Prosecutors say Alex shot his wife and son in a scheme to distract from his alleged financial crimes, totaling an estimated $9 million. The documents do not say where the woman fell or how she knew the Murdaughs but several sources familiar with the case have said that she was the Murdaughs family maid/ housekeeper. The suit alleged that Buster Murdaugh allowed Paul Murdaugh, who the outlet said was not named in the suit, to use his ID to buy alcohol. "The biggest question is what impact would something like this have on the jury even when theres no reason for the jurors to be scared," attorney Justin Bamberg of Bamberg Legal told Fox News Digital. Crime. Did he have the chance to fight back? After interviewing several sources who knew the Murdaugh brothers, SCHP detective Todd Proctor made some significant assessments of the family. Will there be justice and a clean investigation in this case, unlike the others before it? Netflix. You become invincible in a way and you get a little liquor and you think youre untouchable.. Did he beg you for his life? What we know about the prominent South Carolina family. Judge Clifton Newman allowed the visit but cautioned jurors about the differences in how the property looks now. As a bystander outside the Colleton County Courthouse waved a sign reading Justice Is Coming Soon, the State of South Carolina drove the final nails into its double murder case and perhaps its coffin of criminal justice against accused family killer Alex Murdaugh. A mother and son from a prominent South Carolina family were found dead in an apparent double homicide last week, and days later a man who was the son . His phone and keys were still in his pocket. Murdaugh initially told police he was not at the kennels before finding the bodies there, butadmitted in court his voice could be heard on avideo taken on his sons cellphoneminutes before prosecutors believe the killings happened. Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian holds Buster Murdaugh's .300 Blackout rifle, similar to the one used to kill Buster Murdaugh's mother, during Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, in Walterboro, S.C. State agents are on scene of the Murdaugh property in Colleton County. Murdaugh's fear that his decade-long theft would be exposed and his desire to maintain his lofty standing in the community led him to make sure his wife and younger son were at the family's Colleton County home on June 7, 2021, so that he could kill them as part of a clever plan aided by his knowledge of how criminal cases are constructed, prosecutor Creighton Waters told jurors. Alex is also facing 99 counts of financial crimes stemming from 19 separate indictments. Jurors on Alex Murdaugh's Murder Trial Visit Crime Scene. As per reports now, Maggie and her husband Richard Alexander 'Alex' Murdaugh, prominent South Carolina attorney, may have been having marital troubles at the time of the double murder. Paul Murdaugh and Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, 52, were found dead on . (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital). The late Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Alex Murdaugh double murder trial: Closing arguments begin Wednesday. The video below will play a replay of Tuesday's proceedings. Murdaugh is also accused of stealing millions and faces more than100 other charges for alleged financial and other crimes. Paul Murdaugh and his mother Maggie were not named in the lawsuit, but depositions filed in the case revealed chilling details from the night of the crash. Paul was awaiting a court date at the time of his death on three felony charges of boating under the influence for a 2019 crash that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. Cuts and bruises dotted his right hand. It is their most sincere hope that someone will come forward and cooperate with authorities so that the perpetrator of these senseless crimes can be brought to justice. Despite what his obituary says, Paul Murdaugh who was described to FITSNews by several sources as an entitled sociopath with a short fuse had a history that goes much deeper than the 2019 boat crash when he first caught the attention of the media. Like Stephen Smith, Mallory was described by friends as a kind soul with a bright future who was taken from her friends and family far too soon. On Tuesday, the State plans to call no more than five witnesses in reply, or rebuttal, of testimony and evidence presented by the defense in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. Alex represents injured persons in all areas of personal injury law, including trucking cases, products liability and wrongful death. Evidence showed Murdaugh began stealing more money after a fatal 2019 boat crash involving his son Paul and he was confronted by his law firmjust days before a hearing was scheduled in theboat case, Waters said. @Live5News pic.twitter.com/njcH3ECPrX, Michal Higdon (@MichalHigdon) June 8, 2021. S.C. Attorney General's Office / Facebook. At another point in the investigation, Proctor appeared frustrated that local sources were hesitant and scared to speak of the Murdaughs to police. Days before Pauls murder, a lengthy, court-ordered mediation session failed to resolve the civil suit brought by Beachs family, the Charlotte Observer reports. The prosecution rested its case Feb. 17, and Murdaugh took the witness stand Thursday for cross-examination in the Walterboro, South Carolina, Colleton County Courthouse. Paul is the shorter brother in family photos; the other brother is Richard Alexander Murdaugh Jr., known as Buster, who was not harmed. Waters called Murdaugh an outright liar who fooled everyone close to him. The prosecution in the murder trial of former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh is expected to call rebuttal witnesses Tuesday. James Brian Chadwell Investigated as Possible Suspect in Notorious Delphi Murders of 2 Girls. Stephen was beloved. . Two murders and an indictment. Alex Murdaugh's brother today wept as he described cleaning up Paul's brains the day after the murders because 'it felt like the right thing to do, I felt like I owed him.'