Alex Murdaugh, a prominent and well-connected South Carolina attorney, has been found guilty of the double murder of his wife and son after a six-week trial. The jury unanimously convicted Murdaugh on two counts of murder, as well as two counts of possession of a weapon during a crime.
Murdaugh’s attorneys argued that law enforcement failed to conduct an appropriate investigation into the case. However, prosecutors pushed back against those claims and argued that Murdaugh had been withholding and obstructing justice by not admitting he was at the scene earlier in the day.
The saga began when Murdaugh’s wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, 52, and his son Paul Murdaugh 22 were found shot and killed outside the dog kennels at the family’s hunting lodge in Islandton, South Carolina. During Thursday’s closing arguments, it was revealed that a Snapchat video recorded by Paul showed Alex’s voice in the background shortly before their deaths.
In addition to this double homicide conviction, Alex is also facing nearly 100 charges for various financial crimes including fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, and forgery. He is accused of stealing more than $8 million from his former law firm and former clients as well as attempting to hire an assassin to kill him as part of a $10 million life insurance scam.
For these crimes, he faces 30 years to life in prison without parole for each murder charge as well as additional sentences for his other alleged offenses pending further court proceedings. This conviction serves as yet another reminder that no matter one’s power or influence within society they are still accountable under our laws when committing heinous acts such as these murders.
