HAMPTON COUNTY GUARDIAN

Alex Murdaugh's shooting suspect took advantage of his mental illness, addiction: Attorneys

Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) on Tuesday, Sept. 14, arrested a Colleton County man in connection with the shooting incident involving R. Alexander Murdaugh on Sept. 4 in Hampton County. Murdaugh, the South Carolina attorney currently involved in some way with five ongoing criminal investigations and two civil cases, was implicated in new charges filed by state police late Tuesday and his attorneys issued a statement Wednesday saying he was taken advantage of.

Curtis Edward Smith, 61, of Walterboro, was charged with assisted suicide, assault and battery of a high aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, distribution of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.

Read More:South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh had man shoot him in $10M life insurance scheme, police say

Timeline:Murders, mystery, money: Here's a timeline of the Murdaugh family killings

Richard Alexander Murdaugh

Additional charges are expected, said a SLED spokesperson. The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office

Early Wednesday, Sept. 15, Murdaugh’s attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, issued the following statement:

"On September 4, it became clear Alex believed that ending his life was his only option. Today, he knows that’s not true. For the last 20 years, there have been many people feeding his addiction to opioids. During that time, these individuals took advantage of his addiction and his ability to pay substantial funds for illegal drugs. One of those individuals took advantage of his mental illness and agreed to take Alex's life, by shooting him in the head. Fortunately, Alex was not killed by the gunshot wound. Alex is fully cooperating with SLED in their investigations into his shooting, opioid use and the search to find the person or people responsible for the murder of his wife and son. Alex is not without fault but he is just one of many whose life has been devastated by opioid addiction."

Also:SLED opens investigation into allegations that Alex Murdaugh misappropriated funds

Murdaugh boat crash:Estate of deceased victim files legal action on Alex Murdaugh's estates

Murdaugh, who reported that his wife and son were killed at their family hunting estate on June 7, allegedly conspired to have another man kill him in order for his other son to be paid out his $10 million life insurance policy, state police say.

The announcement of charges Monday against another South Carolina man is the latest twist in the saga of Alex Murdaugh, the Hampton lawyer tied to several state investigations and whose family members had served for generations in the office of the local prosecutor.

Murdaugh was listed as a co-defendant as the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced charges against Smith, 61.

Murdaugh was shot in the head days before he checked himself into rehab and his law firm, Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, & Detrick (PMPED), publicly accused him of misappropriating funds. State police said Monday they were investigating the missing money. 

Murdaugh has since admitted to giving Smith a firearm and telling him to kill Murdaugh in order for his life insurance policy to be paid out, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said in affidavits released Monday.

Smith followed Murdaugh to a rural country road where he then shot Murdaugh, police said in an affidavit. Smith drove away and got rid of the gun, while Murdaugh survived the shooting, the affidavit says.

The Murdaugh Case Files::A boat crash heard around the world

Murdaugh called 911 after being shot in the head and was transported to an area hospital with superficial injuries, state and local police previously said.

State police said in the affidavit Murdaugh admitted to the scheme on Monday and that his life insurance policy, valued around $10 million, was to go to his surviving son. On Tuesday, Smith also admitted to being present and disposing of the firearm, according to the affidavit.

A spokesperson for Murdaugh previously said Murdaugh had pulled over after a tire light turned on in his car and he was shot by a man who had stopped to ask if he was having car problems. 

Another statement released on behalf of Murdaugh, as he was entering rehab, said: "The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I’m resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders. I am immensely sorry to everyone I’ve hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships."

Alex Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul,  were shot multiple times and found dead June 7 at the family's Colleton County hunting estate. Alex Murdaugh called 911 reporting their deaths, which remain under investigation by state police.

Alex Murdaugh and his surviving son, Buster, had offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest or arrests and convictions..