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The Trial of Alex Murdaugh | Full Episode

March 07, 2023 / 41:26

This episode covers the trial of Alec Murdoch, focusing on the double homicide of his wife Maggie and son Paul. Key topics include the evidence presented, witness testimonies, and the verdict.

The trial, often referred to as the trial of the century in South Carolina, has drawn significant media attention. Alec Murdoch, a once-prominent lawyer, is accused of murdering his wife and son on June 7, 2021, at their family estate.

Prosecutor Creighton Waters argues that Murdoch killed his family to cover up his financial crimes, while Murdoch maintains his innocence, claiming he was not at the scene during the murders. The prosecution's key evidence includes a video taken by Paul Murdoch shortly before the murders, which places Alec at the scene.

Witnesses, including law enforcement and family members, provide testimonies that contribute to the case against Murdoch. The defense argues that the evidence is circumstantial and suggests the possibility of multiple shooters.

After deliberating for just under three hours, the jury finds Alec Murdoch guilty of both murders, leading to a sentencing of two consecutive life terms in prison.

TLDR

Alec Murdoch is found guilty of murdering his wife and son, with key evidence including a video taken shortly before the killings.

Episode

41:26
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[Music] day eight in the Alec Murdoch day nine of the double degree of the Alec 100
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hours of testimony this is the 14th day of the death trial drags into week four weeks of the defense called more
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witnesses week six day 25 and the double murder trial of Alec Murdoch continues in
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college Alec murdo's on trial for the double homicide of his wife Maggie and his son Paul near the dog kennels of
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their families hunting estate local media has called it the trial of the century in South Carolina it has
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attracted media from across the world Alec murdaugh used to be a really predominant lawyer in South Carolina and
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is a member of this very powerful legal Dynasty on the evening of June 7th 2021 his son
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Paul Murdock standing in a small feet room and some kennels they have on the property the
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defendant over there Al Murdock took a 12-stage shotgun and shot him in the chest and the shoulder but after that
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another shot went up under his head and took into catastrophic damage the lead prosecutor for the state is Creighton
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Waters just moments later picked up a 300 Blackout AR style rifle an open fire on his wife Maggie pow pow
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and killed her instantly Alex Murdoch's claim is that he ate dinner was his family took a nap on the couch he goes
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to visit his mother comes home just after 10 pm and finds his wife and child shot and killed
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um his immediate reaction was to start telling me about an incident that happened with his son with a boating
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accident my son was in a boat wreck months back he's been getting threats I know that's what it is I'm Seth Stoten
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I'm a law professor at the University of South Carolina Paul Murdock was on a boat with some other individuals there
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was drinking the boat crash and one of the individuals on the boat Mallory Beach was killed they told you that it
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was just random Vigilantes from the boat case of which there is no evidence whatsoever they were alleging that Alec
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wanted to murder his wife and son because he wanted to hide the fact that he'd been stealing millions of dollars
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from his law firm and his clients for years this is a spreadsheet referencing each client in the amount that was
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stolen from each client 225 073.46 112 500 338 056.14 why did y'all have to pay all
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that money back because Alec had stolen it the facts are What mattered here got some Heavy Hitters on his side Decor
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Putin is the Johnny Cochran of South Carolina did he murder his wife and son no does he have any idea who did no
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there's no eyewitness there's no fingerprints there's no forensics tying him to the crime none the prosecution
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has had one major Smoking Gun in its case and it's Paul murdo's video that he took at 8 44 pm
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[Music] did you recognize any voices on that video Paul murdered Maggie murdick and
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Elle murdick you recognize Alex Boyce yes sir how will they explain that Alec was actually at the dog kennels five
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minutes before the murder when he claims that I've been sleeping were you in fact
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at the kennels at 8 44 pm on the night Maggie and Paul were murdered I was you continued lying after
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that night did you not but once I lied I continued to lie yes sir would you ever do anything to harm
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Maggie I would never hurt Mac I did not kill Maggie I did not kill Paul the state versus Richard
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Alexander Murdoch verdict guilty it doesn't matter how prominent you are if you do wrong if you break the law if
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you murder then Justice will be done in South Carolina thank you [Music] thank you
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[Music] it was a field trip to a ghost town off a country road the procession turned
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slowly up the long driveway of the imposing property this Convoy held the jury in the double murder trial of Alec
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murdal this is Mozelle the hunting lodge of the Murdoch family Alec his wife Maggie and Sons Paul and
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Buster the jury was taken to the dog kennels and the small feed room where Paul had
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been shot at close range with a shotgun a few yards away Maggie was shot several
