BREAKING NEWS: Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty
Alex Murdaugh, a former lawyer from South Carolina, has been found guilty of the murder of his wife and son. The jury started their deliberations on Thursday at around 3:30 p.m. and delivered the verdict at about 7:10 p.m. that day. The 54-year-old was charged with two counts of murder after his wife, Maggie, aged 52, and son, Paul, aged 22, were fatally shot on their estate on June 7, 2021. Murdaugh is now facing a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
The court will reconvene on Friday at 9:30 a.m. for sentencing. As he left the courtroom in handcuffs, Murdaugh mouthed the words “I love you” to his son Buster. The jurors informed the court clerk that they had reached a verdict at 6:41 p.m. following around three hours of deliberation.
Prior to being charged with the murders of his wife and son, Murdaugh was under investigation after it was discovered that he had embezzled funds from his law firm and had attempted to stage his own suicide. He did so to make it appear to be a homicide so that his surviving son could inherit a life insurance policy.
Murdaugh was charged with approximately 100 financial crimes, accusing him of stealing millions of dollars from clients and colleagues before being indicted on July 14, 2022. The case has gained international attention for its numerous twists and turns, as well as the family’s connections to other controversial deaths in the region, such as Stephen Smith in 2015, Gloria Satterfield in 2018, and Mallory Beach in 2019.
The Connection Between Alex Murdaugh and the Deaths of Stephen Smith in 2015, Gloria Satterfield in 2018.
The water turns deeper with this conviction. With regard to Stephen Smith, the case was originally ruled a hit-and-run, but his mother has claimed that her son was actually murdered, and that the Murdaugh family was involved. The Murdaughs were connected to the case because of their ties to the local law enforcement community. Stephen Smith’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Murdaughs, alleging that they played a role in his death.
Similarly, Gloria Satterfield was a housekeeper for the Murdaugh family and died in 2018 after falling down a staircase in their home. The Murdaughs filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their own insurance company, alleging that they were not paid the full amount of a settlement that was meant to compensate Satterfield’s family. The lawsuit alleged that Alex Murdaugh mishandled the settlement and pocketed some of the money meant for Satterfield’s family. The case was settled out of court in 2021.
It is important to note that Alex Murdaugh has not been charged in connection with the deaths of either Stephen Smith or Gloria Satterfield, and it is unclear if he will face any charges related to these cases in the future.
Sources:
- A&E. (2022, February 16). Murdaugh Family Murders: Gloria Satterfield, Stephen Smith and Mallory Beach. A&E. https://www.aetv.com/crime-time/murdaugh-family-murders-gloria-satterfield-stephen-smith-mallory-beach
- ABC News. (2021, September 16). Who is Alex Murdaugh? A timeline of the prominent South Carolina lawyer’s life and career. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/alex-murdaugh-timeline-prominent-south-carolina-lawyers-life/story?id=79786004
- NBC News. (2022, February 24). Timeline of the Murdaugh family: Mysterious deaths, allegations of wrongdoing and legal drama. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/timeline-murdaugh-family-mysterious-deaths-allegations-wrongdoing-legal-drama-rcna23478
