HAMPTON COUNTY GUARDIAN

Alex Murdaugh arrested in Hampton County; granted $20,000 P.R. bond, no plea given

Alex Murdaugh, a controversial former South Carolina attorney now connected with multiple criminal and civil cases, was granted a $20,000 bond after being arrested Thursday in Hampton County, according to S.C. State Police around noon. 

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said Thursday that Murdaugh has been charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report. 

According to a law enforcement release, on Thursday SLED arrested Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh, 53, in connection to the shooting incident on Sept. 4 in Hampton County in which he allegedly conspired with Curtis Edward Smith to assist him in committing suicide for the explicit purpose of allowing a beneficiary to collect life insurance.

Alex Murdaugh, wearing handcuffs, ankle restraints and a connecting chain, enters the courtroom for a bond hearing just before 4 p.m. on Sept. 16 in the Hampton County Magistrate Court.

“I can assure you that SLED agents will continue working to bring justice to anyone involved with any criminal act associated with these ongoing investigations,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “The arrests in this case are only the first step in that process.”

This SLED investigation was requested by the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office. The case will be prosecuted by the S.C. Attorney General’s Office.

Previous reporting:Alex Murdaugh turns himself in amid botched murder, insurance fraud plot

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

Media outlets have released video showing that Murdaugh arrived at the Hampton County Law Enforcement Center in handcuffs. He was booked into the Hampton County Detention Center around noon on Thursday, Sept. 16.

An arraignment and bond hearing was held Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Hampton County Magistrate's Court. During the hearing, Murdaugh was granted a total of $20,000 in personal recognizance bonds on the three charges. He was required to surrender his U.S. Passport. 

Prosecutors had asked for a $100,000 surety bond, and GPS monitoring, but Judge Tonja Alexander made no mention of GPS in her ruling. A spokesperson for the South Carolina Attorney General said they could not comment on pending cases when asked about the judge's ruling.

There was no mention of how Murdaugh intended to plead to these charges. 

Prior to the hearing, when asked what Murdaugh's state of mind was, one of his attorneys, Dick Harpootlian, said, "He's in the jail. That's his state of mind."

When asked if Murdaugh would go back to rehab, Harpootlian said, "I hope so."

Murdaugh's attorney Jim Griffin was also in the courtroom with him, along with 17 reporters, two SLED agents, two representatives from the S.C. Attorney General's Office, and Hampton County law enforcement.

When addressing the court, Harpootlian said that Murdaugh was not a danger to the community, and that the only violence he had committed "was against himself." The attorney also stated that Murdaugh was not a flight risk.

"Alex has fallen from grace," he said. "He is not a man of means anymore. He doesn't have the financial means to leave the country."

Alex Murdaugh during his bond hearing at the Hampton County Magistrate Court on Sept. 16

Murdaugh was willing to agree to a waiver of extradition in order to attend drug rehab out of state. The location of that rehab center was handed on a sheet of paper to the judge, but not released to the media. Asked after the hearing which state, Harpootlian said "none of your business — ever heard of that state?"

Harpootlian told the court that Murdaugh had decided to accept responsibility for his crimes and fully cooperate with SLED.

"He detailed every element of what he is charged with today," said Harpootlian. "He indicated he wanted to tell the truth."

When Harpootlian mentioned the killings of Murdaugh's wife and son as a tipping point for his opioid addiction, Murdaugh visibly began crying and wiped his eyes.

Wearing a chain connecting handcuffs and ankle restraints, along with a beige jumpsuit, Murdaugh only addressed the court by saying "Yes ma'am" when answering a direct question by the judge. 

Dick Harpootlian is one of two attorneys defending Alex Murdaugh.

SLED agents on Tuesday, Sept. 14, arrested Smith, a Colleton County man, in connection with the shooting incident involving Murdaugh on Sept. 4. Murdaugh, currently involved in some way with six ongoing criminal investigations and three civil cases, had his attorneys issue a statement Wednesday saying he was taken advantage of.

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.

Following the hearing, Harpootlian said Murdaugh was returning to rehab Thursday. During the hearing, he indicated that if Murdaugh did not return that day he could be kicked out of the program. 

Asked after the hearing about Murdaugh's mental state, Harpootlian said he was alright.

"Mentally, not bad, physically, he's been on opioids 20 years." 

Harpootlian said that Smith was Murdaugh's drug dealer, and that they met when Murdaugh had represented him in court previously. He also said that Buster, Murdaugh's surviving son, was "holding up."

Harpootlian shot down most of the questions about the murder of Paul and Margaret Murdaugh. Asked if Alex and Margaret had trouble in their marriage he said "absolutely not" and described the couple as "always a picture of domestic bliss."

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."

Murdaugh allegedly conspired to have Smith kill him in order for his other son to be paid out his $10 million life insurance policy, state police say.

The is the latest twist in the saga of Alex Murdaugh, whose family members had served for generations in the office of the local prosecutor.

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. 

On Thursday, roughly an hour after his arrest, PMPED issued the following statement: “PMPED is focused on representing our valued clients. Alex Murdaugh is no longer associated with our firm in any manner. Questions related to Alex’s arrest should be directed to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.”

According to SLED warrants, 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.

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.

Also, on Wednesday, Sept. 15, SLED announced that it was "opening a criminal investigation into the death of Gloria Satterfield and the handling of her estate."  Satterfield died on Feb. 26, 2018, at which time she was employed as the Murdaughs' housekeeper, and the cause was ruled "Natural," with no autopsy performed, although a petition for a previous settlement reportedly referred to injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident. A civil lawsuit filed Wednesday by Satterfield's heirs against Murdaugh and other attorneys alleges civil conspiracy.

We will be updating this story throughout the day as the situation unfolds. Warrants can be viewed below: