User reviews

It's an interesting documentary that explores a severe case of stalking to the point that if it were a movie, it would be hard to believe. It also illustrates the dangers of online dating, where you never know the true personality of a person. Although it took a long time to solve, the authorities working on the case did a great job, especially the tech expert who dedicated himself so much that he refused to have brain surgery until he solved the case. He was the main reason the case was solved. The documentary is engaging, with many interesting twists and turns that I won't talk about to avoid giving spoilers, but I do recommend watching it.

I rate this documentary. It's well worth your time to watch.

Maybe I watch too much true crime, but I could see fairly early on who the culprit was. And so I was kind of waiting for them to reveal that.

And so it moved a little slowly in that regard. The film makers filled in the details one by one towards the end. Things like the missing car, untouched bank accounts etc.

There were a few unanswered questions such as how the offender kept their digital ID untraceable for so long. How did they gain entry to properties? What happened to the gun?

I came away feeling very sorry for the male victim. He was put through the ringer. He seems like a decent guy.

This is actually better than most Netflix crime documentaries.

For one it doesn't have several useless episodes with information that keeps on repeating in order to fill the time. It's a relatively zippy 1h30 and there is very little filler.

I've got three qualms about this that keeps me from giving it a higher rating.

1- If I could figure out within 15 minutes what was going on how come the first cops couldn't? There's no information about the cops' ineptitude in handling the initial case.

2- The prosecutor says this will be a hard case to prove, no slam dunk etc. And then the film makers spend all of two minutes on the actual court case. That's shoddy film making.

3- What was the perpetrators motives? The mindset etc. Nothing was explained or explored and that made for a less than compelling ending.

Netflix almost knocked it out of the park with this one.

A good watch for all the wrong reasons. A love triangle goes drastically wrong. Firstly I think I watch too many TV shows and too many crime documentaries, because I guessed exactly how all of this would unfold, almost to the minute details. That didn't take anything away from the film though.

Man goes on date with woman. He then dates another woman. Woman becomes scorned and unleashes hell on said man. That's pretty much a short, brief summary.

You do find yourself asking questions. Why couldn't the police get to the bottom of it much quicker? We all know how easy it is for law enforcement to track people, or ISP addresses. I feel it should never have got to the stage it did do.

Overall a good watch though for true crime fans. Give it a try.

I'm the type of person that sees something interesting on Netflix, I check what it is about watch the trailer and add it to my list, to then never watch it. On some very rare occasions I watch it immediately, like this one.

I was hooked from the start, unfortunately as I had an early morning the next day I had to watch it in two parts but I was so dragged into this story that I couldn't stop thinking about it.

My partner had it right from the start about how the events were gonna turn out, and I must say I should have seen it coming.

The documentary is filmed in a great way, it all comes together without losing the viewer and confusing us. It's disturbing to realise that this is how some people live and sad how the family of those around all get affected.

It really breaks my mind that the investigators in this true crime case took more than 3 years to solve what took me a paltry 15 minutes. Believe me, it is all too easy to deduce and too obvious. I am even a bit angry at the primary victim, Dave Kroupa, for not figuring it out himself. And this is not the first true crime documentary either where investigators are seen doing a lazy and unimaginative job. The events unfolded in 2012 and not in 1912. Electronic surveillance technology was easily available back then and it's shocking that none of the cops thought of using it. Incredibly, it took a set of new detectives and 3 years of head banging by the Omaha P. D. to conclude that the investigation "needed an IT guy", especially when the entire volume of evidence in the case was digital in nature. It is absolutely nuts and revolting.

The documentary was well-organized and maintained a good pace, similar to many of Netflix's true crime documentaries. A notable addition in this documentary was the eerie background score, which, combined with the dark color tones, helped in sustaining a macabre environment throughout.

The twist in the case is not as far-fetched as the investigators made it appear. I'm sure many viewers would have felt the same as I. So, be ready to be disappointed in that respect. I also felt that the documentary fast-forwarded things a bit too quickly between arresting the perp and the court delivering the verdict.

I like this production and rank it as GOOD and WATCHABLE. I enjoyed it but am not too impressed by it. I don't know what Rotten Tomatoes' 100% ratings are about.

I was hooked from the start on this true crime documentary. It was different to the majority lover, stalker, killer documaries in that this time you saw the male subject being stalked by the female.

What it does also proove is that a woman scorned is not to be messed with as she is imaginative, dangerous and very cunning.

For true crime buffs this documentary will be above the rest as there are so many twists and turns due to the psychotic but very intelligent stalker.

But like all Netflix true crime docos the ending is always the same. The bad guy/girl gets caught no matter how smart they think that they are.

I was quite engaged by this doco. It got more bizarre and crazy as time went on. I had my suspicious and felt I called it from the start. It was a simple case, nothing too complicated and the producers do well with the subject matter and make a decent production.

If anything, this really was a case of bad policework. Very poor detective work from the start led to this series of terrible events because the true story and some common sense was always there. If some basic things were actually looked into this would have not taken years. I thought it was complicated only to find out it was the obvious suspect. Overall not a bad doco and an easy watch.

Rarely is there a documentary that will take you on the most unpredictable journey of a police investigation. The evolution of this case as detectives and forensics peel away the layers only to be thrown into a completely different direction is, for lack of a better word, simply "incredible."

A lonely man named Tony, looking for female company is bombarded, harassed and threatened via text messages from an ex-girlfriend. She knows his everything he does, where he goes, and who he's with every second of the day. The abuse is horrifying and relentless. The problem is, nobody knows where this woman is. Then the threats extend beyond Tony to his current girlfriend and her children. Vandalism. Arson. Threats, Murder? Tony is living a nightmare.

