PAUL & MAGGIE MURDAUGH: South Carolina vs. Alex Murdaugh for Double Homicide of wife & son *GUILTY*

This case is being kept pretty quiet, no major details released to speak of (other than it does say there were two different guns used), but no info regarding who found them, who called 911, very little else.

Of interest, the grandfather died just a few days after these murders and it sounds as if he was ill from various articles so probably not unexpected. I think of the typical motives, did grandpa have a big estate? How big in the overall family of grandpa's on down? They sound like a pretty well known family and a powerful one in their state, more on that in the article.

Questions abound in SC Murdaugh killing. Among them: Should prosecutor step aside?

Several days after two members of a prominent Hampton County family were fatally shot, questions about what happened still vastly outnumber answers.

www.postandcourier.com

 

[Guess Who]

Very true! However, Alex also stole over $9million from clients over the years. Where is that money and how does that equate to murder? See why this hard to figure out? It doesn't make sense based on the evidence provided in the trial which is frustrating.

$9 million that we know of! I am sure there is sooooooo much more in his evil life.

 

[Guess Who]

Correct. His 'friend' Cory Fleming gave him a 2nd badge. This friend was with Alex in the 3rd voluntary SLED interview on August 11th, 2021. Also, this is the friend who was indicted for helping Alex steal the insurance settlement from Gloria Satterfields death.

State Grand Jury indicts Cory Fleming; Richard Alexander Murdaugh indicted for new charges - South Carolina Attorney General

Ugh! I think I've learned too many things about this family and there's probably a lot more I hope to not ever hear.

Isn't he also the one that AM is claiming gave AM permission to have emergency lights installed on his vehicle?

 

[Guess Who]

AM sure seems to have absolutely no issues in blaming others for his own bad deeds when it gets right down to it. This seems very practiced and has mostly likely succeeded for him for many years.

 

[kdg411]

Isn't he also the one that AM is claiming gave AM permission to have emergency lights installed on his vehicle?

No, actually that was not Cory Fleming. It was another 'friend' Colleton County Sheriff Andy Strickland.

 

[Guess Who]

No, actually that was not Cory Fleming. It was another 'friend' Colleton County Sheriff Andy Strickland.

Thanks! I've only been able to have it on and listen to it that day while I was in the middle of doing real life stuff so I wasn't able to get some of the finer details straight, but had the jest of what was happening.

 

[Tresir]

That's just what they were caught with, too. AM "claims" he was giving Smith over $50k/week for quite some time. That's over $2 million in a year and that's only AM for a customer.

So this was all for his oxyco habit and to keep paying Smith. Perhaps he was being blackmailed by Smith? Why else would he give him $50k a week.

 

[Tresir]

Recap from Greenville news.

After 72 witnesses, here are some key takeaways from the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial

Here are some key takeaways from the 61 prosecution and 11 defense witnesses called so far in the five-week trial, including Alex Murdaugh himself.

eu.greenvilleonline.com

 

[Guess Who]

So this was all for his oxyco habit and to keep paying Smith. Perhaps he was being blackmailed by Smith? Why else would he give him $50k a week.

My opinion is that he is either lying about the amounts and/or what it was for . There really is no other option.

 

[Cousin Dupree]

$9 million that we know of! I am sure there is sooooooo much more in his evil life.

So this was all for his oxyco habit and to keep paying Smith. Perhaps he was being blackmailed by Smith? Why else would he give him $50k a week.

I agree with both of you. I think Smith may know about the "accidents" that happened and is being bought off. I also find it really weird that AM doesn't have a mistress or mistresses that we know about.

 

[kdg411]

I agree with both of you. I think Smith may know about the "accidents" that happened and is being bought off. I also find it really weird that AM doesn't have a mistress or mistresses that we know about.

Smith was the middle man in the drugs. If he was being paid (bribed) I think he'd be singing loudly because he's still in jail until this trial is over and Alex isn't able to bankroll him anymore. MOO

He had an affair about 10-12 years ago per Maggie's sister's testimony. Judge Newman sustained the objection because of the amount of years being out of the scope of the current charges.

I believe if Maggie was seeing an attorney it would have been in her phone log and prosecutors would have sought out that information, imo.

 

[Tresir]

I agree with both of you. I think Smith may know about the "accidents" that happened and is being bought off. I also find it really weird that AM doesn't have a mistress or mistresses that we know about.

I have a theory about that but not sure if I can put it on here.

 

[Tresir]

I have sourced a more up to date article on price of opioids. This article is from 2019 but was updated in 2022.

How Much Do Drugs Cost: The Steep Price Of Addiction

How much drugs cost is determined by several factors, but the high price of prescription and illicit drugs can cause financial hardships.

www.addictioncenter.com

 

[Tresir]

I have found an article that indicates Paul was receiving death threats after the boating accident.

New twist in Murdaugh homicide mystery: Survivor reports being shot on the road

The murders focused new attention on a February 2019 boat crash that killed a 19-year-old friend of Paul Murdaugh’s.

www.mercurynews.com

From the article -

"It was Alex Murdaugh who called 911 on June 7 to say he had arrived home to find their bodies outside the family’s home in Islandton, a small community about an hour north of Hilton Head Island.

Murdaugh announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the parties responsible for their deaths.

The murders focused new attention on a February 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. Paul Murdaugh, also 19 at the time, was driving the boat when it hit a piling near Parris Island. Beach was thrown from the boat; her body was found a week later.

Paul Murdaugh was allegedly intoxicated and was charged with felony boating under the influence. He was out on bond, awaiting trial, at the time of his death, and reportedly had received anonymous death threats that referred to the crash.

 

[Guess Who]

I have a theory about that but not sure if I can put it on here.

We can express all theories here. Just make sure you label it as a theory and not fact.

 

[Guess Who]

I have found an article that indicates Paul was receiving death threats after the boating accident.

New twist in Murdaugh homicide mystery: Survivor reports being shot on the road

The murders focused new attention on a February 2019 boat crash that killed a 19-year-old friend of Paul Murdaugh’s.

www.mercurynews.com

From the article -

"It was Alex Murdaugh who called 911 on June 7 to say he had arrived home to find their bodies outside the family’s home in Islandton, a small community about an hour north of Hilton Head Island.

Murdaugh announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the parties responsible for their deaths.

The murders focused new attention on a February 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. Paul Murdaugh, also 19 at the time, was driving the boat when it hit a piling near Parris Island. Beach was thrown from the boat; her body was found a week later.

Paul Murdaugh was allegedly intoxicated and was charged with felony boating under the influence. He was out on bond, awaiting trial, at the time of his death, and reportedly had received anonymous death threats that referred to the crash.

, and reportedly had received anonymous death threats that referred to the crash

Reportedly as in allegedly...no real evidence or actual police reports of it happening. My guess is that AM says it happened when it was convenient for him to say it happened

 

[kdg411]

@Tresir I have a theory .. after 5 weeks of testimony it feels very convenient that Alex gets to sit there and listen to everyone's testimony, see the timeline and THEN make the decision to testify knowing the specific gaps of time or details that he needs to elaborate on. Alex has been a lawyer since 1994 and many of those close to him say he was good at reading people so that may have pushed the thought forward in his mind. His attorneys did NOT want him to testify, and that was made clear out of earshot of the jury.

Curtis Smith is/was a known drug dealer and Alex was buying from him. There is no 'set' price that he could charge and Alex didn't seem to have a spending limit. I do believe Alex asked Smith to meet him because he was out of pills and was going thru withdrawal and changed his plan midway thru which he testified to. I believe that if Smith was going to shoot him, Alex would be dead and not have a superficial wound.

IMO, if the State knew he would be testifying then I don't believe the financial aspect would have been pushed so much.

 

[Tresir]

@Tresir I have a theory .. after 5 weeks of testimony it feels very convenient that Alex gets to sit there and listen to everyone's testimony, see the timeline and THEN make the decision to testify knowing the specific gaps of time or details that he needs to elaborate on. Alex has been a lawyer since 1994 and many of those close to him say he was good at reading people so that may have pushed the thought forward in his mind. His attorneys did NOT want him to testify, and that was made clear out of earshot of the jury.

Curtis Smith is/was a known drug dealer and Alex was buying from him. There is no 'set' price that he could charge and Alex didn't seem to have a spending limit. I do believe Alex asked Smith to meet him because he was out of pills and was going thru withdrawal and changed his plan midway thru which he testified to. I believe that if Smith was going to shoot him, Alex would be dead and not have a superficial wound.

IMO, if the State knew he would be testifying then I don't believe the financial aspect would have been pushed so much.

Isn't that normally what happens with the accused testifying last, or near to last? The defence always hears the case against them and prosecution evidence and witnesses first too right? No doubt, he is definitely a wiley old lawyer and has learnt his trade and is well experienced at this and has privileges and contacts throughout LE. If he doesn't get himself off, then he is not much of a lawyer, I guess. Do we know his expertise? Eg is he a criminal lawyer or does he specialise in financial crimes? Has he dealt with any well known cases for example?

Also, the prosecution would have to have known there was a good possibility he would testify and should have had the evidence to convict him. I don't believe they do have that evidence. No murder weapons, no DNA, no motive, no cctv and did not preserve the scene.

I cannot really work out this Smith fellow. Why hasn't he been called to testify? For some reason neither side seem to want him so I wonder what he knows? Also, why haven't they called Alex's banker, who has already been convicted of financial crime concerning Alex?

It is all very peculiar.

 

[Guess Who]

Isn't that normally what happens with the accused testifying last, or near to last? The defence always hears the case against them and prosecution evidence and witnesses first too right? No doubt, he is definitely a wiley old lawyer and has learnt his trade and is well experienced at this and has privileges and contacts throughout LE. If he doesn't get himself off, then he is not much of a lawyer, I guess. Do we know his expertise? Eg is he a criminal lawyer or does he specialise in financial crimes? Has he dealt with any well known cases for example?

Also, the prosecution would have to have known there was a good possibility he would testify and should have had the evidence to convict him. I don't believe they do have that evidence. No murder weapons, no DNA, no motive, no cctv and did not preserve the scene.

I cannot really work out this Smith fellow. Why hasn't he been called to testify? For some reason neither side seem to want him so I wonder what he knows? Also, why haven't they called Alex's banker, who has already been convicted of financial crime concerning Alex?

It is all very peculiar.

I'm not sure if either side wanted to open the can of worms Smith would likely bring out, especially the defense. I think it's because neither side wanted what would probably happen during cross,

 

[kdg411]

Isn't that normally what happens with the accused testifying last, or near to last? The defence always hears the case against them and prosecution evidence and witnesses first too right? No doubt, he is definitely a wiley old lawyer and has learnt his trade and is well experienced at this and has privileges and contacts throughout LE. If he doesn't get himself off, then he is not much of a lawyer, I guess. Do we know his expertise? Eg is he a criminal lawyer or does he specialise in financial crimes? Has he dealt with any well known cases for example?

Also, the prosecution would have to have known there was a good possibility he would testify and should have had the evidence to convict him. I don't believe they do have that evidence. No murder weapons, no DNA, no motive, no cctv and did not preserve the scene.

I cannot really work out this Smith fellow. Why hasn't he been called to testify? For some reason neither side seem to want him so I wonder what he knows? Also, why haven't they called Alex's banker, who has already been convicted of financial crime concerning Alex?

It is all very peculiar.

I think he would have been last however his attorneys probably scrambled to cover for his testimony.

There is that 50/50 chance that a defendant will testify however if the State doesn't put forth their best effort without that knowledge then they've set themselves up for a not guilty verdict.

Smith would be 'interesting' to hear testify however he probably won't because of his credibility as a regular law abiding citizen which he is not. He's also facing drug trafficking charges along with Alex so it wouldn't bolster the murder case.

The banker, Russell Laffitte, has already been convicted so there's no reason for him to testify in the murder case. I don't think he'd be able to elaborate on the murders.

Jury convicts ex-banker Russell Laffitte on 6 financial crime charges

A federal jury convicted Russell Laffitte, the former CEO of Palmetto State Bank whom prosecutors accused of conspiring with Lowcountry attorney Alex Murdaugh on all six charges Tuesday night.

www.live5news.com

This case has been so twisted that my mind hurts trying to think about it. I'm looking forward to closing arguments this week. Hopefully all these loose ends are tied together. If not, I don't see a guilty verdict from the jury.

 

[Guess Who]

In coming to the conclusion that they were killed because the didn't want them finding out about his misdeeds that were coming out. I'm sure at least Maggie was probably clueless about the theft, about how bad his addiction was (of we we to believe his story about it) and the details of how much out of pocket they were going to be with the boat accident. I think be was desperate to keep that from her.