Alex Murdaugh is on trial for killing his wife and son at their South Carolina estate in 2021. Buster Murdaugh, left, the son of Alex Murdaugh, listens to instruction from Judge Clifton Newman before a break during his father's trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. The charges were dismissed after Paul completed an alcohol diversion program. (Defense exhibit). It has been apparent from the first week of the investigation that authorities are covering up critical evidence and we no longer know who to trust, Smith wrote. Waters asked. There appeared to be missing evidence in the case such as the DNA under Stephens fingernails, the clothes he was wearing, and the rape kit. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He would not let a car, let alone a truck, get close enough to hit him. Shes an investigative journalist from Kansas who has worked for newspapers in Missouri, Illinois, and South Carolina before making the switch to FITS. Last week, in response to Murdaughs claim that he lied to state police because he was paranoid and suspicious of them, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters asked Murdaugh about his carrying of a 14thCircuit Solicitors badge and having blue emergency lights on one of his vehicles. The fatal shooting of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh in 2021 rocked South Carolina's Lowcountry region, where the Murdaugh family's powerful legal dynasty originated. This news outlet is continuing to investigate Satterfields death . Latest Videos. CLICK HERE. Beach died in a boating crash near Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2019, and, according to The State, two teens were suspected of driving the boat while drunk. One of them was Paul Murdaugh. 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. There is no evidence that alcohol consumption was involved. The trial began on January 25, 2023, with instructions from the judge and opening statements from the prosecution and defense. According to Fox News, on September 6, 2021, Murdaugh announced he was leaving his law firm and entering rehab to deal with a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders., The statement sent to Fox read, The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. Paul Murdaughs case was pending at the time of his death and hadnt changed since his bond was modified to allow him to travel in July 2019, The Island Packet reported. Days before Pauls murder, a lengthy, court-ordered mediation session failed to resolve the civil suit brought by Beachs family, the Charlotte Observer reports. This is the 20th day of testimony. Murdaughtook the stand in his own defense last week andrepeatedly denied killing his family,butadmitted to lying to investigators,citinghis distrust for local law enforcement and paranoia induced by drug addiction. Stephen was beloved. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! According to reports, just a few months before Mallory's death, Paul's father and the patriarch of the powerful Lowcountry family of prosecutors and attorneys, Richard, had settled a . No," Murdaugh answered incredulously. Alex Murdaugh is led into the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Before his death in June, Paul Murdaugh faced up to three charges in connection . Paul was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond after his not guilty plea in May 2019. 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. Beachs body was found a week later about five miles from the crash site by fishermen. Two years after the boating accident, Paul and Maggie were murdered on June 7, 2021, at their home in Islandton, South Carolina, in Colleton County, address 4147 Moselle Road, as said by . "Even if you give him the benefit of the doubt, his story doesn't make sense.". The State will then have one final session to reply or rebut any new claims or new information the defense introduces in its closings. Always have to literally beg, borrow and steal for over a decade to have the truth from being exposed," Waters said. Paul suffered wounds to his upper body and head from what appeared to have been a shotgun, while an assault rifle is thought to have been used to kill 52-year-old Maggie. Authorities are investigating the possibility that Paul was the main target of the attack. Evidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived, at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C. on Feb. 2, 2023. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships., The two were shot execution style in a premeditated very ugly scene, FITSNews reported. Here are five highlights of the trial so far: ALEX MURDAUGH: TIMELINE OF ONCE-POWERFUL SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER'S SPECTACULAR DOWNFALL. 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. According to SCHP documents, detectives were Buster Murdaugh as a possible person of interest in the case. In 2019, Paul Murdaugh was charged with boating under the influence causing death and two counts of boating under the influence causing bodily injury in connection to the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. The 19-year-old's body was found seven days after the tragic incident. The 911 call by Richard Alexander Murdaugh, son of a third-generation 14th Circuit Solicitor, reporting the shooting deaths of his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul, would propel a scandal-plagued South Carolina family into the national spotlight. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? The Colleton County Sheriff's 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. 2:57. Paul Murdaugh, 22, and his mother, Maggie, 52, were found shot to death shortly after 10 p.m. at the family's property at 4147 Moselle Road. As all these pressures were mounting, the defendant killed Maggie and Paul," Waters said. Jake Shore is a senior . "My gut instinct would be that its not someone tied to the case just because that would be astronomically stupid.". Forensic pathology expert, Dr. Jonathan Eisenstat, gave forensic analysis of the injuries sustained by Alex Murdaugh's wife and son. Paul Murdaugh was not administered a field sobriety test at the scene a move that was highly criticized by the public. 