Murdaugh, 54, is standing trial on two counts of murder. "He didn't want to leave them out there," John told ABC News, in between tears. via Associated Press. Both shots to her head would have been immediately fatal, so the final one, which Riemer testified was to the back of Maggies head, was fired after an already-fatal shot. Maggie Murdaughs cellphone, for which her husband provided the code investigators used to find it the next day, showed it was being dumped on the side of the road off the property at the same time Alex Murdaughs phone showed he started his truck just outside his home, the defense attorney said. "He wants this solved.". John Marvin Murdaugh and Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh IV said they "knew something was wrong" when their other brother called them both late in the night on June 7. I felt like it was the right thing to do. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. South Carolina attorney On Dec. 13. a judge set Murdaugh's bail at $7 million. At the time, the couple's sons were children. WebAlex Murdaughthe attorney from a prominent South Carolina family who is suspected of committing a staggering number of crimes that were revealed after of a fatal 2019 boat crashwas indicted Thursday for murder. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 4:30 p.m.. Court is back in session. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? John, who lives further away in the community of Okatie, west of Hilton Head Island, said he got there about 30 minutes later. Will of Alex Murdaugh's wife reveals he inherited all her property, accusations that he misused money from his law firm. From 1987 to 2005, Randolph held the job as prosecutor for Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties, like his father and grandfather did before him. In this undated file photo, Alex Murdaugh, fourth generation of a powerful South Carolina dynasty and owner of a boat involved in a fatal accident, leaves a hearing in a personal injury lawsuit at the Richland County Courthouse. Social distancing and masking will not be required. Once the police opened the phone, they gave me a ride back to my car, he said. Id never seen anything like it. "Fortunately, Alex was not killed by the gunshot wound. The affidavit said Murdaugh provided a statement to SLED on Sept. 13: "Admitting to the scheme for the purpose of his son collecting a life insurance policy valued at approximately $10 million." On Thursday, Murdaugh briefly described the roadside shooting, saying that he intended to die that day. If (Woodward) can explain why hes running again, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. All rights reserved. "I don't know of anybody that would truly be an enemy or truly want to hurt them," Randy noted. He was just distraught. Alex Murdaugh's former law firm filed a lawsuit alleging that he funneled stolen money from clients and the law firm into a fake bank account for years. The next morning, John Marvin told jurors while several people were at the propertys main house, he felt the need to go down to the crime scene to see for himself what had gone on and just kind of take it in.. Murdaughs lawyer Dick Harpootlian said on Good Morning America Friday that health records show Murdaugh had drugs in his system when he was shot on Sept. 4. Their brother, Richard Alexander "Alex" Murdaugh, had called 911 just after 10 p.m. Alex Murdaugh enlisted Curtis Smith to shoot and kill him while in his mentally ill, drug-addicted and grieving state, Murdaugh's attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian said in a statement on Sept. 15, a day after Smith was charged. All marriages, Im sure, have hiccups here and there, but Im telling you it was a good marriage, he said. In this booking photo released on Sept. 16, 2021, by the Hampton County Detention Center, Alex Murdaugh is shown. Murdaugh is charged with killing his wife and son on their property in June 2021. None, defense lawyer Dick Harpootlian said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He has maintained his innocence, and his lawyers said he has an alibi, as he was caring for his mother, who has dementia, the night of the killings. Both Randy and Alex are lawyers at the firm, while Alex also works as a part time prosecutor for the 14th Judicial Circuit. I'm not talking about in the restroom. Opiates gave me energy, Murdaugh said. Satterfield's family members, who have alleged that Alex Murdaugh stole more than $4 million in insurance settlements for her death, called the development "bittersweet" and a "very good start to holding everyone accountable. State investigators allege that about $3.4 million was stolen after legal fees were paid. Got a tip? SLED announced the arrest of Curtis Edward Smith, 61, in connection with the shooting incident involving Alex Murdaugh on Sept. 4 in Hampton County. A vehicle sits in the driveway of a home, June 8, 2021, in rural Colleton County, near Islandton, S.C. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Sept. 8: Brother "shocked" by Murdaugh allegations; Alex Murdaugh's law license suspended, Alex Murdaugh's older brother Randy Murdaugh, who is also still employed by the firm, released a statement saying he was "shocked" to learn of his brother's "settling of money," as well as "drug addiction.". Riemer said besides caffeine, Maggie and Paul did not have any other drugs or alcohol in their systems. Smith was found dead in the middle of a road in Hampton County in 2015 and investigators believed he was hit by a vehicle but no suspects were ever apprehended, a local ABC affiliate in North Carolina, WTVD, reported. Smith was charged with assisted suicide, assault and battery of a high-aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Alex Murdaugh has been accused of obstructing the investigation into the crash by pressuring witnesses not to reveal Pauls culpability. Margaret and Paul Murdaugh were found dead near dog kennels at the family's home near Islandton, South Carolina, police said. Buster, he said, told State law enforcement officials also announced, none of the proceeds from a $4.3 million settlement. The two brothers recalled how "smitten" Alex was from the moment he met Maggie and how "he truly doted on her.". Its a journey. At the end of the day, Alex Murdaugh shook his attorneys hands and then looked back where his surviving son and brother were seated behind him, He smiled and pointed at them. Powder and residue left behind from a gun was found in several places Alex Murdaugh was also at, the prosecutor said. But I guess maybe I made a mistake.. Alex Murdaugh is in jail on a slew of charges, most of them financial counts. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said it continues to pursue all leads in the ongoing investigation and that anyone with information should call 803-896-2605, a 24-hour dedicated tip line for the case. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh remain unsolved. In the will, Maggie Murdaugh listed her sister, Marian Proctor, as the person to handle the estate. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters asked if injuries are consistent with the shooter circling Maggie. He is the 14th defense witness called overall during the six-week trial. Murdaugh also faces about 100 charges related to other crimes, including money laundering, stealing millions from clients and the family law firm, tax evasion and trying to get a man to fatally shoot him so his surviving son could collect a $10 million life insurance policy. ", "I can tell you he was willing and still is willing to do anything that's asked of him," John added. He faces charges in connection with a Sept. 4 suicide-for-hire plot. Murdaugh submitted his resignation at his law firm to enter rehab the day before he is alleged to have tried to fake his own death. Two alternates will take their place. In an opening statement, they sketched out a timeline of what they think happened at the Murdaughs house and near the dog kennels on their 1,300-acre (526-hectare) hunting property June 7, 2021. Sarah Zapata, an agent with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, testified in detail about DNA and Hematrace analysis she performed on evidence from the scene. Murdaugh was charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, along with filing a false police report. A swab of suspected blood taken from the steering wheel of the Suburban also showed a mixture of DNA likely belonging to Alex and Maggie Murdaugh. Alex Murdaughs younger brother took the stand on Monday, tearfully describing how he cleaned the gruesome crime scene the morning after his sister-in-law and nephew were murdered in June 2021. John Marvin Murdaugh also described how he got one of the first phone calls his brother Alex had made after discovering the bodies. I took so much just to not backslide.. "On September 4, it became clear Alex believed that ending his life was his only option. Her sons claim that they received none of the proceeds from a $4.3 million settlement that was orchestrated secretly by Alex Murdaugh, according to a lawsuit filed against their mothers employer and others. I felt like I owed [Paul]. Marian Proctor filed an affidavit, dated Dec. 9, in Colleton County Probate Court, according to The Island Packet. Attorney Dick Harpootlian says the defense team will need time for their expert to review the data as well. Randy and John said they don't know who could have committed the gruesome crime. Alex Murdaugh sits in the Colleton John Marvin told jurors on Monday that he had not been aware of Murdaughs opioid addiction until after the murders, when his brother attempted a botched suicide During that time, these individuals took advantage of his addiction and his ability to pay substantial funds for illegal drugs. He was transported to a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, for "treatment of a superficial gunshot wound to the head," SLED said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "And I can't imagine the horror that my brother's experiencing.". The law firm said later that he resigned only after it was discovered that he was alleged to have misappropriated funds from the firm. Jailed in Richland County and facing more than 90 criminal charges and 11 lawsuits, Murdaugh has had his assets placed under the control of court-appointed Marvin Murdaugh drove down to the crime scene to a group of investigators and told them that Maggies phone was active and could be tracked, he said. From October: What really happened the night Alex Murdaugh was allegedly shot? June 25: Murdaugh family announce $100,000 reward for information. It