SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #13

[CandiceC]

I know very little about the reality of jail and life-toughened criminals.

Does anyone feel qualified to comment on the likely dynamic between AM and others at the detention center? I realize this is jail and not prison, and prison no doubt will be something entirely different, but how do you think the other inmates feel about Big Red and act towards him?

A cash cow? Someone to use? Is there any respect for his law degree and social station? Or is he the brunt of jokes? Short of preferring freedom and his priviledged life, do you think he would find a way to be the big deal among the other inmates (canteen funding only goes so far)?

I realize each inmate brings his own background to the dynamic and there must be a constantly changing population with detention being temporary while awaiting bail or trial, but just curious to know if there might actually be something AM is enjoying. Is he the center of attention (feeding his narcissism) or someone everyone might want to "befriend"?

To partially answer my own questions, his new mug shot says a lot.

As a lawyer myself; I have a brother, also a lawyer, who did a year in a minimum security Federal facility and he had no problems. They are what people are referring to when they talk about "country club" prisons; Club Fed. They are usually restricted to people with short sentences and non-violent crimes. AM will do state time and that's a completely different situation. He will also have a lengthy sentence so I don't see him residing in anything offering easy time. Because he is a lawyer, albeit not a particularly talented one, he will be okay because he'll be able to help write writs and other motions. Law libraries are very popular places in prisons. Psychologically, I don''t see him faring well; prison is really a grim, brutal place under the best of circumstances. I would think he will have a very difficult adjustment. Friends will fall off and his money situation won't be particularly good. Even with all the controversy of Jeffrey Epstein's suicide I could understand how he couldn't bear the life that lay ahead of him.

 

[worm]

As a lawyer myself; I have a brother, also a lawyer, who did a year in a minimum security Federal facility and he had no problems. They are what people are referring to when they talk about "country club" prisons; Club Fed. They are usually restricted to people with short sentences and non-violent crimes. AM will do state time and that's a completely different situation. He will also have a lengthy sentence so I don't see him residing in anything offering easy time. Because he is a lawyer, albeit not a particularly talented one, he will be okay because he'll be able to help write writs and other motions. Law libraries are very popular places in prisons. Psychologically, I don''t see him faring well; prison is really a grim, brutal place under the best of circumstances. I would think he will have a very difficult adjustment. Friends will fall off and his money situation won't be particularly good. Even with all the controversy of Jeffrey Epstein's suicide I could understand how he couldn't bear the life that lay ahead of him.

The case that I most immediately recall of a well connected person with a crime this serious is Stephen Beckham, from Newberry county, who had his wife killed. Surprisingly SC has a pretty well done prison search and Beckham has been in what’s called a “big house” since his conviction in the 90s. That’s a max security place.
I do know a local who got a pretty nice prison assignment due to connections but he had a drug offense.

 

[Eagle2123]

It still isn’t adding up. Great sleuthing. But. This guy killed two people with two weapons in apparently a short/seconds of time. How? How did he pull this off? It’s mind boggling. One of these victims saw the other killed. I don’t believe they hung around while AM grabbed another gun. If PM charges his father? Who has the AR? Why wasn’t he killed with the same AR that killed MM. I’m sorry but if someone shoots an AR I’m not going after them with a shotgun. You’re toast from a distance. PM seems to have been killed from the same place he was video taping. Did they fight and maybe PM gets pushed back into the kennel area? Doesn’t explain his phone underneath his body If he’s struggling for a shotgun . Phone shouldve been either dropped elsewhere or in his pocket.

 

[Seattle1]

I know very little about the reality of jail and life-toughened criminals.

Does anyone feel qualified to comment on the likely dynamic between AM and others at the detention center? I realize this is jail and not prison, and prison no doubt will be something entirely different, but how do you think the other inmates feel about Big Red and act towards him?

A cash cow? Someone to use? Is there any respect for his law degree and social station? Or is he the brunt of jokes? Short of preferring freedom and his priviledged life, do you think he would find a way to be the big deal among the other inmates (canteen funding only goes so far)?

I realize each inmate brings his own background to the dynamic and there must be a constantly changing population with detention being temporary while awaiting bail or trial, but just curious to know if there might actually be something AM is enjoying. Is he the center of attention (feeding his narcissism) or someone everyone might want to "befriend"?

To partially answer my own questions, his new mug shot says a lot.

Very thought-provoking post @LetsSolvIt -- thank you.

Out of curiosity, I just checked AM's inmate status on Vinelink and I was surprised to see that he's actually been housed in Richland County (Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center) all this time or at least since October 16, 2021, although he was in the custody of Colleton County Jail/Sheriff for one day July 20, 2022, for his recent arraignment/bond hearing for the double murder charges.

