Since the dawn of time man has been fascinated by murder. From Abel to Julius Caesar to Laci Peterson, these gruesome crimes have captivated the masses and dominated countless water cooler conversations. It probably has something to do with our inherently blood thirsty barbarian nature, but I’m no Dr Phil so let’s just leave my psychological hypothesis at that. Possibly the only thing more intriguing than a normal slaying is a homicide in a small town. Shows like ‘Cold Case Files’, ‘City Confidential’, and ‘American Justice’ thrive on exploiting these cases, and it appears Reese Witherspoon has been taking notes.

According to Variety, the Legally Blonde star has purchased the rights to “Under The Bridge.” The Rebecca Godfrey true crime book examines the troubling murder of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk. The adolescent was an outcast Jehovah’s Witness, and ended up being brutally beaten by seven girls and a boy before eventually being slain by two of them. The story quickly garnered throngs of reporters and the media coverage was almost incessant. It’s too bad it didn’t happen a few years later or Nancy Grace could have milked the hell out of it.

I want to get excited about this, but I really can’t. I love mayhem as much as the next guy (In fact, I watch ‘Cold Case Files’ everyday), but this really feels to similar to the 2001 Larry Clark directed picture Bully. If you haven’t seen the very underrated and underseen high school tale, it basically follows a large group of friends who decide to kill one of their buddies. It examines the whole group-think attitude, and how that can sometimes lead to horrifying results.

It’s unclear whether Witherspoon, herself, will appear on screen, but I’m sure she will have some hand in at least producing. Thirteen director Catherine Hardwicke is in talks to helm. Look for this some time next year.