Alex Murdaugh trial — live: Timeline reveals defendant’s restaurant search minutes after murders discovered
The prosecution in Alex Murdaugh’s double-murder trial brought its case to a close with a detailed timeline piecing together four weeks of dramatic testimony.
Among the revelations in the 88-page timeline was an internet search on Murdaugh’s phone for restaurant minutes after he called 911 about finding his wife and son’s bodies.
Over four weeks, the jury heard an extraordinary amount of detailed evidence from 61 prosecution witnesses. The final few were tasked with pulling all the strands together.
New revelations included Murdaugh’s plea for money from his bank manager days before the murders; that victims Maggie and Paul had discovered his stash of opioids; and that he called 911 only 20 seconds after allegedly discovering their bodies — having previously claimed he checked their pulses and tried turning Paul over.
Bombshell testimony from a SLED agent who pieced together a timeline from a multitude of data sources followed a gripping recreation of the brutal murders by a crime scene expert. The jury also heard about the “roadside shooting” in which Murdaugh confessed to orchestrating a purported botched assassination plot targeting himself.
The defence began presenting its case shortly before court adjourned for the holiday weekend.
Alex Murdaugh murder trial
Timeline reveals Murdaugh search for restaurant minutes after murders discovered
Murdaugh wife and son found ‘bags of pills’ month before murders
New car data places Murdaugh at the spot where wife’s phone was dumped
Murdaugh attorney mocked for ‘spicy’ cross-examination of agent
Alex Murdaugh trial shown sketch of fake shooter in failed hitman plot
Alex Murdaugh trial: Killer ambushed son and shot wife as she fled
Murdaugh police interview exposes wild inconsistencies between his alibi and witness accounts
Murdaugh police interview exposes wild inconsistencies in his alibi
11:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Dramatic footage has revealed Alex Murdaugh being confronted by law enforcement about wild inconsistencies in his alibi in a police interview two months on from the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
In the interview, which has never been seen before, the discrepancies between Mr Murdaugh’s version of events on the night of 7 June 2021 and the trove of evidence and witness testimony revealed at his murder trial was laid bare.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports.
Alex Murdaugh police interview exposes wild inconsistencies in alibi
Watch: Pills discovered by wife and son before their murders
08:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh trial hears dog caretaker describe strange state of kennels
05:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A man who took care of the dogs at Alex Murdaugh’s property has testified about strange details in crime scene photos at the disgraced legal scion’s murder trial.
Roger Dale Davis, who handled Mr Murdaughs’ dog kennels in the sprawling property of Moselle in Islandton, South Carolina, was called by the state to testify on Tuesday at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro.
Andrea Blanco reports on his testimony.
Alex Murdaugh trial shown new crime scene photos as dog caretaker testifies
Watch: Murdaugh’s attorney gets into testy exchange with witness
03:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Who are the key players in Alex Murdaugh murder trial?
01:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Rachel Sharp explains who’s who in the trial that is gripping the nation.
Who are the key players in Alex Murdaugh murder trial?
ICYMI: Both sides score wins in questioning of case’s lead agent
Saturday 18 February 2023 23:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A crime scene expert testified about where the shots were fired at the wife and son of Alex Murdaugh and in what order during Thursday’s testimony at the disgraced South Carolina attorney’s double murder trial.
Kenny Kinsey also told jurors that a mark on 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh’s thigh appeared to be a tread from a golf cart tire that she fell on after she was shot near dog kennels on the family’s property. Defense lawyers had asked several witnesses about the blemish and whether it could be a mark from a shoe.
Prosecution, defense get wins with Alex Murdaugh lead agent
Murdaugh grimaces as trial hears his bizarre 911 call after being shot in the head
Saturday 18 February 2023 21:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A visibly uncomfortable Alex Murdaugh grimaced as prosecutors played the 911 call in which he reported being shot in the head - in what turned out to be a botched hitman plot.
Andrea Blanco has the story.
Alex Murdaugh reacts to trial hearing his 911 call after being shot in the head
Alex Murdaugh looked up local restaurant minutes after police arrived at murder scene
Saturday 18 February 2023 21:35 , Megan Sheets
Disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh looked up a restaurant online just minutes after finding the butchered bodies of his wife and son, records show.
Prosecutors in Mr Murdaugh’s double murder trial on Friday presented a timeline of the evening on 7 June 2021, when Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were shot dead on their property in Islandton, South Carolina. Mr Murdaugh is accused of executing the slayings to distract from his growing legal and financial troubles.
To build a chronology of the events, agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) pulled records from the disbarred lawyer’s phone, as well as the victims’. The information collected from 6pm to 11pm on the day of the shootings shows several interactions between Maggie, Paul, Mr Murduagh and other relatives.
The report also shows a bizarre search by Mr Murdaugh at 10.40pm, just 34 minutes after alerting 911 dispatchers that he had found his wife and son’s bodies by the property’s dog kennels — and 15 minutes after the first deputy arrived on the scene.
“Alex Murdaugh searched ‘Whaley’s Edisto’ in Safari browser,” the timeline states.
The restaurant in Edisto Island is nearly an hour and a half away from the Murdaugh’s hunting state.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has more:
Alex Murdaugh looked up local restaurant minutes after police arrived at murder scene
Watch: Moment Alex Murdaugh claims he was shot by gunman on side of the road
Saturday 18 February 2023 19:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh spent $50,000 a week on drugs
Saturday 18 February 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Murdaugh spent a staggering $50,000 a week on drugs which he was buying from the man accused of being his co-conspirator in a botched hitman plot, jurors heard in dramatic courtroom testimony on Wednesday.
That seems like a lot. More than one person could physically consume.
Here’s our report:
Alex Murdaugh spent $50,000 a week on drugs before wife and son’s murders
Murdaugh’s detailed sketch of shooter... who never existed
Saturday 18 February 2023 15:30 , Oliver O'Connell
The jury in Alex Murdaugh’s trial has finally been presented with evidence of his botched hitman plot months after the murders of his wife and son - including a sketch of the nonexistent man he claimed shot him.
SLED Senior Special Agent Ryan Kelly was called by the prosecution on Thursday to testify about the day Mr Murdaugh was shot in the head on the side of a road in Hampton County on 4 September 2021.
Megan Sheets has the story.
Alex Murdaugh’s detailed sketch of fake shooter exposed at trial
Murdaugh trial hears how killer ambushed Paul before shooting Maggie
Saturday 18 February 2023 13:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Murdaugh allegedly ambushed his son Paul in the feeding room of the family’s dog kennels before turning on his wife Maggie who tried to flee only to be shot and killed on her knees, according to chilling testimony from a top crime scene expert.
Dr Kenny Kinsey, an Orangeburg County sheriff’s deputy and crime scene expert, gave graphic testimony in the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina on Thursday, where he walked jurors through each moment of the horrific 7 June 2021 attack.
Rachel Sharp reports.
Alex Murdaugh trial hears killer ambushed Paul before shooting Maggie on her knees
‘Did you kill your wife and son?’
Saturday 18 February 2023 11:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Newly-released footage has revealed the dramatic moment that Alex Murdaugh was first confronted by law enforcement for the first time about allegedly killing his wife and son.
Footage of a police interview with the disgraced legal dynasty heir was shown for the first time in Colleton County Courthouse on Wednesday as the prosecution nears the end of its case in his double murder trial.
The interview was Mr Murdaugh’s third since the 7 June 2021 murders – and came two months on from the slayings on 11 August 2021.
Dramatic moment Alex Murdaugh is first asked by police if he killed his wife and son
Key revelations from the Alex Murdaugh murder trial... so far
Saturday 18 February 2023 08:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Need to catch up on the trial as the defence begins its case? Here’s what we’ve learned so far.
‘Confession’, bloody scene and ‘clean’ shirt: Key moments from Alex Murdaugh trial
Murdaugh attorney mocked for ‘spicy’ cross-examination of agent
Saturday 18 February 2023 05:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Murdaugh’s defence attorney has been mocked for his “spicy” cross-examination of a law enforcement official who testified about the accused killer’s botched hitman plot.
Dick Harpootlian resorted to shouting at SLED Senior Special Agent Ryan Kelly during an intensely combative exchange on Friday, which marked day 20 of Mr Murdaugh’s trial for the double murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
Rachel Sharp has been watching the trial for The Independent.
Alex Murdaugh attorney mocked for ‘spicy’ cross-examination of agent over hitman plot
Watch: What was Buster Murdaugh’s reaction to today’s evidence?
Saturday 18 February 2023 03:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A trial watcher asked correspondent GiGi McKelvey @PrettyLiesAlibi if the demeanor of #AlexMurdaugh’s son, Buster, changed in court while the family murders timeline was presented. “His face was very red,” McKelvey said. pic.twitter.com/ssoucVcARk
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) February 17, 2023
Car data places Murdaugh at the spot where wife’s phone was dumped
Saturday 18 February 2023 02:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Newly obtained car data has placed Alex Murdaugh at the spot where his wife’s phone was later found dumped – before he quickly sped away from the scene.
The data, handed over by General Motors just last week, shows the disgraced legal dynasty heir left the family home in his 2021 Chevy Suburban at 9.07pm on the night of 7 June 2021 – just minutes after he allegedly shot and killed his wife Maggie and son Paul.
Rachel Sharp has the details.
New car data places Alex Murdaugh at the spot where wife’s phone was dumped
In pictures: Last day of prosecution case
Saturday 18 February 2023 01:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh’s wife and son found his ‘bags of pills’ one month before murders
Saturday 18 February 2023 00:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A bombshell voicemail message has revealed that Alex Murdaugh’s wife Maggie and son Paul found “bags of pills” in the accused killer’s bag just one month before their murders.
