Riley Jones
Murdaugh Case

Introduction
Alex Murdaugh, 54, supposedly shot one of his sons and his wife. This all happened the night of June 7, 2021. Police who were on scene that night said Alex had no visible tears after calling 911. Currently, trials are ongoing here in South Carolina involving this murder investigation.

Murdaugh Family Background

              The Murdaugh Family was a very powerful family in the lowcountry, considering the fact that Alex, his father, and his grandfather all were solicitors for their county. People looked at them like leaders, and they used that power to sweep their crimes under the rug. The family has been involved in several investigations involving murder, corruption, insurance fraud, defrauding clients, theft of insurance payouts, and drug-related charges. Alex had two sons, Paul and Buster. Buster is currently 26 years old, and graduated from Wofford College. Paul was 22 years old before he was shot, and was involved, at 19, in the murder of Mallory Beach in a boat accident while driving under the influence. 

What Could Lead Up To This?
Alex was a lawyer who stole money from clients, which goes along with the crimes he’s been involved in. He had never been caught doing so, but when Paul was involved in a boating accident, his fraudulent crimes would eventually get out. There’s a solid reason as to why Alex would want to kill Paul. Maggie Murdaugh, the wife of Alex, was in the middle of filing a divorce between the two due to common marriage issues. While filing the divorce, that could once again expose Alex and his fraudulent crimes. There’s a solid reason as to why Alex would want to kill Maggie.

About The Trials
Murdaugh has been in jail since October 2021, involving him stealing from a client. He allegedly stole about 8.8 million dollars from victims- mainly clients. The trial is current and is expected to last around 3 weeks. Alex Murdaugh has also been charged with making up a scene to stage his own suicide after being pushed out of his law firm, although this case will go to trial later. If Alex is convicted of murder, state law instructs that he will be sentenced to at least 30 years in prison, and prosecutors stated that they will seek a life sentence, but not the death penalty. This trial is taking place here in Colleton County, SC.