SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #18

[HawthorneJuniper]

I’m finding lots of info on AM money misdeeds from the November 2022 federal bank fraud trial of Russell Lafitte. There was a loan to AM to remodel the beach house.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590371204363595776

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590356991561830404

https://twitter.com/x/status/1592910201992056832

There's a wealth of info in that case. It was federal. It's a federally insured bank. This was malfeasance on a large scale. I've been an in house attorney at a large bank for many years and reading about Alex's schemes and how he involved banks and attorneys is just unbelievable from my perspective.

That reminds me to read more in that case. Here's a link to the indictment if anyone else is interested and hasn't seen it before DocumentCloud.

He sure dragged a lot of people down in the muck with him. Trying to understand that. Was it some weird southern gentility social code where you must be obsequious to the landed gentry no matter the ethical issues? Like, is this just some accepted thing there? I mean, I've worked in MA & NY and have seen plenty of internal fraud but never anything like this as part of a whole conspiracy involving millions of dollars. Course we ain't got none of these family run banks round these parts no more. And there's good reasons for that.

 

[Luna20]

I'm won't be surprised if the defense doesn't infer that he's a victim of entrapment. If his law firm along with the bank wouldn't have made it so easy for him, he wouldn't have done it. It was the bank and the law firm that didn't catch him and therefore, in his mind, encouraged the behavior. jmo

I’m expecting something like this to drop from the defense. It has all the right reasons for it to. ‘Proof’ has really tripped them up so what’s left now? They are defenceless so they are going to come up with some whopping something. I thought they were going to run with murder suicide but they didn’t stay there for long.

 

[Luna20]

If people are going to shout at him they should get his name right.
moo

“Randolph ‘Alic’ you stole from us”

Gosh the people who have always wanted a reason to stick it to him are having their turn to.

 

[Walela]

“Randolph ‘Alic’ you stole from us”

Gosh the people who have always wanted a reason to stick it to him are having their turn to.

Why do you think that person called him Randolph when his name is Richard?

 

[cocky0]

Hey guys if any of you have not read up on the boat crash with Paul, this weekend will be a good time to brush up on that. There's supposed to be some testimony about that on Monday.

 

[Seattle1]

That’s the Edisto beach house, not the Moselle property though.

Oh, sorry about that.

But I think the court deemed the sale to MM fraudulent so it would be 50/50 ownership similar to Edisto.

Lawyers argue Murdaugh sold Moselle land to wife illegally, family must turn over to court

Lawyers with court-ordered control of Alex Murdaugh's finances & assets want a judge to void Murdaugh's 2016 sale to his wife of a private hunting estate in Colleton County, saying the sale was fraudulent. Land records show Alex Murdaugh sold his wife, Maggie,ownership of the property for $5...

abcnews4.com

WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCIV) — Lawyers with court-ordered control of Alex Murdaugh's finances & assets want a judge to void Murdaugh's 2016 sale to his wife of a private hunting estate in Colleton County, saying the sale was fraudulent.

 

[pizzaman12]

Gun forensics have been studied for what, 100 plus years, so I think the defense is just reaching to try and make it junk.

Unpopular opinion I'm sure but many modern guns/gun parts (especially this one) are mass produced and have identical characteristics and built to spec. While I appreciate much of the firearm forensics, I don't completely agree with his testimony. (wasn't there testimony on Wednesday stating they could NOT determine that it was the .300 blackout in their hands?)

I just know if I have 5 different .300 blackouts and I built them with the identical parts kits. Bolt carrier group which consists of say a dozen + things can be identical. Barrels, etc...

 

[Seattle1]

I feel the same way and I can't believe whatever it was has not been disclosed yet. Let's say his so-called opioid addiction was costing him $1000/day (which would literally kill anyone even with a sky-high tolerance). That's $365,000/year which is not all that much compared to his salary + all the money he stole.

Something's missing...

For the money deals in the millions going on during the last 7 years, I think it is more likely that AM was involved in smuggling/selling opioids than being an addict.

IMO, AM appears to me to be too healthy for a 20-year habit. And the money doesn't add up for this just being a habit.