The message, on 6 May 2021, shows Paul confronting his father about the discovery of the drugs – at a time when the disgraced attorney claims he was spending up to $60,000 a week to feed a 20-year opioid addiction.
Rachel Sharp reports.
Alex Murdaugh’s wife and son found ‘bags of pills’ one month before murders
Watch: GPS vehicle data challenges Murdaugh’s version of events
Friday 17 February 2023 23:40 , Oliver O'Connell
GPS data from #AlexMurdaugh’s vehicle was presented in the disgraced lawyer’s family murders trial Friday. Prosecutors allege this data proves Murdaugh not only lied about his timeline on June 7, 2021 but was also at his S.C. home around the time Paul and Maggie were killed. pic.twitter.com/RExprPBGxg
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) February 17, 2023
Prosecutors reveal flurry of steps after killings
Friday 17 February 2023 22:40 , Oliver O'Connell
After nearly an hour of no activity, Alex Murdaugh‘s cellphone suddenly showed a flurry of steps just before he drove away in his SUV some 16 minutes after investigators think his wife and son were killed, a state agent testified Friday at the disgraced South Carolina lawyer’s double murder trial.
GPS data from Murdaugh’s SUV and cellphone data also shows Murdaugh called 911 less than 20 seconds after he arrived at the kennels where the bodies of his son and wife were, a short distance from their home. Murdaugh told the 911 operator he checked them to see if they were alive before the made the emergency call.
Read on:
Murdaugh prosecutors reveal flurry of steps after killings
Watch: Judge denies motion to dismiss case with directed verdict
Friday 17 February 2023 22:19 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Clifton Newman refused to grant the defense’s motion for a directed verdict to dismiss the murder charges against #AlexMurdaugh. His lawyers filed the motion on Friday after prosecutors finished presenting their case against the disgraced South Carolina attorney. pic.twitter.com/ElorXoMpJy
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) February 17, 2023
Court adjourns
Friday 17 February 2023 21:38 , Oliver O'Connell
Tindal is allowed to step down from the witness box.
Harpootlian, speaking on behalf of the defence team, apologises for not having another witness lined up to fill the time before court has to adjourn for the day, but — as he stated earlier — does not want to begin new witness testimony and have it interrupted by the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend.
Court adjourns until Tuesday at 9.30am on Tuesday with the defence’s third witness.
Friday 17 February 2023 21:34 , Oliver O'Connell
On cross-examination from prosecutor John Meadors, Tindal says SLED and the sheriff's office issued a formal, letterhead statement without the "no danger to the public" line a few hours after an emailed statement to @postandcourier with the line included. Both 6/8/21.
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) February 17, 2023
New Witness: Shalane Tindal, ex-Colleton County Sheriff’s office
Friday 17 February 2023 21:28 , Oliver O'Connell
The next witness is Shalane Tindal, she worked for Colleton County Sheriff’s office as the public information officer at the time of the murders.
Harpootlian asks her about the statement issued at the time of the murders that said that there is “no danger to the public”.
Tindal says the statement was agreed on by Colleton County Sheriff’s office and SLED.
The two paragraphs including the specific quote are entered into evidence but not the full article as it appeared in the Post & Courier.
During the state’s case, no one wanted to take responsibility for the quote.
Tindal says she and SLED’s public information officer coordinated on numerous occasions and finalised the statement for publication.
Friday 17 February 2023 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell
In cross-examination by the state, Harvey is asked to clarify that he did not take the temperatures of the bodies. He did not, but adds that thermometers are not always so accurate.
He concedes to deputy assistant attorney general Don Zelenka that there are many factors (air temperature, body weight, whether they are covered, etc) that determine body temperature after death.
Again, the 9pm time of death is an estimate.
Friday 17 February 2023 21:16 , Oliver O'Connell
He took photographs of the scene including inside the feed room, outside of which Paul’s body lay and inside where we know he was first shot.
To determine the time of death, Harvey said: “I simply put my hands in their armpits to determine how warm they are.”
Rigor mortis had not set in yet and he determined Maggie and Paul had been dead for between one and three hours. Their death certificates say 9pm.
Harpootlian contends that based on Harvey’s testimony they could have died between 8pm and 10pm.
The state’s case puts their death at approximately 8.50pm based on their cell phone data.
New Witness: Richard Harvey, coroner
Friday 17 February 2023 21:10 , Oliver O'Connell
The first defence witness is Richard Harvey, the elected Colleton County coroner.
He has been the coroner for the county for 30 years.
He was notified of the murders at 10.30pm on 7 June 2021 and arrived on the scene at 11.04pm.