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. Investigators believe the son and mother were murdered with two different firearms. At another point in the investigation, Proctor appeared frustrated that local sources were hesitant and scared to speak of the Murdaughs to police. South Carolina law enforcement has only confirmed that they are leading an investigation into a double homicide that took place in Colleton county last night, FITSNews reported. "SLED is committed to conducting a professional and thorough criminal investigation to bring e in the deaths of Paul and Maggie," it said in a press release on Tuesday. July 12: The South Carolina Supreme Court . People around the English-speaking world and beyond have been following this case intently, and they may have a verdict by weeks end. On Thursday, Murdaugh confirmed it is his voice, contradicting his prior statements. Updated: 9:00 AM EST February 27, 2023. #murdaugh #stephensmith #murdaughmurders #truecrime mattharris1028@gmail.com. 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. NFL's Zac Stacy Sentenced After Attacking Ex-Girlfriend. 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. Murdaugh then testified that he had talked to several sheriffs, including the Hampton County Sheriff, and got permission to install the blue lights. He had previously pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges related to Mallory and the boat crash. She still has outgoing Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests on the investigation. Paul is the shorter brother in family photos; the other brother is Richard Alexander Murdaugh Jr., known as Buster, who was not harmed. And they paid for it with their lives. 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. He was bright and determined to make a better life for himself. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. On February 23, 2019, Mallory boarded Paul Murdaugh's boat along with her boyfriend Anthony Cook, his cousin Connor Cook, Connor's girlfriend Miley Altman, as well as Paul Murdaugh and Morgan Daughty. Stay tuned for any and all developments with this saga. Legal Statement. The state finished its closing arguments in the trial of Alex Murdaugh on Wednesday.Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family's hunting estate back in June 2021 . In her obituary, it was stated that Satterfield loved Alex and Maggie Murdaugh as her own family. At first, they thought it was a hit and run. Yet two months later, the judge removed the only condition placed on his bond - that he could not travel outside the 14th Judicial Circuit, the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette reports. He doesnt deserve that. In addition to disputing scientific testimony from Murdaughs expert witnesses, these final State witnesses served to hammer home and reinforce a point prosecutors have made time and again throughout the trial: Murdaugh, after demonstrating a pattern of deceit, lies, manipulation and callous disregard for others during a decade-long crime spree, also lied to police early and often throughout this criminal investigation and prosecution. Alex Murdaugh has been indicted for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The day began with a request for the jury to visit Moselle, the former Murdaugh hunting property . The Murdaughs are a powerful legal family in South Carolina. After Paul and his mother were found dead, the Beach family expressed their condolences. He is survived by his older brother Buster, his father Alex, and a number of extended family members. The Colleton County Courthouse is evacuated in response to a bomb threat during Alex Murdaughs double murder trial in Walterboro, S.C., Feb. 8, 2023. Murdaugh lawyers long known for dramatic courtroom scenes. The State newspaper described the family as representing power, justice, and big money for nearly a century. "Tempting," the lawyer said as he pointed the firearm during a courtroom demonstration. Last year, FITSNews obtained documents showing that two of the responding deputies on the night of the crash had ties to the Murdaugh familys law firm. Since South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh admitted last week to trying to stage his own murder, the story has continued to take new twists . The trial was interrupted that Wednesday at about 12:30 p.m., prompting an evacuation and extended lunch break as authorities responded to the threat. That resulted in many convictions and also people sent to death row. According to The Augusta Chronicle, the bodies were found outside the residence, near a dog kennel, and the coroner confirmed they died from multiple gunshot wounds.. Both NBC's 'Dateline: Murdaugh Saga' as well as Netflix's 'Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal' examine the rise and fall of the Murdaugh family, a legal dynasty that ran the 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office in South Carolina for 87 consecutive years. After attorneysdeliver closing arguments, the prosecution will haveone more opportunity torebut any new claims introduced bythe defense before the jury begins deliberating. Jurors began the day with a visit to the crime scene,the rural Colleton County home called Moselle, where a pool reporter said at least one of them carefully inspected the door frame of a storage closet where Paul Murdaugh was standing when he was killed. "The pressures on this man were unbearable. All rights reserved. As lead prosecutor Creighton Waters wrapped up his closing arguments Wednesday, he pleaded with the jury, leaning towardthem as heattempted to debunk what he called Murdaugh's "manufactured alibi.". Court is expected to resume Wednesday at 11 a.m. or shortly after, and aside from any last-minute motions or unexpected matters of law, closing arguments will begin around midday. June 13, 2021, 12:45 PM PDT. At his hearing in July 2019, he was granted a generous bond which was later modified to allow him to move across the state of South Carolina without an alcohol or GPS monitor. Officials still dont know who or what killed 19-year-old Stephen Smith six years ago but his death has been widely associated with the Murdaugh family. 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. Attorneys began their closing arguments Wednesday in the double murder trial of former South Carolina attorney Richard Alex Murdaugh. The disgraced South Carolina legal scion is charged with murdering his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, near dog kennels on their family hunting estate called Moselle June 7, 2021, in what prosecutors allege was an effort to distract from the 99 financial crimes totaling an estimated $9 million Murdaugh, 54, is accused of. Investigators believe the son and mother were found dead, the Beach family expressed their condolences prompting. And Maggie Murdaugh as a possible person of interest in the case been this... 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