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

[brm1960]

I have to agree with you on the hunting aspect.
We are hunters and come from a family of hunters and do not hunt after dark, mostly for safety reasons.

Coyotes may be shot in SC night or day all year.

 

[KatzEye]

Some perspective from MSM regarding cases in SC, including Beaufort County :

Solicitor’s Office unveils new plans to cut down ‘unprecedented’ backlog of criminal cases | WSAV-TV

BBM

Right now there are more than 5600 cases waiting in the Circuit, which includes Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton counties, all waiting to go to trial or be resolved.

That unprecedented number has gone up more than 1500 cases since the pandemic started and courts closed.

Beaufort County is where the boat accident occurred. Colleton is where the murders occurred.

 

[cujenn81]

I was really hoping for a substantive update from LE today. I'm disappointed.
Can we expect that they really have this investigation under control? (and I mean above board.)

Yes — but I only say that because the investigation is being handled by SLED.

SLED officers essentially work under the governor and oversee all cases involving suspected and/or alleged police misconduct (among other things). For these reasons, SLED investigations are usually very thorough and fair (in my opinion).

 

[Luna20]

It’s odd that the after funeral gathering was held at the house on Moselle. It seems that it would still be a crime scene.

 

[katydid23]

Thank you, I guess pages 6-25 were a whole lot of nothing.

The start of the depositions are usually establishing basic facts not in dispute, like names, addresses, relationships to other litigants, etc...

 

[taylorss]

I also thought there’d be a break yesterday (Mon) but still expecting it this week. Cuz IMO there’s no sense that LE is working to solve this (info released, tips sought) …. so seems like they have it solved ?

Actually - my expectation is they’ll soon announce the whole story …. but seeing how things have gone with this family, maybe it’ll just never be mentioned again

just anecdotally …. I had some involvement in a civil legal matter in SC that had been ongoing for a year+ before the pandemic. It was put on pause with all the others as the courts were closed March ‘20 …. and since then there hasn’t been any hint of movement, or even planning for the possibility of movement. Speedy justice doesn’t seem to be move down there in general, based on my matter & what I heard when asking when/if something would happen any time soon MOO

eta - typo

 

[MommyPlatt]

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestate/obituary.aspx?n=randolph-murdaugh-iii&pid=199046659

According to his obituary in The State Newspaper:
"Mr. Randolph Murdaugh, III, 81, of Varnville, died peacefully Thursday afternoon, June 10, 2021, at his residence."
Bolded by me.

 

[stmarysmead]

Murdaughs laid to rest in Hampton, quiet town shocked by recent deaths\

Murdaugh served as Solicitor of the 14th Judicial Circuit for 18 years, and together with his father and grandfather served in that office for 86 years. As solicitor, he tried more than 200 murder cases, once convicting two murderers in the same week.

snip

The funeral procession for Randolph III was lengthy and included at least one vehicle from almost every law enforcement and government agency in the 14th Judicial Circuit, said officials who coordinated the procession through the streets of Varnville and Hampton to the Murdaughs' final resting place.

 

[stmarysmead]

Fatal shooting of mother, son highlights legacy of powerful South Carolina dynasty

The family's fingerprints have been on countless cases tied to the legal system in the Lowcountry. The State newspaper of Columbia noted in 2019 that they helped to put thousands of people in prison and sent more than a dozen to death row and that "year after year, the family law firm in Hampton has won millions of dollars in civil lawsuits, relentlessly pursuing those at fault in fatal collisions."

snip


The family's powerful connections and accusations of special treatment were in the spotlight in early 2019, when one of their own was accused of causing a death during a night of underage drinking.

Six people were on a boat owned by Alex Murdaugh, including his son, Paul, who is believed to have been driving at some point, according to police records. The boat slammed into a piling below a bridge, and the passengers, ages 18 to 20, were ejected.

One of them — Mallory Beach, 19 — was not immediately found. Her body was discovered seven days later.

A police report said the teens were "grossly intoxicated." Beach's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Murdaughs and the convenience store chain that was alleged to have sold the alcohol. The suit was continuing as of last week.

Local reports after the boat crash said that the Murdaugh family did not initially cooperate with law enforcement agencies' investigation and that officers never gave Paul Murdaugh an alcohol breath test, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, which led the investigation. Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of boating under the influence. He had been out on a personal recognizance bond of $50,000 at the time of his death.

The State Law Enforcement Division acknowledged in a statement last week that "everyone has questions and rumors are abundant" in the deaths of Paul and Margaret Murdaugh, but it said, "We cannot and will not do anything that could jeopardize the integrity of this investigation and thus feel it is inappropriate to comment on specifics while this investigation is ongoing."