I believe AM was first arrested Sept 16, 2021, in Richard County for insurance fraud/conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report after the hired and failed drive-by shooting-- but released on $20K bond, and traveled to rehab in Florida.

Now that AM's defense counsel filed for a speedy trial, I wonder if AM will be transferred to Colleton County Jail anytime soon?

I can't say for certain but I'm assuming that given a choice, ASGDC is the facility inmates prefer compared to Colleton County jail.

Richland County Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is a minimum-security Adult in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The 187-bed capacity facility has been operational since 1981 and boasts of about 2372 bookings yearly. This Adult facility hosts inmates from all of Richland County under the governorship of the South Carolina Sherriff. The prison is operated and maintained by South Carolina Department of Corrections

Alex Murdaugh turns himself in on charges connected to insurance fraud scheme | CNN

Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina lawyer whose wife and son were killed in June, was arrested Thursday in connection to an insurance fraud scheme that court documents say involved Murdaugh arranging for his own killing so his surviving son could collect the life insurance payout.

www.cnn.com

VINELink

vinelink.vineapps.com

 

[worm]

Very thought-provoking post @LetsSolvIt -- thank you.

Out of curiosity, I just checked AM's inmate status on Vinelink and I was surprised to see that he's actually been housed in Richland County (Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center) all this time or at least since October 16, 2021, although he was in the custody of Colleton County Jail/Sheriff for one day July 20, 2022, for his recent arraignment/bond hearing for the double murder charges.

I believe AM was first arrested Sept 16, 2021, in Richard County for insurance fraud/conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report after the hired and failed drive-by shooting-- but released on $20K bond, and traveled to rehab in Florida.

Now that AM's defense counsel filed for a speedy trial, I wonder if AM will be transferred to Colleton County Jail anytime soon?

I can't say for certain but I'm assuming that given a choice, ASGDC is the facility inmates prefer compared to Colleton County jail.

Richland County Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is a minimum-security Adult in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The 187-bed capacity facility has been operational since 1981 and boasts of about 2372 bookings yearly. This Adult facility hosts inmates from all of Richland County under the governorship of the South Carolina Sherriff. The prison is operated and maintained by South Carolina Department of Corrections

Alex Murdaugh turns himself in on charges connected to insurance fraud scheme | CNN

Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina lawyer whose wife and son were killed in June, was arrested Thursday in connection to an insurance fraud scheme that court documents say involved Murdaugh arranging for his own killing so his surviving son could collect the life insurance payout.

www.cnn.com

VINELink

vinelink.vineapps.com

I’ve known of several SC cases where if someone is involved in LE or otherwise high profile inmate for whatever reason, they will move them to another county to be held.

 

[MerryB]

It still isn’t adding up. Great sleuthing. But. This guy killed two people with two weapons in apparently a short/seconds of time. How? How did he pull this off? It’s mind boggling. One of these victims saw the other killed. I don’t believe they hung around while AM grabbed another gun. If PM charges his father? Who has the AR? Why wasn’t he killed with the same AR that killed MM. I’m sorry but if someone shoots an AR I’m not going after them with a shotgun. You’re toast from a distance. PM seems to have been killed from the same place he was video taping. Did they fight and maybe PM gets pushed back into the kennel area? Doesn’t explain his phone underneath his body If he’s struggling for a shotgun . Phone shouldve been either dropped elsewhere or in his pocket.

This is how I envision it based on what little we know:

Alex lures Maggie to the red-roofed shed, unaware that Paul had arrived earlier and walked down to the kennels to check on a friend’s dog.
AM has his AR hidden but readily available for whatever plan he had in mind with Maggie as his intended target.
They begin to argue, which Paul inadvertently catches on video from the adjacent kennels as he videos the dog for his friend.
If it’s accurate that Paul was killed first, I’d assume he was alarmed by this argument and came to his mother’s aid with the shotgun. Perhaps he’d brought the shotgun with him as he walked down from the house, or perhaps it hung in the kennels. Either way, he brought it without intention of really using it, but to intimidate his dad into relenting.
Alex is shocked to see Paul and instinctively lunges for the gun. A struggle ensues. Maggie stands there yelling at them to stop. The gun goes off twice in quick succession. Alex has wrestled the gun away and shot Paul during the struggle.
After initially being frozen at the site of her mortally wounded child, Maggie begins to run when she realizes Alex has grabbed his AR. He shoots her as she runs. She falls after about 40 ft., and he administers the kill shots to the back of her head.

I’m attaching a picture to show how close the two buildings are to each other.

I’m not saying this is what happened, just what I picture after reading the latest news. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

I’ve known of several SC cases where if someone is involved in LE or otherwise high profile inmate for whatever reason, they will move them to another county to be held.

