The complete Law & Order franchise is filled with instances that really feel pulled from actual life, and the Law & Order: SVU episodes based mostly on actual-life crimes carry extra of an influence on audiences. Originally launched in 1999 as a spin-off to Law & Order, SVU is now the longest-working present within the franchise exploring instances of the Special Victim’s Unit that investigates crimes involving sexual assault. As a end result, the Law & Order: SVU instances based mostly on actual-life occasions make for among the most chilling in each the present and the broader Law & Order franchise.

With over 500 episodes and 25 seasons, Law & Order: SVU has a endurance that few procedurals can match, even different reveals created by grasp of the style Dick Wolf. A much bigger motive for the success of SVU is that most of the instances each shock audiences and pull on the heartstrings because the victims of those horrific crimes are sometimes based mostly on actual individuals who suffered via unspeakable occasions. More chilling nonetheless is that most of the Law & Order: SVU episodes based mostly on true tales contain wealthy, highly effective, and in some instances, well-known sexual abusers.

35 Secrets Exhumed

Season 14, Episode 14

In the season 14 episode, “Secrets Exhumed,” FBI Agent Dena Lewis (Marcia Gay Harden) suspects that a number of unsolved homicide instances throughout the nation would possibly join to 1 unsolved rape-homicide case from New York 25 years earlier. Lewis begins to pursue her important suspect, Brian Traymor, a paralyzed inmate and serial rapist. However, Detectives Benson and Amaro suppose he is perhaps harmless of the crime from 25 years earlier than, the one one he mentioned he did not commit.

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The actual-life case inspiring the homicide occurred in 1986 when Sherri Rasmussen’s physique was discovered useless within the residence she shared along with her husband, John, in Van Nuys in Los Angeles, California. It ended up as a chilly case, however police acquired a break in 2009 once they acquired a DNA pattern from LAPD police detective Stephanie Ilene Lazarus and matched it with a chunk on Rasmussen’s physique. Finally, in 2023, after serving 11 years in jail, Lazarus admitted to the killing.

34 Pornstar’s Requiem

Season 16, Episode 5

The season 16 Law & Order: SVU episode, “Pornstar’ Requiem,” was based mostly partially on the true-life porn star Belle Knox. In this episode, two school college students rape Evie Barnes after they discovered she was an grownup movie star. The episode stays extremely controversial as a result of after the jury finds the defendant responsible of the rape, the choose chooses to disregard the jury’s verdict and lets the defendant off through the sentencing due to the rape sufferer’s chosen occupation.

Belle Knox carried out in pornographic motion pictures whereas she was finding out at Duke University so she might afford to pay for her school tuition. When folks started to appreciate who she was, Knox started to undergo harassment each in particular person and on-line for her selection of occupation to permit her to afford school. When she went to the police with the harassment and threats, they refused to assist her due to her job. While no sexual assault occurred, authorities ignoring threatening motion was comparable in each the true case and the Law & Order: SVU episode.

33 American Disgrace

Season 16, Episode 2

“American Disgrace” allowed Law & Order: SVU to tug from three actual-life occasions. The episode has a press rep for the Orion Bay clothes line who claims she was raped by retiring basketball legend Shakir “The Shark” Wilkins. Soon, extra girls step ahead and declare Wilkins additionally raped them, however Benson and Carisi disagree on the ladies’s varied allegations. Soon, it seems somebody might need a motive to wish to see Shakir go down for these accusations.

The first actual-life occasion that this episode referenced was the elevator combat between Jay-Z and Solange Knowles on the Met Gala in 2014, the place Solange violently attacked Jay-Z. The second was the footage of former NFL star Ray Rice hitting his fiance, Janey Palmer, outdoors an elevator in the identical 12 months. Finally, the episode had a racist rant by the corporate proprietor, which relies on actions by Los Angeles Clippers proprietor Donald Sterling, who the NBA later pressured to promote his workforce, consequently.

32 American Tragedy

Season 15, Episode 3

In the Law & Order: SVU episode “American Tragedy,” a number of rapes have the town on edge, and Tutuola and Rollins begin to scour the Upper West Side looking for the rapist. Meanwhile, a star chef named Jolene Castille thinks she is perhaps the following sufferer. When she shoots and kills the unarmed teen, she goes on trial for homicide whereas claiming she was defending herself from a attainable rapist.

This Law & Order: SVU episode has two important tie-ins to actual-life crimes and controversies. The first is the taking pictures of Trayvon Martin, a younger black man who had completed nothing unsuitable however was murdered anyway by frightened white males. The different is Paula Deen, the superstar chef who has a historical past of racial prejudice, and Cybill Shepherd’s Jolene Castille bears a robust similarity to the disgraced chef. The character of Jolene even says she would have “gotten a medal” for taking pictures him again residence.