made everything better. The cartridges were used in a type of automatic rifle that Alex Murdaugh bought but cant be accounted for, Waters said. He later stepped away from the double homicide investigation in August 2021, citing an undisclosed conflict. He has also since been charged with executing multiple fraud and embezzlement schemes that were ongoing at the time of the crash; these included an alleged attempt to commit insurance fraud in order to benefit from the 2018 death of a housekeeper at one of the Murdaugh familys properties. Prosecutors allege that Murdaugh, who has pleaded not guilty to four charges, murdered his family in a deranged scheme to garner sympathy and halt questions about his years-long scheme of stealing money from his law firm and clients. Murdaugh murder trial to resume at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Murdaugh Trial, Day 26: Testimony gets heated during states rebuttal, Anonymous tip leads investigators to human remains in Spartanburg, Here's what's next for the Murdaugh murder trial, kelli.radcliff@foxcarolina.com - 864-213-2103. The law firm said later that he "These charges stem from a SLED investigation into misappropriated settlement funds in the death of Gloria Satterfield," SLED said in a statement. Tanner told FITSnews earlier this month, then he should be prepared to debate this time, where he can explain to people why he was caught hanging out at the Murdaugh murder scene.. Sept. 14: Police charge man in Alex Murdaugh shooting. But you don't think it's going to happen in your small community, to your family.". The South Carolina legal scion, 53, who has been in jail since October, has been charged with a slew of counts, most of them financial crimes. Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. ", "Alex holds every member of the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, Detrick law firm in very high esteem," Griffin said on Twitter. SLED said in a statement at the time that he was shot on Old Salkehatchie Road near Varnville,South Carolina. If he leaves the rehab facility, there will be a bench warrant issued for his arrest, Judge Tonja Alexander said. Its complicated. Alex is not without fault but he is just one of many whose life has been devastated by opioid addiction," the lawyers' statement continued. Since then, there have been curveballs in the investigation including Alex Murdaugh's alleged money misuse that led to the suspension of his law license, and other allegations of an opioid addiction, an assisted-suicide attempt and a $10 million insurance fraud scheme. "It was very difficult.". I was outside with the dogs," Randy recalled. Alex Murdaugh turned himself in at the Hampton County Detention Center Thursday. Court is in recess until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. John Marvin Murdaugh and Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh IV spoke with "Good Morning America" about the deaths of Maggie and Paul, saying they didn't believe their Due to stippling on her body, Riemer said two of the gunshot wounds were fired by someone within three feet of Maggie Murdaugh. This trial is the bottom of a stunningly far and fast downfall for the man whose family dominated the legal system in tiny neighboring Hampton County for generations, both as prosecutors and private attorneys known for getting life-changing settlements for accidents and negligence cases. The prosecution said ammunition cartridges found around Maggie Murdaughs body had markings that matched other cartridges fired at a range on the property and other locations. They were able to open the phone on site, he said. Theres no forensics tying him to the crime. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Waters said Murdaugh told investigators he was never at the kennels before finding his wife and sons bodies near them after spending an hour away from the home checking on his mother, who has dementia. Maggie Murdaughs phone locks forever about 30 seconds later, Waters said. Randy and John said their father, whom they described as "a wonderful person," had been "sick" for a while and that they would have liked his death to be more a celebration of life, but their tight-knit family was reeling from the unsolved murders. Prosecutors released little information about their case before Wednesday. There was gunshot residue on a seat belt, bullets pulled from bodies that matched ammunition boxes from around the home and cellphones never used again just a few minutes after Murdaugh, his wife and son were all heard in a cellphone video, prosecutor Creighton Waters said in his opening statement. We had great opportunities.". Alex Murdaughthe attorney from a prominent South Carolina family who is suspected of committing a staggering number of crimes that were revealed after of a fatal 2019 boat crashwas indicted Thursday for murder. It made me want to do it longer. A major twist in the case came when Alex Murdaugh called authorities saying he was shot in the head in Hampton County on Sept. 4. Randy Murdaugh and John Marvin Murdaugh speak out for the first time since their brother, Alex, found his 22-year-old son, Paul, and wife, Maggie, shot to death outside their home last week. Asked about the photos this month, John Marvin Murdaugh said they show him and the investigators trying to find