SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #3

[Ray_of_hope]

Out of all the ideas that have been tossed out about the perp(s) and motives, this one makes the most sense. Some one had mentioned two males who are unrelated to the Murdaugh family, that were alleged to have been at/participated in the SS tragedy. That would explain two different guns used during the murders. And tie up the on line threats to Paul. Murdaughs never pursued the threats bc that meant Paul and Buster would be implicated in SS death. But if it came down to Paul being guilty in Mallory’s death, and going to jail, Maggie and Paul would throw the other two males under the bus. The deal would cover Buster and Paul, and hang the other two males. It was getting a little too close for comfort, so the two males took it upon themselves the get rid of the problem: Paul and Maggie, both. And that, my friends, is what I have deduced.
ETA: grammar

I'm with you in your theory.

 

[genuineusa77]

When Paul was drunkenly driving that boat and MB said she was scared, why didn't two people restrain him and someone else take over driving!? Guessing they were too young to think of that?! Or afaid because it was his boat and afraid of "Timmy"!?

 

[MassGuy]

SLED releases redacted 911 calls from night of Murdaugh family double homicide | WCBD News 2

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) on Thursday evening released redacted audio of the 911 calls made by a distraught Alex Murdaugh minutes after he found his son, Paul, and wife, Margaret Murdaugh shot to death at their family home in Colleton County.

In the June 7 call, Alex is audibly shaken as he tells the dispatcher “I need the police and an ambulance immediately. My wife and child have been shot badly.”

The Hampton County Dispatcher connects him with the Colleton County dispatcher, who tries to get more information from Alex as they send units to his home.

He says that he found the bodies up by their kennel, and that neither Paul nor Maggie are breathing.

The dispatcher asks if Alex saw anyone in the area, if anyone else was supposed to be at his home, or if anything seemed out of place. Alex says no to all three.

 

[swedeheart]

SLED releases redacted 911 calls from night of Murdaugh family double homicide | WCBD News 2

 

[swedeheart]

SLED releases redacted 911 calls from night of Murdaugh family double homicide | WCBD News 2

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) on Thursday evening released redacted audio of the 911 calls made by a distraught Alex Murdaugh minutes after he found his son, Paul, and wife, Margaret Murdaugh shot to death at their family home in Colleton County.

In the June 7 call, Alex is audibly shaken as he tells the dispatcher “I need the police and an ambulance immediately. My wife and child have been shot badly.”

*2 points of interest, in my opinion only:

1.

911: "Did you hear anything or did you come home and find them?"

AM: "I've been gone, I just came back."

2.

911: "I don't want you to touch them at all..."

AM: "I already touched them to see if they were breathing."

ETA: How did AM know immediately they had been shot? Would that have been crystal clear the second he saw them, lifeless on the ground? Not only was it dark, but would he have been able to see gunshots? Or just lots of blood?

 

[MassGuy]

*2 points of interest, in my opinion only:

1.

911: "Did you hear anything or did you come home and find them?"

AM: "I've been gone, I just came back."

2.

911: "I don't want you to touch them at all..."

AM: "I already touched them to see if they were breathing."

It was haunting listening to the initial emotion, especially with that echo in the background.

He managed to pull it together as the call went on.

 

[shefner]

I notice Alex says, "My wife and child," instead of, "My wife and son."
I realize part of this call is redacted so something may be left out...but it seems in sequence when the Hampton County operator connects with the Colleton operator and repeats, "his wife and child have been shot," and yet the Colleton operator makes the distinction, asking Alex, "So it's your wife and your son?" Perhaps this operator knew of the Murdaughs.

 

[shefner]

"They're on the ground out at my kennel."

 

[sunshineray]

When Paul was drunkenly driving that boat and MB said she was scared, why didn't two people restrain him and someone else take over driving!? Guessing they were too young to think of that?! Or afaid because it was his boat and afraid of "Timmy"!?

I don't think the other males were afraid of "Timmy". They probably could have taken him in hand easy enough. I think it was the repercussions they feared. It wasn't even PM's boat.

 

[Diddian]

Beyond what others have already posted about the call:

Alex appears to be making the call at some distance from the kennels because later in the call he tells the dispatcher he is going to head back out there. (So, he doesn't appear to be alert to or concerned about a continuing threat in the vicinity of the bodies or in his path to them.)