31 Funny Valentine

Season 14, Episode 16

In the Law & Order: SVU episode “Funny Valentine,” A.D.A. Barba seeks to convey fees towards a well-known hip-hop star after he assaults an up-and-coming musical star after she accuses him of all the time dishonest with everybody. However, she refuses to assist with the case however continues to place herself at risk at the same time as Benson tries to get her assist. The episode has a tragic ending when the hip-hop star is exonerated however then later beats the girl to loss of life in a separate incident.

The actual-life incident this Law& Order: SVU episode pulls from is the second when rap star Chris Brown beat up his girlfriend Rihanna after the Grammys. While the Brown and Rihanna abuse scenario by no means led to homicide, all the thought of an abuser holding a decent maintain onto the particular person they’re abusing is the concept this episode performs with. Rihanna began courting brown once more 4 years after the assault.

30 Babes

Season 10, Episode 6

In the SVU season 10 episode “Babes,” Benson and Stabler examine 4 highschool college students who made a being pregnant pact. The case itself concerned the homicide of a mentally unwell homeless man, and it turned out one of many ladies who made the pact might need satisfied the homeless man to impregnate her, though her brother believes it was not voluntary. This was a case a couple of brother believing he was avenging his sister after a sexual assault, but it surely was truly far more tragic than that.

This Law & Order: SVU episode was based mostly on a 2008 incident at Gloucester High School, Massachusetts. 18 ladies from the college reportedly made a being pregnant pact, promising each other to get pregnant on the identical time and co-increase their infants. While this did not result in murder, there was additionally a second in the true-life occasion when one of many ladies allegedly did ask a homeless man to impregnate her (by way of Time), which is the place this Law & Order: SVU episode pulled the true story for its fictional homicide case.

29 Patrimonial Burden

Season 17, Episode 7

This episode sees the SVU workforce examine allegations of assault inside a spiritual household that occurs to be on the middle of a actuality tv collection referred to as 13aker’s Dozen. The investigation begins after one of many teenage daughters turns into pregnant and secrets and techniques begin to spill from the kids. The mother and father attempt to preserve their household scandal beneath wraps.

The episode is loosely impressed by the scandals that emerged across the Duggar household. The conservative non secular household had a TLC collection referred to as 19 Kids And Counting that adopted the mother and father and their kids throughout their on a regular basis lives. While the collection turned an enormous hit, it was canceled in 2015 when the household was investigated as a result of one in all their sons was accused of sexually assaulting underage ladies over a interval of 4 years – together with a few of his personal family members.

The specifics of the present don’t line up precisely with the true investigation, however that’s more likely to shield the writers of the collection from any authorized motion from the household.

28 Selfish

Season 10, Episode 19

Hilary Duff visitor-starred on this SVU episode as Ashlee Walker, a younger mom whose toddler seemingly disappears. Ashlee’s personal mom experiences her granddaughter lacking, and although Ashlee blames a nanny for taking her, the investigation ultimately reveals that Ashlee truly buried her little lady after she died from the measles, believing the an infection was her personal fault and changing into devastated and afraid of getting in hassle.

This episode is an attention-grabbing amalgam of actual-life headlines. It attracts inspiration from the anti-vaccination motion because the Walker household blames one other household who doesn’t wish to vaccinate their very own kids for exposing the toddler to measles. The case itself, nevertheless, is impressed by the disappearance of two-12 months-previous Caylee Anthony in 2008 and the investigation of her mom Caylee, who blamed her disappearance on a nanny, however was ultimately arrested and tried for the loss of life of her daughter, however discovered not responsible.

27 Monogamy

Season 3, Episode 11

Law & Order: SVU had plenty of nice visitor stars over time, and in season 3 they pulled in John Ritter for a job. The episode was “Monogamy” and it was based mostly on an actual case as nicely. In the episode, a girl who was seven months pregnant was murdered, along with her unborn child eliminated posthumously. It is as much as the SVU workforce to seek out the infant earlier than it’s too late. This leads the detectives to hunt out each the useless girl’s husband and her lover. Ritter performs the husband, Dr. Richard Manning.

The actual case behind this Law & Order: SVU episode concerned a girl named Bobbie Jo Stinnett, who was pregnant in 2004 and met a girl named Lisa Montgomery. When Montgomery went to Stinnett’s residence, she kidnapped her, killed her, and horrifically eliminated Stinnett’s unborn little one earlier than happening the run (by way of Justice.gov). Montgomery was apprehended, arrested, and subsequently obtained the loss of life penalty. There is a documentary in regards to the case referred to as A Mother’s Justice: The Trial of Lisa Montgomery.

