Latest news with #Murdaugh
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
A Look Back at Alex Murdaugh's Murder Trial 4 Years After He Killed His Wife and Son (and Why He Is Still Fighting for His Freedom)
Maggie Murdaugh and her son, Paul Murdaugh, were found dead on June 7, 2021, at the family's hunting lodge in South Carolina Alex Murdaugh, a wealthy lawyer, was found guilty of murdering his wife and their son in March 2023 He was sentenced again in April 2024 for federal charges of money laundering, wire fraud and bank fraudIt's been four years since Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her son Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found dead at their hunting lodge on June 7, 2021 — and two years since the family's patriarch Alex Murdaugh was charged with their murder. On March 2, 2023, Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before finding Alex Murdaugh guilty of killing his wife and son. He was given two consecutive life sentences in prison for the crimes. Between the highly publicized trial and the Netflix series Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, all eyes have been on the Murdaugh family for years. Throughout the investigation and trial, Murdaugh maintained his innocence. In fact, he tried to cast suspicion on his cousin Curtis "Eddie" Smith, despite the "mountain of evidence" prosecutors had allegedly assembled against him. Since the deaths of his wife and son, the once-wealthy and powerful attorney from a prominent South Carolina family has been disgraced in connection with his alleged involvement in illegal drug distribution, money laundering, theft, embezzlement and perjury. Murdaugh has struggled with severe opioid addiction for years, allegedly spending $50,000 a week on drugs. Here's everything to know about Alex Murdaugh's murder trial and alleged crimes. In the opening statements, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters said that authorities have GPS information from Murdaugh's smart devices contradicting his alibi, and cell phone video placing him at the estate during the time of the murders. According to authorities, a video Paul took at 8:45 p.m. picks up his voice, and the voices of both his parents, at the property's dog kennels. Murdaugh originally told authorities he wasn't near the kennels but later admitted he was lying. When footage from a responding officer's body cam was shown in court, which showed Maggie and Paul's bodies, Murdaugh was seen wiping away tears — though an officer who was called to the crime scene reported that Murdaugh didn't seem upset, saying there were no "visible tears." Paul was shot twice with a shotgun, but Maggie was shot in the back with an assault rifle, and then several more times when she was already on the ground. Murdaugh's lawyer, Jim Griffin, asserted that his client invited authorities to search the family estate, which pointed to his innocence, because no guilty person would be so transparent. Griffin also cross-examined Det. Laura Rutland about the state of Murdaugh's clothes, asking, "He didn't look like someone who had just been within feet of blowing Paul's head off, right?" She responded, "I can't say that. There are so many factors that you would have to take into account." Though, she said that Murdaugh could have changed his clothes after the shooting. "He's sweating, and they're dry, so I'd say yes," she said. Jeff Croft, an agent with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, testified that Murdaugh was brought in for questioning days after the murders of Maggie and Paul. Croft claimed that during the police interview, Murdaugh got emotional and made a surprising statement when he first saw graphic photos of his slain son. "It was so bad, I did him so bad," Croft alleged that Murdaugh cried. "He's such a good boy, too." Britt Dove, from the computer crimes unit for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, testified about usage of Maggie's phone on the night of her murder, both before and after she died. She made a phone call at 7:50 p.m. that lasted three minutes; according to authorities, Maggie also sent messages to a friend that night as she headed to the property, saying something felt "fishy" about Murdaugh's behavior. After her phone call, she didn't use the phone again. At 9:06 p.m., after prosecutors believe Maggie was already dead, the phone's camera activated for a second. "It appears the phone's being moved and the camera's activating in the background to see if it would recognize somebody's face that would unlock it," Dove said. In the subsequent hour, Murdaugh called his wife's phone three times, and sent her a text saying "Call me babe." Prosecutors claim those were an attempt to bolster his alibi. Maggie's phone was discovered discarded beside the road outside the gates of the estate. Evidence surfaced that Murdaugh changed his clothes at some point in the evening. Prosecutors showed a Snapchat video of the disgraced attorney wearing khakis and a blue button down about an hour before the murders, and he then spoke to the police later that