Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers say he ‘did not have any motive whatsoever to murder’ his wife and son
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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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The attorneys for Alex Murdaugh reacted Thursday to the news that their client has been indicted for the murder of his wife and son.
Attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian released a statement Thursday morning shortly after the indictments were released by a Colleton County grand jury.
“Alex wants his family, friends and everyone to know that he did not have anything to do with the murders of Maggie and Paul,” the statement reads. “He loved them more than anything in the world.”
The lawyers said investigators have prejudged Murdaugh’s guilt from the beginning of their investigation into the June 2021 slayings of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh. They are calling for a speedy trial on the new murder charges.
“It was very clear from day one that law enforcement and the Attorney General prematurely concluded that Alex was responsible for the murder of his wife and son. But we know that Alex did not have any motive whatsoever to murder them. We are immediately filing a motion for a speedy trial, we are requesting that the Attorney General turn over all evidence within 30 days as required by law and we demand to have a trial within 60 days of receiving that evidence.”
The indictments issued Thursday did not mention a motive for the crimes, nor did they mention how Murdaugh is alleged to have carried out the killings.
Paul, 22, and Maggie, 52, were found shot to death on their Colleton County estate on June 7, 2021. Alex Murdaugh, a prominent Hampton attorney from a long line of local prosecutors, was the one who called 911 about the killings and told police he had been away at the time his wife and son were killed.
Since the killings, Alex Murdaugh’s life has unraveled. He is currently in a Richland County jail awaiting trial on 81 separate charges for fraud and money laundering. He also faces 10 civil lawsuits that together allege he stole nearly $8.5 million from his firm, clients and associates in various financial schemes.
On Thursday, investigators with the State Law Enforcement Division and the S.C. Attorney General’s Office added additional charges that tie Murdaugh directly to the deaths of his two family members.
“Over the last 13 months, SLED agents and our partners have worked day in and day out to build a case against the person responsible for the murders of Maggie and Paul and to exclude those who were not,” SLED Chief Mark Keel said in a statement. “At no point did agents lose focus on this investigation.
“From the beginning I have been clear, the priority was to ensure justice was served. Today is one more step in a long process for justice for Maggie and Paul.”
This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 11:36 AM.
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