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times with a 300 Blackout rifle neither weapon has ever been found there was a time when this estate
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reflected the vast power and Prestige of the murdal legal Dynasty now the withered grounds seem to Echo
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Alec murdaugh's steep Fall From Grace from a rich powerful lawyer to an admitted drug addict oxycodone Oxycontin
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Leaf I stole money that was not my money and convicted murderer verdict guilty what do you think of the verdict Alex
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this is where Alec Myrtle's life unraveled on June 7th 2021. this is your wife and son okay
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I knew it was really bad that night when Murdoch was interviewed by investigators he was quick to offer
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up an explanation for the murders of his wife and son my son Paul was in a boat wreck there's been a lot of negative
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publicity about that and there's been a lot of people online just really vile stuff the crush that would kill
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nineteen-year-old Mallory Beach happened about 2 20 a.m on February 24 2019. 911 where's your emergency
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we're in a boat crash on Arthur's Creek when a boat carrying six young friends smashed into a bridge Connor Cook made
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the Frantic call to 9-1-1 [Music] she's in the water she was just this wonderful
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fun-loving happy girl and everybody loved her Lynn Reavis and her niece Mallory were
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extremely close you always got a hug hello gonna hug goodbye and the last thing she told me was Sheila
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in piecing together events investigators learned earlier that night nineteen-year-old Paul murdaugh used his
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older brother Buster's ID to buy beer at this convenience store and if you look at the video footage when Paul comes out
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of the store he's holding the beer up he's celebrating after staying at a party for several
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hours the group took the murdaugh family's boat to this bar where Paul and Connor had more to drink around 1am they
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went in pounded a couple of shots Michael DeWitt is an author and editor of the Hampton County Guardian part of
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the Gannett USA Today Network somewhere around 1 30. see the video footage of them leaving the boat dock it was kind
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of a sad touching moment when you see Mallory and her boyfriend I think it's the last moment that
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anybody captured an image of her alive it was around 1 15 when they took off again on the boat
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I was just having doing donuts and just passenger Miley Altman told investigators tempers were running short
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so Connor starts driving for a little bit and then Paul like he like stops Connor and he's like no this is not a
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like let me drive I saw the bridge coming more Bridge First Responders dash cam video captured
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the Mayhem all right where's everybody else at bridge at the bottom of the bridge
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everybody was crying I'm scared shot just worried about their friend then Beaufort County deputy sheriff
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Stephen Domino was one of the first on this scene after Domino got Mallory's distraught
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boyfriend Anthony cook into his patrol car Paul Murdoch came into sight he was walking up from where the boat was
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right there away from me he actually tried to rush through me to get to Paul because I
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guess he saw him smiling Paul's smiling while Anthony's girlfriend's missing in the Water right
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well you said that's when Anthony cook definitively identified the person he said was
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driving the boat you all know helic Murdock that's his son good luck that's what he indicated that he
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couldn't be touched Mallory's body was found a week later and in the weeks after that we're just
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waiting is someone going to make an arrest is there going to be a admission of guilt or responsibility we're in a
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boat crash I think that from day one Ground Zero the effort was what can we do to get Paul out of this
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thank you foreign who do you think is responsible for Mallory's death I think Paul Murdock was
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a month after the Fatal boat crash frustrated that there was no arrest Mallory Beach's family filed a wrongful
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death suit against members of the Murdoch family which allowed them to depose the survivors about what happened
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that night Hall was allegedly acting rash and Reckless in his deposition Paul's friend Connor
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Cook said that the morning of the crash he didn't tell investigators that Paul was driving the boat because he was
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afraid and while at the hospital he says he was told by Alec murdal that he didn't need
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to tell anyone who was driving Alex reportedly went from room to room to try to communicate with the other
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boat crash passengers and get them all on the same page at the hospital several hours after the crash Paul's blood
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alcohol level was three times over the legal limit he was getting belligerent with the the
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nurses staff according to court records spin loud and troublesome but that morning and for weeks to come
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many felt that Paul murdaugh was not treated like a suspect in a crime we didn't think he was going to be charged
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why because it was taken so long we just didn't think we'd see that day nearly two months after the boat crash
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Paul was charged with causing the death of Mallory Beach he pleaded not guilty and remained free after posting Bond and
