Alex Murdaugh trial - updates: Court hears grisly autopsy details after bodycam from night murders revealed

Graphic bodycam footage has finally been released showing Alex Murdaugh on the night of his wife Maggie and son Paul’s murders.

The footage is taken from the bodyworn camera of Colleton County Sheriff’s Sgt Daniel Greene when he was the first officer to respond to the scene of the family estate on 7 June 2021.

It reveals the seemingly-upset legal scion asking the officer “are they dead” and “did you check” their bodies to see if they’re still alive.

He then says he “knows” the murders are connected to a 2019 fatal boat crash involving Paul.

“This is a long story. My son was in a boat wreck. I know that’s what this is,” he says.

The release of the footage comes as the trial was derailed once again on Monday when Judge Clifton Newman announced that two jurors had been excused after testing positive for Covid-19.

It’s only the latest drama in the high-profile case after a bomb threat, controversial GoFundMe account and the Murdaugh family’s bad behaviour sparked issues last week.

Prosecutors are expected to wrap up their case mid-week – paving the way for Mr Murdaugh’s defence to bring witnesses to the stand.

Alex Murdaugh murder trial

• Murdaugh asked housekeeper to clean home morning after murders

• SUV data offers timeline of Murdaugh’s movements

• Bomb threat causes emergency evacuation of court

• Gunshot residue found all over blue raincoat Murdaugh allegedly hid in parents’ home

• How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

Alex Murdaugh breaks down in tears as grisly details about his wife’s autopsy are revealed

22:34 , Andrea Blanco

The disgraced legal scion heard prosecutors and forensic pathologist Dr Ellen Reimer recount grisly details about the autopsy performed on Maggie Murdaugh.

Maggie Murdaugh suffered gunshot wounds to her ribcage, kidney and head

22:24 , Andrea Blanco

Dr Ellen Reimer said that Maggie Murdaugh first suffered a gunshot wound to her left breast, and the bullet then went upwards to the left side of her face.

The second shot went through her kidney, which probably caused her to bend over.

While in that position, Dr Reimer said that she was shot in the chest and to the back of her head.

At that point, she likely fell to the ground, Dr Reimer said.

Maggie Murdaugh’s was shot with rifle, forensic pathologists testifies

22:07 , Andrea Blanco

Dr Ellen Reimer said that Maggie Murdaugh suffered five gunshot wounds.

Maggie was shot with an assault rifle, while her son Paul was attacked with a shotgun.

Paul had no defensive wounds, expert who performed autopsy testifies

22:04 , Andrea Blanco

Dr Ellen Reimer said that the most likely theory is that Paul was first shot in the chest and remained standing.

He then sustained a gunshot wound to the left shoulder and the head, after which he fell to the ground and died instantly

Dr Reimer said Paul did not have defensive wounds.

Forensic psychologist and prosecutors reenact shooting

21:49 , Andrea Blanco

Prosecutors asked forensic pathologist Dr Ellen Reimer to explain how Paul Murdaugh was standing when the bullets entered his body.

Mr Murdaugh broke down in tears as Dr Reimer testified that he believed Paul had his face tilted towards his killer at the time he was shot.

Dr Reimer also described in great detail the degree of the injuries that Paul suffered.

Dr Reimer said that there was a chance Paul was left standing after the first shot, but the second one blew the inside of his head.

“It’s horrible, I know,” she told the court.

Alex Murdaugh breaks down as autopsy images are shown in court, prosecutors and forensic pathologist reenact shooting

21:35 , Andrea Blanco

The disgraced lawyer looked down as the state showed forensic pathologist Dr Ellen Reimer pictures of the autopsies she performed on Maggie and Paul.

The state asked Judge Clifton Newman that cameras not show the pictures due to their graphic nature, which the judge granted.

Mr Murdaugh broke down in tears as Dr Reimer testified that he believed Paul was standing and with his face tilted towards his killer at the time he was shot.

Dr Reimer said Paul died instantly.

Forensic pathologist who preformed Maggie and Paul’s autopsies caleld to testify

21:18 , Andrea Blanco

Dr Ellen Reimer testified on Monday that the victims died as a result of injuries caused by a shotgun.

The twisted tale began back on 7 June 2021 when Maggie and Paul were found shot dead at the family’s sprawling hunting lodge in Islandton.

Mr Murdaugh claimed he discovered their bodies, placing a dramatic 911 call where he cried and sobbed on the phone.

He said he’d returned home from visiting his elderly mother and dying father to find his wife and son by the kennels on the property, both suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The call, previously released by investigators, was made at 10.07pm local time.

The coroner placed the time of death for the two victims between 9pm and 9.30pm.

Alex Murdaugh’s defence cross-examines agent on blood spatter

20:33 , Andrea Blanco

Prosecutors initially had said that following an outside analysis, blood spatter was found on the shirt that Mr Murdaugh was wearing on the night of the murders.

But SLED agent Sara Zapata on Monday said she submitted her HemaTrace test stating that no blood was found on the white shirt on 10 November 2021.

In April 2022, prosecutors asked Ms Zapata whether the HemaTrace could come back with a false positive.

She said she was not aware of media reports referencing the purported blood spatter.

Murdaugh’s attorney then asked Ms Zapata: “Do you think that there could be blood spatter without blood?”

No blood was found in more than 70 cuttings out of Murdaugh’s t-shirt

20:13 , Andrea Blanco

Ms Zapata said that she had cut the shirt into different sections and then made smaller cuttings to test for DNA.

Seventy-four cuttings were made. No blood was found in any of them.

The agent said that Paul Murdaugh’s DNA was only found in the lower half of the shirt his father was wearing when law enforcement arrived at the scene of the murders.

Defence’s argues explanation for blood found on steering wheel

20:02 , Andrea Blanco

Agent Zapata told the court on Monday that the blood found on Alex Murdaugh’s steering wheel could have been the result of him checking Maggie’s body and then driving to Moselle to get a shotgun.

Defence asks expert why Alex Murdaugh’s white t-shirt was tested for blood

19:55 , Andrea Blanco

Alex Murdaugh’s defence questioned agent Zapata on why the white t-shirt Mr Murdaugh was wearing when police arrived on the scene of the murders was tested.

Agent Zapata said that she received the item along with a request and simply followed procedure.

The shirt did have Maggie and Paul’s DNA on it but did not show blood.

‘Unidentified male DNA’ was found under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails

19:47 , Andrea Blanco

Agent Zapata said that she had examined Maggie’s fingers and found unidentified male DNA.

Ms Zapata was cross-examined by the defence on day 14 trial.

Ms Zapata said that it was not the best course of action to do further testing or submit the unknown DNA to CODIS because it was “very partial, low level profile.”

The defence argued that Maggie had just returned from the nail salon, with Ms Zapata noting that she could have picked up the DNA from any object or person from the time that she left the nail salon to the time she was murdered.

Autopsy photos to be shown at trial

19:40 , Andrea Blanco

The prosecution asked the judge that autopsy images to be shown on day 14 of the Alex Murdaugh trial not be shown on cameras as they contained “very graphic details.”

Judge Clifton Newman granted the request.

The jury is now present in the courtroom.

A ‘confession’, bloody dog kennels and ‘clean’ shirt: Key revelations from Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial

19:10 , Rachel Sharp

Legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh is currently on trial in a South Carolina courtroom for the brutal double murder of his wife and adult son.

Maggie, 52, and Paul, 22, were both shot dead at the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre property in Islandton, South Carolina, on the night of 7 June 2021.

No arrests were made for more than a year, until – in July 2022 – Mr Murdaugh was charged with their murders.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Murdaugh killed his wife and son to distract from the growing number of scandals and crimes swirling around him.

It’s a dramatic saga that now includes murder, a botched hitman plot, multi-million-dollar fraud schemes and a series of unexplained deaths.

The now-disbarred attorney denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reveals what we’ve learned so far at trial:

‘Confession’, bloody scene and ‘clean’ shirt: Key moments from Alex Murdaugh trial

Alex Murdaugh trial disrupted again as two jurors test positive for Covid

18:37 , Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaugh’s high-profile double murder trial has been disrupted yet again as two jurors were released on Monday after testing positive for Covid-19.