Defence case begins
Friday 17 February 2023 21:07 , Oliver O'Connell
The jury is brought back in and the defence calls its first witness.
We heard earlier that the defence team would call one or two witnesses today who are not expected to need to be carried over the weekend.
Judge: Are you ready to roll with the defense?
Harpoolian: Rock n roll, your honor.
Judge: Smiles "Rock n roll!"#AlexMurdaugh pic.twitter.com/dU9oPR0g6C— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
Directed verdict motion denied
Friday 17 February 2023 21:04 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Newman says they have had 18 days of direct and circumstantial evidence and the law gives no weight to either. Cases can be proven by either or both.
At this stage of the proceedings, he says, there is enough evidence to find the defendant guilty if the jury believes it.
Motion denied.
Defence moves to dismiss case
Friday 17 February 2023 21:02 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Murdaugh’s defence team asks Judge Newman for a directed verdict dismissing the case, claiming the state has failed to prove its case.
Waters responds by cataloging all of the evidence they have presented.
This is fairly standard in a criminal trial.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:53 , Oliver O'Connell
There is a brief recess and the jury is sent out while the prosecution attends to some housekeeping matters regarding their evidence exhibits (550 in total).
They will then formally rest their case.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:52 , Oliver O'Connell
In a brief re-cross-examination Barber asks Rudofski if they checked to see if anyone drove by Murdaugh on his drive to and from Almeda on the night of the murders.
Rudofski says there is nothing in the data and that would be speculation.
No further questions.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell
Court resumes with Attorney Creighton Waters on redirect testimony of Agent Peter Rudofski.
He begins by pointing out the discrepancy in the comparison of the timings of Murdaugh’s drive to and from his mother’s house versus the test drive conducted by SLED is that Murdaugh paused in the driveway for several minutes.
Waters also establishes that the backlight on Maggie’s phone turned off at 9.07pm — the same time that Murdaugh’s car went past the spot where her phone was found the next day.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:38 , Oliver O'Connell
Court is on a short break.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:38 , Oliver O'Connell
As Barber finishes his cross-examination he shows another message, from Murdaugh to Maggie after the discovery of the pills.
“I am very sorry that I do this to all of you. I love you.”
The day after Paul sent #AlexMurdaugh the text about mom finding several bags of pill in his computer bag, Alex sent this text to Maggie: pic.twitter.com/7tVmoW7HTH
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
Rudofski says that Maggie didn’t respond to the message.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:35 , Oliver O'Connell
Barber’s questioning is establishing that it is possible to look at phone or car data and come to different conclusions.
For example, he argues that while Murdaugh’s phone is recording steps in the moments after the murders, Maggie’s is not. This implies that Murdaugh could not have taken her phone with him.
Rudofski argues that at 9.06pm it looks like the same person has both phones as Maggie’s phone changed orientation just two seconds before Murdaugh called it.
It seems likely the defence case will include witnesses who interpret the data presented to the jury in a different way.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:22 , Oliver O'Connell
Barber asks if it was unreasonable for Murdaugh to call Paul’s friend Rogan in the moments after the 911 call. He called him third after his two brothers.
Paul’s phone had missed calls and messages from Rogan.
Rudofski says he would’ve been in a state of shock and would have unlikely to have been on his phone.
Further odd phone behaviour includes reading a group message from Michael Gunn with a picture of a beautiful woman and googling a restaurant in Edisto Beach.
Barber argues this was either Murdaugh acting in a state of shock or fat-fingering his phone.
Rudofski counters that this is off behaviour for someone who has just discovered their wife and son brutally slain.
Friday 17 February 2023 20:03 , Oliver O'Connell
Barber’s questions are largely about the relevance or significance of specific types of data or data points.
Rudofski is largely answering that he is not the expert on the data or technology — he is just the person who assembles all of the data into a readable timeline.
Friday 17 February 2023 19:52 , Oliver O'Connell
In making his point Barber hands Rudofski a timer to demonstrate how long 20 seconds is.
Barber has Rudosfski play a timer that goes for 20 seconds to show how long 20 second can be. That's the time between #AlexMurdaugh pulling up to the kennels and calling 911. pic.twitter.com/IViR1RlFYQ
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 19:48 , Oliver O'Connell
Barber also establishes that when Murdaugh drove past the area where Maggie’s phone was eventually found, he didn’t slow down, but was consistently picking up speed after leaving Moselle.
There is a back-and-forth between Rudofski and Barber about whether Murdaugh would be able to see the bodies in his headlights as he approaches the kennels. Rudofski says he was not there and does not know what Murdaugh may or may not have seen.
Barber is trying to argue if Murdaugh had a longer time period than 20 seconds in which to see the bodies, examine them, and then call 911.
Friday 17 February 2023 19:42 , Oliver O'Connell
Defence attorney Philip Barber begins questioning Rudofski by confirming that Murdaugh’s drive from Moselle to his mother’s house in Alameda on the night of the murders took 16 minutes and the return took 18 minutes.