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the murdal name began to tarnish [Music] passed and on June 7 2021 as Paul murdaugh was awaiting trial in the death
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of Mallory Beach gunfire erupted on the Murdoch Family Estate [Music] at 10 06 PM a panic sounding Alec
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Murdoch called 9-1-1 saying he had just arrived home to find his wife of nearly 28 years Maggie and their son Paul shot
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is he moving at all your son I need said that she was shot but what about your son
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nobody's they're not you're the one oh he's moving Maggie's friend Caroline price called
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her godson Buster when she heard the terrible news so please tell me this isn't true and you said yes ma'am Miss
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Caroline it is and he immediately without prompt said it was premeditated and revenge they were trying to say that
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it was associated with the boat crash that someone was angry at Paul right due to the Murdoch family's close ties with
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local law enforcement the South Carolina law enforcement division known as sled the state's top investigative agency
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took over the case it was amazing to me how quick this rumor mill started Maggie's friend Shelly West heard about
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the murders from a friend I just said do you think Alec did it and he said no there were two guns on the scene but it
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actually crossed her mind that he might have done it yeah I mean yeah I mean that was my first initial reaction a lot
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of times the husband's the first suspect and Caroline says she had a strange conversation with him after Maggie and
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Paul's Funeral he talked a lot about Paul the fact that he wasn't going to get his day in court
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he wasn't going to get to clear his name murdaugh offered a 100 000 reward as rumors and speculations swirled reports
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at the time raised questions about their marriage and claimed that Maggie was Consulting with a divorce attorney
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Marion her sister asked me do you know anything about this and I said no and she said
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she never said anything to me and she tells me everything Maggie never mentioned there was any trouble in the
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marriage at a hearing a few months later I questioned the Murdoch family attorney
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dick harputlian about the Murdoch's relationship were there any problems in Maggie
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absolutely not trust me I was over two years always affectionate always courteous you just a picture of a
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domestic voice and as for the theory that the murders were in retaliation for the boat crash
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Maggie's friends say she never mentioned any threats against their family she talked about Helen Khan everybody was in
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Maine the looks and the snares and they didn't seem to feel unsafe I mean they were still carrying on with their normal
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routine day-to-day activities and things as investigators tried to figure out who
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would want Paul and Maggie Murdoch dead and why A call came into 9-1-1 that another member of the family was under
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attack somebody stopped to help me and they tried to shoot me and it's almost been a case of episodic
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television where tune in this week and we'll see what's next from Hampton County home of the murdochs
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thank you three months after the shooting deaths of Maggie and Paul Alec Murdoch again
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called 9-1-1 this time claiming he'd been shot somebody stopped to help me and let me Alex Murdoch told investigators
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he was changing a flat tire right here on this Rural Road when a person in a pickup truck passed by asked Alex if he
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was having car trouble and then shot him in the head Murdoch's conversation on the way to the hospital was captured on
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police body cam shotgun on September 6 2021 two days after being shot Alec murdaugh released this
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statement I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret he said and announced he was leaving the law firm
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Alex Murdoch put out a statement saying he's going into rehab Alec Murdoch said he had been addicted to opioids for two
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decades it wasn't only claims of drug abuse now staining Murdoch's reputation he was also accused of stealing Millions
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from his own law firm and was asked to resign the day before he was shot Friday the law firm has a come to Jesus meeting
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with him we know you're allegedly stealing money you're out Saturday the reported shooting
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Monday Alex releases a statement saying I'm going into rehab then came the even more bizarre news
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that Myrtle had allegedly hired this man his distant cousin Curtis Smith to shoot
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him he wanted you to kill him yeah he wanted me to kill him authorities say murdaugh wanted his killing to look like
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murder so his surviving son Buster could collect a 10 million dollar life insurance payout Smith says he refused
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yeah may happen it's unclear exactly how Murdoch came to be shot why did you leave the scene I didn't know anything
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else to do Smith was charged in connection with the shooting but has not entered a plea on September 16 2021
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facing charges of insurance fraud conspiracy and filing a false police report Alec murdaugh turned himself in
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the fact that uh Murdoch sat in a chair in a jumpsuit with handcuffs is something I've never seen in my lifetime
