Alex Murdaugh trial: Experts explain why interest is so high [Video]

COLUMBIA, S.C. — As the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh wraps, the heaps of public attention poured on the case’s many twists and turns are hardly waning.

Investigations stemming from the June 7, 2021 shooting deaths of the legal scion’s wife and son revealed the prominent South Carolina lawyer stole millions of dollars from largely poor client’s settlements and staged an attempt on his life to secure his surviving son a $12 million life insurance payout, according to authorities.

In the process, true crime enthusiasts, concerned onlookers and many others found the latest subject of their fascination in the yearslong unraveling of a mystery that jurors must now weigh.

Experts say the small town saga’s transformation into an international topic of intrigue highlights insights into the human psyche: People are wired to follow events that inform their perceptions of threat. And now, amid …