Judge Clifton Newman made the bombshell announcement on Monday morning in what marks the latest drama for the high-profile case.

One of the two jurors is asymptomatic while the other has a cough and sore throat, he said.

Following the revelation, the defence raised concerns that others could be infected but may not be testing positive yet – something which could threaten to derail the trial altogether if more jurors test positive in the coming days.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Alex Murdaugh trial disrupted as two jurors released due to positive Covid tests

Court breaks for lunch

18:20 , Rachel Sharp

After very detailed testimony – that appeared to offer little to the state’s case – the witness stood down.

The court is now on recess for lunch.

Testimony will resume at 2.30pm ET.

The blue raincoat returns

18:13 , Rachel Sharp

Agent Zapata testified about the results of testing on the blue raincoat.

Two swabs were taken including from interior cuffs, collar, hood, zipper and zipper pull were taken from blue raincoat.

The agent said that no DNA profile was developed from one swab and a partial DNA profile from the second swab.

There was not enough to determine whose DNA it was, she said.

REMINDER: We’ve previously learned a lot about the blue raincoat. Days after the 7 June 2021 murders, Mr Murdaugh’s mother’s caretaker said that the disgraced attorney had shown up at his parents’ house at around 6.30am cradling a bundled-up “blue something” in his hands. Shelly Smith testified on Monday that he took the item upstairs and left it before leaving again. In a search of the parents’ home, investigators discovered a blue tarp and a blue rainjacket.

SLED forensic scientist Megan Fletcher later testified that a “significant” amount of gunshot residue particles were found all over the coat. Ms Fletcher told the court that the presence of gunshot residue particles on an item means one of two things: the item was in the vicinity of a gun being fired or it came into contact with something else with GSR on it. She said it was possible that the GSR was from a firearm being wrapped inside the coat.

Murdaugh’s t-shirt tested negative for blood

18:08 , Rachel Sharp

The white t-shirt Mr Murdaugh was wearing when police arrived on the scene of the murders tested negative for human blood, the agent testified.

His shirt did have Maggie and Paul’s DNA on it but did not show blood.

A mix of three DNA profiles – Maggie, Paul and an unconfirmed DNA – were also found on the shorts Mr Murdaugh was wearing.

The absence of blood could be the result of the types of tests used on the clothing – LCV testing and Hematrace testing – the agent said.

SIDE NOTE: Bodycam footage has been released from night of murders

17:48 , Rachel Sharp

Bodycam footage has finally been released showing Alex Murdaugh on the night of the murders of Maggie and Paul.

Watch the footage below:

Whose DNA was found on Murdaugh’s shirt?

17:46 , Rachel Sharp

Mr Murdaugh’s white t-shirt was also tested for DNA.

The testing found several DNA profiles on his shirt including from Maggie, Paul, Mr Murdaugh and even Paul’s friend Nolan Tuten.

Alex and Maggie’s DNA found on steering wheel of car

17:28 , Rachel Sharp

A mixture of both Mr Murdaugh and Maggie’s DNA was found in swabs of suspected blood found on the steering wheel of his car, the agent testified.

Two swabs of possible blood were taken from the steering wheel of his SUV.

NOTE: Mr Murdaugh told police he drove back to the family home to get a shotgun after finding his wife and son’s bodies.

Paul cellphone has unidentified DNA on it

17:21 , Rachel Sharp

Unidentified DNA was found on Paul’s cellphone.

It was not possible to determine who’s DNA profile it was, testified the agent.

Alex and Maggie’s DNA found on shotgun

17:20 , Rachel Sharp

Agent Zapata testified that DNA analysis of a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun found a mixture of Mr Murdaugh and Maggie’s DNA.

The DNA profiles are 48 quintillion times more likely to be that of Mr Murdaugh and Maggie’s.

DNA on bullets match Maggie and Paul

17:13 , Rachel Sharp

The agent testified about the DNA analysis on bullets at the crime scene.

.300 Blackout cartridge cases were tested.

Agent Zapata said that a single source DNA profile was found and it is 510bn times more likely that Maggie contributed the profile than anyone else.

Swabs from shotgun shells as well as swabs from the exterior doorknob on the feeding room door were also tested.

On both of those, it was 15 octillion times more likely that Paul contributed the DNA than anyone else.

Agent Zapata explains DNA analysis

17:02 , Rachel Sharp

Agent Zapata is explaining DNA analysis and how it works.

Related people share some of the same alleles in their DNA, she said.

Next witness: SLED Agent Sarah Zapata

16:43 , Rachel Sharp

SLED Agent Sarah Zapata has been called to the stand.

She tells the court how she specialises in DNA testing.

Court returns from recess

16:36 , Rachel Sharp

Next witness to take the stand.

Court takes recess

16:18 , Rachel Sharp

No redirect for the state and the witness has stood down.

Judge Newman ordered a 10-minute recess. We’ll be back soon...

Defence cross-examines Agent Nguyen

16:10 , Rachel Sharp

The defence is now cross-examining Agent Nguyen.

The SLED agent confirmed that a shotgun tested positive for the possible presence of blood.

However she acknowledged that other things could also show up positive other than human blood, including animal blod, pus and bacteria.

NOTE: The presumptive tests do not confirm the presence of blood. Confirmatory tests are required to do that.

Back to the blue raincoat

16:03 , Rachel Sharp

We’re back on the blue raincoat.

SLED agent Rachel Nguyen said that the raincoat was tested for blood and found no possible presence of blood.

The raincoat was then swabbed for DNA analysis and processed for ownership – that is who was the primary wearer of the coat.

NOTE: We’ve previously learned a lot about the blue raincoat. Days after the 7 June 2021 murders, Mr Murdaugh’s mother’s caretaker said that the disgraced attorney had shown up at his parents’ house at around 6.30am cradling a bundled-up “blue something” in his hands. Shelly Smith testified on Monday that he took the item upstairs and left it before leaving again. In a search of the parents’ home, investigators discovered a blue tarp and a blue rainjacket.

SLED forensic scientist Megan Fletcher later testified that a “significant” amount of gunshot residue particles were found all over the coat. Ms Fletcher told the court that the presence of gunshot residue particles on an item means one of two things: the item was in the vicinity of a gun being fired or it came into contact with something else with GSR on it. She said it was possible that the GSR was from a firearm being wrapped inside the coat.

PICTURED: Possible blood stains on Alex Murdaugh’s shirt

15:57 , Rachel Sharp

Jurors were shown images of the possible blood stains on Alex Murdaugh’s shirt. See below:

Blood found on Murdaugh’s clothes

15:53 , Rachel Sharp

Blood was found on the clothes that Alex Murdaugh was wearing when police arrived on the scene of the murders.

Both Mr Murdaugh’s white t-shirt and green shorts tested positive for the possible presence of blood.

The items were then sent for further testing.

NOTE: Mr Murdaugh claimed to both the 911 dispatcher and to law enforcement officials that he moved his wife and son’s bodies after finding them shot dead. But multiple first responders and bodycam footage reveal he appeared to be “clean” .

Guns, shell casings also tested

15:47 , Rachel Sharp

SLED agent Rachel Nguyen tested multiple firearms and shell casings were also tested for the possible presence of blood.

Multiple items including three firearms tested negative.

An item – identified as item 15 – did test positive for the possible presence of blood.

Fingernail clippings were also taken from Paul and Maggie and sent off for testing.

Blood found on Murdaugh’s car’s steering wheel

15:40 , Rachel Sharp

SLED Agent Nguyen testified that several items – including multiple guns, gun cartridge cases and shot gun shells from the Murdaugh property – were tested for blood and DNA.

Mr Murdaugh’s Chevy Suburban was swabbed for the presence of blood.

No human blood was identified on all the swabs bar one: Mr Murdaugh’s steering wheel tested positive for blood.

Next witness: SLED Agent Rachel Nguyen

15:22 , Rachel Sharp

The next witness has been called to the stand.

