Murdaugh-inspired true crime doc launches on Amazon Prime, 'they want justice served'

An Alex Murdaugh murder trial-inspired docuseries on true crime and our fascination with it has recently landed on a popular streaming network.

"Trial Watchers," a five-part docuseries, is now available on Amazon Prime Video . Co-creator Neil Gordon says it has been a long road from the internationally publicized six-week Murdaugh murder trial in Walterboro in 2023.

While the modern true crime genre arguably began 30 years ago with the O.J. Simpson murder trial, and has exploded in the decades since, Gordon and co-creator Mike Petchenik, a longtime friend and fellow journalist, say "Trial Watchers" is not really about the actual crimes, but the people who follow the cases.

"Mike and I worked in a newsroom together 25 years ago in Augusta, Georgia, where the rally cry each day was 'keep peeling the layer of the onion until you find the truth," Gordon said.

"We learned on this project that it's the same for true crime fans, including my wife Melissa, the O.G. trial watcher. They want justice served and the victim's family to have peace," Gordon said.

"From sisters avenging the murder of their father to an ex-con giving back to society by documenting trials, 'Trial Watchers' is an anthology of stories that follow die-hard true crime fans on their journeys for justice," states a promo blurb for the show.

The docuseries idea began 26 months ago when Gordon's wife, Melissa, began taking photos and cellphone videos during the double murder trial of Murdaugh, a disbarred Hampton County lawyer convicted of multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy as well as the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul.

The Gordons have since helped with some book projects and made the true crime pilgrimage to CrimeCon last year with Petchenik.

While three of the five parts are stories with the Murdaugh case as the backdrop, "Trial Watchers" also contains new stories.

A media kit creators used to promote the idea for the series states, " 'Trial Watchers' follows a diverse group of true crime fans as they navigate this world," including:

• Two sisters seek justice for their murdered father, forming deep connections with others who share similar traumas.

• A husband and wife became collateral damage when the clerk in the Alex Murdaugh trial plagiarized their book, leading to jury tampering accusations and an unexpected legal battle.

• An ex-convict who travels the country reporting live from court cases, using his platform to shed light on modern-day criminals.

• The crew's visit to CrimeCon, documenting the experiences of 6,000 true crime enthusiasts and exploring their motivations.

• Two friends who regularly attend trials put their amateur detective skills to the test.

The pay-per-view episodes are available to purchase on Prime Video for $1.99 per episode and $7.99 for the entire season.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Alex Murdaugh-inspired crime doc 'Trial Watchers' on Prime Video