“Mountains of evidence” is piling up against disgraced South Carolina attorney, Alex Murdaugh, in connection with the death of his wife, son, and maid, according to FITS News.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the bodies of 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh and his mother, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, were found at the family’s South Carolina hunting lodge on June 7, 2021. Authorities believe they were shot dead between 9 and 9:30 pm.
Alex Murdaugh reportedly told investigators that he was nowhere near the lodge on the evening in question. His lawyer, Jim Griffin, emphasized the point during an interview with Fox Carolina in October 2021.
“I can assure you that we have Alex’s whereabouts accounted for completely at that time,” Griffin said. “That night? He’s sitting on the bedside of his mother at her house when the coroner says the murders happened. She has dementia. There’s a house sitter, caregiver … with him and they’re watching a game show on television.”
Now, FITS News reports that Murdaugh’s friend, identified as attorney Chris Brown, says that this client “left the estate around 9 p.m. to drive to his mother’s house, about a 20-minute drive, and returned to the estate around 10 p.m., or shortly after.”
Although it’s unclear why the information has now been divulged, it happened after the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) obtained access to Paul’s phone, which had audio and video evidence of Murdaugh being at the scene on June 7, near the dog kennels.
Further, sources previously told FITSNews that Maggie drove to the family’s 1-770 lodge in Colleton County, known as the “Moselle” property, as Alex asked her to meet him there. Alex allegedly told Maggie that his father was dying, and he wanted her to visit him and his mother, who has dementia, at their Varnville home.
The sources also alleged that Maggie was living alone, away from Alex, at her Edisto Beach home. Maggie reportedly met with a divorce attorney before her death. Sources claimed that Alex was having an affair with another attorney.
No arrests have been made in connection with their slayings. At the time of his death, Paul was awaiting trial on boating under the influence charges for a February 2019 crash that killed Mallory Beach, 19.
Months after Maggie and Paul’s murders, on September 3, Alex allegedly had ex-client Curtis Smith, 61, try to fatally shoot him so his surviving son would receive a $10 million life insurance payout. Alex Murdaugh reportedly suffered head injuries and called 911 for help.
A day before the shooting, Alex was forced out of his family law firm amid allegations he misappropriated funds. He announced he was entering rehabilitation for drugs two days after the shooting. He was arrested weeks later, on September 16, for insurance fraud which stemmed from the alleged suicide-for-hire plot.
Alex ultimately bonded out of jail and underwent rehabilitation in Florida. Upon his release from rehab on October 14, 2021, he was re-arrested — this time, for allegedly stealing $4.3 million from the estate of his former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who suffered a fatal fall on his property in February 2018.
Investigators are now looking to exhume Satterfield’s body after an initial autopsy determined her death was accidental.
Members of the Murdaugh family made multiple 911 calls when Satterfield fell, telling dispatchers that she tripped while walking up the stairs and fell, striking her head. Satterfield was in a hospital for several weeks before she died from her injuries.
“You know that part of it makes sense,” said Richter. “She had a terrible fall, a significant brain injury, a long hospitalization, and the death that follows. You know that sequence of events makes sense. But again, I guess there are still some questions about exactly how she fell that day.”
SLED opened an investigation into Satterfield’s death last September, on the same day her family filed a lawsuit claiming that they never received the payout from a wrongful death suit settled with Alex Murdaugh, as CrimeOnline previously reported. The Satterfield case became part of the multi-million dollar fraud case against Murdaugh.
Alex currently faces a total of 74 charges, as he has been accused of stealing money from a slew of clients and his former law firm. He has not been charged in connection with his wife and son’s murder.
He remains jailed on a $7 million bond.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Featured image: Alex and Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook]