SLED Agent Rachel Nguyen works in DNA analysis for the state agency.

First witness: SLED agent Ryan Kelly

15:17 , Rachel Sharp

SLED Special Agent Ryan Kelly was first to take the stand.

He testified for only a minute how he had taken buccal swabs from several individuals in the aftermath of the murders.

One of the individuals named was Curtis “Cousin Eddie” Smith.

GM handed over data to state

15:14 , Rachel Sharp

Prosecutor Creighton Waters told the court that General Motors had reached out over the weekend and handed over a trove of data to the state from Alex Murdaugh’s SUV, including GPS and information.

This comes after experts detailed the movements of Mr Murdaugh’s vehicle – and therefore him – on the night of the murders.

The defence asked for more time to analyse the data, saying it will prove beneficial to its case.

Judge Newman said the defence needs more time to review the data.

Jurors selected

15:10 , Rachel Sharp

Jurors 220 and 528 are now excused.

Jurors 441 and 326 have now been selected from the alternates.

Two alternate jurors selected

15:09 , Rachel Sharp

Two alternate jurors have now been selected to replace the two jurors who tested positive for Covid.

The two Covid-positive jurors have already been excused.

The trial began with six alternates but now only three alternates remain.

Judge declines postponing trial

15:07 , Rachel Sharp

Judge Newman has declined to postpone the trial but said that he would recommend jurors – and others in court – wear masks going forwards.

The remaining jurors will be tested again on Wednesday for Covid.

Defence asks for trial delay amid concerns that others could be infected

15:04 , Rachel Sharp

Following the revelation, the defence raised concerns that others could be infected – but may not be testing positive yet.

Defence attorney Dick Harpootlian asked Judge Newman for a delay to the trial saying that – while it would be costly to the defence – the situation could be derailed further if more test positive.

Prosecutor Creighton Waters agreed with the defence in asking for a delay for a few days, saying that neither side wants to see a mistrial declared because there are not enough jurors.

Two jurors relieved due to positive Covid tests

14:53 , Rachel Sharp

Two jurors in Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial have been relieved after they both tested positive for Covid-19.

Judge Newman made the announcement on Monday morning in what marks the latest drama for the high-profile case.

This comes after a bomb threat, controversial GoFundMe account and the Murdaugh family’s bad behaviour sparked issues last week.

WATCH: South Carolina v Alex Murdaugh live

14:42 , Rachel Sharp

Watch the trial below:

Watch live: Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial continues in South Carolina court

What to expect in court today

14:31 , Rachel Sharp

Testimony is expected to resume in Colleton County Courthouse in South Carolina at 9.30am ET.

Jurors will hear from more state witnesses as the state builds its case against disgraced legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh.

On Friday, prosecutor Creighton Waters said the team is on track to wrap up its case Wednesday – paving the way for Mr Murdaugh’s defence.

What happened in court on Friday: Housekeeper’s damning testimony

14:13 , Rachel Sharp

Blanca Simpson, who worked as the Murdaugh family housekeeper for several years, gave damning testimony.

- She revealed that Mr Murdaugh had asked her to come to Moselle on 8 June 2021 – hours after the murders – to make the house “the way Maggie liked”.

- At the house, she noticed several “very unusual” things including pots being in the fridge instead of on the stove or sink and Maggie’s pyjamas and underwear lying “neatly in the middle of the doorway” of the laundry room. In the shower room, she said she also noticed a light puddle of water, a towel and a pair of khaki pants – similar to what Mr Murdaugh was wearing on the morning of 7 June 2021. She testified that she then put the pants in the wash.

- Ms Simpson testified about the full outfit she saw Mr Murdaugh wearing on the morning of the murders – and that she “never” saw some of the items again after that day.

- Two months after the murders – in August 2021 – she testified that Mr Murdaugh brought up what shirt he was wearing on the morning of the murders in what appeared to be an attempt to get their stories aligned.

- Jurors also heard about phone calls and text messages between Ms Simpson and Maggie – revealing that Mr Murdaugh had insisted both Maggie and Paul come to the property at Moselle on the day of the murders.

- Prior to her murder, Maggie had also confided in Ms Simpson about concerns with the family’s finances – and concerns that Mr Murdaugh was not being truthful with her about the extent of their situation, she said.

- Ms Simpson damningly became the fourth witness to identify Mr Murdaugh as the voice in the video at the dog kennels moments before the murders.

13:46 , Rachel Sharp

Blanca Simpson, who worked as the Murdaugh family housekeeper for several years, gave dramatic courtroom testimony in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday morning.

Jurors also heard about phone calls and text messages between Ms Simpson and Maggie – revealing that Mr Murdaugh had insisted both Maggie and Paul come to the property at Moselle on the day of the murders.

Ms Simpson told the court that Maggie texted her saying: “Alex wants me to come home.”

Maggie liked being at the family beach house in Edisto and had been preparing to host a big July 4 gathering there, she said.

In a phone conversation, Maggie also mentioned that Mr Murdaugh wanted her to come to Moselle that day and she seemed a bit “disappointed”, she said.

“She sounded like she didn’t want to come home... she sounded like she was a little disappointed,” she said.

Mr Murdaugh had also asked Paul to come home too because he wanted his son to “fix” something on the property, Ms Simpson testified.

Because of Mr Murdaugh’s request, Ms Simpson said Maggie asked her to cook some food for the three of them to have that night.

Alex Murdaugh family warned they will be thrown out of murder trial

13:26 , Rachel Sharp

Alex Murdaugh’s family members have been warned that they will be thrown out of his murder trial after his surviving son Buster appeared to “flip the bird” at a witness.

Judge Clifton Newman has reportedly issued multiple warnings to several members of the disgraced attorney’s family about their behaviour in court, where they have put on a united front since the start of his trial for the murders of wife Maggie and son Paul.

The family members have already been moved to the back of the courtroom in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina – and are now only one wrong move away from being booted out altogether.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Alex Murdaugh family warned they will be thrown out of murder trial

Alex Murdaugh’s other legal troubles:

13:00 , Rachel Sharp

The double murder trial is far from Alex Murdaugh’s only legal problem.

Besides the case, Mr Murdaugh is facing at least 100 other criminal charges over a string of allegations.

Three months on from the murders – on 4 September 2021 – Mr Murdaugh allegedly conspired to pay a hitman to shoot him dead so that Buster would inherit a $10m life insurance windfall.

The now-disbarred attorney initially claimed he was ambushed in a drive-by shooting while changing a tyre on his vehicle, but his story quickly unravelled and he confessed to orchestrating the plot.

Mr Murdaugh and his alleged co-conspirator Curtis Smith were arrested and charged over the incident.

One day before the shooting, Mr Murdaugh had been confronted by his law firm PMPED for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients.

He is now charged with more than 100 counts from multiple indictments alleging he stole nearly $8.5m from clients at his law firm in fraud schemes going back a decade.

The attorney, who has since been disbarred, allegedly represented the clients in wrongful death settlements before pocketing the money for himself.

Alleged victims include family members of Gloria Satterfield family, the Murdaugh’s longtime housekeeper who died in a mysterious trip and fall accident at the family home in 2018.

At the time, her death was regarded as an accidental fall – though the investigation was reopened after Maggie and Paul’s murders.

The housekeeper is one of a series of other mystery deaths also surrounding the Murdaughs.

Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of the road in Hampton County, South Carolina. The openly gay teenager had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and his death was officially ruled a hit-and-run. But the victim’s family have long doubted this version of events, with the Murdaugh name cropping up in several police tips and community rumours.

An investigation has also been reopened into his death.

At the time of Paul’s death, he was also awaiting trial over the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach who died in a 2019 boat crash where Paul was allegedly drink driving behind the wheel. He was charged with boating under the influence and faced up to 25 years in prison but was killed before his trial.

The Murdaugh family reached a wrongful death settlement with the Beach family earlier in January.

Mr Murdaugh is also facing several other civil suits.