Maggie Murdaughs cell phone using an app on Maggies remaining son Buster Murdaughs phone. ", "I missed some phone calls from him. Mr. Murdaugh, who has since been disbarred, has been held in jail since October 2021, when he was charged with stealing money from the family of his former The family's spokesperson later offered a clarification regarding the shooting, saying, "Alex had an entry and exit wound, his skull was fractured and it was not a self-inflicted bullet wound. John Marvin told jurors on Monday that he had not been aware of Murdaughs opioid addiction until after the murders, when his brother attempted a botched suicide scheme in September 2021 so that Buster would inherit his $12 million insurance payout. "We've just been here as attorneys for a long time in our family.". The alleged conspiracy led to a $505,000 settlement, but Satterfield's sons claim they haven't gotten any of that settlement money, which was agreed upon in December 2018, the lawsuit claimed. "He said, 'Come as fast as you can. The defense in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial rested their case Monday. They said he could not be visually excluded but it is 11 times more likely the sample was from someone else. The final witness for the defense was Alex Murdaughs brother John Marvin Murdaugh. The Murdaughs, a prominent Democratic family, had wielded enormous judicial and political power for over a century. This photo provided by the Colleton County sheriff's office shows Curtis Edward Smith. Both had full stomachs of food that looked identical to each other, which likely showed they recently shared a meal together. Prosecutors are expected to rest their case this week. Proctor's name was crossed out in pen and Randolph Murdaugh III, Maggie Murdaughs father-in law, was handwritten above it. Buster Murdaugh and John Marvin Murdaugh//Image Credit: WCBD NEWS 2 Buster, Murdaughs only surviving son, briefly took the stand last week about his nuclear family dynamics, noting that while the four of them were close there were tensions surrounding his fathers decades-long addiction to opioids. Of course, none of this is disclosed to me as far as, it wasnt like I was sitting there peeking over their shoulder while theyre doing this.. The 14th Circuit Solicitors Office also confirms to CNN that Murdaugh has been stripped of his privilege of prosecuting cases as a volunteer. John Marvin is the brother-in-law and uncle of 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, and 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh who were murdered on June 7, 2021 near the Among those on the list are Alex's family members including his surviving son, Buster, his brothers, Randy Murdaugh and John Marvin Murdaugh, his sister-in-law, Liz She took the stand to explain graphic photographs from her investigation to the jury and said the gunman was likely within three feet of Paul Murdaugh. John Marvin continues talking about the false information he received from SLED. It was the start of what is expected to be a three-week trial at the Colleton County Courthouse. Asked about the scratched-out name in the will, John Marvin Murdaugh said Tuesday: "I cant tell you why she would have done that. ", "Avarice and betrayal of trust are at the heart of this matter," the families said in a statement through their lawyers. Alex Murdaugh was the person who reported their deaths to police, saying he had discovered them dead on a 1,700-acre hunting property belonging to the family. Paul and Maggie have been hurt,'" John told ABC News in an exclusive interview airing Thursday on "Good Morning America. Lawyer Alex Murdaugh walks into his bond hearing, Sept. 16, 2021, in Varnville, S.C. Murdaugh also took the stand on Thursday and Friday, revealing that he lied to law enforcement about his whereabouts the night of the murder and admitting to stealing from clients and his law firm for years. "So there's no possible way he could have anything to do with this, I can assure you. Stone had previously recused himself in 2019 after Paul Murdaugh was involved in a fatal boat crash. SLED confirmed they are the law enforcement agency investigating the missing money from the law firm. Harpootlian said all this was grasping at whatever evidence might make Murdaugh look guilty and ignoring what didnt fit the theory that he did it. Four generations served as the local prosecutor, A day later, Smith admitted to being present during the Murdaugh shooting and disposing the firearm afterward. SLED then said they were opening the investigation into Satterfield's death at the request of the Hampton County Coroner's Office and due to information gathered during the course of other ongoing investigations involving AlexMurdaugh. A string of bloody killings and mysteries involving a prominent South Carolina family has sent investigators on a wild chase full of twists and turns. Zapata said the DNA could have been transferred from her touching an object or person. "I know he's struggling with it, and I just can't imagine what's going through his mind. State law enforcement officials also announcedthat they were looking into those allegations. Marian was like, No, John, I want you to handle it. So Im going to do whatever the court asked me to do, and Im also going to do what I think is best for Maggie," John Marvin Murdaugh