The scandals and deaths surrounding the powerful, old-money Murdaugh family in South Carolina’s Lowcountry have attracted a surge in notoriety as of late. If you’ve tuned into any piece of the family’s story—from Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial to Netflix’s new docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (the second season just dropped!)—you likely want to know more about where the murders took place and the state of the home now. Ahead, take a look at everything we know about the family and their infamous property.
Who is the Murdaugh family and what is their legal background?
Alex Murdaugh (sometimes referred to as “Alec”) is a former lawyer whose family built a legal dynasty in South Carolina. To give you a sense of just how far back their power goes, Alex’s great-great-grandfather Randolph Murdaugh Sr. founded a law firm and was elected solicitor for the 14th Judicial Circuit (which includes a staggering five counties) in 1920. Subsequent generations have served as solicitors and joined the family firm ever since.
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Fast forwarding many years later to June 7, 2021, Alex called 911 to report the shooting of his wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul. These killings became known as the Murdaugh murders. Aside from being horrific, they likely gained even more media attention due to Paul Murdaugh’s own ongoing trial, in which he was charged with a wrongful death suit for a fatal boat crash that occurred while he was boating under the influence. Paul was also charged with three felony counts of boating under the influence.
The family of Mallory Beach, the young woman killed in the boat crash, filed the wrongful death suit against the estate of Maggie Murdaugh, who allegedly knew Paul was drunk when he went boating, and Buster Murdaugh, Paul’s older brother whose ID he reportedly used to buy the alcohol, in connection to the crash. The case was settled in January; surviving passengers from the incident are also included in the settlement.
The Murdaugh family is also allegedly connected to other controversial and tragic cases, including the 2015 demise of Stephen Smith, whose death was officially ruled a vehicular hit and run, and the 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaugh’s housekeeper, after a fall at the family’s Moselle estate. Then in September 2021, Alex was caught in an assisted suicide insurance fraud scheme.
Where did the Murdaugh murders—and what exactly happened?
In regards to the double murder, no arrests were made until more than a year later in July 2022 when Alex Murdaugh was indicted for the murders of his wife and son. Alex’s wife and son were found deceased at the family’s hunting lodge in Islandton, South Carolina, which is on the same vast property as their main house, 4147 Moselle. They were both shot multiple times with different weapons at the dog kennels on the property sometime after they all had dinner together at the main house.
In addition to cellphone data, one of the strongest pieces of evidence against Alex (more on the trial ahead!) was a Snapchat video captured by Paul that put his father at the kennels—the scene of the crime—minutes prior to the murders. Alex had previously claimed to be napping at the main home on the property during that time frame, and the video reveals his duplicity. When on the stand, Alex admitted to lying about this, referencing an 1808 quote from Sir Walter Scott, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
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Prior to his death, Paul was living in a log cabin on the Moselle property, and Maggie was said to have been spending more time at the family’s beach house about an hour’s drive away in Edisto due to marital issues.
What happened in the double murder trial?
On March 2, 2023, at the end of the six-week trial, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty verdict for the double murder. He had pleaded not guilty on both counts. The jury only deliberated for three hours prior to delivering the verdict. The defense lawyers, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, did not address the media nor the court in the sentencing hearing on March 3, 2023. Instead, they said: “The defendant would like to address the court.” Alex Murdaugh then rose and remarked: “I am innocent. I would never hurt my wife Maggie, and I would never hurt my son Paw-Paw.”
Judge Clifton Newman then spoke to the court. He reflected on the unique horrors of the case, stating: “We have a lawyer whose family has controlled the court of justice for years…Whose grandfather’s portrait hangs at the back of the courthouse, that I had to have ordered removed in order to ensure that a fair trial was had by both the state and the defense.”
The judge expressed how difficult it has been to watch the defendant evolve from a grieving father to the person indicted and convicted of killing his own child and wife. As he continued, the judge said to Murdaugh, “Certainly, you have no obligation to say anything other than saying ‘not guilty.’ And obviously, appeals are probably or absolutely expected. I wouldn’t expect a confession of any kind.”
Judge Newman also pointed out that this case qualifies under the state’s death penalty: “You and your family have been prosecuting people for years and have pursued the death penalty, probably for lesser conduct.”
Murdaugh then repeated his statement of innocence, with Newman responding, “It might not have been you. It might have been the monster you’ve become. Maybe you become another person when you take 40, 50, or 60 opioid pills. The person standing before me didn’t commit the crime, though it’s the same individual. We’ll leave that at that.”
Finally, Newman sentenced Alex Murdaugh to two consecutive sentences for the murders of his wife and son for the term of the rest of his natural life (Translation: life in prison without parole).
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Alex also faces a plethora of other charges—99 to be exact—related to money laundering, embezzlement, tax evasion, and beyond that were not part of the murder trial (though some related information was allowed to be entered into evidence). There are more than 100 total indictments and charges against him.
What happened to the Murdaugh home, 4147 Moselle Road?
Known as Moselle Farm, the property is located at 4147 Moselle Road in Islandton, South Carolina. The 1,770-acre property was listed for sale in February 2022. Along with the infamous hunting lodge, the sprawling estate features a farm, two miles of river frontage for freshwater fishing and kayaking, dog kennels, plenty of turkey and deer for on-site hunting, and a custom-built home constructed in 2011. It’s surrounded by woods.
During the double murder trial, jurors in it visited Moselle. This has happened in other high-profile cases, including the one in which Michael Peterson allegedly murdered his wife Kathleen Peterson at their North Carolina home.
In February 2022, The Crosby Land Company, a land brokerage and consulting firm, listed the property on its website. The estate sold for $3.9 million in March 2023, despite the stigmatizing events that occurred there. Local farmers James Ayer and Jeffrey Godley teamed up to make the purchase, The New York Post reported. At the time, the buyers told the outlet that they weren’t sure what they were going to do with the property.
Proceeds from the sale were approved as part of a settlement agreement. Roughly $2.86 million went to the Beach family (who also received a $15 million settlement) and other individuals who were involved in the boat crash and had filed civil suits. Buster Murdaugh, Alex’s son, received $530,000. The Greenville News broke down the rest of the payments, which mainly cover Alex’s legal fees and expenses along with a payment to his younger brother.
Before the Moselle estate sale was finalized, assets from the property—including furniture, home decor (including monogrammed pillows and hunting lodge-themed trinkets), and cars—were auctioned off in Pembroke, Georgia. An employee of the auction house told CBS News that a Yeti cup (which typically costs $35) sold for $400. Another sale included the sofa set on which Alex claimed he napped on the night of the murders, for $36,000, Court TV reported. A pair of longhorns, used as wall decor, reportedly sold for $10,000. Revenue from the auction went toward the settlement agreement.
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Source: https://t-tees.com
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