Who is Alex Murdaugh? The legal scion on trial for the murders of his wife and son

12:43 , Rachel Sharp

The hotly-anticipated trial of Alex Murdaugh is underway in South Carolina where he is facing life in prison for the double murder of his wife and son.

The 54-year-old heir to a prominent legal dynasty is accused of gunning down wife Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22, on the grounds of the sprawling family estate in Islandton back on 7 June 2021.

He was arrested in July 2022 and charged with two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

Mr Murdaugh has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains that the person or persons responsible for killing his wife and son is still at large.

So who is the man at the centre of the saga?

Who is Alex Murdaugh? The legal scion on trial for the murders of his wife and son

WATCH: Footage which threatens to ruin Murdaugh’s alibi

12:26 , Rachel Sharp

Paul captured a video on his cellphone minutes before his and Maggie’s murders.

The video was taken at the dog kennels where he was filming a dog to send to a friend.

According to the prosecution, three voices – Paul, Maggie and Mr Murdaugh – can be heard.

Mr Murdaugh claims that he was at the family home napping and then went to his mother’s house at the time of the murders. He claims he arrived home to find his loved ones’ dead.

Watch the video below:

How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Murder. A botched hitman plot. Mystery deaths. Millions of dollars of stolen money. Opioid addiction.

The case involving Alex Murdaugh appears to have it all when it comes to drama and plot twists.

It’s then little surprise that his murder trial now going on in Walterboro, South Carolina, has captivated the public all across America.

But it should then also come as little surprise to see the high-profile case spilling out into a spectacle far beyond the testimony jurors are hearing in the courtroom.

In a single dramatic week this week, the trial has been rocked by a bomb threat, apparently obscene gestures and bad behaviour from the Murdaugh family members and a controversial GoFundMe account.

Here’s how Mr Murdaugh’s murder trial has descended into a circus:

Bomb threat, outbursts and GoFundMe: How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

Caretaker says ‘fidgety’ Murdaugh lied about alibi – and offered her money

11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Muschelle “Shelly” Smith, who worked as a caregiver to Mr Murdaugh’s mother Libby from October 2019, told jurors about Mr Murdaugh’s unusual behaviour both on the night of the murders and in the days that followed.

She testified that a “fidgety” Alex Murdaugh showed up at his sick mother’s house between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on the night of 7 June 2021 – then left 20 minutes later.

She testified that it was “unusual” for him to visit at night and he was “fidgety”.

A few days after the murders, she testified that Mr Murdaugh spoke to her about his visit that night, telling her: “I was here 30 to 40 minutes.”

The conversation left her feeling “nervous”, she said – so much so that she called her brother who is a police officer to relay what he had said to her.

Days after that initial conversation, Mr Murdaugh spoke to her again – this time offering “to help her out” with paying for her upcoming wedding and putting in a good word for her with her other job.

Ms Smith broke down in tears describing Mr Murdaugh and his family as a “good family” and told jurors under cross-examination that she believes his offers were simply him being a “good person”.

Murdaugh asked housekeeper to clean home morning after murders

11:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh asked his housekeeper to clean the family home on the morning after the murders of his wife and son – and then tried to get their stories straight about what clothes he was wearing before the killings.

Blanca Simpson, who worked as the Murdaugh family housekeeper for several years, gave dramatic courtroom testimony in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday morning where Mr Murdaugh is on trial for shooting dead his wife Maggie and son Paul back on 7 June 2021.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh asked housekeeper to clean home morning after murders

Prosecution to rest case this week

10:50 , Rachel Sharp

The state is expected to rest its case this week in the high-profile double murder trial of disgraced legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh.

On Friday, prosecutor Creighton Waters said the team is on track to wrap up its case Wednesday – paving the way for Mr Murdaugh’s defence.

In total, the state has called 47 witnesses during three weeks of testimony as they seek to prove to jurors that Mr Murdaugh killed his wife Maggie and son Paul.

Witnesses yet to be heard from include Curtis “Cousin Eddie” Smith – the man accused of conspiring with Mr Murdaugh to shoot him in the head in a botched hitman plot so that his surviving son Buster would receive a life insurance windfall.

Boat crash attorney says ‘fuse was lit’ to expose Murdaugh’s financial crimes

10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorney Mark Tinsley testified without the jury present about the lawsuit he brought against Mr Murdaugh on behalf of the family of Mallory Beach and how it was putting his finances under increased scrutiny at the time of the murders.

Mr Tinsley told the court the Mr Murdaugh claimed he was broke and couldn’t pay the settlement he was asking for his clients.

He didn’t believe this – so he filed a motion compelling Mr Murdaugh to reveal his finances.

A hearing for the suit had been scheduled to take place on 10 June 2021 and Mr Tinsley testified that he expected to take the lawsuit to trial in the late summer of 2021. But, the proceedings were derailed because of the murders.

He said that the “fuse had been lit” to expose Mr Murdaugh’s slew of alleged financial crimes – but that his problems would likely “be over” if the family was the “victim of an unspeakable tragedy”.

“Pretty quickly, I recognised that the case against Alex, if he were in fact the victim of some vigilante, would be over,” he said.

If the disgraced attorney was the “victim of an unspeakable tragedy” then no jury would side against him in the case, Mr Tinsley said.

He later testified: “There wouldn’t have been an explosion June 10. But the fuse was lit the moment that information became available in this case.”

He added that Mr Murdaugh “knew it was going to unravel” and that “the fuse was lit when he started stealing money”.

Under redirect, the witness testified that if the hearing had taken place on 10 June it would have set in motion the process that wouldn’t have stopped until Mr Murdaugh either settled the case or disclosed his finances.

Boat crash attorney speaks on Alex Murdaugh’s financial crimes

Son of housekeeper accuses Murdaugh of stealing $4m after her mystery death

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In court on 3 February, Mr Murdaugh was accused of stealing a $4m settlement from his late housekeeper’s family, where prosecutors also raised questions about her mystery death.

Gloria Satterfield worked as the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper and nanny for more than 20 years, before she died in a mysterious trip and fall at the family home in 2018.

Her son Tony Satterfield told the court how Mr Murdaugh allegedly swindled almost $4m in a wrongful death lawsuit payout from the family in the aftermath of her death.

The court was shown evidence of two separate settlements in the wrongful death suit – one for $505,000 and one for $3.8m. Mr Satterfield testified that Mr Murdaugh did not tell him about the settlements and that he did not receive “one cent” of the money.

In June 2021 – the same month that Maggie and Paul were shot dead – there were reports in the media about a settlement and Mr Satterfield said he chased Mr Murdaugh about the progress of the case.

Unbeknown to him, Mr Murdaugh had already allegedly received payouts and pocketed them for himself.

Now, Mr Murdaugh is charged with almost 30 criminal charges over the Satterfield settlement.

Prosecutor Creighton Waters also hinted at the ongoing uncertainty about the nature of her death.

“Was she able to say how she fell?” he asked.

“No she was not,” Mr Satterfied replied.

At the time, Satterfield’s death was regarded as an accidental fall – however her death certificate cited her manner of death as “natural”.

In September 2021, SLED announced that it was reopening an investigation into her death and, in early 2022, officials announced plans to exhume her body. The investigation is still ongoing and her body is yet to be exhumed.

Law firm CFO confronted Murdaugh about missing money on day of murders

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Jeanne Seckinger, the CFO at Mr Murdaugh’s former law firm PMPED, revealed she had confronted Mr Murdaugh over missing payments on the day of Maggie and Paul’s murders.

She told the court that by 7 June 2021 the law firm partners had noticed $792,000 worth of legal fees missing from the case he worked with Mr Wilson.

When she approached Mr Murdaugh to ask him about it that morning she said he gave her a “dirty look” – something that she said she had “ever received from him before”.

Hours later, Maggie and Paul were shot dead.

Over the coming months, the law firm partners uncovered an alleged multi-million-dollar fraud scheme where he had stolen millions from their clients and pocketed it himself – reaching a head with the confrontation and resignation on 3 September.