night in a white t-shirt and shorts. On the stand, Mushelle "Shelley" Smith, a caregiver to Murdaugh's mother, testified that he visited his mother's home for 15-20 minutes on the night of the murders, but that he instructed her to say that he was there for 30-40 minutes "if someone asked." The timeline is important to both the prosecution and the defense, as authorities have stated that Murdaugh visited his mother to create an alibi for his whereabouts the night of the murders. If he did remain at his mother's home for 15-20 minutes, prosecutors allege he would have had the time to commit the crime. Smith also described Murdaugh's behavior as "fidgety" that night, and said that he offered to give her money towards her wedding expenses in the same conversation. For his alibi, Murdaugh told authorities that he had visited his ailing father in the hospital and spent time with his elderly mother, and had come home to the 1770-acre Islandton, S.C. estate to discover his wife and son dead, shot to death with separate firearms. Jeanne Seckinger, the CFO of the law firm where Murdaugh was a partner, testified under oath that she suspected he was stealing money from the company, starting in May 2021, when he was writing company checks to a client, but depositing them into a personal account of his, opened with the client's company name. She further testified that she confronted Murdaugh about the missing funds, totaling more than $2.8 million, on the day of the murders. On the stand, Maggie's sister Marian Proctor testified that she found her conversation with Murdaugh immediately after the deaths strange, because he didn't seem focused on finding who had murdered his family members. "We never talked about finding the person who could have done it," Proctor said. "It was just odd." She continued: "He said that his number one goal was clearing Paul's name," referring to his son's role in a 2019 boating accident that led to the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. "And I thought that was so strange, because my number one goal was to find out who killed my sister and Paul." Defense attorney Jim Griffin suggested that Murdaugh's cousin Curtis "Eddie" Griffin could have been involved with the murders, citing his involvement in supplying the disgraced attorney with drugs and his role in the botched suicide-for-hire plot. Because Murdaugh's defense team introduced the scheme, which they also admitted he concocted, Judge Clifton Newman ruled that the previously inadmissible information could now be considered as part of the trial. In his testimony, Buster recalled when his father called him to tell him what had happened. "He said, 'Are you sitting down?' " he testified. "He sounded odd, and then he told me that my mom and my brother had been shot." Buster also recounted his father's state of mind on the night of the double homicide that took his mother and brother away from the young man. "He was heartbroken," he said. "I walked in the door and saw him, gave him a hug. He was destroyed." Buster also testified that his mother and brother confronted Murdaugh in the past about his drug use. Murdaugh has said he took up to 60 pills a day to feed his addiction. "I thought that he had handled it," Buster said, after his father went to rehab in 2018. After testifying, Buster squeezed his father's hand. In a teary assertion of his innocence, Murdaugh denied committing the murders. "I did not shoot my wife or my son," Murdaugh said. "I could never intentionally do anything to hurt either one of them, not ever." Murdaugh also testified that he lied about information he gave to the authorities, and lied to his family about details of the day of the deaths. He long asserted that he was nowhere near the estate's kennels on the night of the murders, but recanted that on the stand. "What a tangled web we weave," Murdaugh said on the stand. "Once I told a lie — then I told my family — I had to keep lying." He attributed the lies to paranoia induced by his longtime drug use. "I lied about being down there, and I'm so sorry that I did," Murdaugh said. After testimony concluded at the trial, jurors took a visit to the home where Maggie and Paul were murdered. Per The New York Times, jurors spent around an hour on the property examining the areas where the crimes took place. After deliberating for less than three hours, jurors found Murdaugh guilty of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. The following day, he was sentenced to two life sentences in prison, which will run consecutively. Murdaugh's defense attorney, Dick Harpootlian, announced on X that he and Jim Griffin are appealing their client's conviction as well as his prison sentences. "This is the next step in the legal process to fight for Alex's constitutional right to a fair trial," the post read. Eight months after receiving his guilty verdict, Murdaugh filed a motion for a new trial in the murders of his wife and son. The motion accused Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill of jury tampering. According to the motion, Hill pressured jurors to "reach a quick guilty