. Paul's father was his attorney during the case. I think its a situation when you grow up and your family is kinda high-profile and you get away withsome things because of your family name, Proctor said in 2015. Continue the Murdaugh crime saga binge:After you finish Netflix's Alex Murdaugh series, continue on HBO, CNN, podcasts. Anthony Cook begged Paul Murdaugh, who was driving the boat at the time of the incident, to please let him drive, deputySteven Domino the deputy who was fired last summer wrote in his report. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. As noted, SLED is in charge of the double homicide investigation, which has been full of wild twists and shocking details. I forgive you for what you did to my sweet baby boy, I just want this pain in my heart to stop.. Forensic engineer Mike Sutton, a defense expert, was on the stand explaining the trajectory of the shots that killed Maggie Murdaugh on June 7, 2021. 173 Shares Tweet. Murdaugh, 54, is chargedwith murderin the deaths of his wife, Maggie, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, but has steadfastly denied any involvement. Before his death in June, Paul Murdaugh faced up to three charges in connection . Defense questions Paul's head wound and presents the possibility of a . The charges against Paul will now be dropped but the civil suit may still continue. Meanwhile, an assault rifle is thought to have been used to kill Maggie. The outlet noted that the Murdaugh family is well known in the state not only because of their law practice but because voters elected multiple members of the family to the states 14th Judicial Circuit from 1920 to 2006. Here's what to expect. Mandy Matneyis the news director at FITSNews. That media pool will include a Court TV videographer, a pool photographer, and a print journalist selected at random: Valerie Bauerlein of the Wall Street Journal. "Don't let him fool you, too," the prosecutor concluded. Per The Post and Courier, prosecutors at the murder trial claim Alex's motive for murdering his wife and son was "a desperate attempt to portray himself as a victim and cover up his wrongdoing . Smith was found dead just before 4:00 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2015 in the middle of Sandy Run Road in Hampton County, South Carolina. First, Ball recalled, Murdaugh told him he went to Maggies body, then Pauls, and attempted to roll his son over. Murdaugh, who is part of a prominent local family in the South Carolina Lowcountry, is accused of killing his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul at their home June 7, 2021. Murdaugh then testified that he had talked to several sheriffs, including the Hampton County Sheriff, and got permission to install the blue lights. He was in school for nursing at the time of his death. Theyre going to go on living their lives like nothing (happened).. The Tragic Story of South Carolina's Powerful Murdaugh Family. "Always having to stay one step ahead of the game. It was previously reported that Paul allegedly had a drunken alter ego called "Timmy.". "He's got to compress those timelines so that it would convince whoever down the road that he could not have done this," Waters said. Paul had another brush with the law on the water less than three months before his death, according to the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. (Grace Beahm Alford/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool). Alex Murdaugh's theft of millions of dollars was about to be revealed so he killed his wife and son to buy time to figure a way out, a prosecutor said Wednesday during closing arguments in thedisgraced former South Carolina attorney'smurder trial. He was awarded South Carolina's top honor for assertive journalism in 2020. Alex Murdaugh has taken over the courtroom: Phil Holloway. Want to contact Mandy? . According to FITSNews, a family member, Mary Elizabeth Murdaugh, tweeted, If you are going to report this case please only speak of those who have been killed. 0:57. The . He was described as crazy drunk, and his girlfriend, another woman (not Beach), alleged he slapped her and spit on her as she sat on a cooler, the television station reported. . The 22-year-old man from a prominent South Carolina family who was found murdered with his mother reportedly had other brushes with the law in addition to being charged in a 2019 drunken boat . In the hours after Paul Murdaugh crashed his fathers boat near theArchers Creek bridgejust outside of Parris Island, S.C. on February 24, 2019, there was already speculation that the investigation into the crash was being bungled and detectives on the scene had been influenced by Pauls powerful family. At a later date, Murdaugh reportedly told Ball that he went to Paul first, and then to Maggie. After both sides rested their primary cases earlier in a nearly six-week legal marathon that included more than 70 witnesses, the State was allowed to call several reply witnesses in a final rebuttal before closing arguments begin. The disgraced lawyer and his attorneys have repeatedly denied any role in the deaths. Attorneys began their closing arguments Wednesday in the double murder trial of former South Carolina attorney Richard "Alex" Murdaugh. Im resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders. After you finish Netflix's Alex Murdaugh series, continue on HBO, CNN, podcasts, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Market data provided by Factset. Buster has appeared at his father's trial every day with his girlfriend, Brooklynn White, since jury selection began Jan. 25. Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented many pieces of circumstantialevidence to support their claim that Murdaugh killed his family to gain sympathy andbuy time to cover up alleged financial crimesthat were about to be discovered. I have lost a child before and I knew all the answers, Stephens death is different because I dont know anything: The Who? 2:57. I know he took his first January 29, 1996 at 7:05 a.m, Sandy Smith said. The State will then have one final session to reply or rebut any new claims or new information the defense introduces in its closings. Award-winning journalist Mandy Matney has been investigating the Murdaugh family since that fateful night in 2019. Criminal defense attorney Phil Holloway says the prosecution is conducting a master class on how not to conduct a cross-examination.. Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were the mother and son from a prominent South Carolina family who were found shot to death at the family hunting lodge, Moselle. A photo of the Murdaugh family taken days before Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were shot to death. In closings, the State will present its closing argument in full, followed by the defenses closing argument. Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. R. Alexander Murdaugh is a well-known attorney with the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick Law Firm. 843-560-9620. His wallet was inside the car. The mother in a prominent South Carolina family who was fatally shot with her son last month may have been having marital troubles at the time of the double murder. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Like the probe of the 2019 boat crash, the 2015 investigation into Smiths death was chaotic from the beginning clouded by jurisdictional confusion and suspicions of investigative interference. Once the reply stage is completed, the jury is expected to visit the crime scene at Moselle, and then begin hearing closing arguments from both sides, which could take most of a full day. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Paul and Maggie Murdaugh with Alex Murdaugh and another brother. Early in the trial, prosecutors disputed claims that Murdaugh checked for signs of life on both victims, his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, because he did not have any blood on his hands, clothes, or shoes and he called 911 less than 20 seconds after arriving at the scene. Paul was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond after his not guilty plea in May 2019. "And he fooled Maggie and Paul, too," Waters said. Powered by. Smith was found dead just before 4:00 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2015 in the middle of Sandy Run Road in Hampton County, South Carolina. On Thursday, Murdaugh confirmed it is his voice, contradicting his prior statements. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel announced indictments for two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according toCNN. News reports at the time revealed that they had . Officials at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the lead investigating agency in the crash, have saidconfusion in determining who was drivingdelayed the investigation from the get-go. The judge agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling property. Paul never had to stand trial for the death of Mallory Beach, but barring a settlement his brother Buster and father Alex will likely face a jury in the civil case. Although the weapons used to kill the victims haven't been found, an expert testified that the markings on the bullet casings found near Maggie Murdaugh's body matched those found on casings at a shooting range on the family's property. Updated on: March 1, 2023 / 8:15 PM It took more than a year for federal agents to hack into the young man's locked iPhone and find it. It is believed that two different firearms were used to kill the mother and son. But there was no blood spatter or DNA linking the killings to Alex Murdaugh or anyone else, and prosecutors never laid out how they think Murdaugh could have killed his family, cleaned himself up, disposed of the clothes and weapons, and composed himself in the 15-minute window before GPS data shows he left the property to visit his ailing mother. ", Waters replayed videos of Murdaugh's interviews with law enforcement and said his actions after killings, including lying to investigators, showed he had a"guilty conscience .". Once final arguments are complete, Newman will charge the jury with instructions on the law and their duties, and the jury will begin to deliberate. According to the outlet, Alex Murdaugh said he wasnt home at the time of the shootings. Smalls also took the stand and disputed one of Murdaughs claims. Murdaugh said he found Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and their son Paul, . The Why? June 13, 2021, 12:45 PM PDT. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The charges were dismissed after Paul completed an alcohol diversion program. The next step on this legal journey will be a 9:30 a.m. Wednesday "jury view" of the crime scene, Moselle, where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh . The hunting lodge is located in Islandton, South Carolina. The Colleton County Sheriffs Office confirmed on Tuesday that Alex Murdaugh, Maggie's husband and Paul's father, made the 911 call about the fatal shooting of the South Carolina mother and son. Someone just left him in the middle of the road to die . Buster Murdaugh testified Thursday in the Colleton County Courthouse that his father called him June 7, the night of the murders, and told him his mom and brother had been shot to death near their family's dog kennels. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He is remembered as "loving and genuine" with "an abundance of friends.". They run a family law firm in Hampton that has won millions of dollars in civil lawsuits, the newspaper reported, including relentlessly pursuing those at fault in fatal collisions., On her Facebook page, Maggie Murdaugh posted multiple photos showing her with her husband and their two sons. Three generations of the family have served as the 14th Circuit Solicitor in the southern part of the state, InsideEdition reports. South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newmanhas indicated he likely will not set a time limit on closing arguments and each side is expected totake about two hours. From left, Buster, Paul, Maggie and Alex Murdaugh. In 2020, she wrote a tribute to Alex for Fathers Day: Happy Happy Fathers Day to the best who everybody loves Thank you for all u do for our family. There is no evidence that alcohol consumption was involved. This media outlet has been covering Paul Murdaugh since he was first accused in a fatal boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach in February 2019. Alex Murdaugh's five-week double murder trial has been filled with hours of emotional testimony, shocking evidence and jaw-dropping moments. CLICK HERE. The double homicide trial of Murdaugh started Monday, Jan. 23, with the . His shoes were still on and clothes appeared untouched. Since South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh admitted last week to trying to stage his own murder, the story has continued to take new twists . Law, including trucking cases, products liability and wrongful death Do n't let fool! 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