SCDC: Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh moved into undisclosed protective custody unit

The South Carolina state prison evaluation process for convicted family murderer Richard "Alex" Murdaugh is over and the disgraced former attorney has been moved into an undisclosed protective custody unit.

The S.C. Department of Corrections announced Friday afternoon that Murdaugh’s "reception and evaluation process is complete, and he has been moved to the statewide protective custody unit of a South Carolina maximum-securityprison."

Murdaugh was convicted on March 2 on double murder charges in the June 2021 killings of his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul, and was sentenced the next day by Judge Clifton Newman to two consecutive life sentences without parole.

According to the release, the SCDC’s Protective Custody Review Board met Thursday and made a recommendation of statewide protective custody classification for inmate Murdaugh. The four-member board includes SCDC security,mental health and classification experts.

Earlier this month, Chrysti Shain, S.C. Department of Corrections Communications Director, said it possible that Murdaugh will remain in Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia. Shain said then it was more likely he will be transferred to one of five other maximum security facilities, which include Broad River in Columbia, Lee in Bishopville, McCormick in McCormick, Lieber in Ridgeville, or Perry in Pelzer, S.C.

Inmates with major medical needs are often housed at Kirkland, and inmates with mental health needs are often housed at Broad River.

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Inmates in this unit have validated protective concerns and are placed in a specialized unit to separatethem from the general population. Their location is not disclosed for safety and security reasons. Thisunit has 28 inmates currently.

Murdaugh will be in a single eight by ten cell that contains a bed, toilet and sink. Inmates in this unitreceive all privileges afforded those in the general population inside this self-contained unit.

Hampton County Guardian Editor Michael DeWitt, the Greenville News and USA TODAY Network will continue to follow the ongoing criminal and civil cases surrounding the Murdaugh crime saga. Follow DeWitt on Twitter at @mmdewittjr and support his local and national journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: SCDC: Alex Murdaugh moved into undisclosed protective custody unit