verdict" and advised them not to "believe Murdaugh's testimony" to help secure herself a book deal. She did publish a book about the case in 2023, titled Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders. Though Hill denied the allegations, one juror did admit that the clerk's comments influenced her verdict decision. Still, in January 2024, a South Carolina judge denied Murdaugh's motion for a new trial. His attorneys later filed a motion in July 2024 to the South Carolina State Supreme Court, and the case is still under review. In September 2023, Murdaugh pled guilty to federal charges of money laundering, wire fraud and bank fraud. Seven months later, he was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison. This new sentence will run concurrently with the state prison time he's actively serving. Read the original article on People
New York Post
15-05-2025
- New York Post
Former South Carolina clerk in Murdaugh murder trial arrested on multiple felonies in 2 counties
South Carolina authorities on Wednesday morning charged Becky Hill, the former Colleton County court clerk who presided over the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, with multiple felonies in connection with her conduct surrounding the case. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Wednesday afternoon announced that Hill, 57, is facing two counts of misconduct and obstruction of justice charges in Colleton County while her perjury charge is filed in Richland County. Advertisement Murdaugh's attorney, Dick Harpootlian, said on 'The Story with Martha MacCallum' that he believes the charges will lead to a new trial. Charging documents state that the crimes stem from a January 2024 hearing in the South Carolina Supreme Court, when Justice Jean Toal ruled that a new trial was not necessary for Murdaugh, who was convicted in the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on his family hunting estate. Murdaugh had requested the new hearing based on allegations of jury tampering surrounding Hill, which Murdaugh's defense team had argued warranted a new trial. Charging documents state that when Toal asked Hill, 'Did you allow anyone from the press to view sealed exhibits?' Hill responded, 'No, ma'am,' which is apparently inconsistent with evidence obtained by authorities. Advertisement The State Ethics Commission last year accused Hill of using her official position as Colleton County clerk for financial gain, specifically to promote her book about the Murdaugh case, part of which she admitted to and apologized for plagiarizing. The SLED charging documents released Wednesday also accuse Hill of promoting her book on social media. 'We are aware of the charges filed against Becky Hill, and while these developments are serious, they are not surprising,' Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, Murdaugh's defense attorneys, told Fox News Digital in a statement. Former Colleton County court clerk Becky Hill, 57, was charged with multiple felonies Wednesday in connection with the Alex Murdaugh murder trial. AP Advertisement 'We have long raised our concerns about her conduct during and after the trial and this arrest further underscores the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process. Every defendant is entitled to a fair and impartial trial and we look forward to Alex Murdaugh finally getting that fair treatment.' Hill was previously accused of sending herself nearly $10,000 in federal bonuses in the form of child support payments, according to a notice of hearing. She used federal funds to give food and gifts to court employees, including 'Easter Goodies,' Mother's and Father's Day gifts, and Valentine's Day gifts; paint supplies; flowers and decor; various meals for herself; office furniture; dog food, dog bones and a dog bed, among other items. SLED charging documents make note of the bonus payments. Advertisement Of 12 total jurors who found Murdaugh guilty in 2023, 11 said Hill did not influence their decisions. Hill faces two counts of misconduct and obstruction in Colleton County, though her perjury charge has been filed in Richland County. TNS One said he heard the clerk make comments about watching Murdaugh's body language but said her words did not influence his verdict. South Carolina attorney Eric Bland, who represented several victims of Murdaugh's financial crimes, said he 'used to think that there was very little chance that our South Carolina Supreme Court would reverse former Chief Justice Jean Toal's decision in February 2024 when she denied Alex Murdaugh a new trial on his double murder conviction because of Becky Hill alleged jury interference.' 'I thought that if he was to get any relief, it would come after he exhausted his state court appeals and it would be on the federal level,' Bland said in a Wednesday post on X. 