Alex Murdaugh, 54, has been found guilty of the murder of his son, Paul, 22, and his wife, Maggie, 52, which took place on June 7, 2021, near the dog kennels on the family’s hunting estate in South Carolina. The jury deliberated for less than three hours and reached a verdict on Thursday at 6:41 p.m. Murdaugh’s defense lawyer, Jim Griffin, argued that investigators had “failed miserably” in their probe and accused them of “fabricating evidence” against his client.
Griffin further claimed that the state’s law enforcement division had zeroed in on Murdaugh without considering other suspects, and that important evidence such as strands of hair in Maggie’s hand and DNA samples were not tested. Griffin also pointed out that a report from a state blood-spatter expert, which was never introduced at trial, concluded that there was high velocity blood spatter on Murdaugh’s T-shirt, indicating he was standing feet from Paul when he allegedly shot him, but it was later revealed that the shirt tested negative for blood. Prosecutors argued that Murdaugh killed his son and wife in a desperate act of self-preservation.
The trial has lasted for six weeks, and over 70 witnesses have taken the stand. The jury’s decision will determine whether Murdaugh is sentenced to prison, potentially for the rest of his life.
This is a developing story.
