audiences in,” said Addison Kinney ’26.
According to Edison Research, 84 percent of the U.S. population 13+ tunes in to listen to true crime. The use of storytelling in these depictions of crimes are what garners interest and gains viewership for these podcasts.
Some members of the Wellesley High School community, however, also feel like true crime isn’t as prevalent as other types of media.
“It’s funny how I’m never scared of true crime yet I am for fictional horror movies,” said Jamie Duffy ’25.
Meanwhile for some students, true crime isn’t a concern at all.
Jack White ’27 said, “I feel incredibly indifferent towards true crime. It just isn’t a part of my life.”
In a series of Bradford interviews, 62 percent of students echoed similar sentiments. While off putting, true crime often doesn’t seem to have an effect on the average student at the high school. In the real world, true crime can be horrifying and polarizing due to the content of the crimes and their extreme nature. How can we live in a world where we consume media about the deaths of many for entertainment? And how can we reconcile that with the stories we enjoy so dearly?