South Carolina Lawyer Alex Murdaugh Charged With Murder Of Wife & Son!

L. F.

Over a year after their deaths, disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has finally been charged with the murder of his wife and son.

The former attorney was officially indicted by a grand jury for the murder of his wife, Margaret “Maggie,” 52, and son, Paul, 22, on Thursday. He was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel.

As we’ve been reporting, Maggie and Paul were found shot to death on June 7, 2021, at the family’s property in Islandton, South Carolina. Alex placed the 911 call claiming he had just arrived home when he saw the bodies. While police have not yet released any details about how they were allegedly able to link him to the deaths, this comes after a 13-month investigation. Multiple sources are also now opening up about how the case was supposedly cracked.

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According to one insider who spoke to CNN, blood splatter was found on Alex’s clothing, suggesting he was close to at least one of the victims when they were shot. The source also confirmed a report first shared by local outlet FITSNews that claimed he had a significant amount of high-velocity impact splatter on his shirt from that night. An insider told FITSNews that the splatter “could have only come from one thing.”

On Wednesday, the Today show also learned authorities found footage that supposedly proves the lawyer was at the murder scene just moments before his family members were killed. CNN’s source explained the video was discovered on Paul’s phone (which was with the young man at the time of his death). While Murdaugh was not seen in the clip, he could be heard talking to his wife in the background — with the timestamp proving he was there minutes before their deaths. This contradicts what Alex previously told authorities (that he was visiting his sick dad and checking on his mom at the time, per the outlet).

The State Law Enforcement Division Chief announced on Thursday that agents have been working around the clock to build a case against the person “responsible for the murders of Maggie and Paul,” noting that these new charges are “one more step in a long process for justice for Maggie and Paul.”

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But as the official suggested, there is still a long legal battle to go — especially since Alex is already fighting back at the charge, saying in a statement via his attorney’s Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin per CNN:

“Alex wants his family, friends and everyone to know that he did not have anything to do with the murders of Maggie and Paul. He loved them more than anything in the world.”

The legal team added:

“It was very clear from day one that law enforcement and the Attorney General prematurely concluded that Alex was responsible for the murder of his wife and son.”

A bond hearing has not been set yet. Alex has been behind bars on a $7 million bond since September while he faces a string of other charges, including financial crimes and faking his death to give his son, Buster, a life insurance policy. Since getting caught, he went to rehab for opioid addiction while authorities reopened two pivotal cases: a 2015 investigation into the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith (whose body was uncovered miles from the Murdaugh home) and a 2018 trip and fall death of their housekeeper Gloria Satterfield. At the time of his death, Paul was also facing charges for a boating accident that left one person dead. So, needless to say, it has been a tumultuous time for this family with deadly allegation after allegation — and now, it’s a huge step that someone has finally been charged for the mother and son’s murders. Alex is now looking at 30 years to life behind bars if convicted. Reactions, Perezcious readers?

[Image via Hampton County Detention Center & Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook]

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