Alex Murdaugh’s wife and son were murdered in June 2021 and in their closing arguments on Wednesday, March,1,2023 state prosecutors claimed that Alex Murdaugh was the only person with the motive, means and opportunity to commit the murders.
Prosecutor Creighton Waters said:
People lie because they know they did something wrong. That’s why he lied, ladies and gentlemen.
On Thursday, March 2, 2023, the defense present its final arguments. On the night of June 7, 2021, Murdaugh is said to have fatally shot his wife Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh and son Paul Murdaugh on the expansive property known as Moselle in Islandton, South Carolina near the family’s dog kennels.
He is accused of two counts of murder and two counts of weapon possession, all of which he denies. Six weeks of testimony from more than 70 witnesses culminated in the jury’s visit to Moselle on Wednesday, March, 1 morning.
How Many Crimes did Alex Murdaugh Admit?
Murdaugh himself provided dramatic testimony over the course of two days last week, highlighting the defense case by vehemently denying any involvement in the deaths of his wife and son. Simultaneously, he admitted to investigators that he had lied about his whereabouts on the night of the murders.
He also admitted lying to cover up his theft of millions of dollars from his former clients and law firm. Alex Murdaugh, a former personal injury attorney and member of a dynastic family in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, has attracted national attention thanks to a case stranger than fiction.
His father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served as the local prosecutor in succession from 1920 to 2006. Murdaugh worked as a lawyer specializing in personal injury for a firm bearing his name.
His high profile, however, masked deeper problems; he was eventually charged with murder after allegations of embezzlement, resignation, a bizarre murder-for-hire and insurance scam plot, a stint in rehab for drug addiction, and dozens of financial crimes piled up against him.
If you’re interested in reading more about the Murdaugh case, you can find that information in our previous post:
- Alex Murdaugh Testifies Exactly Four Years After his Son Paul Murdaugh Terrible Boating Incident
- Where is Buster Murdaugh Now and What Did He Say About His Father?
- Alex Murdaugh’s Lawyer Partner Ronnie Crosby Exposes “Emotional” Behavior in Court
Why did Alex Murdaugh Kill the Family?
Prosecution witnesses say Murdaugh’s money issues prove his guilt. In her closing arguments, Waters detailed a decade’s worth of financial misdeeds on Murdaugh’s part, all leading up to the night of the murders on June 7, 2021.
He claimed Murdaugh was desperately trying to stay one step ahead after years of stealing from clients and the law firm. Waters argued that the defendant’s theft was motivated by his addiction and dependence on fast money, despite the defendant’s multimillion-dollar legal fee income.
In the early spring of 2021, the pressure on him increased. For example, Murdaugh’s chief financial officer testified that she had confronted him about the missing funds on the morning of June 7, 2021.
Second, in February of 2019, a boat owned by Murdaugh and allegedly piloted by Paul crashed, killing Beach, a young woman who was a friend of Murdaugh’s.
Beach’s family filed a lawsuit against Murdaugh. Attorneys for the prosecution pointed to June 10, 2021 hearing in the civil case as evidence that he was having financial difficulties. Waters explained that the man had been under a great deal of stress leading up to the day he killed his wife and son.
Waters argued that because of the murders, Murdaugh became a sympathetic figure and the pressure was lifted, at least temporarily. However, he was forced to resign on September 3, 2021, after his law firm discovered additional evidence of wrongdoing.
Murdaugh was shot in the head the next day in Hampton County and reported that he was attacked by a random person. Later, Murdaugh admitted that he had plotted his murder with another man so that his son Buster could collect the life insurance money.
We currently only know this much about Murdaugh’s case. We will let you know the latest developments in his case as soon as we hear about them. When that time comes, you can keep up with the latest news, deaths, murders, and more by following our Twitter account.