The day after he was forced to resign, Mr Murdaugh was shot in the head in what turned out to be a botched hitman plot.

Murdaugh’s best friend sobs as he reveals how suspect stole money

07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

During the shadow trial before the jury could hear the financial crimes evidence, Mr Murdaugh’s former best friend of 40 years broke down in tears in court as he described the moment that he learned the disgraced attorney had stolen millions of dollars from his law firm clients – and $192,000 from himself.

Chris Wilson choked up with emotion as he said the betrayal “knocked me down” and revealed that “I don’t know how to think anymore” about the man he had known and “loved” for most of his life.

Mr Wilson testified that the two attorneys worked on a case together where Mr Murdaugh made a $792,000 cut.

At Mr Murdaugh’s request, Mr Wilson made the check payable directly to him instead of PMPED. Then, in July 2021 – one month on from the murders – Mr Wilson said that his friend got in touch saying he had been unable to structure the fees as planned and needed to pay the money back and have it paid directly to PMPED.

Mr Murdaugh only had $600,000 to pay it back, with Mr Wilson saying that he covered the additional $192,000, on the basis that Mr Murdaugh would pay him back.

On 3 September 2021 – three months on from the murders – Mr Wilson said he finally learned his friend had been scamming him and many other people. He confronted him the next day.

Choking back tears, Mr Wilson revealed that his longtime friend broke down and confessed to stealing the money to fund a secret 20-year opioid addiction.

“He broke down crying,” he said. “I was so mad. I had loved the guy for so long, and I probably still loved him a little bit, but I was so mad, and I don’t remember how it ended. How did I not know these things or see these things?”

Defence casts doubt on theory Murdaugh took Maggie’s phone

06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Under cross-examination, the defence cast doubt on the theory that it could have been Mr Murdaugh who threw Maggie’s phone along the side of Moselle Road.

Lt Dove admitted that cellphone data suggested Maggie and Mr Murdaugh’s phones were not in the same place at the same time at 9.06pm as the step data did not match.

This was important because 9.06pm is when the final orientation change – or movement – was recorded on Maggie’s phone.

Lt Dove testified that this movement could have been as it was being thrown from a vehicle to where it was discovered the next day, with the defence contending that Mr Murdaugh was at the family property walking with his cellphone at that time.

However, under redirect, prosecutors cast doubt on the defence’s timeframe for when the phone was tossed down Moselle Lane, as Lt Dove testified that an orientation change can only take place when the phone screen is on.

The SLED agent testified that the screen on Maggie’s phone was off between 9.07pm and 9.31pm so if the phone was thrown from a car during that time, there would have been no orientation change recorded.

When asked by the defence how such a throw could have been made from a moving vehicle with the phone travelling a distance of some 40 feet, a SLED agent noted it could be easily flicked horizontally like a frisbee and travel horizontally through the air landed as it did in the roadside leaves.

Murder timeframe narrowed down to eight-second window

05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors claim that Paul was shot dead first at around 8.50pm, followed by Maggie – with cellphone data being used to narrow down the murders to a precise eight-second window.

SLED Lt. Britt Dove testified that Paul’s last phone activity was at 8.48.59pm and Maggie’s was at 8.49.27pm.

Eight seconds later at 8.49.35pm, Paul received a text message but it went unread. Neither Maggie nor Paul used their phones after that time.

In futher dramatic courtroom testimony, jurors heard that calls Mr Murdaugh made to his wife on the night of the murders were mysteriously later “deleted” from his call log.

In court on Tuesday, Lt Dove testified that Mr Murdaugh had called Maggie five times between 9.04pm and 10.03pm on the night of 7 June 2021 after he had allegedly killed her and Paul. None of the calls were answered.

But, according to the call log on his cellphone, Mr Murdaugh did not place or receive any calls between 4.35pm on 4 June and 10.25pm on 7 June.

Lt Dove, who processed the three cellphones belonging to Mr Murdaugh, Maggie and Paul, testified that the trove of phone calls Mr Murdaugh made to his wife’s cellphone after he allegedly shot the victims dead was missing from his call log.

The only explanation for the missing data is that the call logs were manually and intentionally deleted by someone between the 7 June 2021 murders and his phone being seized by authorities in September 2021, he said.

Snapchat shows Alex Murdaugh in different clothing one hour before murders

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Jurors were shown a Snapchat video Paul sent to Mr Loving less than one hour before he and Maggie were murdered.

The video, sent at 7.56pm on 7 June 2021, shows Alex Murdaugh on the grounds of the family estate.

In the footage, Mr Murdaugh, 54, is seen dressed in trousers, loafers and a blue button-down shirt – clothing that does not match what he is seen wearing in police bodycam footage in the aftermath of the murders.

In the bodycam footage, shown in court last week, the disgraced attorney is dressed in a white short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts.

Questions had already raised about this outfit as multiple law enforcement officials have testified that Mr Murdaugh and his clothing were “clean from head to toe” – despite his claims he had touched the bloody bodies of his wife and son.

It is not yet clear if investigators ever located or seized the second outfit Mr Murdaugh is seen wearing in the Snapchat video and jurors are yet to hear an explanation from the defence.

Less than one hour on from the 7.56pm Snapchat, Paul and Maggie were shot dead at around 8.50pm.

Murdaugh’s chilling text message to wife after murders revealed

03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On Alex Murdaugh’s chilling final text to his wife moments after he allegedly killed her and their son was revealed in court during his murder trial on Tuesday.

Jurors were shown data from the cellphones of Maggie, Paul and Mr Murdaugh on the night of the murders.

Prosecutors say that Mr Murdaugh shot Paul first at 8.50pm and Maggie after.

Almost immediately after, cellphone data shows Mr Murdaugh made several calls to Maggie and other family members.

Mr Murdaugh first called Maggie at 9.04pm – minutes after he allegedly shot her dead – and the call went to voicemail.

He then texted her phone at 9.08pm, claiming he was going to visit his mother: “Going to check on M. Be right back.” The text was never read.

In total, Mr Murdaugh called his wife five times between 9.04pm and 10.03pm after allegedly killing her. None of the calls were answered.

His last text message to his wife came at 9.47pm, writing: “Call me babe.”

As well as calling Maggie, Mr Murdaugh’s cellphone records show he also made several calls to other numbers in the hour between the time prosecutors say the murder took place and he called 911. Prosecutors allege that Mr Murdaugh was seeking to build an alibi for that night.

Minutes after the final call, Mr Murdaugh called 911 at 10.07pm claiming to have found Maggie and Paul’s bodies.

Witnesses say voice in murder scene video is Alex Murdaugh

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In a dramatic day on 1 February, jurors were shown cellphone footage taken by Paul at the dog kennels just minutes before he and Maggie were shot dead which casts doubts on Mr Murdaugh’s alibi.

Off-camera, three voices are heard – Paul, Maggie and a man prosecutors say is Mr Murdaugh.

In dramatic testimony, two friends of Paul with close ties to the family told jurors that they are “100 per cent sure” that the voice belongs to Mr Murdaugh.

Cellphone data shows that the video was recorded for 58 seconds from 8.44.49pm to 8.45.47pm – less than five minutes before the murders. The disbarred attorney has claimed he was napping at the family home at that time.

Rogan Gibson, who had known Paul since they were young and described the Murdaughs as his “second family”, testified that he was “100 per cent sure” Mr Murdaugh is the voice in the footage. A second friend Will Loving echoed this.

As the footage was played in court, Mr Murdaugh appeared to rock his head up and down and cry.

Murdaugh’s cousin testifies he sold him guns – matching one used to kill Maggie

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On 31 January, Mr Murdaugh’s cousin John Bedingfield testified against him, revealing how the 54-year-old bought several firearms from him in the years prior to the murders – ones that match the type used to kill Maggie.

Mr Bedingfield, who works for the Department of Natural Resources but has a side business making and selling firearms under a federal licence, told the court that Mr Murdaugh approached him before Christmas 2016 wanting to buy both Paul and his surviving son rifles as presents.

