SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #2

[taylorss]

I just feel like if there’s a crime scene of the sort where someone is dragged from the home etc … LE wouldn’t have been so laid back about it at the start … would they?

 

[RAISINISBACK]

That wide clearing of the wood line in the aerial views is probably intended to frame a view of the set back lodge more than to serve as an "entrance" but by the same token it's not like the hundreds of acres are fenced or anything. There are dozens of ways that the perpetrators might have approached the property but the location of the crime suggest they probably did come up the driveway

Those roads kind of look like fire breaks to me. But.... I am from Oklahoma, although I have been to both NC and SC, we have bulldozers here that create firebreaks every year routinely. But again I am not from the area and have no idea if the state or residents create firebreaks on a regular basis.

JMO

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

The way they’re handling this in general, but also because they have said there is no threat to the community.

If this was some random type crime, or if they thought that was a possibility, they wouldn’t have said that. The community would be very much at risk if that was the case.

I assume that nothing was taken, and there was evidence that indicated that the perpetrator(s) had planned this.

I think there’s a good chance they are going on more than that though.

Does your logic about this also apply to the Abby & Libby case? Cause LE basically said that there wasn’t a threat in their community, nor to others. And that NEVER made sense to me, until you said this.

 

[mjhelms123]

Those roads kind of look like fire breaks to me. But.... I am from Oklahoma, although I have been to both NC and SC, we have bulldozers here that create firebreaks every year routinely. But again I am not from the area and have no idea if the state or residents create firebreaks on a regular basis.

Not sure what I did lol!!!

I am from NC and live in a rural area. I have never heard of firebreaks personally but large tracts of land like the M property could have many “farm roads” - dirt road easements for farmers who may have rented acreage from the M family to farm- they would need those roads to get back to where they move farm equipment to plant, fertilize, water and harvest the crop(s) etc. I think the actual home on this property looks older, my guess is the other front sandy like entrance to the left of the actual “driveway” by the kennels with the brick (in the picture I think “evilwise” posted) may have been a main entrance back to the just the home in the past.

 

[ElementalLaura]

I told my other half the specifics of this crime and asked what he thought.
Someone sent a message, the message was received.

I agree. JMO.

I have an opinion in regard to that statement that there are ‘no enemies.’
I think this family’s power, wealth, and prominence created this false narrative in their minds. <snipped for focus>
But what we are seeing in anonymous comments across the internet is a lot of pent-up animosity…whether deserved or not. <snipped for focus>
And sadly, no matter how nice MM was…she was part of all this alleged unfairness and special privilege. There may have been equal anger at her if the killings were related to these events/rumors from the past.
All just opinion, of course.

Also bringing forward @stmarysmead’s excellent post to agree and further speculate that this pent-up animosity is based not only on the three deaths linked to the family of the two murder victims, but also on countless incidents of petty injustices and contempt shown to many in the local community.

I do not underestimate a motive based on seething resentment by someone(s) who felt themselves a victim of disrespectful behavior and saw the same (and worse) behavior dealt to others with no repercussions. JMO.

IMO PM was a priority target but the perpetrator(s) were happy to hunt however many family members showed up at Murdaugh’s hunting lodge. IMHO the location of the bodies near the dog kennel was part of the message being delivered.

I’d love a detailed LE timeline of that night. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the perpetrator(s) were still there upon AM’s arrival and some quirk of fate or quick action taken prevented him from also being murdered.

I don’t believe in vigilante justice and wish that PM and MM were still here to give their accounts of that terrible night. MOO. That said, I can’t overlook several accounts of PM’s odious behavior nor what appears to be inordinate enabling of that behavior by his parents as a motivating factor in their homicides. MOO.

 

[clearskies1]

Re AM's whereabouts: the most recent reporting that I'm aware of is the GMA video (0:15) where the reporter says that per AM's family he took his father to the hospital, then checked on his mother, and then went home and found the bodies.
Family of slain South Carolina mother and son break silence

 

[Spartygirl]

I just feel like if there’s a crime scene of the sort where someone is dragged from the home etc … LE wouldn’t have been so laid back about it at the start … would they?

Well, LE and investigators were laid back enough to let AM's brother walk around with them at the crime scene but I do not think they would give out details about circumstances. JMO
But who knows..??? they let relatives walk around the crime scene so there is that.
Rumors swirl about double homicide involving SC law family. Some details begin to emerge. | News | postandcourier.com

 

[Spartygirl]

Does your logic about this also apply to the Abby & Libby case? Cause LE basically said that there wasn’t a threat in their community, nor to others. And that NEVER made sense to me, until you said this.

I am not Massguy but since I have followed A & L case since beginning and went to fundraisers and the bridge I, myself, say YES.... LE said no threat to Delphi community.
I believe that.
JMO

 

[Warwick7]

Ok-- so not in MSM
However, news travels fast in small towns and within certain circles so while I agree AM and other family have been told not to speak of anything, doesn't mean another local hasn't or a spouse of anyone.
Regardless.. it is moot point.. it is not mentioned in a verified article so there's that.

Yes, it is MSM
However, there is so little information that we don't know to believe her.
Yet, there is so little information we can't discredit her.
(In the Kelsey Bereth case, we would hear information that was so shocking, only to find out later it was true.)

 

[Warwick7]

Well, LE and investigators were laid back enough to let AM's brother walk around with them at the crime scene but I do not think they would give out details about circumstances. JMO
But who knows..??? they let relatives walk around the crime scene so there is that.
Rumors swirl about double homicide involving SC law family. Some details begin to emerge. | News | postandcourier.com

Yes, this is so shocking.

 

[MassGuy]

Does your logic about this also apply to the Abby & Libby case? Cause LE basically said that there wasn’t a threat in their community, nor to others. And that NEVER made sense to me, until you said this.

I found a quote early on in that one in which a state police sergeant said “I can’t say there’s not a threat to the community.”

Clearly there was, as there was a killer of two little girls on the loose, and it didn’t appear they were targeted by someone they knew.

That sort of crime, which I believe to be sexually motivated, is far different than an event like this.

I think these killers were lying in wait; this was purposeful, personal, and almost certainly an isolated event.

This was a very strong statement by law enforcement, and I think there was solid basis for it.

 

[T rex]

I found a quote early on in that one in which a state police sergeant said “I can’t say there’s not a threat to the community.”

Clearly there was, as there was a killer of two little girls on the loose, and it didn’t appear they were targeted by someone they knew.

That sort of crime, which I believe to be sexually motivated, is far different than an event like this.

I think these killers were lying in wait; this was purposeful, personal, and almost certainly an isolated event.

This was a very strong statement by law enforcement, and I think there was solid basis for it.

Yes this was a very strong statement.
These victims were targeted for reasons the general public need not be concerned that they too will be targeted for.

 

[Rush4087]

A few thoughts
1st-- I believe LE has said that AM took his dad to the hospital and that is his alibi.

2nd-- I do think the very first reported news that said he was "out shooting" may be the truth, but that is JMO and of course, LE can verify if he was at hospital or our in woods.

3rd-- I dont think it has been mentioned and if it has, I have missed it, but if he was out "shooting" or "hunting" we don't necessarily know that it was right there at their lodge.
I mean, it would make sense, of course, but we dont know what woods he was at.

But I get what you are saying and I agree with your thoughts.

I don’t think AM’s “iron clad alibi” is that he was out shooting. I think his “iron clad alibi” is that he was with his father.

I think it’s possible that an early article suggesting that AM was “out at the time of the shooting” was misconstrued as “out shooting”. Just my opinion

 

[MassGuy]

I don’t think AM’s “iron clad alibi” is that he was out shooting. I think his “iron clad alibi” is that he was with his father.
I think it’s possible that an early article suggesting that AM was “out at the time of the shooting” was misconstrued as “out shooting”. Just my opinion

I think that’s exactly what happened, although I never even saw this alleged article. Every reputable source has said that he was visiting his ailing father at the time of the shootings.

 

[sunshineray]

Ok-- so not in MSM
However, news travels fast in small towns and within certain circles so while I agree AM and other family have been told not to speak of anything, doesn't mean another local hasn't or a spouse of anyone.
Regardless.. it is moot point.. it is not mentioned in a verified article so there's that.

Three main newspapers in NYC area, NY Times which believe it or not doesn't always get the whole story right but usually has top notch reporting. Then you have the NY Post and the Daily News which are more sensationalistic but do report the widely known facts as well. NY Post has some tabloid in it's blood over some stories but has also broken some stories, the insider story, that later is widely picked up by the more reputable papers.

It's maddening they use unnamed sources but remember Deep Throat was an unnamed source too. I've always thought it was possible everything started at the main house and that Paul was shot with his own weapon.

 

[Sustained]

Three main newspapers in NYC area, NY Times which believe it or not doesn't always get the whole story right but usually has top notch reporting. Then you have the NY Post and the Daily News which are more sensationalistic but do report the widely known facts as well. NY Post has some tabloid in it's blood over some stories but has also broken some stories, the insider story, that later is widely picked up by the more reputable papers.

It's maddening they use unnamed sources but remember Deep Throat was an unnamed source too. I've always thought it was possible everything started at the main house and that Paul was shot with his own weapon.

In true crime stories like the Murdaugh murders, why anyone would prefer the big city news papers over the local paper like the Island Packet with constant "boots on the ground" is beyond me.

 

[stmarysmead]

In true crime stories like the Murdaugh murders, why anyone would prefer the big city news papers over the local paper like the Island Packet with constant "boots on the ground" is beyond me.

Agree…100%! I also have a theory about the ‘no danger to the public’ comment.

Local LE in a small town setting like this…have a pulse on community feeling. Although there’s always a chance this could be the random act of some deranged killer, I think the local police assumed from the start that this family was targeted. Why? Because from previous cases that involved this family and this young man…from rumor… from understanding the feelings about this family in that community…there was “history.”

If this had happened to another family down the road with less ‘baggage’…that statement probably would not have been made.

 

[Barry]

Well, LE and investigators were laid back enough to let AM's brother walk around with them at the crime scene but I do not think they would give out details about circumstances. JMO
But who knows..??? they let relatives walk around the crime scene so there is that.
Rumors swirl about double homicide involving SC law family. Some details begin to emerge. | News | postandcourier.com

"SLED spokesman Tommy Crosby said only that state and county law enforcement officers continue to investigate the case."

This is a mistake. The sooner the FBI gets involved with this, the better. MOO.

 

[sunshineray]

The Murdaugh family has stated that AM was with his father at the time of the shooting. Their phrasing "iron clad alibi" suggests there are multiple credible witnesses that corroborate this and maybe electronic surveillance as well. "AM has an iron clad alibi" is one of the few meaningful statements to have come from them so I expect it is true, although I find it to be suspiciously convenient.

Not arguing with your words just throwing out also the fact that the ME and Coroner for that county have had their actions and conclusions questioned by some in local and state LE as well as the general public. Some even being quoted in a report (Proctor's on Stephen Smith case) as being willing to write down what ever the investigator wanted, to change what they'd originally written in a report.

With such things going on with officials,if someone were to question the time of death of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh I'd had to at the least consider some "facts" may be ill-prepared facts. AJMO

 

[stmarysmead]

I would hope that the hospital has cameras…and that AM had sufficient contact with various Drs and nurses during his time there….to establish that time frame.

But he left the hospital and supposedly went next to his Mothers house before he went home. That is where confirmation of that part of the alibi may be more difficult.

But MM’s cell phone being found on the road seems to indicate someone tossing it as they left the scene. But I wonder how far down the road it was found. Did it appear to be thrown from the drivers side of the car…or the passengers side? Or not from a car at all?