'According to the State Paper, the perjury charge arises out of her testimony that she gave in the February 2024 hearing in front of Justice Toal. I think this further complicates the situation and increases the chances that he will get a reversal and a new trial. It still will come down to whether the federal standard for alleged jury tampering should have been applied by Justice Toal or she was correct in applying the state standard.' Myra Crosby, a dismissed juror in the Murdaugh murder trial, also known as the 'egg juror' after she apparently asked to collect a dozen eggs from the jury room before leaving, told Fox News her belief that 'Hill finally being held accountable for the atrocities she did during this trial is a good start.' Advertisement 'I am hopeful but not confident that the State will do the right thing,' she said in a Wednesday statement. 'If the state believes in their case they should not have a problem giving Alex Murdaugh another trial. One where they don't have a tainted verdict. I would think that [the] 6th Amendment being upheld would be more important than protecting a verdict. It remains to be seen as to what will happen but I am praying that I can have a justice system that I can believe in again rather than a corrupt good ol boy system.' She further suggested that juries on future cases be sequestered and instructed not to speak with anyone, including court officials like Hill. Advertisement 'Not everyone has been a juror and, when questioned by a court official, knows that it is wrong. I certainly didn't,' she said. The former court clerk, who held her position for about four years, resigned in March following allegations of jury tampering in the Murdaugh trial but maintained that her decision to leave office was not the result of her conduct during the double murder trial. 'Another significant impact in our clerk's office was in 2023, when we had to manage one of the biggest trials in South Carolina history. Our small town came together and made everyone proud,' Hill said during a news conference at the time to announce her resignation. Advertisement 'Managing a trial with such importance to the people of South Carolina, as well as to the national and international media interest and public scrutiny, has caused me to reflect upon decisions involving my stay in the office of the clerk of court.' She added that her decision not to seek re-election in 2024 would allow her to 'focus on being a wife, a mother and a grandmother,' and that she wants to provide 'ample time to other Republican candidates' interested in the position of Colleton County court clerk. Her former attorney, Justin Bamberg, who has represented victims of Murdaugh's financial crimes, said at a March news conference that Hill's decision had nothing to do with any pending investigations involving the clerk. Fox News' Kelly Skehen contributed to this report.
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Murdaugh court clerk Becky Hill released on bond after arrest on perjury, misconduct charges
The former South Carolina court clerk who presided over the 2023 Alex Murdaugh murder trial has been released from jail after posting bond Wednesday following her arrest for alleged misconduct during the trial. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Wednesday afternoon announced that Hill, 57, has been charged with obstructing justice and misconduct in Colleton County and perjury in Richland County. She received a $30,000 bond in Colleton County and a $50,000 bond in Richland County. The charges stem from a January 2024 hearing in the South Carolina Supreme Court, when Justice Jean Toal ruled that a new trial was not necessary for Murdaugh, who was convicted in the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on his family hunting estate. Murdaugh had requested the new hearing based on allegations of jury tampering surrounding Hill, which Murdaugh's defense team had argued warranted a new trial. Charging documents state that when Toal asked Hill, "Did you allow anyone from the press to view sealed exhibits?" Hill responded, "No, ma'am," which is apparently inconsistent with evidence obtained by authorities. Fox News Digital has reached out to Hill's attorney, Will Lewis, for comment. Lewis said Hill "turned herself in" Wednesday during her hearing in Colleton County. "We found out about these charges last night," he said. The State Ethics Commission last year accused Hill of using her official position as Colleton County clerk for financial gain, specifically to promote her book about the Murdaugh case, part of which she admitted to and apologized for plagiarizing. WATCH: REBECCA HILL ON THE MURDAUGH VERDICT: The SLED charging documents released Wednesday also accuse Hill of promoting her book on social media. Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, Murdaugh's defense attorneys, told Fox News Digital in a Wednesday statement that while the charges against Hill "are serious, they are not surprising." "We have long raised our concerns about her conduct during and after the trial and this arrest further underscores the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process. Every defendant is entitled to a fair and impartial trial and we look forward to Alex Murdaugh finally getting that fair treatment," the attorneys said. Harpootlian told Fox News on Wednesday that he believes the charges against Hill will result in a new trial for Murdaugh. South Carolina attorney Eric Bland, who represented several victims of Murdaugh's financial crimes, said he "used to think that there was very little chance that our South Carolina Supreme Court would reverse former Chief Justice Jean Toal's decision in February 2024 when she denied Alex Murdaugh a new trial on his double murder conviction because of Becky Hill alleged jury interference." "I thought that if he was to get any relief, it would come after he exhausted his state court appeals and it would be on the federal level," Bland said in a Wednesday post on X. "According to the State Paper, the perjury charge arises out of her testimony that she gave in the February 2024 hearing in front of Justice Toal. I think this further complicates the situation and increases the chances that he will get a reversal and a new trial. It still will come down to whether the federal standard for alleged jury tampering should have been applied by Justice Toal or she was correct in applying the state standard." Hill was previously accused of sending herself nearly $10,000 in federal bonuses in the form of child support payments, according to a notice of hearing. She used federal funds to give food and gifts to court employees, including "Easter Goodies," Mother's and Father's Day gifts, and Valentine's Day gifts; paint supplies; flowers and decor; various meals for herself; office furniture; dog food, dog bones and a dog bed, among other items. SLED charging documents make note of the bonus payments. Of 12 total jurors who found Murdaugh guilty in 2023, 11 said Hill did not influence their decisions. One said he heard the clerk make comments about watching Murdaugh's body language but said her words did not influence his verdict. The former court clerk, who held her position for about four years, resigned in March following allegations of jury tampering in the Murdaugh trial but maintained that her decision to leave office was not the result of her conduct during the double murder trial. "Another significant impact in our clerk's office was in 2023, when we had to manage one of the biggest trials in South Carolina history. Our small town came together and made everyone proud," Hill said during a news conference at the time to announce her resignation. "Managing a trial with such importance to the people of South Carolina, as well as to the national and international media interest and public scrutiny, has caused me to reflect upon decisions involving my stay in the office of the clerk of court." She added that her decision not to seek re-election in 2024 would allow her to "focus on being a wife, a mother and a grandmother," and that she wants to provide "ample time to other Republican candidates" interested in the position of Colleton County court clerk. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB Her former attorney, Justin Bamberg, who has represented victims of Murdaugh's financial crimes, said at a March news conference that Hill's decision had nothing to do with any pending investigations involving the clerk.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Former clerk in Alex Murdaugh murder trial arrested
Rebecca Hill, a former court clerk who worked on the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, was arrested Wednesday and faces multiple charges in two South Carolina counties from her time as a county official. Hill, 57, was charged with one count of obstructing justice and two counts of misconduct in office in Colleton County, a sheriff's department spokesperson said. All three allegations are felonies. Hill also faces a misdemeanor charge of perjury in Richland County, according to a press release from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Hill was booked into the Colleton County Detention Center and released after posting a $30,000 bond — $10,000 for each charge in Colleton County. She was then processed at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County, where she remains in custody, the facility's website shows. CBS News reached out to Hill's attorney, Will Lewis of the South Carolina-based firm Richardson Thomas, LLC. Murdaugh, 56, was convicted in 2023 of murdering his wife and youngest son. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, which he is serving alongside a separate 27-year sentence for financial crimes. Murdaugh's legal team has long accused Hill of witness tampering during the 2023 murder trial. Hill has denied any jury tampering. "We are aware of the charges filed against Becky Hill and while these developments are serious, they are not surprising," Murdaugh's lawyers, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, said in a statement. "We have long raised our concerns about her conduct during and after the trial and this arrest further underscores the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process." In 2024, Murdaugh's attorneys appealed the murder and weapons charges because they claimed Hill violated ethics codes and prejudiced jurors to allegedly presume their client's