SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #12

[MajorHoople]

Maggie and Paul Murdaugh's Final 24 Hours

FITSNEWS - Apr 28, 2022

 

[Kath1963]

I think your thoughts about the two different types of shot are very good and they mesh with what I have been thinking for a while. This week’s new information fall into place too.
The prime target was MM. I thought with a high powered rifle he shot her from a distance, but apparently he killed her face to face pretty much, hence the blood spatter. PM was not supposed to be there and witnessed this from the kennels. He grabbed a shotgun and whatever ammunition was handy and confronted his father who wrestled the gun from him and killed PM.
That explains the statement early on that at least one weapon was owned by the Murdaughs. I’m thinking it was found at the scene.
Just my thoughts.

AM might have shot MM from a distance, and then shot PM close up during an altercation. The splatter could have come from the latter shooting, which does not seem to have been planned. MOO.

 

[Kath1963]

Edited to remove double posting.

 

[MerryB]

I think this case has gone before a grand jury, and someone on the GJ is leaking to FITS.
Charges will be imminent IMO.

Nothing so far has been a surprise to me so far, as I’ve always thought Alex laid in wait for Maggie and she was the intended target.

My theory has been that Paul showed up unexpectedly and was killed by someone who was caught staging or cleaning up the scene. However, this latest information about Paul being shot with 2 different kinds of ammo has be second-guessing that. I wonder if Paul surprised his killer and was shot with a nearby shotgun loaded with birdshot, which only injured him. Then the gun was reloaded with buckshot for the death shot. The killer would have to know the other ammo was available and where to find it. Horrible to think about, I know.

https://www.fitsnews.com/2022/04/28...selle-on-the-night-of-her-murder-sources-say/

Some info on birdshot vs. buckshot:

Buckshot will deliver more penetration into the target. Buckshot, with larger, heavier pellets, will inevitably strike the target with greater momentum, penetrating deeper into the target and increasing the chances of death.

With birdshot, you simply won’t get the same penetration that you have with buckshot. The smaller pellets are designed to drop game birds at greater distances while leaving the body intact. The smaller pellets simply won’t drive into the threat with as great a force as buckshot.

MOO

 

[sunshineray]

Can you imagine the male privates it would take to play the grieving widower and go stay with the family of your wife you just murdered.

I find that deplorable, just sickening.

 

[MerryB]

I think your thoughts about the two different types of shot are very good and they mesh with what I have been thinking for a while. This week’s new information fall into place too.
The prime target was MM. I thought with a high powered rifle he shot her from a distance, but apparently he killed her face to face pretty much, hence the blood spatter. PM was not supposed to be there and witnessed this from the kennels. He grabbed a shotgun and whatever ammunition was handy and confronted his father who wrestled the gun from him and killed PM.
That explains the statement early on that at least one weapon was owned by the Murdaughs. I’m thinking it was found at the scene.
Just my thoughts.

Agree!!
The shotgun was on the scene. The AR was not.
The Murdaughs owned an AR that is missing.
“…cases of a type of ammunition known as 300 Blackout were found nearby, according to two people familiar with the situation. The family owned an AR-15 style rifle that can use that type of ammunition but it wasn’t recovered at the scene or turned over for inspection, the people said.”

The Unraveling of the Murdaugh Dynasty: Unsolved Murders, Insurance Fraud and Missing Millions

 

[MerryB]

There are a lot of details coming out this week that I don’t think we’ve heard before with very few specific sources cited. I have a hard time believing that SLED is leaking all this. Or are they? It sounds like perhaps FitsN has maybe been sitting on the reports from “friends” and waiting for the right time or enough people to give the same account before they released details? … When it was thought Maggie and Paul arrived at Moselle, what Paul did that day, a bird shot round and a buckshot round, etc. … these are very specific details.

FitsN writes “sources tell us,” and SLED is silent. Who are sources? Why spill the beans before official word? It seems like more than just wanting to break the story. What is going on? Is this a way to scare up confessions?

I think the murder charges have been brought before a grand jury and someone is leaking to FITS as the case has been laid out before them. No way is SLED letting all this out IMO.

 

[TJW]

I find that deplorable, just sickening.

I just can’t imagine. He had plenty of other places he could stay closer to home. That is just creepy! Isn’t she selling her house? Guess we know why.

 

[Oakie]

Some info on birdshot vs. buckshot:

Buckshot will deliver more penetration into the target. Buckshot, with larger, heavier pellets, will inevitably strike the target with greater momentum, penetrating deeper into the target and increasing the chances of death.

With birdshot, you simply won’t get the same penetration that you have with buckshot. The smaller pellets are designed to drop game birds at greater distances while leaving the body intact. The smaller pellets simply won’t drive into the threat with as great a force as buckshot.

MOO

At point-blank range (inside 6 or 7 feet), both types of loads would be fatal, and both would leave one hell of a mess...including high-impact blood splatter.

 

[clearskies1]

Speculation: Paul heard the shots and came out with a gun. He came upon the killer who tried to play dumb about what had happened. Got close enough to wrestle the gun from an unsuspecting Paul and shot Paul. JMO.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

IMO, this is a very interesting NG podcast, where guests are not constantly interrupted — they get into some detailed discussions. Recommend to all!


Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 28 April 2022

‎Crime Stories with Nancy Grace: High Velocity Spatter Place Lawyer Alex Murdaugh At Grisly Murder? on Apple Podcasts

Joining Nancy Grace Today:
• Susan E. Williams, South Carolina Criminal Defense Attorney, Former Prosecutor (Summerville), swilliams-law.net
• Dr. Shari Schwartz - Forensic Psychologist (specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy), Author: "Criminal Behavior" and "Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology"
• Bobby Chacon - 27 years former FBI Agent, BobbyChacon.com, Writer and Co-producer: Audible Original Series, "After the Fall"
• Joe Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan",
• Matt Harris - Morning Show Host of The Matt and Ramona Show on 107.9 WLNK (Charlotte, NC), Podcast Host: "The Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence"

 

[LetsSolvIt]

1) Finally, I think I have figured out something that is odd about AM’s 911 call, when he says,”I’ve been up to it now and it’s bad.”

Something about that never sat right with me and I couldn’t figure it out. If you start listening from very beginning of the recording you hear the dogs barking way off *in the distance,* presumably AM is sealed in his vehicle or up at the house. But when AM says I’ve been up to it now, the dog barking isn’t louder — in fact I don’t hear them at all, but he seems to be saying he is closer to kennels and bodies, “I’ve been up to them now…”

2) Nancy Grace’s guest says that to get high velocity blood splatter on your clothes you have to be really no further than 36” from body because of viscosity of blood.

The pattern of splatter will also indicate the angle between shooter and the body shot. He uses the nozzle on a garden hose as an illustration. Imagine the various spray patterns with a full flow of water in center but around the edge the water becomes droplets and mist.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

In NG podcast, FBI guest describes a situation where AM is walking MM and PM into a pre determined “kill” zone where perps in hiding can take their shots, and thus the “high velocity splatter” on AM. It comes up how difficult it would be for an individual to use shoulder weapons (long guns) to fire and only be a yard from victims. Sounds like he is implying AM had help hiding somewhere around the kennels.

It’s also discussed how this splatter is not necessarily blood — could be other tissue or body fluids.

Analysis of 911 recording also insightful.

Highly recommend — a lot of expert input.

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace: High Velocity Spatter Place Lawyer Alex Murdaugh At Grisly Murder? on Apple Podcasts

 

[LetsSolvIt]

MUST LISTEN!

53. Former FBI Agent Shares His Theory on the Murders | The Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence, 28 April 2022

Matt and Seton talk with Bobby Chacon, the same former FBI agent from NG show. Thirty-some minutes on his theories of crime!

Bobby Chacon is a former FBI agent and forensics investigator. He shares his theory on the murders. He explains why sometimes investigators leak information and what he would have done differently when setting up the crime scene after the double homicide.

 

[mark majors]

Can you imagine the male privates it would take to play the grieving widower and go stay with the family of your wife you just murdered.

yes... why didn't he go stay with one of his "regular folk" brothers instead?

 

[Betty P]

MUST LISTEN!

53. Former FBI Agent Shares His Theory on the Murders | The Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence, 28 April 2022

Matt and Seton talk with Bobby Chacon, the same former FBI agent from NG show. Thirty-some minutes on his theories of crime!

Bobby Chacon is a former FBI agent and forensics investigator. He shares his theory on the murders. He explains why sometimes investigators leak information and what he would have done differently when setting up the crime scene after the double homicide.

Interesting. The former FBI agent thinks there were 2 shooters and that neither was AM. He thinks AM was walking behind PM. AM was sort of "steering" the victims into the area where the shooters could kill them.

 

[clearskies1]

Interesting. The former FBI agent thinks there were 2 shooters and that neither was AM. He thinks AM was walking behind PM. AM was sort of "steering" the victims into the area where the shooters could kill them.

If there were two shooters and they were shot at the same time it's hard to understand why one gun was left behind. I could maybe see one shooter -- who disposes of the gun -- returns and then shoots the other person, leaving the second gun. JMO.

 

[MerryB]

MUST LISTEN!

53. Former FBI Agent Shares His Theory on the Murders | The Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence, 28 April 2022

Matt and Seton talk with Bobby Chacon, the same former FBI agent from NG show. Thirty-some minutes on his theories of crime!

Bobby Chacon is a former FBI agent and forensics investigator. He shares his theory on the murders. He explains why sometimes investigators leak information and what he would have done differently when setting up the crime scene after the double homicide.

This was EXCELLENT!
Lots of things to discuss. I do think Alex laid in wait for Maggie and shot her first from a distance, then perhaps administered a “kill shot” at close range.
Paul is a little more questionable. If his death was unplanned, I wonder if Alex and an accomplice were surprised by him and the accomplice did the shooting. It was very interesting what he said about the spatter and the long guns. Definitely something to consider.
Thoughts?

 

[MassGuy]

Looking at the timeline in that Fits article, it says that he left Okatie at around 6. That drive appears to take about an hour, give or take.

That puts him on scene at around 7, and Maggie is believed to have arrived between then and 7:30.

So I think it's possible Paul was maybe killed first.

In any event, I agree, it does appear charges are imminent. Someone on that grand jury has to be leaking (I previously thought this was angry investigators who wanted the DA to move things along).

 

[sunshineray]

In NG podcast, FBI guest describes a situation where AM is walking MM and PM into a pre determined “kill” zone where perps in hiding can take their shots, and thus the “high velocity splatter” on AM. It comes up how difficult it would be for an individual to use shoulder weapons (long guns) to fire and only be a yard from victims. Sounds like he is implying AM had help hiding somewhere around the kennels.

It’s also discussed how this splatter is not necessarily blood — could be other tissue or body fluids.

Analysis of 911 recording also insightful.

Highly recommend — a lot of expert input.

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace: High Velocity Spatter Place Lawyer Alex Murdaugh At Grisly Murder? on Apple Podcasts

I'm curious. Did anyone mention hearing the words, "For God's sake Paul, why'd you have to get involved?"

On Mandy’s podcast at the 5:32 mark

Murdaugh Murders Podcast: Who Killed Maggie & Paul? Part One on Apple Podcasts

‎Murdaugh Murders Podcast: Who Killed Maggie & Paul? Part One on Apple Podcasts