Alex Murdaugh Sentenced to Two Consecutive Life Terms for Double Slaying of Wife & Son
On Thursday, Alex Murdaugh, the fourth-generation descendant of a prominent Lowcountry legal, law enforcement and political dynasty, was convicted of killing his wife and son. This case was highly publicized around the world, drawing attention to the secluded yet corrupt region of South Carolina.[0]
Murdaugh was sentenced Friday to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and youngest son, Paul Murdaugh, after a two-and-a-half-hour jury deliberation.[1] At 6:41 p.m., the panel made their decision[2] After 76 witnesses had provided testimony over the course of a lengthy six-week trial, on Thursday the jury came to a verdict.[2]
At the trial, the most incriminating piece of evidence was a video from Paul's iPhone, obtained in 2022, that showed Murdaugh at the site of the double murder four minutes prior to it taking place.[3] At first, Murdaugh declared that he had not been near the dog kennels on the night of the murders. However, when he took the stand to speak in his own defense, he confessed to having lied about his location that night.[4]
Prosecutors argued that the pressure created by the imminent exposure of Murdaugh's secret world, which included a prescription painkiller addiction and financial crimes, drove him to slaughter his wife and son.[5] They also pointed to the chief financial officer of his law firm confronting Murdaugh about missing funds on the morning of June 7, 2021, and a hearing in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a deadly 2019 boat wreck that had the potential to reveal his financial problems.[6]
In the end, what may have been Murdaugh's Achilles heel was himself, and his admitted lies on the witness stand.
“This is a man who made his trade on lying. He lied about the most important facts in the case and effortlessly and easily pivoted to a new lie when confronted by something he wasn’t prepared for,” Assistant Solicitor Lionel Waters said in his closing argument.
Murdaugh, who was wearing a tan jumpsuit, arrived at the Colleton County Courthouse for his sentencing at 9:00 a.m.[7] [8] He is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:30 a.m.[8]
This piece of writing was initially released on March 2, 2023 at 7:08 PM.[9]
0. “Guilty verdict was ‘best outcome’ for Curtis ‘Cousin Eddie’ Smith” NewsNation Now, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.newsnationnow.com/banfield/alex-murdaugh-guilty-verdict-best-outcome-curtis-cousin-eddie-smith/
1. “Watch live: Murdaugh sentenced after guilty verdict” The Hill, 3 Mar. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/3882339-watch-live-murdaugh-sentenced-after-guilty-verdict
2. “Alex Murdaugh to be sentenced Friday in murder of wife, son” Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/us/alex-murdaugh-sentenced-friday-murder-wife-son
3. “Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder in fatal shooting of wife and son” Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/us/alex-murdaugh-convicted-thursday-fatally-shooting-wife-son
4. “Alex Murdaugh found guilty in the killing of wife, son” WOODTV.com, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.woodtv.com/news/alex-murdaugh-found-guilty-in-the-killing-of-wife-son
5. “Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murdering wife, son in June 2021” The State, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article272639013.html
6. “Alex Murdaugh's defense argues investigators ‘failed miserably'” KOCO Oklahoma City, 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.koco.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-march-2-2023/43149171
7. “Alex Murdaugh to be sentenced for murders of wife, son” WCBD News 2, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.counton2.com/the-murdaugh-investigation/alex-murdaugh-to-be-sentenced-for-murders-of-wife-son
8. “Alex Murdaugh Sentencing: Live video, coverage from the courtroom” WJCL News Savannah, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.wjcl.com/article/alex-murdaugh-sentencing/43175675
9. “Murdaugh verdict sends a Lowcountry message: No one is above the law | Opinion” Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article272688000.html