A test drive by SLED agents took 17 minutes and 35 seconds. Rudofski says the conditions were different (it was daylight for a start - unclear when the road was repaved).
Regarding the speed of the car hitting 80mph, Barber argues that it is not unusual for someone to accelerate on a straight road.
Rudofski says “a little bit of gas” is not unusual but this was at night in a 55mph zone with wild deer running loose.
Court resumes
Friday 17 February 2023 19:31 , Oliver O'Connell
Court resumes after lunch and the jury is being brought in.
Cross-examination of Agent Peter Rudofski will begin soon.
New car data places Murdaugh at the spot where wife’s phone was dumped
Friday 17 February 2023 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell
Newly-obtained car data has placed Alex Murdaugh at the spot where his wife’s phone was later found dumped – before he quickly sped away from the scene.
The data, handed over by General Motors just last week, shows the disgraced legal dynasty heir left the family home in his 2021 Chevy Suburban at 9.07pm on the night of 7 June 2021 – just minutes after he allegedly shot and killed his wife Maggie and son Paul.
One minute later, while driving at a speed of 42 mph, his car passed the very spot along Moselle road where Maggie’s cell phone was recovered from the shrubbery the next day.
Rachel Sharp has the details.
New car data places Alex Murdaugh at the spot where wife’s phone was dumped
Bombshell voicemail shows Alex Murdaugh’s wife and son found ‘bags of pills’
Friday 17 February 2023 19:02 , Oliver O'Connell
A bombshell voicemail message has revealed that Alex Murdaugh’s wife Maggie and son Paul found “bags of pills” in the accused killer’s bag just one month before their murders.
The message, on 6 May 2021, shows Paul confronting his father about the discovery of the drugs – at a time when the disgraced attorney claims he was spending up to $60,000 a week to feed a 20-year opioid addiction.
“I am still in EB because when you get here we have to talk. Mom found several bags of pills in your computer bag,” it says.
It is not clear whether Mr Murdaugh responded to the message left by his son or if the family members confronted him about the drugs in person.
Rachel Sharp has the details from a dramatic moment in court.
Alex Murdaugh’s wife and son found ‘bags of pills’ one month before murders
ICYMI: Murdaugh trial hears how killer ambushed Paul before shooting Maggie on her knees
Friday 17 February 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Murdaugh allegedly ambushed his son Paul in the feeding room of the family’s dog kennels before turning on his wife Maggie who tried to flee only to be shot and killed on her knees, according to chilling testimony from a top crime scene expert.
Dr Kenny Kinsey, an Orangeburg County sheriff’s deputy and crime scene expert, gave graphic testimony in the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina on Thursday, where he walked jurors through each moment of the horrific 7 June 2021 attack.
Rachel Sharp has the details.
Alex Murdaugh trial hears killer ambushed Paul before shooting Maggie on her knees
Murdaugh attorney mocked for ‘spicy’ cross-examination
Friday 17 February 2023 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Murdaugh’s defence attorney has been mocked for his “spicy” cross-examination of a law enforcement official who testified about the accused killer’s botched hitman plot.
Dick Harpootlian resorted to shouting at SLED Senior Special Agent Ryan Kelly during an intensely combative exchange on Friday, which marked day 20 of Mr Murdaugh’s trial for the double murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
Rachel Sharp reports.
Alex Murdaugh attorney mocked for ‘spicy’ cross-examination of agent over hitman plot
Friday 17 February 2023 18:11 , Oliver O'Connell
Waters ends his questioning of Agent Rudofski with pictures of Maggie and her sister and Maggie with sons Paul and Buster sent not long before the murders.
The state's ends their questioning by showing pictures of Maggie and her sister and Maggie with Paul and Buster. Lunch break then cross-exam. #AlexMurdaugh pic.twitter.com/XMjG5LpFtM
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
The court breaks for lunch and cross-examination will begin at 2.20pm.
Friday 17 February 2023 18:09 , Oliver O'Connell
Four days before the murders Murdaugh sends a voicemail to Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte needing more money.
“I need to extend farm credit line another 600k. My dad will sign also if needed. How much turnaround will that take?”
AM texts Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte needing more money 4 days before the slayings pic.twitter.com/uox4jBPKR6
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 18:08 , Oliver O'Connell
One month before the murders, on 6 May, Paul Murdaugh leaves his father a voicemail:
“I am still in EB because when you get here we have to talk. Mom found several bags of pills in your computer bag.”
Maggie Murdaugh’s browser history from 26 May includes numerous searches trying to identify different types of pills “white pill 20 on one side rp” and “green gel pill p30” — these appear to be oxycodone and chlordiazepoxide.
Marian Proctor, Maggie’s sister and Alex Murdaugh had described Paul as the “Little Detective” for searching out his father’s pills.