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Alec murdahl was released on Bond and allowed to go back to rehab while Murdoch was there investigators were
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looking into all of his business dealings and the suspicious death of this woman
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Gloria Satterfield Gloria was the housekeeper for the Murdoch family for more than 20 years Ronnie Richter is an
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attorney for the Satterfield family she literally helped raise Alec murdaugh's Sons Paul and Buster
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in 2018 the 57 year old died after a fall at the murdal estate what's been reported is that she was at the house
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that day on the front steps the dog's got a little rambunctious and gave her a push and she fell down the stairs
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satterfield's death was ruled natural and no autopsy was ever performed there's nothing natural about a 57 year
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old woman falling down a flight of steps and dying from head trauma at Gloria's funeral murdal did something
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very odd says Richter he recommended Gloria's son's Philo wrongful death lawsuit against him murdahl even steered
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them toward an attorney his friend Corey Fleming a lot of trust was placed in both Alec and in Corey to do the right
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things and it really went South from the outset court documents show a 4.3 million
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dollar payout by murdaugh's insurance company but none of the money ever went to Gloria's family
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where did that money go well allegedly it went into Alex Murdock's pocket Alex murdaugh was
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charged with two felonies for his role in the Gloria Satterfield insurance fraud this time a judge ordered him to
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be held without bond as Murdoch sat in jail he was indicted on dozens more charges for defrauding
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clients out of millions of dollars and then in July of 2022 more than a year after the grizzly murders disgraced
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South Carolina attorney Alex murdaugh was indicted today in the high-profile murders of his wife and son last year
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Alec murdaugh was charged with killing his wife Maggie and Son Paul Maggie's friends were relieved that the case was
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moving forward I was kind of like now finally and maybe we're going to get some answers
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foreign on January 25th 2023 19 months after Maggie and Paul were gunned down near
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the dog kennels at their family hunting estate defendant out Murdock over there told anyone who would listen
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that he was never at those kennels prosecutor Creighton Waters began laying out the state's case against Alec
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murdaugh but the evidence is also going to show from these things that every one of us
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most of us carry around in our pocket that he was there he was at the murder scene with the two victims I could see
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Mr murdaugh down at the end of the driveway Central 717 scene has secured both gunshot wounds to the Head First
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Responders described the harrowing scene captured by their body cams the male victim was close to a small shed in the
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dog kennel on the left it was a large deal of blood that had pulled around his body turn around for me okay yes sir I
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see that okay this is your wife and son it's official that they're dead yes sir that's what it looks like
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investigators interviewed murdal in a patrol car my boy over there I could see it was
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Murdoch said he spent time with Paul earlier in the evening riding around the property after Maggie got home he dozed
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off on the couch and when he got up there was nobody around I called Maggie didn't get an answer Maggie's a dog
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lover and I knew she'd gone to the kennel I left to go to my mom's my mom's late stage Alzheimer's patient
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his visit with his ill mother would become his Alibi murdaugh told investigators when he returned around 10
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pm there was still no one home so he drove down to the dog kennels that's when he found Maggie and Paul I tried to
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turn Paul over first then I went to my wife and I I mean I could see I touched on bow okay I tried to take
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their parts on both of them when you first saw Paul you said you tried to detective Rutland interviewed
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Alex Murdo that night and told the jurors she noted despite his claim of touching the blood-soaked bodies of his
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wife and son he appeared clean how would you describe the defendant's hands when
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you saw him they were clean how would you describe his T-shirt Queens did those clothes appear to be fresh they
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did like they just come out of the laundry it could be Maggie and Paul died from multiple
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gunshot wounds Daily Beast senior National reporter polar Melendez shared the investigators findings so Paula shot
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first and he was shocked twice with a shotgun Paul was found here next to the feeding room very close by right here is
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where Maggie was found Maggie was killed with a 300 Blackout rifle and suffered five gunshot wounds a
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crime scene specialist described her final moments the shooter was right here the second shot was not as close but it
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still wasn't a long distance it was approximately here into the crown of the head
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three days after the murders building their timeline investigators talked to Alec murdal again we sat down we ate
