What we know about the latest Murdaugh news – and what we don’t
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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 long-running saga of the Murdaugh family had a major development when disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh was formally indicted for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
Despite the flurry of news around Alex Murdaugh since the two were found shot to death on the family’s Colleton County estate on June 7, 2021, law enforcement had been tight-lipped about the 13-month investigation into the crime.
That changed when a Colleton County grand jury returned indictments against Murdaugh on Thursday, the first person officially connected by investigators with the slaying of Maggie, 52, and Paul, 22.
Here’s a quick rundown of what we know, and what we don’t.
WHAT WE KNOW
When will the bond hearing be?
A bond hearing on the murder charges has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 20, the S.C. Attorney General’s office announced late Thursday. The hearing will take place at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro. Prosecutors may reveal more of their evidence against Murdaugh in court at that time. In the meantime, Murdaugh remains in the Richland County jail on a $7 million bond.
Murdaugh maintains his innocence
Within minutes of the indictments being handed down, Murdaugh attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian released a statement that “Alex wants his family, friends and everyone to know that he did not have anything to do with the murders of Maggie and Paul.” They are calling for Attorney General Alan Wilson to turn over all evidence within 30 days, and a trial within 60 days of receiving the evidence.
The death penalty could be on the table
Under S.C. criminal law, the murder of “two or more persons ... pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct” is an aggravating circumstance that would qualify a defendant for a death penalty case. However, trying the case as a death penalty case would depend on the evidence and the motive, none of which has been made public.
Murdaugh still faces other charges
Even before the latest charges were handed down, Murdaugh faced charges on a variety of financial crimes, stemming from his November indictment on charges of defrauding clients and associates of Murdaugh’s former law firm, including the $4.3 million estate of his former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who died of injuries received in a fall at Murdaugh’s country estate in 2018. That followed Murdaugh being shot Labor Day weekend in what investigators said was a botched murder-for-hire suicide scheme.
WHAT WE DON’T
Where’s the evidence?
The indictments that came down Thursday are sparse on details, including a motive for Murdaugh to kill his own wife and son. While Murdaugh faces charges for a variety of financial crimes, two murders of his own family members are much more difficult crimes to understand. Investigators with the State Law Enforcement Division and the S.C. Attorney General’s Office must know more, but they haven’t revealed it yet.
What about the second gun?
Investigators know that Maggie and Paul were shot and killed with two separate guns — Maggie by an assault rifle and Paul with a shotgun. Was there a second person involved in the killings, and do investigators have an idea of who that person is?
When will the trial will take place?
Speaking to The State, former U.S. attorney Pete Strom predicted it will be six to 18 months before a trial can take place. Evidence in a double murder case like the deaths of Maggie and Paul, where there were no eyewitnesses, is likely to include much expert testimony on matters such as blood splatter, fingerprints, weapons, cellphone and text records, as well as “black box” information from Murdaugh’s Suburban SUV, Strom said.
“Black box” information from a vehicle can include data on GPS location and stops, he said. Because Murdaugh’s defense team will likely need to retain its own experts to study the technical evidence, Strom predicted.
This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 1:17 PM.
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