Erin Scutter worked for RSPCA Australia (an animal welfare organization) in Melbourne, Australia, when, in the early 2000s, she met Simon Patterson. But together they suggest a convergence: weakened social bonds, perceived strains, learned definitions of deviance and a slow slide into moral suspension. The “mushroom murders,” as they’re colloquially called, were not just a local tragedy. The mushroom murders, with their unusual method and compelling characters, were perfect raw material for this ecosystem. The mushroom murders became a global spectacle not only because they were sensational, but because the global infrastructure now exists to circulate them instantly.