Alex Murdaugh Pleads Not Guilty To Murdering Wife and Son

The once powerful now disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh pled not guilty Wednesday to the murders of his wife and son who were found dead on their property in June 2021.

On June 7, 2021, Murdaugh called 911 where he reported finding the bodies of his wife, 52-year-old Margret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and their youngest son, 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh. He has denied that he was involved in their deaths, saying he was visiting his mother at the time of the murder.

Murdaugh’s plea comes almost a week after he was indicted by a Colleton County, South Carolina, grand jury on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The indictment alleges Murdaugh used a rifle to kill his wife and a shotgun to kill his son.

The murder charges are the newest crimes which Murdaugh is facing. Investigators have dug through every point in his life, charging him with over 80 offenses from financial crimes to fraud.

Police allege Murdaugh stole $8 million from clients in settlements, committed fraud by trying to arrange his own death so his eldest son could inherit a $10 million life insurance policy and allegedly co-ran a $2 million drug ring.

Murdaugh’s family was politically powerful for many generations in his area. The murder charges are being tried by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Murdaugh’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all held the position of prosecutor to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. When Murdaugh pled not guilty, a photo of his late grandfather was on the wall.

If convicted of murder, Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in prison. Under South Carolina law, prosecutors could choose to seek the death penalty because more than one person was killed.