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Who Is Alex Murdaugh? Former South Carolina Lawyer Found Guilty of Killing Wife and Son
Before Alex Murdaugh’s true crime story was documented on Hulu’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family, he was the center of high-profile murder and fraud cases.
Life & Style shares everything to know about Alex and his crimes.
Who Is Alex Murdaugh?
Alex is a former attorney in South Carolina, where he worked as a personal injury lawyer at the family-founded firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED).
He hailed from a prominent family, with a member of the Murdaugh family holding the office of solicitor for South Carolina’s 14th Judicial Circuit from 1920 to 2006, according to People. The title gave the family nearly a century of control and influence over the state’s Lowcountry.
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Alex married his college sweetheart Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh in 1993, and they shared sons Richard “Buster” Alexander Murdaugh Jr. and Paul Terry Murdaugh.
What Crimes Did Alex Murdaugh Commit?
Alex fatally shot both Maggie and Paul with an AR-style rifle on June 7, 2021 near the dog kennels of the family’s lavish hunting estate.
Following the murders, Alex claimed he discovered their bodies when he returned home after visiting his mother. The State reported that he called 9-1-1 at 10:07 p.m. and told the operator, “I need the police and an ambulance immediately. My wife and child were just shot badly.”
Alex initially told authorities he didn’t visit the dog kennels the night of the murders, though a Snapchat video Paul recorded revealed Alex was at the scene of the crime at 8:44 p.m., according to ABC11.
The Murdaugh patriarch has maintained his innocence. However, prosecutors argued he killed his wife and son to cover up his numerous financial crimes.
It was discovered that Alex had been stealing from his law firm and his clients for ten years to allegedly fund his opioid addiction and afford his family’s extravagant lifestyle, per The Washington Post.
Alex stole about $12 million before his arrest, according NPR.
Prior to the murders, the family was facing a lawsuit from the family of Mallory Beach, who was killed during a February 2019 boating accident where Paul was driving the boat, according to People.
Paul was under criminal indictment in the case, which was set to begin on July 10, 2021. According to the outlet, prosecutors alleged Alex was worried his financial schemes would be exposed during the trial.
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What Sentencing Did Alex Murdaugh Receive After He Committed Murders?
Alex was sentenced to 40 years in prison for 22 federal financial crimes, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, according to the United States Attorney’s Office District of South Carolina.
While he pleaded guilty to the 22 federal crimes in September 2023, he has insisted he didn’t kill Maggie and Paul. A jury found Mourdaugh guilty of the murders, and he was given two consecutive life sentences for the killings during a March 2023 hearing, according to NBC News.
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