Alex Murdaugh Trial So Far: The 9 Most Shocking Takeaways

There were many problems at the crime scene.

When it comes to a homicide investigation, no aspect is more critical than the crime scene. He can often explain exactly what happened even when those involved refuse to come forward. But in the case of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh’s murder, this vital source of evidence was virtually unused.

According to experts called by the defense, it took hours for state agents to arrive at the crime scene. While the officers were nowhere to be found, more than a dozen family members and friends strolled to the scene. This was supposed to comfort Alex Murdaugh, but it ended up tainting an already complex scene. When investigators finally arrived, basic protocols were not followed. For example, investigators did not dust for fingerprints, collect and test blood, or photograph evidence. Additionally, witnesses claimed the house was not searched for weapons or bloody clothing.

The bodies of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were mishandled.

Of all the disturbing mistakes made at the crime scene, the worst has to do with the bodies of the victims. The bodies of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were covered with a sheet. While the urge to do so is reasonable, leaves can absorb liquids instead of a tarp-like cover, which cannot. Again, crucial elements were either lost or distorted. It only gets worse from there. The sheet was not saved and the rain fell on Paul Murdaugh’s body, further altering the crime scene.

There is little direct evidence of Alex Murdaugh’s guilt.

There is shockingly little hard evidence in this case. At this point in the trial, the murder weapon has yet to be found and there is no blood-stained clothing or surveillance video. The hard evidence that exists does not conclusively link Alex Murdaugh to the deaths of Paul and Maggie, which means that – at this point – the case depends on circumstantial evidence.

It’s impossible to say if this would still be the case if the crime scene wasn’t so chaotic. But investigators disturbing the crime scene and not properly searching the area certainly didn’t help.

Alex Murdaugh has maintained that he did not kill his wife or son.

Murdaugh has already taken a stand. Defense attorney Jim Griffin repeatedly asked him if he had shot his wife or son, which he repeatedly denied.

“I didn’t kill Maggie and I didn’t kill Paul. I would never hurt Maggie and I would never hurt Paul – ever – under any circumstances,” Murdo said.

But Alex Murdaugh admitted he lied to police about his alibi.

Initially, Murdaugh told officers that he did not see his wife or son after they ate their dinner at Moselle – the name given to their hunting estate. While Paul and Maggie visited the dog kennels where they would later be murdered, Murdaugh claimed to have taken a nap. That alibi was challenged thanks to a video shot by Paul. Several witnesses recognized Alex Murdaugh’s voice in the video.

Murdaugh now says he lied to officers about not being near the kennels at the time of their deaths. He claims his opioid addiction made him paranoid and exacerbated his distrust of the South Carolina Department of Law Enforcement, which is why he lied to officers in the first place.

“On June 7, I wasn’t thinking straight,” Murdaugh said. “I don’t think I was capable of logic .. and I lied about being down there. And I’m very sorry that I did it.” He also told defense attorney Jim Griffin, “I just lied, I kept lying, yes sir.”

Murdaugh now claims he was visiting his mother at the time of the murders.

Murdaugh claims that after dinner he left the dog kennels and went to see his mother. He was gone for about 20 minutes before returning and seeing the crime scene. He also claims that Maggie didn’t plan to visit his mother because “Maggie didn’t really like visiting my mom.”

There are some strange details in this story. For one, data from Murdaugh’s car showed that he stopped in his mother’s driveway for a period of time, leading prosecutors to theorize which he used this time to hide the murderous weapons. For another, his vehicle hit 80 mph — well over the speed limit for those roads.

To explain his driving, Murdaugh said, “I was driving however I was driving. Normal way I drive.”

Murdaugh explained why he said “I should have known” in the 911 call.

In the 911 call, Murdaugh said “I should have known” after finding his wife and son murdered. This comment has caused much speculation. When he was on the stand, Murdaugh finally brought it up. She said that after Mallory Beach died in a boating accident, Paul received “the most vile threats” on social media.

There is a mysterious blue tarp.

In the days after the murders, Shelley Smith — Murdaugh’s mother’s caregiver — said she saw Murdaugh enter his mother’s home carrying what appeared to be a blue tarp. A blue waterproof jacket that tested positive for gunshot residue was later found in a nearby one. On the stand, Murdaugh said he could not recall bringing a tarp to his mother’s house and denied knowing anything about the jacket. He has completely rejected Smith’s version of events.

Murdaugh ran a drug and money laundering ring with “Cousin Eddie.”

There are essentially two major cases against Alex Murdaugh — the murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh. and money Murdaugh stole money from his law firm and clients, which could total as much as $20 million. In early February, Judge Clifton Newman ruled that prosecutors could present evidence of Murdo’s financial wrongdoing in that trial, concluding that it was relevant to arguments about Murdo’s character. Thanks to this ruling, Murdaugh admitted to stealing money from his law firm.

The theft began in 2010 and happened because Murdaugh claims he was trying to fund his opioid addiction. He was later fired in 2021 after his company found out what was going on.

In case you haven’t been following Murdaugh’s various crimes religiously, he’s already been convicted of running a drug and proceeds of crime laundering ring with the man he asked to kill, Curtis “Eddie” Smith. Three months after Paul and Maggie’s deaths, Murdo asked Smith to kill him and planned to transfer his life insurance proceeds to his surviving son, Buster. Their plan failed, as did their crime ring. Murdaugh was charged with the crime ring in the fall of 2022, marking the 16th indictment against him.

Smith has proved a complicated witness. According to defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, Smith had six different explanations for shooting Murdaugh “and any other information you ask him.” It’s unclear whether Smith will help or hurt either side.