UPDATE: The Alex Murdaugh Murders

murdaugh1

Murdaugh Family

(Often referred to as the Murdaugh murders) centers on the June 7, 2021, killings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh (52), and son Paul Murdaugh (22)

By SyndicatedNews True Crime | SNN.BZ

Alex Murdaugh continues to serve two consecutive life sentences without parole for the 2021 murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul. As of early 2026, his appeal—including allegations of jury tampering—remains pending before the South Carolina Supreme Court after oral arguments on February 11, 2026. New date to be announced.

The Alex Murdaugh case (often referred to as the Murdaugh murders) centers on the June 7, 2021, killings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh (52), and son Paul Murdaugh (22), at the family’s Moselle hunting property in Colleton County, South Carolina. Alex Murdaugh, a prominent lawyer from a powerful legal family, was convicted of the murders. The case also involves a broader saga of alleged financial crimes, prior suspicious deaths, and other legal troubles.

Here’s a concise timeline of key events, drawn from court evidence, trial testimony, and major reports:

Pre-2021 Background Events

  • July 8, 2015 — Stephen Smith (19) found dead on a rural road in Hampton County, SC (initially ruled hit-and-run; ongoing questions about Murdaugh links).[10][14][35][48]
  • February 26, 2018 — Gloria Satterfield (57), family housekeeper, dies after a fall at Moselle. Alex later faces fraud charges over her settlement funds.[4][14][19][35][48]
  • February 24, 2019 — Paul Murdaugh (19) crashes family boat while intoxicated, killing Mallory Beach (19). Leads to lawsuits and financial scrutiny.[4][8][35][39][48]

June 7, 2021: Day of the Murders

  • Morning/Afternoon — Alex confronted at PMPED law firm about ~$792,000 missing funds.[1][17][42]
  • ~6:00–6:30 PM — Family texts/calls; Maggie mentions dinner and foot massage.[1][5][23]
  • ~6:40–7:00 PM — Alex returns to Moselle per vehicle data.[1][5][12]
  • Evening — Maggie and Paul at dog kennels; Paul’s Snapchat video (~8:09–8:11 PM) captures Alex’s voice, contradicting his alibi.[1][4][5][7][23]
  • ~9:00–9:30 PM — Estimated time of deaths (Maggie shot with rifle, Paul with shotgun near kennels).[1][4][19][46]
  • 10:06–10:07 PM — Alex calls 911 reporting bodies found.[1][4][8][19]
  • ~10:11–10:14 PM — Vehicle data shows Suburban moving from kennels to house.[5][12]

Post-Murder Developments

  • September 4, 2021 — Alex shot (non-fatally) roadside; later alleged self-orchestrated for insurance payout to son Buster.[8][14][19][46]
  • September 14, 2021 — Curtis Smith arrested; Alex faces related charges (later pleads guilty to financial crimes).[8][19]
  • 2021–2022 — Dozens of indictments for financial crimes (embezzlement, fraud, etc.) totaling millions.[1][8][17][42]
  • July 14, 2022 — Indicted on two murder counts and weapons charges.[1][4][7][9][37]

Alex claimed he visited his ill mother and discovered bodies upon return; denied being at kennels.

  • January 25–March 2, 2023 — Double murder trial in Colleton County; key evidence: kennel video, blood spatter, phone/vehicle data, financial motives.[1][4][5][12][23]
  • March 2, 2023 — Guilty on all counts after short deliberation.[1][4][8][19]
  • March 3, 2023 — Sentenced to two consecutive life terms without parole.[1][4][8][37]
  • March 9, 2023 — Appeal notice filed.[1]
  • Later 2023 — Guilty pleas to federal financial crimes.[8]
  • 2024–2025 — Appeals on jury tampering (clerk Becky Hill) and other issues; new trial denied in 2024; SC Supreme Court hears oral arguments (February 11, 2026).[1][52][53][54][56]
  • As of March 2026 — Oral arguments concluded February 11, 2026; SC Supreme Court reviewing (decision expected within 60–90 days post-hearing, potentially by April–May 2026; no ruling issued yet, conviction stands).[1][52][53]

Sources (click/tap any number above to jump here or directly to the site):

