The Murdaugh Murders trial gripped millions across the globe and has been of great interest to the public over the last two years.
Culminating in a six-week trial that produced a guilty verdict for the double murder of his wife, Margaret, and son, Paul, Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison in March 2023.
The twists and turns throughout the case captured the public interest in a way not often seen, with many observing the events via a Netflix series that saw its second season conclude in 2023.
Throughout the Murdaugh Murders trial, the use of electronically stored information (ESI) was prevalent and is a clear example of how digital evidence can have a bearing on justice.
In this blog post, we’ll recap the main events of the Murdaugh Murders trial and discuss how digital evidence played a key role in the case’s eventual outcome.
A timeline of events
For over a year, it remained a mystery who was responsible for the murders of the wife and son of South Carolina personal injury attorney Alex Murdaugh.
The unsolved shootings of wife Margaret, 52, and the couple’s son, Paul, 22, in June 2021 caused the seemingly perfect image of the South Carolina legal family to be called into question. Throughout the case, the prominence of ESI was paramount.
Before looking deeper into digital evidence's role in the Murdaugh Murders trial, let’s summarise the key events throughout the case.
24th February 2019
Paul Murdaugh, then 19, is alleged to have been boating under the influence when he crashed and killed 19-year-old woman Mallory Beach of South Carolina.
In April, Paul was charged with multiple felonies, including boating under the influence, in connection with the boat crash. He pleads not guilty to all charges but faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
7th June 2021
Murdaugh calls 911 at 10:07pm to say he has found the bodies of Margaret and Paul near their family dog kennels at their hunting lodge estate.
Authorities arrive at the scene. Lawyers would later provide an alibi to news outlets that Murdaugh had been with his mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, and her caregiver when the shootings occurred.
22nd June 2021
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announces it has opened an investigation into the death of a man named Stephen Smith, 19, after new evidence is gathered during the investigation into the Murdaugh double homicide.
4th September 2021
Murdaugh is injured in a roadside shooting in Hampton County, the authorities reveal. Murdaugh called 911 himself to inform authorities that he had been shot in the head.
His lawyer and friend Jim Griffin tells news outlets that Murdaugh pulled over due to a flat tire, during which time a pickup truck drove by, and a person opened fire from inside.
6th September 2021
Murdaugh announces that he has resigned from his law firm and will enter rehab. The following day, Murdaugh’s now-former law firm revealed that he left due to money misuse.
Just two days after the announcement, Murdaugh’s brother reveals he is “shocked” to learn of Alex’s “settling of money” as well as “drug addiction.” SLED also opens up an investigation over missing money from the law firm Murdaugh worked for.
