Local attorney victim of attempted arson
This happened in 2009.
HAMPTON - Local and state police are still searching for a suspect in connection with an apparent arson attempt at the home of a local attorney.
Firefighters responded to a reported structure fire at the home of Alex Murdaugh at 515 Holly St. Extension around 7:30 Friday morning. While the fire was quickly distinguished, evidence at the scene has prompted an arson investigation, said Hampton Police Chief Perry McAlhaney.
“We suspect that sometime Thursday night or Friday morning someone spread some kind of accelerant around the house and tried to set it on fire from the back door,” said McAlhaney. “Luckily, for some reason it didn’t spread through the house and the only thing that burned was the floor mat.“
McAlhaney said that as of Wednesday morning the incident is still under investigation by the Hampton Police Department with assistance from the State Law Enforcement Division Arson Team, the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Varnville Police Department.
McAlhaney added that an estimate of the amount of damage to the Murdaugh home was not known at this time. Murdaugh is an attorney with the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, & Detrick law firm in Hampton and the son of retired solicitor Randolph Murdaugh III.