Where Is Alex Murdaugh From ‘The Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal’ Now? all about his family and trial
Netflix’s latest true crime documentary, The Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, dives into the real events and tragic story behind the murder of two members of an elite Southern family in South Carolina. In June 2021 Paul Murdaugh, 22, and his mother Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, 52, were found dead at their family’s hunting lodge.
But the story actually begins long before that. A few years earlier, Paul was involved in a boating accident that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. According to The New York Times, the then-22-year-old Paul was out on bail at the time of his death following a felony charge related to the fatal accident.
The Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal begins with Mallory’s death. According to The New Yorker, the teen was ejected after the accident in the Murdo family boat, which was allegedly being driven by a drunk 19-year-old Paul, according to people on the boat.
Following this tragic event, Paul and Maggie Murdaugh are murdered in June 2021. Alex Murdaugh, Paul’s father and Maggie’s husband, is currently on trial for her death. According to The New York Times, he was indicted on two counts of murder in July of 2022, despite maintaining his innocence.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Defendant before (or during) watching the new Netflix documentary.
Who is Alex Murdaugh?
Alex Murdaugh, 54, is a member of the Murdaugh family in South Carolina. He is currently on trial for the murder of his wife and eldest son and has been charged with their deaths.
According to the Office of the Solicitor, Fourteenth District, the Murdaugh family served as prosecutors in South Carolina’s Fourteenth Judicial Circuit for three generations until 2005. This led to an influx of money and power in the Murdaf family.
Alex Murdaugh never ran for the job of a prosecutor, but he volunteered as a prosecutor for the district. He was officially removed from that role in September 2022, according to The New York Times.
How many sons does Alex Murdaugh have?
Alex had two sons with Maggie: the late Paul Murdo and 26-year-old Alexander “Buster” Murdo, who recently testified at her murder trial.
He was a lawyer.
Alex worked for a family law firm in Hampton County, South Carolina called Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth & Detrick. According to the Associated Press, he worked primarily for fatal accidents and workplace injuries.
In September 2021, the firm reported that Alex had stolen funds from clients, according to the Associated Press. At the time, the firm estimated that Murdo had stolen more than $1 million per person.
What are the ‘Murdaugh Murders’?
In addition to the murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, the family has been linked to several other deaths and crimes. However, according to The New York Times, the June 2021 shooting of Paul and Maggie at their family’s hunting lodge is often referred to as the ‘Murdaugh Murders’.
Paul was reportedly shot in the head and chest with a shotgun, while his mother was killed with an assault rifle, per Per.
According to The New York Times, Alex Murdaugh called 911 that night and reported that he found the bodies near the family dog’s house. The call was made after 10 pm. And Alex told authorities that his son had been receiving threats related to Mallory Beach’s death.
No arrests were made in this case for more than a year.
Alex Murdaugh’s brothers maintain their innocence.
Shortly after Paul and Maggie’s murders on Good Morning America, Alex’s brothers, John Marvin Murdaugh, and Randolph Murdaugh maintain their innocence.
Randolph told GMA, “My brother loved Maggie and loved Paul like nothing else on this earth like he loves [his eldest son] Buster.” ,
According to the Associated Press, Alex also says he was not present during the murders, visiting his ailing mother at the time.
Alex Murdaugh attempted to commit insurance fraud.
In September 2021, Alex was shot in the head while changing a roadside tire, according to his attorney Jim Griffin.
However, this was a premeditated attack, as Alex was apparently trying to make the suicide look like a murder so that his surviving son, Buster, could collect $10 million in life insurance per person. According to Smith’s affidavit after his arrest in mid-September 2021, Alex hired a man named Curtis Edward Smith to shoot him.
Alex’s gunshot wounds from the shooting were superficial. According to PEOPLE, he also turned himself in after Smith was arrested and charged with insurance fraud.
Alex’s attorney said his opioid addiction and depression after the deaths of his wife and son prompted him to create the per se plan.
Alex was involved in another crime involving the death of his housekeeper.
In addition to the deaths of Paul and Maggie, Alex Murdaugh has also been linked to other crimes – including another life insurance scheme following the death of family housekeeper Gloria Satterfield in 2018.
The doctor explains that Gloria died in the Murdaugh family home after allegedly tripping over the family dogs and falling down the stairs.
According to the New York Times, Alex introduced the Satterfield sons to an attorney named Corey Fleming to “help them with their case”. Fleming is reportedly a “close friend” of Alex, whom Satterfield’s sons testified they had no knowledge of in a recent lawsuit. ,
Prosecutors also said that Alex told Gloria’s sons that he might admit fault in her death and sue their insurance companies for a large settlement, according to ABC. But the sons never saw the settlement money. Alex was arrested in October of 2021 for allegedly embezzling funds to the Satterfield family according to CNN. In June 2022, he agreed to pay $4.3 million to the family.
What is Alex Murdaugh’s Net Worth?
There is no reported number for total net worth of Alex at this time. While he came from a wealthy Southern family, his fraud allegations suggest he may have been struggling financially.
Where is Alex Murdaugh now?
According to The New York Times, Alex has been in jail since October 2021. He was initially arrested on charges of fraud related to the Satterfield family’s life insurance claim. However, the former lawyer allegedly defrauded clients for a total of $8.8 million over the years, the NYT reported. Prosecutors are arguing that he killed his family members to cover up other financial crimes.
The trial for the murders of Paul and Margaret Murdaugh began in January 2023 and is still ongoing in Walterboro, South Carolina. It will last for about three more weeks, the NYT reported. And even though he’s already been charged with their murders, Alex maintains his innocence and pleads not guilty. Prior to the trial, his lawyers said he was “looking forward to this opportunity to clear his name”, according to the NYT.
If convicted, Alex Murdo would face at least 30 years in prison, with a possible life sentence, according to prosecutors, according to the New York Times.
You can learn more about the Murdaugh family and Alex’s trial in Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, which is streaming now on Netflix.