said. Duffie Stone, the 14th circuit solicitor appointed in 2006, the first non-Murdaugh to hold the position since 1920, recused himself from the case because of personal connections. In cross-examination, the defense reiterated that Alex Murdaugh said he checked Maggie and Paul both for pulses when he found their bodies. A family spokesperson told ABC News at the time that he was changing a tire when a car passed him. Murdaugh is charged with killing his wife and son on their property in June 2021. He just couldn't control it. "So I got on the phone with him," Randy said. WebAsked about the photos this month, John Marvin Murdaugh said they show him and the investigators trying to find Maggie Murdaughs cell phone using an app on Maggies Hes got theories of this and theories of that.. The wreck led to some questioning whether his family's ties to the legal system in the area affected the investigation, local newspaper The Island Packet reported at the time. Both victims were located outside of the residence on the sprawling property and had "sustained multiple gunshot wounds," according to a press release from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which is investigating the double murder along with the Colleton County Sheriff's Office. They said Paul was also a "people person" who was "very caring" and "would help anyone." In my mind, I told Paul I loved himI promised him that I'd find out who did this to him., When asked by defense attorney Jim Griffin if he ever found out who killed his nephew and sister-in-law, John Marvin replied: I have not.. One possibility is that Paul and Maggie Murdaughs killings were in some way an effort on Alex Murdaughs part to prevent authorities who were looking into the boat crash from discovering his elaborate web of other alleged criminal behavior. Sept. 15: Lawyers say Murdaugh set up his own shooting, police open criminal investigation into 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield. John Marvin Murdaugh, the alleged killer's younger brother, said he returned to the hunting estate the day after arriving the killings to clean up the horrific scene John In response, one of his attorneys called it a "very sad development. After a market analysis and appraisal, and with the consent of the estate, managed by Murdaugh's brother, John Marvin Murdaugh, the Murdaugh Edisto home We dont know why. ET to report that he had returned to his family's estate in Islandton, a rural community in South Carolina's Colleton County, to find the bullet-ridden bodies of his 52-year-old wife, Margaret "Maggie" Branstetter Murdaugh, and his 22-year-old son, Paul Terry Murdaugh. John Marvin Murdaugh said he does not believe Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son, but acknowledged that police may know more than he does. The Murdaughs are a prominent legal family in the Palmetto State, with three generations serving as the elected solicitor in the 14th Judicial Circuit for 87 consecutive years. John Marvin Murdaugh and Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh IV spoke with "Good Morning America" about the deaths of Maggie and Paul, saying they didn't believe their brother was involved in their killings. I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders. "Now is the time to bring justice for Maggie and Paul. For the last 20 years, there have been many people feeding his addiction to opioids. John Marvin was the third member of the Murdaugh family to testify, after his nephew, Buster, and Murdaugh himself. Most of the testimony was focused on detailed forensic evidence in the investigation into the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. The shot to her abdomen was from further away. Both sides finished picking a 12-person jury with six alternates Wednesday. I just dont know.". He was being held in jail without bail on those counts before he was charged with murder. He is accused of killing his wife Maggie and 22-year-old son Paul in June 2021, Slate reports. Murdaugh turned himself in at the Hampton County Detention Center. John Marvin told jurors on Monday that he had not been aware of Murdaughs opioid addiction until after the murders, when his brother attempted a botched suicide scheme in September 2021 so that Buster would inherit his $12 million insurance payout. He also admitted to his two-decade opioid addiction, noting he regularly took more than 60 pills a dayincluding oxycontin and oxycodone. Its the hardest thing Ive ever been through in my life., Prosecutors say that Paul Murdaugh was fatally shot outside the feed room near the dog kennels of the South Carolina property on June 7, 2021and that his mother, Maggie, was killed nearby. "My brother loved Maggie and loved Paul like nothing else on this earth, just like he loves Buster," Randy said. Murdaugh said he called either Alex or Buster (he said he thinks it was Alex) and asked them for the password to Maggies phone so investigators could unlock it. Whatever I was doing, it made it more interesting. He said he thought they were dead.". The vehicle turned around and "someone in the car shot him," the spokesperson said to ABC News. John Marvin Murdaugh and his wife Liz Murdaugh, Brooklynn White and Buster Murdaugh, from left, attend the opening day of Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial on Wednesday.