The “dark” new Netflix true crime documentary no one is watching

If you’re at a loss of what to watch over the weekend, there’s a new true crime documentary series on Netflix that you probably haven’t heard of. 

Warning: some may find this content distressing.

Netflix users have been spoilt for choice when it comes to new true crime in recent weeks, whether that be the infuriating incidents explored in Worst Ex Ever or the look back at the Laci and Scott Peterson case in American Murder. 

But one 2024 docu-series you may have overlooked is Caught in the Web: The Murders Behind Zona Divas, which dropped on the streaming service on Thursday (September 5), and delves into a shocking case of exploitation and murder. 

As one X/Twitter user said, this “jaw-dropping limited series on Netflix” dives into the “dark side of Mexico City and the chilling femicides that rock a vibrant community.”

Told across four episodes, the story centers around Zona Divas, a website launched in 2010 where escorts were advertised for clients in Mexico. 

Women from across South America would travel to Mexico City to work for the site in the hopes of creating a better life for themselves and their families, not realizing they were entering a sex trafficking operation. 

Upon arrival, they were made to sign a contract which stated they had to work for at least three months, during which time their passports and documents would be seized. 

What’s more, they were made to pay a fee to feature their profile on the site – the higher the fee, the higher up on the homepage they’d be. After other costs such as accommodation and other expenses, they were left with barely anything to live on. 

Meanwhile, the operators of Zona Divas, including Ignacio Antonio Santoyo “El Soni”, took advantage of the situation and cashed in on the workers’ suffering. El Soni is even accused of sexually abusing some of the women himself. 

The truth is, the site had been a cover for an illegal sex trafficking ring, with the women facing extreme violence and abuse at the hands of the operators. 

The case took an even more tragic turn in 2017 when the first of a string of murders unfolded, with five escorts, including Wendy Vaneska, Kenni Finol, Genesis Gibson, Karen Ailen, and Andreina Escalona, losing their lives. 

Eventually, Zonas Divas was taken down and in April 2019, El Soni was arrested on charges of sex trafficking. However, even though he was sentenced to 29 years in 2021, this was soon overturned – shockingly, he is now a free man. 

The new Netflix true crime series also highlights the wider issue of systemic neglect of violence against marginalized groups such as low-income women and sex workers. According to Amnesty International, around 10 women or girls are murdered every day in Mexico.

All of this makes Caught in the Web: The Murders Behind Zona Divas a tough but important watch. Even though it might not be rising the ranks on the Netflix top 10 chart, it’s well worth your attention. 

For more true crime, find out if Born Evil’s Kristin Bluefin is a real person, what you need to know about the Menendez brothers ahead of Monster Season 2, what happened to Worst Ex Ever’s Mei and Rosa, and the disturbing schoolboy9 documentary.