Is 'The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle' Streaming On Netflix? Where Can You Watch It For Free?

Published 05/27/2026, 1:50 AM EDT

Credits: Investigation Discovery

While platforms like Netflix continue pulling viewers into dark real-life mysteries, The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle has suddenly become one of the latest documentaries sparking massive curiosity online. The bizarre true story follows an amnesiac man found unconscious behind a restaurant before the search for his identity slowly spirals into hidden lies, cold cases, and disturbing criminal theories. And as viewers continue flooding social media with questions around the documentary, many are now trying to figure out where exactly they can stream it.

But is The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle available on Netflix, and where can you actually watch it for free?

Where to stream The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle online for free?

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While many viewers expected The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle to land on Netflix, the documentary is actually not available there. Premiering on May 26 through Investigation Discovery, the first two episodes aired at 9 PM ET and can currently be streamed for free through trial offers on Philo and DIRECTV Stream. The series is additionally available through Sling TV and Max. What initially begins as producers helping an amnesiac man uncover his identity soon spirals into alleged mob ties, twisted lies, and disturbing hidden secrets.

According to the documentary, Benjamin Kyle’s story began like something pulled straight out of a psychological thriller. In 2004, the mysterious man was discovered unconscious, badly sunburned, and completely naked behind a restaurant in Richmond Hill with no memory of who he was or how he got there. But what first looked like a heartbreaking amnesia case soon spiraled into something far darker as investigators allegedly uncovered hidden lies, unsolved cold cases, and possible connections to violent crimes.

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And while The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle may initially look like another heartbreaking amnesia mystery, the deeper truth reportedly turns the documentary into something far darker.

Is The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle actually based on a true story?

The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle is completely based on a real case. The documentary follows the bizarre story of a man discovered unconscious behind a Burger King in Richmond Hill back in 2004, with no memory of his identity, later calling himself Benjamin Kyle. For years, the case remained one of America’s strangest mysteries before DNA genealogy finally identified him as William Burgess Powell in 2015. But what initially looked like a heartbreaking amnesia story reportedly turns into something far darker inside the documentary, as filmmakers begin uncovering alleged lies, criminal links, and possible murder connections surrounding Powell’s past.

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Unlike a scripted drama, the Investigation Discovery series features the real people involved in the years-long investigation. William Burgess Powell appears as himself alongside filmmakers Shannon and Eric Evangelista and retired FBI agent Ken Maxwell, who helped dig deeper into the mystery. The four-part docuseries premiered as a two-night event on Investigation Discovery and is additionally streaming on HBO Max.

And while The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle is not part of Netflix's mystery catalog and can now be watched through free streaming trials and Investigation Discovery, the bizarre real-life mystery has already become one of the internet’s latest true-crime obsessions.

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Have you already watched The Many Lives of Benjamin Kyle? Let us know in the comments.

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Lisa Roy

223 articles

Lisa Roy is an Entertainment Writer at NetflixJunkie, bringing Hollywood’s biggest moments to life through crisp news and fan-focused feature stories. With a Master’s in English Literature and over four years of experience across national and international domains , she is known for an eye for stories that fans instantly connect with. While she enjoys covering real-world gossip, she is deeply drawn to fictional universes of wizardry and witches.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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