In a dramatic turn of events, Alex Murdaugh, the heir to a troubled legal dynasty, is set to face a new trial for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. This follows a groundbreaking decision by the South Carolina Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, the court announced that its five justices had unanimously decided to overturn Murdaugh’s conviction for the June 2021 killings. The original trial, dubbed the ‘trial of the century’ in the Lowcountry, was compromised due to jury tampering by court clerk Becky Hill.
The court’s 5-0 decision included a harsh critique of Hill, who was accused of seriously undermining Murdaugh’s credibility during his March 2023 trial. It was alleged that she sought to sway the jury towards a guilty verdict as she was penning a book about the case.
“Despite the considerable time, money, and effort invested in this extensive trial, we are compelled to overturn the denial of Murdaugh’s request for a new trial,” the justices stated. “This is due to Hill’s inappropriate external influences on the jury, necessitating a retrial.”
The statement further highlighted Hill’s actions: “As the Colleton County Clerk of Court, Hill egregiously undermined Murdaugh’s credibility and defense, leading to a presumption of prejudice that the State could not counter.”
They added, “Hill’s alarming interference with the jury occurred without the knowledge of the exceptional trial judge and the highly competent legal teams on both sides. Consequently, we are bound to reverse the post-trial court’s denial of Murdaugh’s motion and order a retrial in line with this decision.”
Despite the ruling, Murdaugh will not walk free from prison as he is serving separate 40-year and 27-year sentences on a slew of financial crimes.
Murdaugh, 57, was convicted in 2023 of the June 7, 2021, slayings of Maggie, 52, and his younger son, Paul, 22, in a high-profile trial watched gavel-to-gavel across the country.
Alex Murdaugh has been granted a new trial after he was found guilty of two murders in 2023
From left, Buster, Maggie, Paul and Murdaugh. On June 7, 2021, Maggie and Paul were shot dead at the family estate
The tale of Murdaugh’s spectacular fall from grace is one that has captivated the public for years.
This was a man who had it all, born into a powerful, wealthy family that had dominated the justice system in South Carolina’s Lowcountry for more than a century.
When Maggie and Paul were murdered, his life and reputation began to unravel.
The mother and son were shot dead at the dog kennels on the powerful legal family’s sprawling 17,000-acre Moselle estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on the night of June 7, 2022.
The killer had used two guns, both of which have never been found, with Paul’s wounds so catastrophic that his brain was entirely removed from his skull.
Murdaugh called 911, claiming to have returned home to find his loved ones’ bodies.
Following the slayings, other mysterious deaths tied to the prominent family fell under the spotlight, and his multi-million-dollar fraud schemes came to light.
Murdaugh even allegedly tried to hire a hitman, his distant cousin, Curtis ‘Cousin Eddie’ Smith, and stage his own shooting months after the family killings.
Finally, the double life of the prominent attorney was laid bare, culminating in his arrest for his wife’s and son’s murders.
Former Colleton County clerk of court Mary Becky Hill was accused of tampering with the jury
From left, Buster, Margaret, Paul and Murdaugh in a photo posted by Margaret for Father’s Day in 2020
During a high-profile six-week trial, jurors heard how Murdaugh’s life was imploding in the lead-up to the murders as his multi-million-dollar fraud schemes were about to be exposed.
Damning cell phone evidence captured by his murdered son in the moments before his death proved that Murdaugh had lied about his alibi that night.
Murdaugh had claimed he never went to the dog kennels with his wife and son that night.
During the trial, jurors were shown a cellphone video of a dog captured by Paul minutes before the final activity on the phone. In the background, his father’s distinctive voice could be heard, placing Murdaugh at the crime scene.
Murdaugh took the stand and confessed to lying about his alibi on the night of the murders. He also confessed to stealing millions from law firm clients but insisted he did not kill his wife and son.
The jury found him guilty of the murders and sentenced him to life in prison.
Since then, Murdaugh has maintained his innocence of the murders and continued to fight his conviction ever since.
His fight for a retrial was chiefly based on allegations that Hill, the Colleton County Clerk of Court during his high-profile trial, tampered with the jury.
Murdaugh has ‘got a good attitude’ about life in prison, his attorney said, and is actively involved in his appeal from behind bars
From left, Paul, Maggie and Buster. A source close to Buster said he has not spoken to his father much, though Harpootlian tells a different story
Hill, who was in charge of managing the jury and read out the guilty verdict to the court, pleaded guilty in December to four charges connected to the case: obstruction of justice, perjury, and two counts of misconduct in office.
The 58-year-old admitted to showing sealed court exhibits, including graphic crime scene photos, to a reporter during the trial and then lying about it. She also admitted to taking bonuses and promoting a tell-all book about the trial through her public office.
Prosecutors, however, argued that Hill’s actions did not sway the outcome of the case because the evidence against him was overwhelming and so his conviction should still stand.
During a hearing before the South Carolina Supreme Court in February, the five justices appeared to be swaying in favor of Murdaugh.
A lower court judge previously denied Murdaugh’s bid for a new trial.
Prosecutors had investigated allegations of jury tampering against Hill after three jurors or alternates claimed she may have been trying to influence them, but found there was not enough evidence to prove charges.
Hill, who resigned in disgrace in 2024, was handed three years’ probation.
In their fight for a new trial, Murdaugh’s legal team argued that Hill tried to influence the jury to return a guilty verdict because she was writing a book about the trial.
Maggie and Paul were gunned down, with two different firearms, at the dog kennels on the Murdaugh family’s Moselle estate on June 7, 2021
Murdaugh’s team also argued the jury should not have been able to hear about Murdaugh’s financial crimes.
During the murder trial, prosecutors presented a motive that the legal dynasty heir killed his wife and son in a bid to salvage his crumbling finances and reputation.
At the time, Murdaugh was awaiting trial on a string of financial fraud charges. When he took the stand to testify in his defense, he sensationally confessed to stealing millions from his law firm and legal clients – but insisted he was innocent of the murders.
In April 2024, Murdaugh was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 federal financial crimes. He was previously sentenced to 27 years on similar state charges, with the two sentences running concurrently.