He purchased two subsonic 300 BlackOut rifles – one black, one tan colour – for $9,188 so his sons could hunt hogs, he testified.

Two years later in April 2018, he said that Mr Murdaugh bought a third rifle from him for $875 because he said that Paul had lost his other one.

Doubts cast on preservation of crime scene

00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

During much of his cross-examination of SLED Special Agent Worley, Mr Harpootlian sought to pick holes in the evidence gathered from the bloody crime scene.

He raised doubts about a mark or potential footprint spotted on Maggie’s calf on the night of the murders.

While Mr Harpootlian suggested it was a “footwear impression”, Agent Worley said she “couldn’t say” that was what the mark was but that it “could be”.

The mark was not examined on the scene and no impression of the imprint was taken, she testified.

She also confirmed that a bloody footprint found in the feeding room was later determined to be that of a law enforcement officer – something that supported the defence’s line of questioning that some evidence was not preserved correctly and was even “destroyed”.

“Do you know what other evidence they may have destroyed?” asked Mr Harpootlian.

“I have no idea,” the agent said, to which he responded: “That’s right you don’t.”

Victims’ last texts and calls revealed

Sunday 12 February 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Jurors learned about the final text messages and phone calls made by Paul and Maggie before their brutal murders.

On the night of 7 June 2021, Paul placed a call on his cellphone to friend Rogan Gibson at 8.40pm, lasting four minutes, followed by a second call at 8.44pm. The second was the last incoming communication Mr Gibson received from Paul’s cellphone.

Five minutes later, at 8.49pm, Mr Gibson sent Paul a text message: “See if you can get a good picture of it. Marion wants to send it to a girl we know that’s a vet. Get him to sit and stay. He shouldn’t move around too much.”

The message – believed to be about a dog Paul was taking care of for him – went unanswered.

From that point onward, neither Paul nor his mother Maggie responded to any messages or calls on their cellphones.

Prosecutors said in opening statements that Paul was shot dead first at 8.50pm and Maggie minutes later. Their cellphones had no activity from 8.49pm onward.

After sending the text message at 8.49pm and receiving no response from his friend, Mr Gibson sent a follow-up text at 9.58pm, which simply read: “Yo.”

Mr Gibson also tried calling Paul multiple times at 9.10pm, 9.29pm, 9.42pm, 9.57pm and 10.08pm.

Getting no response from his friend, jurors heard that he also texted Paul’s mother Maggie at 9.34pm, saying: “Tell Paul to call me.”

Shortly after, Mr Gibson had four missed calls from Alex Murdaugh at 10.21pm, 10.24pm, 10.25pm and 10.30pm.

Defence’s two shooters’ theory

Sunday 12 February 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Murdaugh’s legal team sought to push its theory that there could have been two shooters separately responsible for killing the mother and son.

Jurors were shown photos and diagrams of the crime scene from both the night of the murders and more than one month later on 16 July, with defence attorney Dick Harpootlian honing in on two bullet projectiles in particular – one that travelled through the dog house and one through the quail pen.

Under cross-examination of SLED special agent Melinda Worley, Mr Harpootlian pushed the idea that, because the bullet projectiles were shot at different angles, it was a “reasonable” possibility that there was two killers.

“One reasonable explanation is there are two people there: one with a shotgun, one with an AR. Could someone have been a lookout, they went there to kill Paul and Maggie surprised them?” Mr Harpootlian pressed.

Agent Worley admitted that the theory is “possible” but said that it is only one “one explanation” as to what may have taken place that fateful night. She added that the angles could also be explained as one single shooter moving around.

Guns and ammo at Murdaugh home match crime scene

Sunday 12 February 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Bodycam footage released by the court on 30 January revealed a huge stash of firearms inside the Murdaugh family home in the days after the murders.

SLED Special Agent Jeff Croft told jurors how he seized firearms and ammunition from the Murdaugh home – including weapons and ammo that matched the type of gun and bullets used to kill Maggie and Paul.

A .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle, 12-gauge Browning shotgun, Benelli shotgun and 12-gauge pump shotgun which were seized from the family home were all brought into the courtroom and shown to jurors.

The agent testified that several empty boxes of ammunition were also found during searches of the Murdaugh home on 8 June and 13 June.

Inside the .300 Blackout rifle was Sellier & Bellot .300 AAC BLK ammo – the same type of ammo that was used to kill Maggie.

Also seized as evidence was a credit card receipt for an $1,021.10 item from Gucci – the item had been circled.

On 31 January, Agent Croft also testified that ammunition – steel shot ammo specifically Winchester DryLok – matching the fatal shot fired through Paul’s brain had been located on the Murdaugh family property.

Two separate guns – a rifle and shotgun – were used to kill Maggie and Paul. They have never been found.

Speculation over whether Murdaugh accidentally confessed

Sunday 12 February 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Audio from Alex Murdaugh’s second interview with law enforcement was played in court on 30 January, revealing that the disgraced legal dynasty heir may have unwittingly slipped up and confessed to the murders of his wife and son.

“I did him so bad,” a sobbing Mr Murdaugh appeared to say about his son in a police interview on 10 June 2021.

SLED Special Agent Jeff Croft was asked by prosecutor Creighton Waters to clarify what he heard Mr Murdaugh saying.

“It’s just so bad. I did him so bad,” he responded.

While prosecutors sought to suggest that the 54-year-old father and husband slipped up during the police interview, Mr Murdaugh was seen shaking his head and appearing to mouth “I did not say that” to his attorneys in court.

However, the audio of the interview has also raised doubts, being somewhat unclear as to whether Mr Murdaugh says “I” or “they”, with some inside and outside court believing he actually says: “They did him so bad.”

During cross-examination on Tuesday, Mr Griffin grilled Agent Croft as to why – if Mr Murdaugh’s statement raised alarm bells – he didn’t follow up on it.

The special agent testified that he “made a mental note” about Mr Murdaugh’s comment but said it was early in the investigation when officials were in more of an “information gathering” stage.

The audio was played again in court – twice in real time and once at one-third speed.

When asked by Mr Griffin if he heard “they” not “I” when the recording was slowed down, Agent Croft testified that he still heard “I”.

Murdaugh tells wild story about Black Panthers

Sunday 12 February 2023 14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh recounted a wild story about a farmhand claiming to “kill radical Black Panthers” when he was interviewed by law enforcement on the night of the double murder of his wife and son.

In footage of the interview, Mr Murdaugh says he can’t think of anyone “overly suspicious” who could be responsible for the murders but suggests law enforcement speak to a farmhand he had recently hired to work at the 1,700-acre estate.

Mr Murdaugh claims that the man had told Paul a “really weird” story just one week before the murders.

“He told Paul a story the other day of how when he was in high school he got in a fight with some Black guys and an FBI undercover teams observed him fighting those guys,” he says. “And they put him on an undercover team with three Navy Seals and their job was to kill radical Black Panthers.”

He adds: “Paul was so taken aback by it that he recorded it on his phone”.

Mr Murdaugh tells the officers that Paul had “been working with him a lot” and the story was “really weird”.

However, he adds that he doesn’t believe the man could be behind the murders, saying that it’s “such a stupid” that he was “embarrassed” to even bring it up.

911 call played at trial

Sunday 12 February 2023 12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The unredacted 911 call placed by Mr Murdaugh on the night of the murders.

In the dramatic audio, Mr Murdaugh cries and and sobs down the phone as he tells the dispatcher “it’s bad” and “my wife and child have been shot badly”.

He also the dispatcher about the 2019 boat crash involving Paul, saying that the 22-year-old had been getting threats “for months and months and months”.

The attorney then says he is going back to his house to get a gun “just in case”. When officers arrived on the scene, Mr Murdaugh had a shotgun which he handed over.

Bodycam shows Murdaugh’s ‘clean’ shirt after claiming to touch bloody bodies

Sunday 12 February 2023 11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Bodycam footage from the night of the murders revealed Mr Murdaugh wearing a “clean” white shirt after he claimed he touched his wife and son’s bloodied bodies on finding them shot dead.

