Alex Murdaugh, a disgraced, 54-year-old personal injury attorney, was found guilty of the murder of his wife, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, and 22-year-old son, Paul. The tragic events unfolded on the evening of June 7, 2021, on the expansive Moselle hunting estate in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region.
Prosecutors allege that Murdaugh committed the murders of his wife and son as a diversionary tactic to deflect attention from his financial wrongdoings. Additionally, he was confronting a devastating civil lawsuit related to his son’s fatal boating incident in February 2019, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach.
His housekeeper died under mysterious circumstances
The scandal surrounding Alex Murdaugh takes a dark turn with the mysterious death of his housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, in 2018. Despite the official explanation of a “trip and fall” accident, no autopsy was conducted. Her death certificate, listing the cause as “natural,” contradicted the initial narrative. This incident, along with other puzzling deaths, triggered an investigation into Satterfield’s demise.
He was shot in the head
In a bizarre twist, Murdaugh claimed he was shot in the head while changing a tire in September 2021. Subsequent revelations exposed that he orchestrated the incident, enlisting Curtis Smith, a drug dealer who supplied him with oxycodone. The motive behind this staged event was linked to Murdaugh’s insurance fraud scheme and his struggles with substance abuse.
He has a substance problem
Alongside his legal troubles, Murdaugh revealed his entry into rehab for an oxycodone addiction. Lawyers attributed his insurance fraud scandal and alleged misappropriation of millions from his law firm to his depression and substance abuse, exacerbated by the tragic deaths of his wife and son.
He may be connected to the death of a teenager
The mysterious death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith in 2015, near the Murdaugh estate, raises questions about a potential connection to Alex Murdaugh. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division reopened the investigation in June 2021, following renewed interest after the murders of Margaret and Paul Murdaugh. Once again, 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone recused himself due to his ties with Murdaugh.
His son, Paul, was awaiting trial
Paul Murdaugh faced legal troubles for a 2019 boating incident resulting in the death of Mallory Beach. Suspicions of Alex Murdaugh using his legal connections to interfere with the investigation led to the recusal of the 14th circuit district solicitor, Duffie Stone, due to his ties with Murdaugh.