12 days before the murders, Maggie was doing research on pills - (oxycodone and chlordiazepoxide) pic.twitter.com/QruyboiiU8
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 17:51 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh arrived at the kennels at 10.05.57pm and made the 911 call at 10.06.14pm, less than 20 seconds later.
He had previously said in interviews that he checked the bodies of Paul and Maggie for pulses and even tried to turn Paul over after arriving at the kennels.
Friday 17 February 2023 17:46 , Oliver O'Connell
While Maggie’s phone is locked and lying by the roadside, the backlight of the screen goes on and off as unanswered texts and calls come in from Murdaugh and Paul’s friend Rogan.
At one point Murdaugh places an unanswered call to Paul, who also receives an unanswered call and text from Rogan.
This occurs as Alex is leaving and travelling back to Moselle from his parents’ house in Almeda.
He also has a phone conversation with his friend Chris Wilson. This would’ve occurred as he was driving at up to 80mph down a dark, pot-holed road.
Friday 17 February 2023 17:38 , Oliver O'Connell
Part of the timeline shows the phone activity of the Murdaughs’ employee CB Rowe who was considered a possible suspect by some.
He is nowhere near the Moselle Road property during that evening and was at home in Fairfax.
Friday 17 February 2023 17:34 , Oliver O'Connell
No movement between 8.09pm and 9.02pm would correspond with Murdaugh’s story about being asleep on the couch.
However, he has been identified as the voice in the background of the kennel video recorded by Paul by more than half a dozen people who were close friends of the family.
Friday 17 February 2023 17:24 , Oliver O'Connell
Waters reminds the jury through his questioning of Rudofski that Murdaigh repeatedly denied going down to the kennels that night.
From 9.02.18pm to 9.06.47pm Alex Murdaigh’s phone travels 283 steps. His movement suddenly picks up after the time of the murders.
Rudofski created a steps/minute pace spreadsheet for Alex and Paul Murdaugh, showing AM’s pace picked up CONSIDERABLY right after the estimated time of the killings. I also did this. Oh well pic.twitter.com/gMgk5OZJaD
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 17:19 , Oliver O'Connell
8.49.01pm - Paul Murdaugh’s phone is locked.
8.49.31pm - Maggie Murdaugh’s phone is locked after reading the group text message.
8.49.35pm - Rogan texts Paul. The message is never read.
This is believed to be the time of the murders.
Between 8.53pm and 8.55pm Maggie’s phone is on the move and travels 59 steps and makes several orientation changes. It is believed that someone moved her phone after her death.
Friday 17 February 2023 17:10 , Oliver O'Connell
As the timeline progresses we are reminded that the group text sent to family members about visiting Murdaugh’s father in hospital. It was read by Maggie Murdaugh less than 20 minutes after it was sent and is believed to be the last message she read at 8.49pm.
Murdaugh did not read it until the next day.
Friday 17 February 2023 17:03 , Oliver O'Connell
Reminder: You can watch Agent Rudofski’s exhaustive reconstruction of the timeline live on our YoueTube channel.
Friday 17 February 2023 16:51 , Oliver O'Connell
Agent Rudofski is walking the jury through the exhaustive timeline. Much of this is confirming earlier testimony and framing it in relation to other evidence presented in court.
There is a full log of phone activity from Paul and Maggie, but Alex Murdaugh’s phone (as we have already heard) has no call log from 6.52pm until 9.04pm.
Friday 17 February 2023 16:36 , Oliver O'Connell
The timeline includes all texts and calls between relevant parties and the source of the extracted data.
Timeline starts at 6:04pm with Paul Murdaugh's phone call to Will Lovin.
Also includes Maggie's phone at 6:09:48 text to Paul saying she's getting a pedicure. Note: There's no evidence she had her nails done that day. #AlexMurdaugh pic.twitter.com/1KIKnBERcd— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 16:31 , Oliver O'Connell
Court resumes and Agent Rudofski is now explaining the timeline of the murder case as he has put it together using all of the data that has been collected and presented throughout the trial.
Everything is colour-coded, labelled and mapped.
Prior to testimony resuming, Waters revealed that Rudofski is his last witness.
Harpootlian tells Judge Newman that he will motion today for a directed verdict — asking him to acquit Murdaugh on the basis that prosecutors haven’t proven their case.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:58 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh leaves the house for the kennels at 10.05pm and arrived within a minute.
The 911 call came at 10.06pm.
At 10.11.54pm he drove back to the house (to get the shotgun).
He drove back down to the kennel at 10.14pm while still on the phone to 911.
Court takes its mid-morning break.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:55 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh leaves the Almeda property at 9.43pm (21 minutes after arriving). It takes him almost two minutes to exit onto the main road having paused on the driveway.