In the footage, Mr Murdaugh is dressed in a white T-shirt and dark shorts with no obvious signs of blood.

During courtroom testimony, multiple law enforcement officials described how Mr Murdaugh was “clean” and did not appear to have any blood on him when they arrived on the scene of the murders.

Yet, according to the 911 call made by Mr Murdaugh and bodycam footage from his first police interview on the night of the murders, Mr Murdaugh claims he touched his wife and son’s bodies when he found them by the kennels.

In the interview footage, he is heard telling law enforcement twice that he “tried to turn over” his son’s bloodied body and that he had checked him and his wife for pulses.

“I could see his brain ... I ran over to Maggie, actually I think I tried to turn Paul over first... um... you know, I tried to turn him over, I dunno, I figured it out,” he is heard saying.

Mr Murdaugh said that his son’s cellphone fell from his pocket when he tried to move him and that he handled it briefly.

“His cell phone popped out of his pocket, I started trying to do something with it but I put it back down really quickly, and then I went to my wife,” he says.

Detective Laura Rutland of Colleton County Sheriff’s Office contradicted his version of events as she said that Mr Murdaugh was “clean from head to toe” with no signs of blood on his body, shirt, shorts or shoes.

She said she didn’t say where he checked for a pulse but, in a gripping reenactment, agreed that if Mr Murdaugh had touched pulse points on Paul’s neck or wrists he would have been covered in blood.

As jurors have previously heard, the crime scene was especially violent and bloody, with Paul’s brain shot out of his skull and both he and Maggie lying in pools of their own blood.

Suspect shed ‘no tears’ after finding wife and son’s bodies

Sunday 12 February 2023 09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Colleton County Sheriff’s Office Sgt Daniel Greene testified that Mr Murdaugh appeared to shed “no tears” after he claimed to have found his wife and son’s bodies.

Sgt Greene told the court that Mr Murdaugh seemed “upset” and repeatedly asked if his wife and son were dead but did not appear to have any physical tears in his eyes.

“Did you ever see any physical tears?” the prosecutor asked.

“I did not,” the officer said.

As bodycam footage from the night of the murders was played in court, Mr Murdaugh was seen breaking down in tears.

Murdaugh ‘immediately’ told police murders were tied to 2019 boat crash

Sunday 12 February 2023 07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Murdaugh “immediately” suggested that his wife and son had been murdered because of a 2019 fatal boat crash as soon as the first law enforcement officer arrived on the scene of the grisly slayings, bodycam footage played in court revealed.

In the footage, taken from the bodyworn camera of Colleton County Sheriff’s Sgt Daniel Greene when he was the first officer to respond to the scene, Mr Murdaugh says he believes the murders are connected to the boating incident.

“This is a long story. My son was in a boat wreck,” Mr Murdaugh says. “I know that’s what this is.”

At the time of Paul’s death, he was awaiting trial over the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach.

Paul was allegedly drunk driving a boat of his friends including Beach in 2019 when it crashed and they were thrown overboard. The rest of the group survived but Beach’s body washed up days later.

Paul was charged with boating under the influence and faced up to 25 years in prison.

Mr Murdaugh is also heard mentioning the boat crash in the 911 call alerting law enforcement to the scene and in his first interview with law enforcement on the night of the murders.

Defence details horrorific injuries of victims in opening statement

Sunday 12 February 2023 04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In the defence’s opening statement, Mr Murdaugh was seen breaking down in tears as his attorney Dick Harpootlian described the fatal shot which killed his son Paul, saying it “exploded his brain, like a watermelon”.

Mr Murdaugh then arrived home and found his son’s brains by his feet, he said.

Mr Harpootlian insisted Mr Murdaugh is an innocent man, saying that jurors will see a Snapchat of him and Paul happily spending father-and-son time together less than two hours before the murders.

“Paul, the apple of his eye. You are going to see a video from the night of the murders of Paul and Alex riding around looking at trees they planted, a Snapchat sent to other people. They were laughing, having a good time,” he said.

He also argued that cellphone records from that night are “incomplete” and that Maggie’s phone was thrown on the side of a road halfa mile from the family estate at the same time that Mr Murdaugh was at the property.

The suspect would “have to be Houdini to be in both places”, he said.

Cellphone video key to trial

Sunday 12 February 2023 02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Opening arguments kicked off the trial on 25 January, with the prosecution telling jurors that cellphone records and a video taken by Paul minutes before he died are “critical” in proving Mr Murdaugh’s guilt.

Attorney Creighton Waters gave a timeline for the murders, saying that Paul was shot at the dog kennels first at 8.50pm and Maggie minutes later.

Cellphone records allegedly place Mr Murdaugh at the dog kennels minutes earlier – when the suspect had “told everyone he was never there”.

Mr Waters also described a video Paul made at the kennels minutes before his murder as he was filming a dog to send to a friend. According to the prosecution, three voices – Paul, Maggie and Mr Murdaugh – can be heard.

Other evidence the prosecution promised to show jurors included gunshot residue found in both Mr Murdaugh’s car, on him and on a raincoat that he allegedly left at his parents’ home a week after the murders.

Key revelations from the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, so far...

Sunday 12 February 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Legal dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh is currently on trial in a South Carolina courtroom for the brutal double murder of his wife and adult son.

Maggie, 52, and Paul, 22, were both shot dead at the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre property in Islandton, South Carolina, on the night of 7 June 2021.

Mr Murdaugh, 54, claimed that he returned home from visiting his elderly mother to find the victims’ bodies at the dog kennels on the land.

No arrests were made for more than a year, until – in July 2022 – Mr Murdaugh was charged with their murders.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Murdaugh killed his wife and son to distract from the growing number of scandals and crimes swirling around him.

It’s a dramatic saga that now includes murder, a botched hitman plot, multi-million-dollar fraud schemes and a series of unexplained deaths.

The now-disbarred attorney denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Murdaugh’s trial got underway at Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro on 23 January.

Here are the key revelations from the trial so far:

‘Confession’, bloody scene and ‘clean’ shirt: Key moments from Alex Murdaugh trial

‘Fidgety’ Murdaugh visited mother on night of murders

Saturday 11 February 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A “fidgety” Alex Murdaugh showed up at his sick mother’s house for a brief 20-minute visit on the night of his wife and son’s murders – before later claiming he was there double the length of time and offering to pay towards the wedding of the caretaker who could refute his alibi.

Muschelle “Shelly” Smith, who had been working as a caregiver to Mr Murdaugh’s mother Libby from October 2019, gave emotional and at-times damning testimony in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Monday.

Ms Smith told jurors about Mr Murdaugh’s unusual behaviour both on the night of the murders and in the days that followed, revealing that he made the uncharacteristic move to visit his sick mother late at night on 7 June 2021.

Read on:

Alex Murdaugh was ‘fidgety’ when he visited sick mother’s home on night of murders

Gunshot residue found all over blue raincoat allegedly hidden at Murdaugh parents’ home

Saturday 11 February 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Gunshot residue was found all over the mystery blue raincoat that Alex Murdaugh allegedly hid in his parents’ home in the days after his wife and son were shot dead, according to bombshell courtroom testimony.

SLED forensic scientist Megan Fletcher testified in Colleton County Courthouse in South Carolina that at least 38 gunshot residue (GSR) particles were found on the inside of the jacket which was seized from Mr Murdaugh’s parents’ home.

Agent Fletcher said that this “significant” number of GSR particles would be consistent with a recently-fired gun being wrapped up inside the jacket.

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Gunshot residue found all over blue raincoat in Alex Murdaugh case

ICYMI: Murdaugh murder trial suddenly evacuated due to bomb threat

Saturday 11 February 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh’s high-profile murder trial was dramatically evacuated over a bomb threat received at the courthouse.

The bomb threat came in to staff at Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, just before 12.30pm ET on Wednesday, prompting a sudden evacuation of the entire building.

Rachel Sharp reported on the drama as it unfolded.

Alex Murdaugh murder trial suddenly evacuated due to bomb threat

Who is Alex Murdaugh?

