It’s been 6 months since the Murdaugh murders. How active is SLED’s investigation?
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Murdaugh murders in Colleton County
Two members of a powerhouse legal family were shot and killed June 7 in Colleton County, SC. Read more of our coverage.
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All eyes were on South Carolina on June 8.
The previous night, two members of the legal powerhouse Murdaugh family — Paul Murdaugh, 22, and his mother Maggie, 52 — were found shot to death outside their home in a rural part of the state that most people never knew existed.
As local and state police began their criminal investigation into the still-unsolved murders, true-crime buffs across the country began sharing results of their internet sleuthing and conspiracy theories.
The Murdaughs’ world began to unravel in front of everyone. The killings became part of a tangled web with other suspicious deaths; a staged murder-for-hire shooting of Alex Murdaugh, who survived; millions of dollars in missing money; drug abuse connected to a local gang; lies and deceit.
As the nation watches the many cases involving the Murdaugh family, Alex Murdaugh, the husband and father of the two slain in June, sits in a Richland County jail facing more than 30 criminal charges in other cases.
Tuesday marks six months since the murders.
Where does the double homicide investigation stand?
To date, the S.C. Law Enforcement Division has made no arrests and named no suspects. Police remain tight-lipped. In the absence of developments, the public has been distracted by myriad other investigations and scandals.
The most recent news directly related to the murders was in July, more than a month after the murders, when SLED released the audio of a hysterical Alex Murdaugh calling 911 to report two members of his family shot. Since then, SLED has distributed one additional news release: to dispel a rumor on Aug. 22 that vehicles had been unearthed from the crime scene.
SLED Executive Affairs Director and interim spokesperson Ryan Alphin said Wednesday morning that the murder investigation is “still very active.”
“I’m sure you know we’re not going to make any additional comments at this time,” he added. SLED has no plans to hold a press conference on the case, either, “at this time.”
With the lead law enforcement agency on the case remaining virtually silent, and no new information being released, some worry that it’s a sign the case is going cold.
“It doesn’t have to do with time. ... It’s about active hot leads,” said Joe Giacalone, retired New York Police Department detective sergeant who previously served as commanding officer of the Bronx Cold Case Squad. “I’ve been involved with many complicated cases, but this one seems to take the cake.”
Giacalone, who is also an adjunct professor with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said SLED’s silence isn’t a reflection of the quality of the investigation because it’s likely extremely active behind the scenes as the agency tries to piece everything together.
“I think it’s so complicated and time consuming that they have to take a slow, hard look at a lot of these things because there’s just so many moving parts,” he said. “You have to be mindful of either the amount of evidence they’ve collected or the amount of interviews they have to do. Right now, when you look at this whole thing, there is nothing that’s off the table.”
On the other hand, Giacalone said transparency is key because agencies’ silence leaves room for speculation among the public, especially on social media. He noted that it can be difficult to dictate when and what information gets released if multiple departments are involved at once.
“They have to be willing to come up with some sort of happy medium,” he said. “Going totally radio silent is never productive. ... The less you talk, the more (the public) thinks something is going on.”
Giacalone said complicated cases are like a duck swimming across the water because “on the outside things are nice and smooth, but underneath the water things are going crazy.” Expect more to information to eventually surface.
“You couldn’t be shocked if another new development comes out of this case, let’s put it that way,” he said.
What we know about the Murdaugh deaths
▪ Both Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were shot multiple times.
▪ It’s believed two guns were used in the murders. Paul’s death certificate says his wounds came from a shotgun, while sources close to the investigation say Maggie was shot with a rifle.
▪ Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report the deaths at 10:07 p.m.
▪ Guns were seized from the property.
▪ Police were investigating for signs of forced entry, but have not said whether they found evidence.
▪ Maggie’s cell phone was found on the side of a road outside the property. Paul’s phone was found near his body.
▪ A 2021 Black Chevrolet Suburban was towed from the crime scene the next morning and impounded at the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office. A 2019 Chevrolet Silverado was also at the scene but not towed. Both were registered to Alex Murdaugh’s former law firm.
▪ 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone, who is the first person outside the Murdaugh family to hold the elected position since 1920, when the position was created, recused himself Aug. 11 from the double homicide investigation. He cited “events of today.” Stone and police have since refused to say why he stepped away. The state Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
▪ Alex and Buster Murdaugh’s $100,000 reward for information about the murders expired in September. At the time, spokesperson Amanda Loveday said the family was “disappointed that no one has stepped forward.” She said the family was “evaluating what additional steps can be taken.” A new reward has not been announced.
▪ Police searched Paul Murdaugh’s apartment at the University of South Carolina after a property manager found the door ajar one day after the murders. Investigators took fingerprints and at least one computer during the search.
This story was originally published December 6, 2021 at 9:01 AM with the headline "It’s been 6 months since the Murdaugh murders. How active is SLED’s investigation?."
