WALTERBORO, S.C. (WSAV) — All eyes remain on Walterboro as the double murder trial of embattled former attorney Alex Murdaugh continued into the second week. Murdaugh is accused of murdering his wife and son, Maggie and Paul, at their Colleton County property in June 2021.
During the first week of the trial, nine witnesses took the stand for testimony, and an explosive new video of the second interview of Murdaugh on the night of the murders was introduced.
This week, the jury is expected to find out more about a Snapchat video that could place Alex and Paul at the scene before the killings. Cell phone data could show where everyone was that night and it could affect Alex’s alibi in the case.
Today, forensics experts took the stand to testify at the trial. New evidence, an interview of Alex Murdaugh conducted by investigators on June 10, included Alex saying the last time he saw his family was at supper. This contradicts the prosecution’s claim that Alex Murdaugh was much closer to the area where Paul and Maggie were killed in June 2021.
The trial resumes at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
WSAV News 3 will provide extensive coverage. Follow our live blog and watch it live each day on wsav.com and in the WSAV NOW app.
WSAV will be streaming all throughout the Alex Murdaugh murder trial. Follow investigative reporters @WSAVAndrewD and @BrettWSAV for live tweets and keep up with the trial via our live blogs on wsav.com. Tune in to News 3 at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. for full coverage.
ALEX MURDAUGH MURDER TRIAL LIVE BLOG:
6:00 p.m. update:
5:09 p.m. – Court adjourns for the day and will resume at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
5:00 p.m. update:
4:45 p.m. – Murdaugh broke down after describing the bodies of Maggie and Paul in the interview. He can be heard saying “it was just so bad, I did him so bad. He was such a good boy too.”
4:30 p.m. – Agents also searched for firearms in other areas of the home besides the gun room. Murdaugh told agents that they didn’t keep guns at the kennels but guns were left at the kennels frequently. He told investigators Paul was the worst about leaving guns at the kennels. But, he said the 300 Blackout Rifle was not there. Alex Murdaugh never reported the rifle that Paul lost as stolen.
Agents tell Murdaugh during the interview that it seems unlikely that the shooter would be random due to the location of the Moselle property.
4:28 p.m. – Court is back in session.
4:13 p.m. – The prosecution requests a brief break.
4:00 p.m. update:
3:57 p.m. – Agents ask Murdaugh during the interview if anyone would want to come after Paul or Maggie. Murdaugh tells investigators that Paul got a lot of threats, but he has no idea who would want to kill his wife and son.
When asked about his relationship with Maggie and Paul, he said that they didn’t argue much. He breaks down during the interview. In court, Murdaugh hangs his head.
3:41 p.m. – On the day of the murders, Murdaugh said in the interview that he was working on motions for Dominion Energy as well as the boat crash case his son Paul was involved in while police downloaded information from his phone.
Alex Murdaugh told investigators that Maggie and Paul had gone to the kennels while he stayed at the house on the night of the murders.
3:29 p.m. – Croft participated in the interview with the defendant. The prosecution plays recorded interviews that Croft conducted with Alex Murdaugh on June 10.
3:14 p.m. – About 17 S&B casings from the area. The prosecution shows the court Croft’s bodycam footage from the investigation of the property.
3:05 p.m. – Croft spoke with John Beddingfield, a DNR agent who had built guns for the Murdaugh family, twice. He called a second time to inquire whether he built a third 300 Blackout Rifle that Paul had misplaced or had stolen.
2:57 p.m. – Croft said he was present when authorities went to collect Maggie Murdaugh’s cell phone which was located a short distance from the crime scene. The prosecution confirms that Croft recognizes the phone.
2:45 p.m. – Waters hands Croft several images. The images are still shots from Croft’s bodycam footage and include guns seized from the home.
2:43 p.m. – The jury is brought back in.
1:16 p.m. – Croft returns to the Moselle property on June 13, 2021 to collect other guns, shell casings and other evidence linked to the murders.
12:57 p.m. – Croft said he found a “weathered” 300 blackout spent shell casing outside the home’s stoop. Some other shell casings were also collected near the stoop.
12:46 p.m. – Several guns are submitted into evidence. The defense objected to them but Judge Clifton Newman overruled.
12:30 p.m. – The prosecution asks to submit a 300 Blackout Rifle into evidence. Croft seized the rifle and magazine from the scene. Croft said the headings on the shell casings match those found near Maggie’s body.
12:11 p.m. – Croft is being questioned about body cam footage of his arrival at the scene. He’s also going over which types of ammunition were found on the scene.
Croft said several Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED) attorneys were on scene at the Moselle property.
11:56 a.m. – The State presents evidence of cell phone communications between Paul and his best friend.
11:48 a.m. – Senior Special Agent Jeff Croft takes the witness stand called by the State. Croft was called to the scene on June 8 around 5 a.m.
11:46 a.m. – The jury sent Judge Newman a note.
11:30 a.m. – Judge Newman recesses the jury for another 10-minute break.
11:16 a.m. – The prosecution begins asking Worley follow-up questions about why she chose to prepare diagrams. She responds for reconstructive purposes.
They go on to ask about the bloody footprints in the feed room. The prosecution asks if it was possible that the footprints could have been made after SLED took photos and moved Paul’s body. Worley says it’s possible.
11:07 a.m. – The defense questions SLED agent Worley about the processing of Alex’s clothing from the night of the murders.
11:03 a.m. – Harpootlian asks about how forensic analysts treated footwear evidence and the State objects for argumentative. Judge Newman orders Worley to answer the question.
10:55 a.m. – Harpootlian asks about an officer’s bloody footprint found near Paul’s body in the feed room.
Harpootlian: “Is that preservation of the scene, that your standards require?”
Worley: “Not exactly, no.”
Harpootlian: “Not exactly? Should the police be walking through the scene?”
Worley: “No.”
10:23 a.m. – Harpootlian asks about the process of tracking bullet hole projectiles at the crime scene at the dog kennels on the property.
Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian begins asking Worley to determine the angle at which the bullets were fired based on where the bullet holes were located inside the feed room. Harpootlian asks Worley to examine further evidence collected.
10:17 a.m. – The jury returns from break. Several pieces of evidence are admitted. Cross-examination resumes.
10:07 a.m. – The jury is sent to the jury room for a break. The prosecution and defense are asked to review exhibits and decide what they agree to admit.
9:45 a.m. – Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian begins cross-examination of Worley. There is a noticeably larger crowd in the courtroom today.
9:38 a.m. – Melinda Worley, a senior criminalist in the latent print unit of the forensic services unit with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) takes the witness stand. Worley is continuing her testimony, which began last Friday afternoon.
9:35 a.m. – Judge Clifton Newman gavels court into session.