The dispatcher has told Alex that units are on their way and asks him to turn on his emergency flashers so that police can see where he is once they arrive. He does so and tells her he has done so. Then, he tells her he wants to make calls to family members.

So, he wants to end the 911 call so he can make a call to family members.

I personally find that odd.

 

[sunshineray]

Heartbreaking, wrenching, just horrible...I think AM had his phone on speaker and I think it's possible someone else might have already been there with him.

At 2:59 -3:01 on the audio, right after she asked him what his phone number is, AM says very softly and calmly "What?". It doesn't sound like he said it in answer to her question or to himself. To my ears it sounded like he was saying it to someone next to him.
AJMO and perception.

 

[sunshineray]

Beyond what others have already posted about the call:

Alex appears to be making the call at some distance from the kennels because later in the call he tells the dispatcher he is going to head back out there. (So, he doesn't appear to be alert to or concerned about a continuing threat in the vicinity of the bodies or in his path to them.)

The dispatcher has told Alex that units are on their way and asks him to turn on his emergency flashers so that police can see where he is once they arrive. He does so and tells her he has done so. Then, he tells her he wants to make calls to family members.

So, he wants to end the 911 call so he can make a call to family members.

I personally find that odd.

I think he did that because someone was already there, JMO.

 

[Diddian]

I think he did that because someone was already there, JMO.

Just to clarify, do you mean that you think officers had already arrived when he told the dispatcher he wanted to make a call to family members?

 

[sunshineray]

Just to clarify, do you mean that you think officers had already arrived when he told the dispatcher he wanted to make a call to family members?

No, a family member or someone else.

 

[shefner]

I felt like someone was already there too.
I meant to add above that I find the word, "child," to be one of distancing.
Also, the dispatcher had to ask for the victims' names several minutes into the call. The names of the victims were not offered until then. Paul's age was never offered either. The dispatcher asked Paul's age the last few seconds of the call.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I was not thinking past my observations of Maggie and Paul. I was floored that it could be so simple. Shoot them to silence them before they could finalize a deal with LE. If there was no physical evidence to link the two to SS, but for Paul’s or Buster’s testimony, it would be a great move on their part. To answer your question, I don’t know. But I doubt Alec Murdaugh did not know that his sons were involved in SS death. But maybe Alec told his wife to stop covering for the boy and she did not listen. He may have heard the threats and/or been threatened himself. Alec thought he could legally or through connections beat the boating tragedy. Maggie was not so sure and did not want to risk Paul going to jail. It must have come out that Maggie was trying to keep Paul out of jail, by turning informant. The two SS males did not want to take the chance so they offed Maggie and Paul. Alec might have missed the party bc he was late. But he gets it now. I doubt he will ever pursue the shooters. His reward is a smoke screen. They know that he knows who they are. He knows that they know he knows who they are. That’s why the reward is to be administered through the law firm and not LE. And has such a short window. He’s making sure they get away with the murders.

I agree with you and think that the two perps would expect that their crime would be attributed to revenge from the boating accident, etc

 

[MajorHoople]

"They're on the ground out at my kennel."

I guess I have watched too many episodes of Forensic Files and The New Detectives, but I have heard quite a few 911 calls from a frantic husband who says his wife has just been murdered.

The episode usually end with the husband being charged, tried and convicted of the murder.

 

[BOSCOE]

Me too @MajorHoople

In fact I could have just moved along without hearing it.

MOO

 

[shefner]

If someone tells me, "My wife and child have been shot," my mind immediately jumps to a child who is underage. Because of that, one of my first questions would be, "How old is your child?"
Also, when a person has more than one son, he would be expected to instinctively say the name of that son in an emergency in order to differentiate between the sons. I would expect to hear, "my wife and my son...my son Paul." Because even though the dispatcher may be clueless about a family's members, a parent's mind will subconsciously create the distinction.

 

[Sustained]

Beyond what others have already posted about the call:

Alex appears to be making the call at some distance from the kennels because later in the call he tells the dispatcher he is going to head back out there. (So, he doesn't appear to be alert to or concerned about a continuing threat in the vicinity of the bodies or in his path to them.)

The dispatcher has told Alex that units are on their way and asks him to turn on his emergency flashers so that police can see where he is once they arrive. He does so and tells her he has done so. Then, he tells her he wants to make calls to family members.

So, he wants to end the 911 call so he can make a call to family members.

I personally find that odd.

BBM

I don't, LE was already on the way and he wanted to call his brothers to get them out there.