How Alex Murdaugh came to face trial for murder of wife, son
If found guilty of murdering his wife, Maggie, 52, and their son, Paul, 22, Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors did not choose to seek the death penalty. Murdaugh is also charged with two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, which could carry an additional five years in prison.
Murdaugh has adamantly denied killing his wife and son, saying he'd been gone for an hour to visit his ailing mother on the night of the murders. During opening statements at the trial that began this week, Murdaugh's lawyers said that investigators have wrongly forced evidence to fit their theory that he killed his wife and son and that they ignored any other information. They described him as a loving husband and father.
Over the 13 months that authorities probed the murders, investigators pouring through the details of Murdaugh's life announced dozens of other charges against him, including money laundering, stealing from his clients, and trying to get a man to kill him so that his surviving son could claim a life-insurance policy.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE NIGHT OF THE KILLINGS?
Authorities said
In his opening statement, prosecutor
Instead, Waters held up his cellphone in front of the jury and said such devices would be key to linking Murdaugh to the killings. Their frequent exchange of information and data have given investigators a second-by-second account of where all three people were the night of the killings, Waters said.
Waters said there was plenty of circumstantial evidence, including a missing rifle, ammunition used in the killings similar to what was found in the home, and gunshot residue — all of which will fit together like puzzle pieces, he said, to eventually create a clear picture of what happened.
HOW DOES A BOATING ACCIDENT FIT INTO THE MURDAUGH TRIAL?
About two years before the killings,
More than two years later,
"This is a long story. My son was in a boat wreck a while back. We've been getting threats, I know that's what it is," Murdaugh said to Colleton County Sgt.
Beach's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against
WHAT IS THE MURDAUGH FAMILY'S LEGAL LEGACY?
The Murdaugh name is well-known in judicial circles in the rural, southern
Murdaugh's father, grandfather and great-grandfather were the elected prosecutors for 87 years straight in
Typically, a portrait of Murdaugh's father hangs in the
WHAT OTHER CRIMES IS MURDAUGH CHARGED WITH?
The murder charges, which took authorities 13 months to file, are only two of about 100 criminal counts Murdaugh faces. Most of the other charges were brought first.
They include stealing millions of dollars from clients, diverting a wrongful death settlement from the family of his longtime maid to himself, running a drug and money-laundering ring, evading taxes and committing fraud from what police said was an attempt to have someone kill him so his surviving son could collect a
Indictments on the tax-fraud charges indicate Murdaugh made nearly
Hours after killings, Alex Murdaugh said he didn't see wife
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