 

[MommyPlatt]

This is the 5275 Square Foot Dwelling on the Mozelle property and a link to the Property Card.

Property Card link: qPublic.net - Colleton County, SC - Report: 123-00-00-002.000

All of the buildings on the property are sketched, so I guess one is the dog house.

Information can be found for all of the property owned by Maggie at this link: qPublic.net - Colleton County, SC - Search

 

[Oakie]

Are you sure? I was under the impression he was with his father in the hospital.

Yes it is common to go do that like golfing. I also agree it is definatley not a hunting accident. Quail hunting would not be done at 10pm. It would be virtually impossible to see the quail in the air. If it was deer season I could maybe see him out until 9 since the sun doesnt set until late but it isnt deer season.

There is no game animal in season in South Carolina in June. Feral hogs and coyotes could be hunted year-round, as they are not protected, but I find it unlikely that he'd be hunting anything in June, as the weather is too hot and humid to enjoy being out hunting, and the biting insects (mosquitoes, deer flies, horseflies, gnats) are so numerous and aggressive....you need to experience that to believe it ( I worked outdoors there, it was Hell in the summer).

 

[Tiff23fr]

I know the civil case has been discussed. Adding a note that the criminal trial had yet to have a date set if anyone was curious.

In May 2019, Paul pleaded not guilty. He was released on $50,000 bond. No trial date had been set.
Mom, Son from Prominent S.C. Family Found Slain As He Awaited Trial in Boating Accident That Killed Teen

 

[Derph]

I also thought there’d be a break yesterday (Mon) but still expecting it this week. Cuz IMO there’s no sense that LE is working to solve this (info released, tips sought) …. so seems like they have it solved ?

Actually - my expectation is they’ll soon announce the whole story …. but seeing how things have gone with this family, maybe it’ll just never be mentioned again

just anecdotally …. I had some involvement in a civil legal matter in SC that had been ongoing for a year+ before the pandemic. It was put on pause with all the others as the courts were closed March ‘20 …. and since then there hasn’t been any hint of movement, or even planning for the possibility of movement. Speedy justice doesn’t seem to be move down there in general, based on my matter & what I heard when asking when/if something would happen any time soon MOO

eta - typo

I don't think that's true. The Slager case went to trial very quickly as did the Dylan Roof case.

 

[bestill]

I don't think that's true. The Slager case went to trial very quickly as did the Dylan Roof case.

True. Perhaps more motivated Solicitors to prosecute? JMO

 

[EggSalad]

What a wild case. <modsnip>

I hope to hear an official release from LE soon, but also not holding my breath.

 

[lstiff]

Is it possible they shot each other during an altercation? I know that is probably rare but since it’s not a murder/suicide (via LE) and nobody has been arrested and nobody seems alarmed at that fact, maybe? Sigh.

 

[Tiff23fr]

Back to the criminal side of the incident:

Robert Kittle, the communications director for the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, told Oxygen.com that in light of Paul's death the charges will likely be dismissed against him.

"We will be dismissing the charges against him once we receive official documentation of his death, like a death certificate, but his death does not end the criminal case into the boating accident. That investigation is still open," Kittle said.

Mother And Son From Prominent South Carolina Family Shot To Death At Their Home | Oxygen Official Site

 

[lstiff]

Back to the criminal side of the incident:

Robert Kittle, the communications director for the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, told Oxygen.com that in light of Paul's death the charges will likely be dismissed against him.

"We will be dismissing the charges against him once we receive official documentation of his death, like a death certificate, but his death does not end the criminal case into the boating accident. That investigation is still open," Kittle said.

Mother And Son From Prominent South Carolina Family Shot To Death At Their Home | Oxygen Official Site

This makes zero sense to me every time I read it. He was the only plaintiff named & indicted by the grand jury, correct? Maybe not? Anyone have access to the formal charges? How does this make sense?

 

[LietKynes]

Following.
What a messed up case.
Not sure if this has anything to do with the young lady who died in the boating accident, though ?
MOO

 

[LietKynes]

This makes zero sense to me every time I read it. He was the only plaintiff named & indicted by the grand jury, correct? Maybe not? Anyone have access to the formal charges? How does this make sense?

There were others on that boat, right ?
And iirc, Paul was not the only one steering it ?
I keep thinking he took over from someone else who was initially driving the boat, although maybe not willingly on the part of the boat owner or operator ?
Imo.