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'Everyone Has Their Own Theory' — Who Killed Maggie And Paul Murdaugh?
Maggie Murdaugh and her youngest son, Paul, were shot to death, according to police, at the Murdaugh family's compound in June 2021 in a mysterious double homicide, but as investigators began to dig deeper into the family's past, the story grew more complex.
You can watch "Alex Mudaugh. Death. Deception. Power." here or on Peacock starting January 6.
On June 7, 2021, prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report he had found his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and 22-year-old son, Paul Murdaugh shot at their home in the small rural community of Islandton.
"It was overkill ... two different weapons shot multiple times when one shot would've certainly done the job," Dr. Michelle Dupre, a retired forensic pathologist and detective, told new Oxygen special "Alex. Murdaugh. Death. Deception. Power."
The murders of the two Murdaugh family members shocked the community — but the investigation into their deaths led to a serious of twists and turns. Alex himself was arrested in September after allegedly planning to stage his own suicide to look like a murder, according to the New York Times. He was arrested again the following month after investigators alleged he secretly diverted funds from a wrongful death settlement meant for the family of his long-time housekeeper Gloria Satterfield.
His attorneys have said in a statement to Oxygen.com that his “life has been devastated” and admitted the prominent attorney had been struggling with a secret addiction to opioids for two decades.
Alex is currently in jail, facing criminal charges connected to the alleged suicide plot and the misappropriated settlement funds. He has not yet entered pleas in connection with any of the charges he faces.
But who could've killed his wife and son? So far, no one has been arrested or charged with the crime.
"Everyone has a theory [in this town] and a lot of it is just rumors and gossip. There are a lot of potential enemies," Seton Tucker, host of the podcast "Impact Of Influence," told the special, adding that, for example, in 2009 someone tried to burn down the Murdaugh home.
Investigators have not named any suspects in the slayings; however, one of Alex’s attorneys, Jim Griffin, has stated that Alex is considered a person of interest in the case.
“SLED has said from the get-go that Alex was a person of interest,” Griffin told WHNS. “SLED said the next morning, which is still mind-boggling to us, that the public need not be worried about their safety.”
Griffin said that Alex was likely never eliminated as a person of interest in the case due to his close connection to both victims, but insisted that his client did not have anything to do with his loved one’s deaths.
“You think they would have searched his house, found blood somewhere,” Griffin said. “You would think they would have found the murder weapons on the property. You would think they would have come up with something to link Alex to the murders, forensically or independent evidence. And to my knowledge, they have not done that.”
Murdaugh’s attorneys have said he has an “iron-clad alibi” that he was visiting his ailing mother and her caretakers at the time of the killings, according to the special.
"The primary question [left] is who killed Paul and Maggie Murdaugh," said Michael DeWitt, an editor with The Hampton County Guardian. "We know what's next for Alex ... he has truly lost everything."