[1] CNN [2] Fox News [3] Reddit (r/MurdaughFamilyMurders) [4] The New York Times [5] Count on 2 (WCBD) [6] DocumentCloud [7] Wikipedia [8] Netflix Tudum [9] ABC7 Chicago [10] FITSNews [11] KSBW [12] WLTX [13] The Seattle Times [14] A&E [15] The Island Packet [16] YouTube (various trial clips) [17] CNN (updated timeline) [18] Reddit (detailed sources post) [19] NBC News [20] WJCL [21] Netflix Tudum (repeat reference) [22] YouTube (Rudofski testimony) [23] Count on 2 (repeat) [24] FITSNews (PDF) [25] DocumentCloud (repeat) [26] ABC7 Chicago (repeat) [27] NewsNation [28] Fox News (condensed PDF) [29] The Island Packet (repeat) [30] Fox Carolina [31] WRAL [32] CNN (family saga) [33] Reddit (opening statements) [34] Fox News (condensed repeat) [35] The New York Times (repeat) [36] Wikipedia (Murdaugh family) [37] WJCL (repeat) [38] YouTube (Alex testimony) [39] Netflix Tudum (repeat) [40] The Island Packet (repeat)

The appeal is still pending with no decision from the SC Supreme Court as of early March 2026. For real-time updates, click sources like CNN, NBC News, or The New York Times, or check local SC sites.

The Murdaugh murder case (involving Alex Murdaugh’s conviction for the 2021 murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul) has many public court documents available as PDFs from official sources, news outlets, and legal archives. Full trial transcripts, complete dockets, or all evidence files aren’t always freely downloadable in one place due to court restrictions, but numerous key filings, indictments, motions, and orders are accessible online.

Here are some direct links to notable publicly available PDF documents related to the case:

Other resources for more documents:

Note that while these are public records, availability can change, and some sensitive exhibits (e.g., autopsy reports or full evidence lists) may be sealed or redacted. If you’re looking for a specific document (e.g., trial transcripts or appeal briefs), provide more details for targeted help.

Timeline Determined by South Carolina Law Enforcement

murdaugh-murders-timeline-full_SC_Law_DeptDownload

Autopsy and Forensic Reports

Paul-and-Maggy-Murdaugh-AutopsyDownload

Indictments

murdaugh-indictments-7-14-2022Download

You can open a PDF containing references to the autopsy reports for Maggie and Paul Murdaugh here:

This file is part of the investigation materials related to the murders of Paul Murdaugh and Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh in the Murdaugh family murders. It references the 6-page autopsy report for Paul and the 8-page autopsy report for Maggie, along with other evidence reviewed in the case.

Key details from the autopsies (as described in trial testimony)

  • Autopsies were performed by forensic pathologist Ellen Riemer on June 10, 2021.
  • Paul Murdaugh (22)
    • Shot twice with a shotgun.
    • Fatal head wound caused catastrophic brain injury.
  • Maggie Murdaugh (52)
    • Shot multiple times with a .300 Blackout–style rifle.
    • Wounds described as immediately fatal.

Important note:

  • The full official autopsy reports and photos are largely sealed or restricted by court order to prevent public distribution of graphic evidence and to protect the victims’ families.

The actual full autopsy reports for Paul Murdaugh and Maggie Murdaugh (from their June 10, 2021 autopsies performed by Dr. Ellen Riemer at the Medical University of South Carolina) are not publicly available in complete, unredacted PDF form due to South Carolina health/privacy laws and court restrictions on graphic/autopsy materials in homicide cases.

These documents were referenced extensively during Alex Murdaugh’s 2023 murder trial (e.g., describing multiple gunshot wounds as “catastrophic” and “immediately fatal”), but full reports remain exempt from broad public disclosure to protect victim privacy and avoid dissemination of sensitive images/details.

Partial references and related forensic summaries appear in court filings (e.g., motions referencing autopsy pages, photos, and expert reviews), but no “cleaner PDF” of the original autopsy pages exists publicly. Trial testimony and expert affidavits (like from Kenneth Kinsey) summarize key findings:

  • Paul: Shot twice with a shotgun (chest and head; brain detached/exited skull).
  • Maggie: Shot five times with a rifle (torso, abdomen, thigh, wrist, head; head wound fatal).

For crime scene/forensic reports:

  • SLED crime scene investigation summaries and lab/forensic reports (e.g., DNA, trace evidence, ballistics) are partially public in redacted forms via court documents or leaks, but full unredacted versions are limited.
  • Key public examples include the Kinsey forensic affidavit (reviewing autopsies, photos, DNA, etc.) and SLED timelines.

For Stephen Smith (died July 8, 2015; initially ruled hit-and-run, later re-examined amid Murdaugh links):

  • The original autopsy report by Dr. Erin Presnell is publicly available as a PDF.

For Mallory Beach (died February 24, 2019, in Paul Murdaugh’s boat crash)

More Stories

fani_nathan_

NATHAN WADE SELLS FANI OUT

duggan

BREAKING NEWS: JUDGE HANNAH DUGGAN FOUND GUILTY ON FELONY

LOPEZ2

UPDATE! SHERIFF MARCOS LOPEZ INMATE 15-9097

error: