A sports utility vehicle was towed from the scene of a double murder where two members of a prominent South Carolina family were found shot to death earlier this month, the Island Packet reports.
That’s the latest development in the slayings of 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh and his mother, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, a case that has gotten national attention given the unusual circumstances of the deaths and high-profile nature of the victims.
Since the bodies were found June 7 at the family’s hunting lodge in Colleton County, South Carolina, questions have been raised about who might have been the intended target and why.
Alex Murdaugh – Maggie’s husband and Paul’s father – is said to have discovered the bodies, which had multiple gunshot wounds.
New reporting from the Island Packet states that on the morning of June 8, the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office asked a tow truck operator to come to the Murdaugh property and tow away a black Chevrolet Suburban.
The owner of the towing company told the newspaper that the driver, wearing gloves, drove the Suburban onto the tow truck and was then escorted by multiple police units to the sheriff’s impound lot.
The driver did not notice any bullet holes or blood on the SUV, according to the newspaper.
It is not clear who owned the vehicle, why it was seized or how it might be linked to the killings. However, a sheriff’s spokesperson told the Island Packet that the agency is collecting “any and all forensics” from the crime scene, including from vehicles.
Police reports indicate that multiple vehicles were found at the Murdaugh property, according to the newspaper, but the black Suburban was the only vehicle towed.
Investigators have not publicly announced any suspects or arrests, according to WCIV-TV.
Paul Murdaugh was reportedly receiving threatening text messages, but his family said they did not believe those threats were serious.
“I didn’t think it was credible threats. If it was, I would’ve tried to do something or notify someone. But I guess, maybe, I made a mistake,” John Marvin, Alex Murdaugh’s brother, told Good Morning America.
Paul Murdaugh had been awaiting trial in connection with the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach, who was thrown from a boat that he crashed in February 2019, allegedly while intoxicated.
The Murdaugh family has deep roots in the area’s legal community. Multiple generations of family members have served as the local prosecutor for 87 consecutive years; the family also is part of a prominent law firm.
The family is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the killer, WCIV-TV reports.
To report information about the case, call the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division tip line at 803-896-2605.
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[Feature Photo: Murdaughs/Handout]
