A very key witness has testified against Alex Murdaugh in his family’s murder trial.
On Monday, Mushelle “Shelley” Smith, who was the caretaker for Alex’s elderly mother, took the stand to address what she saw on the night of Alex’s wife Maggie and son Paul‘s deaths.
As we’ve reported, on June 7, 2021, the mother and son were fatally shot on their family property. Alex has pleaded not guilty, claiming he wasn’t even home at the time of their murders, but prosecutors believe otherwise and they’re attempting to prove it.
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According to Shelley, she was taking care of Alex’s mother during her 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. shift that evening when he arrived acting “fidgety.” She claimed he even showed up with a blue tarp, which he was carrying under his arm. Strange…
The caretaker claimed Alex was wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and cloth shoes when he arrived. She did not recall seeing blood or dirt on him. While she couldn’t remember exactly when he came over, she believed it was some point between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. since a game show was on. He came inside to watch some of the show and chat with his mom while sitting on her bed. Altogether, he was there for approximately 15-20 minutes.
Here’s where things get odd. According to the witness, during a subsequent conversation, Alex tried to clarify the timeline of events with her, insisting he’d stayed longer than she remembered. The former lawyer allegedly told her she should say “it was 30-40 minutes if someone asked.”
While this might seem like a small detail to debate, it’s actually a really important determining factor in the case! Authorities believe Alex only went to see his mother that night to create an alibi. If he stayed 15-20 minutes, he would have had time to commit the crimes. But if he stayed longer, then he likely wouldn’t have. So, a lot rests on what the jury thinks of this!
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Elsewhere in the testimony, Shelley claimed Alex offered to help pay her wedding expenses — even though they’d never spoken about her private life before! Dang. Kinda seems like a bribe, don’t you think?! Jeez…
According to those in the courtroom, Alex stared at the caregiver while she gave her testimony — and never looked away! At some points, however, he did shake his head, as if indicating he didn’t agree. During cross-examination, Shelley was also (understandably) worked up, wiping away tears as the defense tried to contradict her memory. You can hear her share her side of the story (below):
As mentioned, the embattled South Carolina legal professional has maintained that he left his home around 9 p.m. to visit his mother, returning home about an hour later to find Maggie and Paul dead. But prosecutors are claiming Alex allegedly killed his wife and son at approximately 8:49 p.m. that night, before trying to create an alibi for himself by visiting his mother and calling his wife. In an effort to prove their case, they released the final text messages Maggie and Paul received as evidence last week.
The trial is expected to last for several more weeks, so hang tight for lots more shocking testimony. Similarly, Alex also faces dozens of other charges for financial crimes which will be handled in a different trial. But earlier on Monday, the judge did rule that information about the alleged crimes can be entered as evidence in the murder trial. Hmm. Thoughts, Perezcious readers? What do you make of this new testimony?? Let us know (below).
[Image via Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook & Law&Crime Network/YouTube]
The post Alex Murdaugh Was 'Fidgety' & Brought A Tarp To His Mother's House On Night Of Family’s Murders, Claims Witness appeared first on Perez Hilton.