guilt. The attorneys also accused Hill of allowing her personal motives to influence her professional conduct to promote a book she co-authored on the trial. Ultimately, the judge presiding over the case rejected the appeal, and Hill later resigned from her position. Warrants obtained by CBS News show that Hill's charges are related to her time as a Colleton County court clerk. The obstructing justice charge stems from a Feb. 28, 2023, incident when Hill allegedly made "sealed evidence" from the Murdaugh trial available to a third party, according to a warrant. One misconduct in office claim stems from a June 7, 2021, incident when Hill allegedly breached her duty of accountability by using her public office to promote her book "Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders," a warrant shows. The second misconduct in office charge is connected to actions that allegedly took place from Sept. 1, 2021, through March 5, 2024, when, according to a warrant, Hill "willfully, dishonestly and unlawfully" requested and received more than $10,000 in financial bonuses from the county government. The perjury misdemeanor charge in Richland County allegedly took place on Jan. 29, 2024, when Hill told a judge, under oath, that she did not allow any members of the press to view sealed exhibits during the trial, according to a warrant. CBS News has reached out to the Colleton County Clerk's Office and the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense. Sneak peek: Fatal First Date Trump teases "good news" on Russia-Ukraine war Pete Buttigieg says Biden's 2024 bid "maybe" hurt Democrats
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former county clerk in Murdaugh murder trial charged with obstruction of justice and misconduct
The former clerk of court who read the guilty verdicts against notorious convicted double murderer Alex Murdaugh is now facing multiple felony charges. Rebecca 'Becky' Hill was arrested early Wednesday morning in Colleton County, South Carolina, and charged with obstructing justice and two counts of misconduct, according to court records. She was also charged with one count of perjury in Richland County, South Carolina. Two of the charges are related to Murdaugh's 2023 murder trial. Hill was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to Colleton County jail records. She is accused of making available photographs that were sealed evidence, 'which prevented, obstructed, impeded, hindered, or potentially impeded or hindered the administration of justice' during Murdaugh's trial for the murders of his wife and son, according to an arrest warrant for the obstruction of justice charge. Hill is also accused of allegedly using her position as the clerk of court to promote her book, 'Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders,' resulting in one of the misconduct charges, according to the arrest warrant. The second misconduct charge appears unrelated to the Murdaugh trial. In Richland County, Hill is also facing a perjury charge for 'false, misleading, or incomplete' testimony she gave during an evidentiary hearing to establish if Murdaugh should get a new trial. Hill allegedly lied under oath when during testimony she was asked, 'Did you allow anyone from the press to view the sealed exhibits' by former state Chief Justice Jean Toal. Hill responded 'No Ma'am.' The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which released the arrest warrants, has been investigating Hill since early 2024 over allegations of jury tampering in Murdaugh's murder trial and whether she used her elected position for personal gain. Murdaugh's attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, told CNN in a statement in a statement the charges were not surprising for them. 'We are aware of the charges filed against Becky Hill and while these developments are serious, they are not surprising. We have long raised our concerns about her conduct during and after the trial and this arrest further underscores the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process. Every defendant is entitled to a fair and impartial trial and we look forward to Alex Murdaugh finally getting that fair treatment,' the attorneys said. In late 2023, Murdaugh's legal team requested a new trial based on allegations that Hill tampered with the jury by making comments implying Murdaugh's guilt to jurors. Last year, Toal, a retired Supreme Court of South Carolina chief justice, said that Hill was 'attracted by the siren call of celebrity' and made improper comments to the jury, but ruled the comments did not influence the verdict it reached. 'I simply do not believe that the authority of our South Carolina Supreme Court requires a new trial in a very lengthy trial such as this on the strength of some fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-influenced clerk of courts,' Toal said. Murdaugh's team has since appealed that ruling. Hill has repeatedly denied the allegations against her but resigned her position as clerk of court in March 2024. She maintained her resignation was unrelated to the state investigations.