Saturday 11 February 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Who is the man now on trial for the murders of his wife and son, facing more than 100 other criminal charges over an alleged white-collar fraud spree, and subject of a botched hitman plot?

Who is Alex Murdaugh? The legal scion on trial for the murders of his wife and son

Attorney friend trusted Murdaugh despite odd fee payments

Saturday 11 February 2023 14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A lawyer testifying in Alex Murdaugh‘s double murder trial in South Carolina said he trusted Murdaugh even though the disgraced lawyer suggested an unusual way to split fees from a case the two had worked on together.

Attorney Chris Wilson said he had no reason to be suspicious when Murdaugh asked to have the $792,000 fee deposited directly into his account, rather than paying it directly to the Murdaugh family law firm. At the time, Murdaugh said his intention was to protect money because his son, Paul, was involved in a wrongful death lawsuit - even though the direct payment was a violation of the firm’s rules.

“I’d known him for 30-plus years. I didn’t have any reason not to trust him,” Wilson told the jury.

Attorney: I trusted Alex Murdaugh despite odd fee payments

Murdaugh’s longtime friend barred from testifying about botched hitman plot

Saturday 11 February 2023 12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh’s longtime friend has been barred from testifying about his botched hitman plot – a bizarre incident that dramatically unravelled and culminated in the disgraced attorney entering rehab and being hit with another string of charges.

Judge Clifton Newman ruled on Thursday that Chris Wilson cannot testify about the September 2021 incident, which has been dubbed “the side of the road”, in Mr Murdaugh’s trial for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh’s longtime friend barred from testifying about botched hitman plot

GoFundMe launched for Murdaugh trial witness for ‘bravery’

Saturday 11 February 2023 10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise money for Alex Murdaugh’s mother’s caregiver “for her bravery” in testifying at his murder trial.

But the campaign caused something of a problem in court shortly after it was launched.

Rachel Sharp explains.

GoFundMe launched for Alex Murdaugh trial witness for ‘bravery’ of testifying

Data from Murdaugh’s car suggests holes in his alibi for murders

Saturday 11 February 2023 08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Data taken from Alex Murdaugh’s car has offered a potential timeline for his movements on the night of the murders – and suggests holes in the alibi he gave to his mother’s caregiver.

FBI electronics engineer Dwight Falkofske took the witness stand on Wednesday afternoon, topping off a dramatic day in Mr Murdaugh’s murder trial where Colleton County Courthouse was plunged into an emergency evacuation because of a bomb threat.

Data from Alex Murdaugh’s car suggests holes in his alibi on night of murders

How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

Saturday 11 February 2023 05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Murder. A botched hitman plot. Mystery deaths. Millions of dollars of stolen money. Opioid addiction.

The case involving Alex Murdaugh appears to have it all when it comes to drama and plot twists.

It’s then little surprise that his murder trial now going on in Walterboro, South Carolina, has captivated the public all across America.

But it should then also come as little surprise to see the high-profile case spilling out into a spectacle far beyond the testimony jurors are hearing in the courtroom.

In a single dramatic week this week, the trial has been rocked by a bomb threat, apparently obscene gestures and bad behaviour from the Murdaugh family members and a controversial GoFundMe account.

Read on...

Bomb threat, outbursts and GoFundMe: How Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial became a circus

Murdaugh family warned they will be thrown out of murder trial

Saturday 11 February 2023 03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh’s family members have been warned that they will be thrown out of his murder trial after his surviving son Buster appeared to “flip the bird” at a witness.

Judge Clifton Newman has reportedly issued multiple warnings to several members of the disgraced attorney’s family about their behaviour in court, where they have put on a united front since the start of his trial for the murders of wife Maggie and son Paul.

The family members have already been moved to the back of the courtroom in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina – and are now only one wrong move away from being booted out altogether.

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Alex Murdaugh family warned they will be thrown out of murder trial

Housekeeper never saw Murdaugh clothes after killings

Saturday 11 February 2023 01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh‘s housekeeper testified Friday at his double murder trial that she never saw the shirt and shoes the disgraced attorney was wearing in a video hours before his son and wife were killed after their deaths.

Prosecutors were trying to explain why certain expected things — like bloody clothes — have still not been put into evidence after three weeks of trial.

Housekeeper never saw Alex Murdaugh clothes after killings

Murdaugh asked housekeeper to clean home morning after murders

Friday 10 February 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Murdaugh asked his housekeeper to clean the family home on the morning after the murders of his wife and son – and then tried to get their stories straight about what clothes he was wearing before the killings.

Blanca Simpson, who worked as the Murdaugh family housekeeper for several years, gave dramatic courtroom testimony in Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Friday morning.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Alex Murdaugh asked housekeeper to clean home morning after murders

Friday 10 February 2023 21:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Court adjourns for the weekend.

The trial will resume at 9.30am on Monday morning.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Tuten says he was not aware that Paul’s replacement 300 Blackout rifle was missing and was the alleged murder weapon until the trial.

He had assumed that Buster’s rifle was Paul’s as he used it so often (it was different in that it had a thermal scope on it which the replacement for Paul did not).

Mr Tuten says that after the boat crash, Paul got threats on social media. Asked if Maggie did, he says he does not know.

We also learn that when he was working outside with his hands he would often put his phone in his back pocket.

When he was killed, his phone was found resting on his back by that pocket.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:52 , Oliver O'Connell

During cross-examination, Mr Tuten is asked about the people in Mr Murdaugh’s office when he would drop off the cash he had brought from Palmetto State Bank.

Defence: “Are you suggesting he was giving [police chief] Greg Alexander money?”

Mr Tuten: “I’m not suggesting anything.”

Friday 10 February 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After the murders, Mr Tuten drove Mr Murdaugh to the airport to visit Maggie’s family in Florida.

Mr Murdaugh told him he wanted to clear Paul’s name in the boat crash case.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Tuten also testifies that he assisted Jeanne Seckinger in her investigation into Mr Murdaugh’s thefts from the firm and its clients.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:41 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Tuten is asked if people would be in Mr Murdaugh’s office when he brought the cash back from Palmetto State Bank.

He identifies local police chief Greg Alexander as being there as well as Mr Murdaugh’s friends Cory Fleming and Chris Wilson.

A few weeks before the murders he was no longer asked to cash any more checks.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:39 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Tuten also worked as a runner for Mr Murdaugh’s law firm, PMPED from 2019 until May 2022. He was there throughout the murders and in the aftermath of Mr Murdaugh’s termination from the firm when his theft from clients was discovered.

We learn that one of Mr Tuten’s duties was to deliver court documents and cash checks for Mr Murdaugh on a regular basis and bring the cash back to his office from Palmetto State Bank.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Tuten testifies that the property used to have one entrance, but a second one was created.

Maggie and Alex would use the new main entrance more and Paul and his friends would use the entrance nearer the kennels and sheds.

He says that Maggie and Alex would drive by the kennels and say hi to them when they were hanging out down there.

Mr Tuten is asked to identify the voices in the kennel video and — as with those before him — names Paul, Maggie, and Alex.

He also describes the Murdaughs’ yellow labrador Bubba and how he would chase chickens that got loose (or anything else) — which can be heard happening in the video.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Tuten lived in a cabin on the Moselle Road property with Paul for a few months before college.

He is asked to identify Paul’s firearms and appears very knowledgeable about guns, giving specific details to delineate the different makes and models.

Mr Tuten also identifies Buster’s gun.

He tells the story of the tan 300 Blackout weapon being stolen from the car outside a party in early 2018.

New witness: Nathan Tuten, police officer and friend of Paul Murdaugh

Friday 10 February 2023 21:19 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is Paul Murdaugh’s friend Nathan Tuten, now an officer with the Walterboro Police Department.

Like several witnesses before, he testifies that Paul was a good friend who was always on his phone. He speaks fondly of Alex and Maggie.

Friday 10 February 2023 21:17 , Oliver O'Connell

On cross-examination, we discover that Mr Wilde also pulled data for the phone of Curtis Smith (Cousin Eddie).

He says he does not have the data with him.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website