Alex Murdaugh found guilty of killing wife, son
STORY: Disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of killing his wife and son on Thursday in a unanimous verdict from a South Carolina jury.
The murder case has gripped the U.S. for two years.
Murdaugh, who comes from an influential legal family with immense political power around South Carolina’s Lowcountry region, was mostly expressionless as the verdict was announced.
Before Thursday, he’d admitted to lying about his alibi and to a list of financial crimes in confessions that dented his credibility.
However, even in late stages of the trial, Murdaugh said he had nothing to do with the killings.
“I didn’t shoot my wife or my son anytime, ever.”
Prosecutors said Murdaugh shot his wife and son at close range on their family estate on June 7, 2021, to generate sympathy and distract from his financial crimes which include theft of millions of dollars from his law partners and clients to feed a years-long addiction to opioids and support an expensive lifestyle.
One of the strongest pieces of evidence against Murdaugh was a video shot by his son Paul, which placed Alex Murdaugh at the crime scene, the dog kennels on his estate, just minutes before the murders occurred.
That contradicted with what he told investigators.
Defense lawyers accused law enforcement of fabricating evidence to frame Alex Murdaugh. They motioned for a mistrial, which was swiftly denied.
Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters spoke to reporters after the verdict.
"It doesn't matter who your family is, it doesn't matter how much money you have or people think you have. If you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder, then justice will be done in South Carolina."
Murdaugh may face up to 30 years behind bars for each of the two counts of murder when he’s sentenced on Friday.