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supper and we hung around the house for a little while uh I know that Maggie went to the kennels
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um I don't know exactly where Paul went but he left the house too I stayed in the house and I actually fell asleep on
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the couch the last time that you saw Paul and Maggie's when y'all were eating supper
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yes sir the murdals were Avid hunters and had more than 25 weapons on the property I
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saw one over here during a search one to your right sled agents found spent shell
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casings and ammunition that matched the bullets that killed Maggie and Paul but the
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murder weapons were never found Maggie's cell phone was also missing the day after the murders investigators
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found it here on the side of the road half a mile from the property sled analyzed the data from Alex Maggie and
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Paul's cell phones at 7 56 PM Paul sent this Snapchat video of his dad to a friend Paul is heard
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laughing in the background so around 8 30 Paul's phone starts moving towards the dog kennels he also
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calling and texting two friends then responding to Snapchats until about 8 40 when he gets on a four minute phone call
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with his friend Rogan Gibson Rogan Gibson told investigators their phone call was about his dog who was staying
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at the kennels Rogan thought he heard Alec in the background that immediately sets a red flag for law enforcement
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because that totally messes up Alex timeline and how could he be at the dog kennels at 8 40 when he claims he was
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sleeping two months after the murders agents interviewed Alec murdaugh again this
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time at a sled office they asked him if he went down to the kennels that night I have no idea
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in November of 2022 there was a breakthrough in the investigation get it get back agent showed Rogan a
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video of his dog cash that they had found on Paul's phone Paul had shot it at 8 44 PM minutes before he was killed
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it's a chicken come here and what voices did you hear Paul's Miss Maggie Miss Taylor
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and how sure are you now positive 100 that's correct the prosecutor says Alec is heard saying
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come here Bubba calling the family dog this is a huge piece of testimony because it places Alec in the kennels
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roughly five minutes before prosecutors say Maggie and Paul were murdered authorities believed Maggie and Paul
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were shot around 8 49 PM when their phone screens were locked and never opened again the prosecutor asked
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several other Witnesses if they recognized murdal's voice on that video and I recognize Ellen
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who do you recognize Alec did you recognize on that video Alex muradol and every
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single witness has said with 100 certainty that that's Alec in the background of that video and it also
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completely shatters his Alibi Alec murdaugh's car and cell phone data showed he drove to his mom's house
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shortly after 9 pm between then and until he returned and dialed 9-1-1 at 10 06 pm he made 10 calls to family and
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friends including five to Maggie prosecutor is basically allege that after killing Paula Maggie I took steps
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to cover up and show that he is talking to all these people so how could he murder his his wife and son
00:29:21
as to the motive the state had a theory that a perfect storm was gathering for Alec murdal Alec was scared about
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information coming out that he had been stealing money from his clients in his Law Firm for years
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on the day of the murders murdahl was confronted by his firm about missing legal fees of almost eight hundred
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thousand dollars also that week he was due in court for a hearing on the boat crash civil case
00:29:51
murdaugh was being sued for 10 million dollars by Mallory Beach's family the prosecution is alleging that in order to
00:29:59
dissuade further questions about his financial crimes and Garner Symphony from the community and his Law Firm he
00:30:06
killed his wife and son it's the actions of a desperate man uh the state would call Jeannie
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secondary after the judge ruled murdal's alleged Financial schemes could be brought in the state called The Firm CFO
00:30:20
Genie seckinger was anybody at all concerned about those missing fees after those murders happened we weren't
00:30:27
because we were concerned about La we weren't going to go in there and harass him about money
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what his family had been killed Mr Tinsley the beach family's attorney Mark Tinsley
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also testified and told the jurors in the wake of the murders the civil case against Alec Murdoch would have gone
00:30:49
away if Alec is the victim of a vigilante nobody's gonna hold him accountable the case would be over as
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the state rested its case Alec murdaugh made the risky decision to take the stand you lied to Maggie didn't you
00:31:08
I did a lot of Maggie [Music] have you made a decision as to whether you're going to testify I am going to
00:31:29
testify I want to testify against his attorney's advice Alec murdal decided to take the stand in his
00:31:38
own defense he swear affirmed that the testimony you give today will be the truth the whole truth and nothing but
00:31:44
the truth yes ma'am under questioning by attorney Jim Griffin murdahl is hoping the jury will look past his lies and
00:31:52
believe that now he's telling them the truth did you kill Maggie no I did not kill Maggie I did not kill
00:32:01
Paul I would never hurt Maggie and I would never hurt Paul ever under any circumstances after all the
00:32:11
testimony identifying him on that kennel video murdal is forced to admit he was with
00:32:18
his wife and son minutes before prosecutors say they were gunned down were you in fact at the kennels at 8 44
00:32:25
pm on the night Maggie and Paul were murdered I was continued lying after that night did you not but once I lied I
00:32:37
continued to lie yes sir why oh what a tangled web we weave but once I told the LIE
00:32:44
I mean I told my family I had to keep in mind I went to Murdoch claims he'd been
00:32:54
compelled to lie because of an opioid addiction he battled for 20 years spending tens of thousands of dollars a
00:33:01
week and taking up to 60 or more pills per day as my addiction evolved over time
00:33:11
I would get any situations or circumstances where I would get paranoid thinking but he dismisses the
00:33:19
prosecution's theory of mounting pressure from his addiction and alleged Financial crimes leading up to the
00:33:25
murders Mr murdick on June the 7th did you believe that your financial House of Cards was about to crumble absolutely
00:33:33
not Mr murdai I'll start with a few things I think we can agree during a six-hour cross-examination over two days
00:33:39
prosecutor Creighton Waters grills Murdoch and you stole all of the money about his long history of lying to his
00:33:47
financial victims and Mr Waters just to try to get through this quicker I admit I know you want to get through
00:33:53
it quicker but we're not so answer the question please what what I what I admit is that I misled them I did wrong and
00:34:02
that I stole their money Waters contend it was only because he'd been caught in his lie about being at the kennels that
00:34:09
Murdoch finally came clean the reality is you like you've done so many times over the course of your life had to back
00:34:16
up and make a new story that kind of fit with the facts that can't be denied isn't that true sir no sir that's not
00:34:22
true Waters then tries to box him into his new timeline on the night of the murders
00:34:28
zeroing in on four minutes between 902 and 906 when his phone logged 283 steps right before he left to visit his mom
00:34:39
that's far more steps in a shorter time period than than any time prior as you've seen from the testimony in this
00:34:45
case so what were you so busy doing going to the bathroom no I don't I don't think that I have to get on a treadmill
00:34:51
in the bathroom I didn't get on the treadmill reasserts his theory of the murders did
00:35:02
I believe that boat wreck is the reason why Papa Maggie were killed because I can tell you for a fact
00:35:10
that the person or people who did what I saw on June the 7th they hated Paul murdick
00:35:24
and they had anger in their heart throughout the trial the defense makes the case that Alec murdaugh was a
00:35:32
devoted family man his son Buster describes a dad who'd coached his little league teams and was now stricken with
00:35:39
grief I mean he was destroyed it was heartbroken I walked in the door and saw him and
00:35:45
um gave him a hug and just just broken down the defense calls Tim palmbot to the stand please the defense
00:35:54
calls a crime scene analyst who based on blood spatter position of shots fired and the fact that two different guns
00:36:01
were used says there was more than one shooter in my opinion is the totality of the evidence is more suggestive of a
00:36:08
two-shooter scenario the prosecution disagrees you know this is Alec the prosecutor of the lawyer and he's
00:36:14
thinking through this he's thought through this he's going to use two guns because it's going to confuse people
00:36:19
that perhaps there are two Shooters but in his closing to the jury Waters argues
00:36:24
that all the evidence points to Alec murdahl and sibling from that first shot at close range shot with no indication
00:36:32
that he detected a threat from the person who fired that weapon and why because it was him
00:36:37
Maggie sees what happens that she comes running over there she's running to her baby she got mowed down
00:36:46
by the only person that we have conclusive proof was at that scene just minutes before
00:36:54
and who lied about that very fact and he describes how Murdoch could have cleaned
00:36:59
up at the kennels afterwards it wouldn't take long strip down and watch yourself off
00:37:08
getting that cart and head back to the house here we are with a Mr Clean Theory he takes a hose and washes himself off
00:37:19
he gets in a golf cart butt naked I guess and drives to the house defense attorney
00:37:25
Jim Griffin pushes back on the prosecutions theory he would have to be a magician to make all that evidence
00:37:31
disappear the shooter's covered in blood the Shooter's Gun is covered in blood Common Sense thing here is there were
00:37:40
two shoots instead said Griffin investigators zeroed in on murdaugh to the exclusion of other suspects because
00:37:48
he was an easy target long-time drug problem there's Financial issues misconduct or
00:37:56
exposed easy easy Target the evidence is Crystal Clear he started fabricating evidence against Allen
00:38:09
Griffin tells the jury sled also presented false evidence to the grand jury when seeking an indictment against
00:38:15
murdaugh they came up with a report that says Alex teacher had high velocity blood spatter on
00:38:24
the Lead Sled agent testified he had not received an email update that further testing had shown there was no blood I
00:38:32
did not see that report I was not made aware of its existence sled failed miserably in investigating this case
00:38:40
and had they done a competent job that Alec would have been excluded a year ago then he addresses the single
00:38:49
most problematic piece of evidence for the defense really we're back to the law because that's all they have in this
00:38:56
case he lied because he had a closet full of skeletons but when he didn't lie when he didn't lie
00:39:02
for is because he was covering up the fact that he killed Maggie and Paul Allen would not have killed the people
00:39:09
he loved the most in the world this defendant has fooled everyone everyone and he fooled Maggie and Paul too
00:39:21
and they paid for it with their lives don't let him fool you too after hearing from 75 Witnesses in more
00:39:34
than five weeks the jury deliberates for just under three hours before returning
00:39:39
with a verdict to State versus Richard Alexander Murdoch murdahl is found guilty of murdering his wife and son
00:39:47
guilty verdict you understand there is a verdict in the double murder trial at sentencing the next day judge Clifton
00:39:55
Newman gives murdaugh one last chance to appeal to the court I respect this court
00:40:01
but I'm innocent unmoved judge Newman sentences him to two consecutive life terms in prison and I know you have to
00:40:10
see Paul and Maggie during the night times when you're attempting to go to sleep I'm sure they come and visit you
00:40:18
I can't stop thinking about the fact that it is a video on Paul's own phone that really was critical in this case
00:40:26
well I think it is ironic the murder case the victims can't testify but in many ways they do
00:40:34
oftentimes they leave something behind that lets you know what happened to him and in this case it was Paul's video
00:40:42
Bobcats does Paul testifying from the grave [Music] I'm Aaron Moriarty and this is my life
00:41:13
of crime listen to My Life Of Crime from 48 Hours wherever you get your podcasts
00:41:21
thank you

