16 American Cities Forever Changed by True Crime Documentaries

11. Gainesville, Florida: The Gainesville Ripper's Terror

In 1990, the college town of Gainesville, Florida, was paralyzed by fear as serial killer Danny Rolling, the "Gainesville Ripper," murdered five students. Documentaries like "Mind of a Monster: The Gainesville Ripper" (Oxygen) delve into the terror that gripped the University of Florida campus and the surrounding community. The films emphasize how a vibrant, youth-filled environment suddenly became a hunting ground, forcing a vibrant city to confront its vulnerability and the psychological toll on its young population, forever linking Gainesville to a period of intense, widespread dread.