He arrives at the driveway of Moselle at 10pm on the dot. 30 seconds later he is halfway down the drive going at 22mph.
He drove an average speed of 46.5mph back from Almeda, reaching a max speed of 80mph the new fastest speed for the day).
Rudofski testifies that the road was repaved after the murders and it was dark when Murdaugh made the journey. There are also a lot of wild deer that may run into the road. He says he wouldn’t “run code” (emergency driving with lights on) on that road at that speed in its condition at the time.
The speed limit is 55mph.
Rudofski testifies that the road conditions between Moselle and Almeda were poor, with a lot of potholes and a heavy deer population. The posted speed limit was 55 mph.
Rudofski testifies that even police rushing to emergencies wouldn’t go 80 mph on that road.— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 15:49 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaugh arrives at his parents’ home in Almeda at 9.22pm having driven at 52mph on average (max 74mph - the fastest he drove all day).
The data appears to show Murdaugh driving onto a grassy area near the treeline towards some outbuildings beside the driveway and carport, 36 seconds after turning into the driveway.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:43 , Oliver O'Connell
Murdaigh arrives at the law firm at 12.21pm having travelled at an average speed of 37mph (max 60mph)
He left the law firm at 6.24pm and arrived back home at 6.42pm at an average speed of 41mph (max 54.4mph).
Murdaugh left the house for his parents’ house at 9.07pm.
At 9.08.36pm, travelling at 42mph he passes the site where Maggie’s phone was found. After passing that location the SUV accelerates, increasing speed to 68mph over five minutes.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:35 , Oliver O'Connell
We are being walked through maps of the movements of the SUV on 7 June 2021 made up from 4,820 GPS points. Murdaugh left for work at 12.07pm.
Here’s an overview of some of the maps:
This shows the area around the law firm in Hampton and the area around Almeda where #AlexMurdaugh's parents lived. pic.twitter.com/peA3zDYnEM
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 15:26 , Oliver O'Connell
Rudofski testified he worked on the timeline for a year and then just last week he got new data from General Motors about Murdaugh’s 2021 Chevy Suburban.
The new data includes GPS and speed data which were not previously available.
SLED Special Agent Peter Rudofski takes the stand in SC v. #AlexMurdaugh @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/FJFuXUUuTb
— Angenette Levy (@Angenette5) February 17, 2023
New Witness: Agent Peter Rudofski, SLED
Friday 17 February 2023 15:23 , Oliver O'Connell
The next witness for the state is SLED Agent Peter Rudofski.
His focus in the investigation is to put all of the available data in the investigation and put it into one readable timeline document.
I’m sure Murdaugh trial-watchers everywhere are relieved.
The myriad of evidence presented so far may now actually be condensed into a digestible format for the jury.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:17 , Oliver O'Connell
Kelly is a brick wall as he is cross-examined.
Harpootlian is getting increasingly frustrated, at one point addressing the witness as “Senior Special Agent” in an almost sarcastic way, before reasking a question in a slow, halting way, as if Kelly couldn’t understand him.
Kelly says he did not speak with any medical personnel at the hospital on the day of the shooting as to whether Murdaugh was competent to answer questions.
Here’s a taste of the back and forth between the two:
Kelly says SLED didn’t ask because medical personnel wouldn’t have answered anyway.
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) February 17, 2023
Friday 17 February 2023 15:11 , Oliver O'Connell
In redirect, Waters reestablishes the timeline of the when Murdaugh was questioned and when he was taken into custody.
Murdaugh gave voluntary interviews to SLED on 4 September 2021 (the day of the shooting) and 6 September. Kelly testifies that he understood the questions and gave consistent answers in both interviews.
Murdaugh then confessed in an interview on 13 September.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:04 , Oliver O'Connell
State prosecutor Creighton Waters begins redirect by asking about Murdaugh’s interview while at the hospital. The supposition is that Murdaugh was heavily medicated and not compos mentis.
Harpootlian objects and says that they would need to drag out testimony into next week with hospital staff to speak about Murdaugh’s condition. The jury is sent out.
Water says his questions are limited and the jury is brought back in.
Friday 17 February 2023 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell
There is a moment of levity and a ripple of laughter across the court as Kelly says that some of the best confessions he’s received were from defence attorneys.
“Not this defence attorney,” counters Harpootlian.
The defence strategy might be to establish that Murdaugh was badly wounded and then very cooperative.
Cross-examination ends.
Friday 17 February 2023 14:55 , Oliver O'Connell
Through this somewhat hostile back and forth, Harpootlian establishes that Murdaugh reached out proactively to confess to orchestrating the roadside shooting incident and making up the story about an unknown assailant.
He was brought back to South Carolina from rehab and taken into custody.
Friday 17 February 2023 14:53 , Oliver O'Connell
Defence attorney Dick Harpootlian begins by questioning Kelly about the wounds suffered by Murdaugh after the roadside shooting.
Kelly says he is not a doctor but agrees he told the family that Murdaugh had been shot in the head and states he has never denied that.
The tone of the questioning is combative. Harpootlian is picking at every detail and Kelly making him work for every point of fact.
At one point, Judge Newman reprimands Harpootlian, reminding him that he cannot testify.
Court resumes
Friday 17 February 2023 14:38 , Oliver O'Connell
The trial resumes for what is expected to be the final day of the presentation of the prosecution’s case against Murdaugh.
Judge Clifton Newman presiding. Agent Ryan Kelly is on the witness stand and will be cross-examined by the defence team regarding the alleged botched roadside hitman job targetting Murdaugh, that he has admitted setting up.
The jury is brought in.
Watch the Alex Murdaugh double-murder trial LIVE
Friday 17 February 2023 14:35 , Oliver O'Connell
Day 20: What to expect in court today
Friday 17 February 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp
The trial will resume at 9.30am ET on Friday.
The day will begin with the cross-examination of SLED Senior Special Agent Ryan Kelly.
Alex Murdaugh’s defence attorney Dick Harpootlian told the court it would be a lengthy cross so it was postponed until today because the trial had a hard stop at 4.30pm ET on Thursday,
Agent Kelly testified about the bizarre September 2021 roadside shooting of Mr Murdaugh.
On 4 September 2021 – three months on from the murders – the disgraced attorney was ambushed in what he initially claimed was a drive-by shooting along a road in Hampton County. He checked into rehab the following day, announcing that he was struggling with a 20-year opioid addiction and that he had resigned from his law firm PMPED.
But, Mr Murdaugh’s story about the roadside shooting soon unravelled and he confessed to law enforcement that he had orchestrated the saga, paying Curtis Eddie Smith to shoot and kill him in an assisted suicide plot so that his surviving son Buster could get a $10m life insurance windfall.
Both Mr Smith and Mr Murdaugh were then arrested and charged over the incident.
On Thursday, jurors heard both the 911 call and a hospital police interview in which Mr Murdaugh lied that he had been ambushed and shot.
Then, jurors heard his 13 September 2021 police interview where he confessed to orchestrating the entire plot.
Prosecutors are likely to rest – or be close to resting – their case in court today.
WATCH: Moment Alex Murdaugh claims he was shot by gunman on side of the road
Friday 17 February 2023 13:45 , Rachel Sharp
In court on Thursday, jurors heard a hospital police interview on 4 September 2021 in which Alex Murdaugh lied that he had been ambushed and shot.
That day – three months on from the murders – the disgraced attorney called 911 claiming he was shot in a drive-by shooting along a road in Hampton County.
But, Mr Murdaugh’s story about the roadside shooting soon unravelled and he confessed to law enforcement that he had orchestrated the saga, paying Curtis Eddie Smith to shoot and kill him in an assisted suicide plot so that his surviving son Buster could get a $10m life insurance windfall.
Listen below to the fake account Mr Murdaugh gave to police as he was being treated for a “superficial” wound to the head:
RECAP Day 19: Murdaugh grimaces as trial hears his bizarre 911 call after being shot in the head
Friday 17 February 2023 13:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A visibly uncomfortable Alex Murdaugh grimaced as prosecutors played his 911 call after he was shot in a botched assisted suicide plot.
On the nineteenth day of Mr Murdaugh’s trial, juries heard a bizarre call he made to 911 dispatchers moments after being shot in the head on the side of a road in Hampton County in September 2021. The shooting happened nearly three months after his son Paul and wife Maggie Murdaugh’s murders, which Mr Murdaugh is now accused of perpetrating to distract from his many financial and legal troubles.
Mr Murdaugh initially claimed he was ambushed in the drive-by shooting while changing a tyre on his vehicle but soon after admitted to conspiring to pay a hitman to shoot him dead so that his surviving son Buster would inherit a $10m life insurance windfall.
Andrea Blanco reports on Thursday’s bizarre revelations.
Alex Murdaugh reacts to trial hearing his 911 call after being shot in the head
RECAP Day 19: Murdaugh’s detailed sketch of fake shooter in botched hitman plot exposed at trial
Friday 17 February 2023 13:15 , Oliver O'Connell
The jury in Alex Murdaugh’s trial has finally been presented with evidence of his botched hitman plot months after the murders of his wife and son - including a sketch of the nonexistent man he claimed shot him.
SLED Senior Special Agent Ryan Kelly was called by the prosecution on Thursday to testify about the day Mr Murdaugh was shot in the head on the side of a road in Hampton County on 4 September 2021.
Jurors heard the 911 call in which Mr Murdaugh claimed he was ambushed in a drive-by shooting while he was changing a tire on his vehicle.
Megan Sheets has the story.
Alex Murdaugh’s detailed sketch of fake shooter in botched hitman plot revealed