My one observation is that had the victim of stalking not been a man, and the perpetrator not been a woman, action by law enforcement (dare I say) would likely to have been taken a little more seriously at the beginning, and may had resulted in solving the case much earlier. It's as if poor Tony was left twisting in the wind. Stalking is a serious matter for anyone.

That being said, the investigators were deft and strategic. Applying both physical and digital technologies in forensics, as well as psychology, coding, and the laborious tasks of reviewing and revisiting the thousands of photos and IP addresses in evidence is a testament to these three men's endurance and patience. Their professional dedication in finding justice came at considerable personal cost.

If this were fiction, then there would be a Hollywood ending, tying off all the loose ends. This isn't a movie, and unfortunately, there are still stones left unturned and people still unavenged.

This is one of the rare exceptions where truth is not only stranger than fiction, fiction couldn't come close to this truth.

Highly Recommended!

I love a weird true crime documentary and had read all the reviews about how shocking the twist was here, so was very excited for this. Under 5 minutes in, I said out loud "so obviously xyz has happened... surely that's not the twist that everyone is talking about?!". Unfortunately, it was - the editing here made the "twist" painfully obvious and it was agonising to have to wait another hour to see the investigating officers finally unveil what we'd worked out from the first scene. Such a shame, as it's truly a terrible case! It also felt like the true victim of this case was severely pushed into the background here and almost forgotten about. I wouldn't bother recommending!

If you're a true crime fan, the Netflix original, "Lover, Stalker, Killer," is for you. The film follows the true story of Dave Kroupa and his experience with a former lover turned psychotic stalker in the early 2010s. The release was directed by Sam Hobkinson and premiered Friday, Feb. 9, quickly overtaking first place in "Movies Today" on Netflix the day of its release. The plot consists heavily of twists and turns. Whenever an outcome seems obvious, it is debunked within the next few scenes.

Kroupa initially met his offender through a dating app, which is where the obsessive behavior sparks. The story is retold through interviews with Kroupa, his ex-wife and law enforcement officials who worked on the case. This is paired with evidence, photos, videos and reenactment scenes in which Kroupa makes an appearance by playing himself, making the story easy to follow. The combination of film and documentary styles makes the storyline engaging for audiences. The storytelling is strong with the use of flashbacks that recreate specific scenarios.

A unique aspect of the film that is uncommon for documentaries is the insight into other characters' lives. The detectives speak about their life experiences during the period outside of their work. This gives the understanding that these are real people balancing life and an excruciating four year long investigation.

From a production standpoint, the film suffers from over-dramatized music and lighting. Yet, I would argue that it fits the narrative and the emotion it attempts to evoke. This kind of cinematic value also grasps audiences and makes a documentary alluring. The plot may be predictable for some, but the creative narration diverts your imagination from figuring it out through intentional storytelling. In addition, the film emphasizes certain characters to confuse audiences. Descriptions of people cue hints as to their motives, but nothing is quite verified until the ending. The constant switch between various accusations makes viewers question the underlying tone of every line of dialogue. It is evident that regardless of what characters say they believed at the time, the answer won't be clear until the final minutes of the documentary. This build-up captivates audiences and helps them better understand the confusing leads detectives deal with.

For those unsure if they can stomach a documentary like this, it's not visually graphic, although disturbing events are described. Alongside this, it's always a bit uncomfortable to know something like this occurred not too long ago. I am someone who loves thrillers with the understanding that they're fiction. True crime such as this can instill a fear of the horrific realities in the world. The depths at which the perpetrator submits to terrorize Kroupa are terrifying. The number of innocent people affected by this tragedy is truly heartbreaking. The film doubles as an eye-opener to the inner workings of criminals as well as entertainment. Likewise, the film shows how expanding technologies can damage society's safety and ease the ability of people to get away with crimes. Viewers may need to think twice before using their beloved dating apps and trusting strangers.

I recently viewed the documentary Lover, Stalker, Killer (2024) on Netflix. The narrative centers around a recently divorced father who, after relocating closer to his children, embarks on a new life that includes a dating app. As he becomes entangled with a couple of women, the situation spirals out of control. The emergence of intense stalking leaves him fearing for his life and the safety of his loved ones, especially as the stalking reaches alarming levels.

Directed by Sam Hobkinson (Misha and the Wolves), this docuseries offers a unique stalker tale with enjoyable twists and turns. While I predicted the outcome early on, the story unfolds with entertaining details. The overall narrative carries a somber tone, portraying the ruin of several lives in this distinctive love triangle.

In conclusion, Lover, Stalker, Killer proves to be an engaging stalker tale and an above-average documentary. I would give it a 7/10 and recommend watching it once.

A mechanic moves on from a relationship, and starts online dating, he meets a woman, and the pair hit it off, when he decides to move on, she takes to some pretty drastic and shocking revenge tactics.

Wow, this was one incredibly interesting and intriguing documentary, at times it almost felt quite difficult to believe that events here, were actually really life, had it been a thriller on the big screen, you'd say elements were far fetched.

Very well made and nicely edited, it's well paced, it benefits from the 90 minute running time.

You can only imagine what was going through Liz's mind, she must have spent ages trawling The web, and plotting, it makes you shudder to think who's out there, and worse, these people are in dating websites.

Poor Carrie, to have been caught up in this horrendous story.

It definitely shows the dangers of online dating, and interestingly it shows that it's not just the men that are bad out there.

8/10.

This is a single episode True Crime Documentary about a relationship gone horribly wrong. After two weeks a man's ex-girlfriend becomes a living nightmare for him and the people he cares about. The escalation of behavior rivals any fictional, Fatal Attraction movie, you will ever see. Real life interviews with the key players, including the victims and the police investigating the case are the center-pieces of this Documentary. There are some real recordings and archival footage. The documentary is not terrific, but at least it was not drawn out to multiple episodes like so many other bad ones.