26 Burned

Season 8, Episode 11

In this SVU episode, Stabler and Benson have opposing viewpoints in relation to their newest case. A girl accuses her estranged husband of breaking in and assaulting her. While Benson believes her, Stabler thinks she’s mendacity. When the estranged husband is launched from police custody, he pours gasoline on the girl and units her on hearth.

The thought for this episode is impressed by a 2006 prison case. Yvette Cade was set on hearth by her estranged husband whom she was making an attempt to divorce. He walked into the shop the place she labored and poured liquid from a soda bottle on her. When she went out to the car parking zone to keep away from inflicting a scene in entrance of consumers, she realized it was gasoline, and he set her on hearth. Cade survived to inform the complete story of her abusive relationship to Oprah Winfrey.

25 Scavenger

Season 4, Episode 6

(*35*)

It appears that nearly each detective collection has an episode impressed by an actual-life serial killer. Part of that’s as a result of these instances develop into so nicely-identified by the general public since they’re studied by regulation enforcement and psychologists alike and the findings are sometimes made public. This time round, the SVU detectives spend the episode following clues left for them by the RDK killer, attempting to catch them earlier than they create extra victims.

The RDK killer in SVU is impressed by the BTK killer of the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s. The BTK killer despatched letters to the police detailing his actions together with his victims. He had 10 identified victims earlier than the police caught him in 2005 as the results of a floppy disc he despatched them with letters on it that had his title and church in one of many corrupted information.

24 Imprisoned Lives

Season 15, Episode 2

In the Law & Order: SVU season 15 episode “Imprisoned Lives,” a younger boy named Buddy is present in Times Square, malnourished and deserted. When the detectives attempt to return him residence to his household, they discover a locked basement with extra victims held captive. When they ask neighbors, all of them say that the person who lived there appeared regular, and so they deduce that the boy would possibly belong to one of many imprisoned girls within the basement. When they study that the abductors and abusers are solely generally known as Ma and Pa, the detectives begin a state-huge manhunt.

This SVU episode relies on the Ariel Castro case. From 2002 to 2004, Castro kidnapped three females, two of them youngsters, sexually abused them, after which pressured one in all them to have a baby. He then held these girls captive in his residence till 2013, when the mom of the kid escaped. The case was become a 2015 Lifetime film referred to as Cleveland Abduction.

23 Holden’s Manifesto

Season 16, Episode 4

The SVU detectives should actively examine against the law spree because it occurs on this season 16 episode. A university scholar creates a video diary of his tough courting historical past, emailing it out to his classmates, simply as he engages in a string of prison actions towards girls. The episode is a race to get to him earlier than he can harm too many individuals.

“Holden’s Manifesto” is impressed by a 2014 incident with a university scholar named Elliot Rodger. Like Holden, Rodger uploaded a video detailing all the crimes he was about to commit, meaning to punish girls who had rejected his advances and the lads who had been outshining him. He additionally emailed an 100k+ manifestor to greater than 30 folks earlier than killing six folks and injuring 14 extra. He took his personal life earlier than he was caught.

22 Gone

Season 7, Episode 16

In the Law & Order: SVU season 7 episode “Gone”, three youngsters are arrested for raping and murdering a 17-12 months-previous lady who disappeared whereas on a college journey. However, regardless of proof that might hyperlink them with the crime, the choose lets them free on bail. Soon, one of many three boys confesses to the SVU detectives what occurred and that the opposite two are who killed the lady. Sadly, all the case finally ends up stretching out and when that third boy disappears, it turns on the market is perhaps a leak within the courthouse serving to two killers stroll free.

The actual-life case that impressed this Law & Order: SVU episode was the homicide of a highschool senior named Natalee Holloway in 2005. Just just like the lady on this case, she went lacking when leaving a nightclub with three males, and he or she was by no means seen once more. Unlike the SVU episode the place her physique was discovered, and the killers revealed, within the Holloway case she was tragically declared legally useless in 2012, however her physique was by no means discovered, and the investigation stays unsolved (by way of ABC).

21 Blood Brothers

Season 13, Episode 3

In the Law & Order: SVU season 13 episode “Blood Brothers”, a 13-12 months-previous lady finally ends up pregnant at a Catholic highschool, and the SVU detectives are referred to as in to analyze. While the lady’s greatest buddy is a Hispanic boy named Arturo, his mom works as a maid for a politician, and it seems that the politician’s son is who impregnated her. Not solely that, but it surely turned out that the politician himself is Arturo’s father on account of an affair with Arturo’s mom, who has been in his employment for a few years.