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 85
    Most intense
  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
    Biggest twist
  • 80
    Most iconic moment

Episode Highlights

  • Trial of the Century
    The trial of Alec Murdoch, accused of murdering his wife and son, captivates the world.
    “Local media has called it the trial of the century in South Carolina.”
    @ 00m 31s
    March 07, 2023
  • Verdict Announced
    Alec Murdoch is found guilty of murdering his wife and son, marking a dramatic conclusion.
    “The state versus Richard Alexander Murdoch, verdict guilty.”
    @ 03m 56s
    March 07, 2023
  • Alec Murdoch's Alibi
    Murdoch claims he was visiting his mother when he found his family shot.
    “I called Maggie, didn't get an answer. I knew she'd gone to the kennel.”
    @ 23m 15s
    March 07, 2023
  • Alec Murdoch's Alibi Shattered
    Alec Murdoch's timeline is contradicted by a video showing him at the scene shortly before the murders.
    “This is a huge piece of testimony because it places Alec in the kennels.”
    @ 28m 10s
    March 07, 2023
  • Guilty Verdict
    After deliberating for just under three hours, the jury finds Alec Murdoch guilty of murdering his wife and son.
    “Murdaugh is found guilty of murdering his wife and son.”
    @ 39m 44s
    March 07, 2023
  • Sentencing
    Judge Newman sentences Alec Murdoch to two consecutive life terms in prison, dismissing his claims of innocence.
    “I respect this court but I'm innocent.”
    @ 40m 07s
    March 07, 2023

Episode Quotes

  • I would never hurt Maggie. I did not kill Maggie. I did not kill Paul.
    The Trial of Alex Murdaugh | Full Episode
  • It doesn't matter how prominent you are, if you do wrong, Justice will be done.
    The Trial of Alex Murdaugh | Full Episode
  • This is where Alec Murdoch's life unraveled on June 7th, 2021.
    The Trial of Alex Murdaugh | Full Episode
  • What a tangled web we weave, but once I told the lie...
    The Trial of Alex Murdaugh | Full Episode
  • The murder case, the victims can't testify, but in many ways they do.
    The Trial of Alex Murdaugh | Full Episode

Key Moments

  • Trial Begins00:06
  • Double Homicide00:24
  • Murdaugh's Fall05:56
  • 911 Call13:12
  • Timeline Contradictions26:59
  • Financial Crimes29:35
  • Final Verdict39:44
  • Video Evidence40:26

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown