The felony case towards Alex Murdaugh, the previous lawyer accused of killing his spouse and son, is a part of an internet of accusations, investigations and lawsuits which have accompanied the downfall of a member of considered one of South Carolina’s most distinguished authorized dynasties.
Mr. Murdaugh was for years a widely known lawyer specializing in civil litigation. His household regulation agency, based mostly within the tiny city of Hampton, was thought-about a powerhouse on the state plaintiffs bar, and his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all served as the highest prosecutors throughout a large area of the state.
Here’s a timeline of the most important occasions associated to the case:
July 8, 2015: The physique of Stephen Smith, 19, was discovered on Sandy Run Highway in Hampton County, S.C. His loss of life was dominated successful and run, however his household had lingering questions.
Feb. 26, 2018: Gloria Satterfield, 57, who labored as a housekeeper and nanny for the Murdaugh household for a couple of quarter-century, died about two weeks after she was reported to have fallen on the entrance stairs of the household’s looking property.
Feb. 24, 2019: Alex Murdaugh’s youthful son, Paul, who was then 19, drunkenly crashed the household boat right into a bridge, witnesses stated, throwing a number of of his passengers into the water. The physique of 1 passenger, Mallory Seashore, 19, was discovered per week later. Ms. Seashore’s dad and mom would later sue Alex Murdaugh, bringing strain on him to disclose particulars of his funds.
April 18, 2019: Paul Murdaugh was charged with three felony counts in reference to the lethal boat crash. He later pleaded not responsible.
June 7, 2021: Mr. Murdaugh known as 911 to report that his spouse, Maggie, and son Paul had been shot on the household’s looking property in Islandton, a rural hamlet about 65 miles west of Charleston.
Perceive the ‘Murdaugh Murders’
June 22, 2021: State officers introduced that they have been reopening investigations into the loss of life of Mr. Smith, {the teenager} who died in 2015, based mostly on info gathered throughout investigations into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.
Aug. 11, 2021: Duffie Stone, the area’s prime prosecutor since 2006, recused himself from the June 7 homicide case in a letter to the state lawyer normal, Alan Wilson, whose workplace is now prosecuting the case. Mr. Stone knew Mr. Murdaugh and had labored beneath his father, Randolph Murdaugh III, who preceded Mr. Stone because the prosecutor for South Carolina’s 14th Judicial Circuit.
Sept. 3, 2021: Mr. Murdaugh was pressured to resign from his household regulation agency after his companions stated that he had misused thousands and thousands of {dollars} of consumer and agency cash.
Sept. 4, 2021: Mr. Murdaugh known as 911 from the aspect of a highway not removed from his house and stated that he had been shot within the head. He claimed that the shooter had pulled up beside him as he was inspecting a flat tire. Mr. Murdaugh survived with a head wound.
Sept. 6, 2021: Mr. Murdaugh launched a press release by means of his legal professionals, saying he had made selections he regretted and was getting into a “rehab” program.
Sept. 14, 2021: The South Carolina Legislation Enforcement Division stated Mr. Murdaugh had admitted that he requested a former consumer, Curtis Edward Smith, to shoot and kill him on Sept. 4 in order that Mr. Murdaugh’s surviving son, Richard, who is called Buster, might gather a $10 million insurance coverage cost.
Sept. 15, 2021: South Carolina regulation enforcement officers introduced an investigation into the loss of life of Ms. Satterfield, the housekeeper who died in 2018, and her relations filed a lawsuit towards Mr. Murdaugh and others alleging they pocketed settlement funds associated to her loss of life.
Sept. 16, 2021: Mr. Murdaugh was arrested and charged with fraud and conspiracy within the suicide scheme. His legal professionals stated that Mr. Murdaugh was depressed by the lack of his household and struggling to cease abusing painkillers when he devised the plan, and that he would examine into rehab. A choose launched Mr. Murdaugh however ordered him to give up his passport.
Oct. 14, 2021: Mr. Murdaugh was arrested at a Florida drug cleansing middle and charged with swindling thousands and thousands of {dollars} from the sons of Ms. Satterfield. He was jailed in Richland County, S.C., and twice denied bond.
Dec. 13, 2021: Throughout a listening to, at which a choose set his bond at $7 million, Mr. Murdaugh’s lawyer stated that his consumer had agreed to pay $4.3 million to Ms. Satterfield’s household. He remained in jail.
June 3, 2022: The police stated that they deliberate to exhume Ms. Satterfield’s physique, having obtained permission from her household.
June 28, 2022: Mr. Murdaugh and Mr. Smith have been indicted by the state’s grand jury on two conspiracy counts, together with a narcotics depend associated to the painkiller Oxycodone.
July 14, 2022: Mr. Murdaugh was indicted on two counts of homicide. Prosecutors stated he fatally shot his spouse with a rifle and his son with a shotgun.
July 20, 2022: Mr. Murdaugh pleaded not responsible at a bond listening to, and his legal professionals stated he needed to go to trial as quickly as doable.
Dec. 16, 2022: A state grand jury indicted Mr. Murdaugh on 9 counts of tax evasion, and prosecutors with the state lawyer normal’s workplace stated he had defrauded a spread of individuals of about $8.8 million.
Jan. 23, 2023: Mr. Murdaugh’s trial on the murder expenses started with jury choice.