Thanks, @worm. I'm following a couple of cases in UT and CO and the defendants here seem to be consistently rotated to other county facilities but both crimes involve multiple suspects and where authorities are doing their best to keep the subjects apart, in addition to considering the gang memberships in these jails. MOO

 

[Skigirl]

Has someone already posted links to AM's jailhouse calls?

 

[Elley Mae]

Knowing that Gloria Satterfield’s body is/has been exhumed for reexamination I feel that in the future the bodies of ppl that have been murdered should not be allowed to be cremated until case is resolved or closed.

Jmo

 

[LetsSolvIt]

Very thought-provoking post @LetsSolvIt -- thank you.

Out of curiosity, I just checked AM's inmate status on Vinelink and I was surprised to see that he's actually been housed in Richland County (Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center) all this time or at least since October 16, 2021, although he was in the custody of Colleton County Jail/Sheriff for one day July 20, 2022, for his recent arraignment/bond hearing for the double murder charges.

I believe AM was first arrested Sept 16, 2021, in Richard County for insurance fraud/conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report after the hired and failed drive-by shooting-- but released on $20K bond, and traveled to rehab in Florida.

Now that AM's defense counsel filed for a speedy trial, I wonder if AM will be transferred to Colleton County Jail anytime soon?

I can't say for certain but I'm assuming that given a choice, ASGDC is the facility inmates prefer compared to Colleton County jail.

Richland County Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is a minimum-security Adult in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. The 187-bed capacity facility has been operational since 1981 and boasts of about 2372 bookings yearly. This Adult facility hosts inmates from all of Richland County under the governorship of the South Carolina Sherriff. The prison is operated and maintained by South Carolina Department of Corrections

Alex Murdaugh turns himself in on charges connected to insurance fraud scheme | CNN

Alex Murdaugh, a South Carolina lawyer whose wife and son were killed in June, was arrested Thursday in connection to an insurance fraud scheme that court documents say involved Murdaugh arranging for his own killing so his surviving son could collect the life insurance payout.

www.cnn.com

VINELink

vinelink.vineapps.com

For those of you who have recently returned to this thread, here are photos I took of detention center when I was in Columbia a few months ago. It’s actually out of town quite a few miles. The lane up to the facility from the main road is lined with bail-bond financiers and one religious establishment that offers “redemption.”

 

[Diddian]

It still isn’t adding up. Great sleuthing. But. This guy killed two people with two weapons in apparently a short/seconds of time. How? How did he pull this off? It’s mind boggling. One of these victims saw the other killed. I don’t believe they hung around while AM grabbed another gun. If PM charges his father? Who has the AR? Why wasn’t he killed with the same AR that killed MM. I’m sorry but if someone shoots an AR I’m not going after them with a shotgun. You’re toast from a distance. PM seems to have been killed from the same place he was video taping. Did they fight and maybe PM gets pushed back into the kennel area? Doesn’t explain his phone underneath his body If he’s struggling for a shotgun . Phone shouldve been either dropped elsewhere or in his pocket.

I agree with you. I remain bothered by the use of the two guns AND by AM's insistence on ending the 911 call to make some calls of his own AND by AM's complete lack of concern about a killer who might still be hanging around. What kind of man ends a 911 call to make phone calls of his own while still waiting for emergency services to arrive to the scene where his wife and young-adult son lay dying? One would expect that man's primary focus would be the arriving help... and that he might have some concern that he too could become a target.

We know he used his cellphone in what appears to be an attempt to establish an alibi for the drive to/from Varnville to visit with his mother. Did he also use his phone to help someone else establish an alibi - whoever he called immediately after hanging up with 911? And where was that person's phone located to receive the call? And was the person with the phone in that location when the call was made?

 

[rescuemom]

Well it doesn’t make sense that Maggie would be renovating the beach house, with back taxes owed.

Jmo

Unless MM knew nothing of their true financial situation. IMHO, AM juggled the money from one account/debt to another account/debt.

 

[rescuemom]

The anguish is what got me. It sounded so remorseful and painful. What could be worse than killing your child. I'm assuming they fought over the gun and it went off.

MOO

I agree the anguish in his voice is probably real and for whatever reason had to kill PM. As much influence as AM had over both of the sons, AM could have tried to talk to PM to convince him that his mother was going to do this or that and just had to go. PM may have resisted at the horror of his mother's murder and AM had to kill PM too.

 

[Elley Mae]

Unless MM knew nothing of their true financial situation. IMHO, AM juggled the money from one account/debt to another account/debt.

Seems the mail for that address would gave went to that address. And from the way I read this it was 7 years?

…

Court records show that Alex Murdaugh and his late wife, Margaret, owe thousands of dollars in delinquent taxes on the family’s Edisto Island beach house.

Tax records show the Murdaughs owe more than $6000 in delinquent taxes in 2020 and more than $7000 in outstanding taxes for this year.

Murdaugh property delivered with delinquent tax notice, lawsuits could prevent auction

EDISTO, S.C. (WCBD) — A property on Edisto Beach, owned by the Murdaugh family, is due thousands in delinquent taxes. But pending lawsuits may prevent it from going to auction. Court records …

www.wbtw.com

 

[RAISINISBACK]

It still isn’t adding up. Great sleuthing. But. This guy killed two people with two weapons in apparently a short/seconds of time. How? How did he pull this off? It’s mind boggling. One of these victims saw the other killed. I don’t believe they hung around while AM grabbed another gun. If PM charges his father? Who has the AR? Why wasn’t he killed with the same AR that killed MM. I’m sorry but if someone shoots an AR I’m not going after them with a shotgun. You’re toast from a distance. PM seems to have been killed from the same place he was video taping. Did they fight and maybe PM gets pushed back into the kennel area? Doesn’t explain his phone underneath his body If he’s struggling for a shotgun . Phone shouldve been either dropped elsewhere or in his pocket.

He was shot in the shoulder and head. could be he was shot from the back and fell on his phone.

JMO

 

[RAISINISBACK]

I agree with you. I remain bothered by the use of the two guns AND by AM's insistence on ending the 911 call to make some calls of his own AND by AM's complete lack of concern about a killer who might still be hanging around. What kind of man ends a 911 call to make phone calls of his own while still waiting for emergency services to arrive to the scene where his wife and young-adult son lay dying? One would expect that man's primary focus would be the arriving help... and that he might have some concern that he too could become a target.

We know he used his cellphone in what appears to be an attempt to establish an alibi for the drive to/from Varnville to visit with his mother. Did he also use his phone to help someone else establish an alibi - whoever he called immediately after hanging up with 911? And where was that person's phone located to receive the call? And was the person with the phone in that location when the call was made?

BBM

What kind of man ends a 911 call to make phone calls of his own while still waiting for emergency services to arrive to the scene where his wife and young-adult son lay dying?

A narcissist who just killed them both.

I really don't think anyone but AM was involved. We don't know the logistics on the 2 guns yet but you can bet your boots AM had something planned out. Something stupid maybe. Like the suicide/murder stunt on the side of the road.

i personally think he was stupid enough to think 2 different type guns would throw suspicion off him.

Jmo

 

[Erutan]

The anguish is what got me. It sounded so remorseful and painful. What could be worse than killing your child. I'm assuming they fought over the gun and it went off.

MOO

At this time and unless something changes, I'm highly doubtful about any remorse, or that it was an accidental shooting.
I think Alex meant to do this.

Like the faked attack on his life by the roadside, AM has a history ... of histrionics, or at least practicing deceit.
For how many years did the law practice suspect that he was embezzling ?
Had they ever confronted him ?
Or they left it alone out of fear ?
The other poster suggested a gambling problem which may be the actual reason for the missing funds, as opposed to an opioid addiction.

AM is pretty cold-blooded, anyone would have to be --- to murder his own child.
My .02.

 

[Erutan]

He was shot in the shoulder and head. could be he was shot from the back and fell on his phone.

JMO

Agreed.
I doubt this was an accidental struggle.
Too much evidence says otherwise ?
Paul's fingerprints could be on the gun, but that might only mean that he handled it at some time.
.02 cents.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

BBM

What kind of man ends a 911 call to make phone calls of his own while still waiting for emergency services to arrive to the scene where his wife and young-adult son lay dying?

A narcissist who just killed them both.

I really don't think anyone but AM was involved. We don't know the logistics on the 2 guns yet but you can bet your boots AM had something planned out. Something stupid maybe. Like the suicide/murder stunt on the side of the road.

i personally think he was stupid enough to think 2 different type guns would throw suspicion off him.

Jmo

I think one of the biggest giveaways for LE and the dispatcher was that — in the dark, well off the road, on a 1,700-acre property with timber and sheds all around, Alex Murdaugh found his wife and son brutally murdered and Alex Murdaugh standing out in the open and up near the bodies, and talking on the phone near the kennels wasn’t concerned for his own safety.

 

[worm]

I think one of the biggest giveaways for LE and the dispatcher was that — in the dark, well off the road, on a 1,700-acre property with timber and sheds all around, Alex Murdaugh found his wife and son brutally murdered and Alex Murdaugh standing out in the open and up near the bodies, and talking on the phone near the kennels wasn’t concerned for his own safety.

Nobody involved seemed concerned. The operator asks if anyone is around and that’s about it. Did LE sweep the place for snipers? One would think AM to be scared of that for sure.