Sadly, Arturo killed his half-brother as a result of he was offended in regards to the being pregnant and felt he would by no means assist his little one. However, the true story behind this Law & Order: SVU episode has nothing to do with homicide. Instead, the premise for this story was the truth is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had an affair with one in all his maids in 1996 which he later confessed to spouse Maria Schriver couple’s counseling periods (by way of People).

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However, this Law & Order: SVU episode based mostly on a real story takes appreciable dramatic liberties with its supply materials, each with the murder, underage being pregnant, and incestuous parts, and the overall animosity of all concerned towards each other.

20 Entitled

Season 1, Episode 15

Although circuitously linked to anyone specific true story, this episode from the primary season Law & Order: SVU references alleged crimes centering round some of the highly effective dynasties in American historical past. “Entitled” facilities on the homicide of a salesman which leads the detectives to start suspecting Stephanie Mulroney, the daughter of a robust and nicely-identified household, and the way they try to make use of that energy to summary the case.

The Mulroney household is loosely based mostly on the Kennedys, a household whose highly effective historical past goes again a long time. The episode references the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident involving the Kennedy household wherein Ted Kennedy was concerned in a single-car automobile accident that left a younger girl useless, however the accident was not reported till the following day. There can be similarities to the case of William Kennedy Smith who was charged with rape in 1991 solely to be acquitted.

19 Legacy

Season 2, Episode 4

In the season 2 episode “Legacy,” an abused seven-12 months-previous lady named Emily results in a coma, and it’s as much as the SVU detectives to seek out out the supply of the abuse. It turned out that Emily not solely had mind harm, however she was additionally sexually abused. The two important suspects had been the lady’s father and her stepfather, who each blamed one another, but it surely ended up being her mom.

This episode Law & Order: SVU episode takes its plot from the true-life 1996 homicide of Elisa Izquierdo after her mom bodily, mentally, and emotionally abused her (by way of NY Times). In the true-life case, Izquierdo died from a mind hemorrhage from the bodily abuse she endured from her mom. The harrowing particulars of this incident simply make “Legacy” some of the tough Law & Order: SVU episodes based mostly on true tales to observe.

18 Intimidation Game

Season 16, Episode 14

The Law & Order: SVU season 6 episode “Intimidation Game” sees a feminine online game developer harassed for her involvement in a male-dominated space. Refusing to delay the discharge of her recreation regardless of threats made towards her, SVU should step in to defend the girl from the offended video avid gamers. She is ultimately taken hostage, and whereas this actual state of affairs, fortunately, has by no means occurred in actual life, it nonetheless attracts from precise occasions.

This episode was loosely based mostly on the “Gamergate” occasion which occurred in 2014. In broad phrases, Gamergate handled the harassment of girls within the on-line gaming and recreation-growth areas. While it was unfolding, there have been a number of accounts of predominantly males on-line trolling and attacking feminine avid gamers only for being girls. This Law & Order: SVU episode takes actual occasions to their excessive conclusion, but it surely’s however a chilling watch that, like most Law & Order episodes, feels worryingly believable.

17 Baby Killer

Season 2, Episode 5

One of the saddest Law & Order: SVU episodes is “Baby Killer” wherein a seven-12 months-previous boy, Elias, finds a gun and brings it to highschool. He shoots and kills a six-12 months-previous lady and is caught attempting to get rid of the weapon. His mother and father say they do not have weapons at residence, and the boy will not confess the place he acquired it.

The detectives ultimately understand one other boy was utilizing Elias as a pawn for drug sellers, and that’s the place he acquired the gun. Elias then introduced it to highschool as a result of he was scared for his life and by accident killed his schoolmate. The episode led to tragedy as one other little one killed Elias after he was cleared of all fees.

This Law & Order: SVU episode is straight based mostly on the taking pictures of Kayla Rolland in 2000 at Buell Elementary School in Michigan. The actual-life case and the episode see a younger boy discover a gun at a relative’s home, convey the gun to highschool, and by accident kill their classmate. It’s a harrowing episode and much more terrifying figuring out that it is based mostly on an actual-life case. The boy within the Kayla Rolland case was additionally not tried for against the law.

16 Execution

Season 3, Episode 15

This Law & Order: SVU season 3 episode sees the workforce working to attempt to resolve a case earlier than their important suspect is executed. Stabler and Huang examine the serial killer who’s on loss of life row and set to be executed in three days. The two imagine that he’s liable for the rape and homicide of a younger girl and wish to show it to offer some closure to her mother and father.

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The scenes between the investigators and the serial killer are impressed by an actual-life incident when FBI investigator Robert Ressler interviewed serial killer Ed Kemper, which was additionally portrayed in Netflix’s Mindhunter, a collection about Ressler and John Douglas’s groundbreaking analysis into serial killers. Kemper was a serial killer who was convicted of the homicide of eight feminine victims between May 1972 to April 1973.