 

[Edvis]

Unpopular opinion I'm sure but many modern guns/gun parts (especially this one) are mass produced and have identical characteristics and built to spec. While I appreciate much of the firearm forensics, I don't completely agree with his testimony. (wasn't there testimony on Wednesday stating they could NOT determine that it was the .300 blackout in their hands?)

I just know if I have 5 different .300 blackouts and I built them with the identical parts kits. Bolt carrier group which consists of say a dozen + things can be identical. Barrels, etc...

Agreed since machining has stepped up greatly to produce constancy from one weapon to the next wear and quality of ammo as well can leave tell tell marks depending on usage to create scoring particular to that weapon or next one. The downside is that the quality of weapons is forcing the forensic part of it to really step up their game.

 

[worm]

For the money deals in the millions going on during the last 7 years, I think it is more likely that AM was involved in smuggling/selling opioids than being an addict.

IMO, AM appears to me to be too healthy for a 20-year habit. And the money doesn't add up for this just being a habit.

I’m skeptical of the whole drug thing tho I can attest that some addicts can function just fine, mainly when the supply is there. AM would have had the money to support it but I’d love to see some tests or confirmation from his inner circle. I’m sure they would know.

 

[pizzaman12]

Agreed since machining has stepped up greatly to produce constancy from one weapon to the next wear and quality of ammo as well can leave tell tell marks depending on usage to create scoring particular to that weapon or next one. The downside is that the quality of weapons is forcing the forensic part of it to really step up their game.

Which makes me wonder how he can be sure? I was personally put off by his testimony. I use different conversion kits for some of my firearms. 5.56/.223 and CMMG conversion kit for .22lr. That BCG (bolt carrier group) may not even go back into that same rifle when I go back to chambering 5.56/.223. I may put in another one or have moved that to another rifle. Most of my family/friends are the same way. While it's his "expert" opinion, I'm still unsure of how he reached that conclusion definitely.

My other question is that he was unable to chamber a round. Did the gun originally jam and there was no round chambered or did SLED clear the chamber??? He stated he had to manually load a round to test fire it after it failing to chamber.

Again, that gunsmith alone could have ordered 100 completed uppers, 100 receivers, 100 lower parts kits and you'll have 100 identical rifles that will leave little to none noticeable differences from one to another and certainly not 100 different variances. The entire thing is modular.

 

[PaulaDC]

Based on the testimony regarding the guns, I have wondered if in his haste to leave AM forgot the one gun at the scene. When he returned he found it and that is why he told the 911 operator that he needed to go get a gun in case the shooter was still around. JMO

Where did he go to get said gun? Did he go all the way to the house?

 

[clearskies1]

Where did he go to get said gun? Did he go all the way to the house?

That's what Alex said he did -- went all the way to the house, got the gun, then returned to the crime scene. JMO.

 

[meanmaryjean]

For the money deals in the millions going on during the last 7 years, I think it is more likely that AM was involved in smuggling/selling opioids than being an addict.

IMO, AM appears to me to be too healthy for a 20-year habit. And the money doesn't add up for this just being a habit.

I've said all along the drug story doesn't pass the smell test.

 

[worm]

Which makes me wonder how he can be sure? I was personally put off by his testimony. I use different conversion kits for some of my firearms. 5.56/.223 and CMMG conversion kit for .22lr. That BCG (bolt carrier group) may not even go back into that same rifle when I go back to chambering 5.56/.223. I may put in another one or have moved that to another rifle. Most of my family/friends are the same way. While it's his "expert" opinion, I'm still unsure of how he reached that conclusion definitely.

My other question is that he was unable to chamber a round. Did the gun originally jam and there was no round chambered or did SLED clear the chamber??? He stated he had to manually load a round to test fire it after it failing to chamber.

Again, that gunsmith alone could have ordered 100 completed uppers, 100 receivers, 100 lower parts kits and you'll have 100 identical rifles that will leave little to none noticeable differences from one to another and certainly not 100 different variances. The entire thing is modular.

He said that all weapons are cleared when they come to sled.

 

[Tabulator]

I believe the defense can cast doubt on one, maybe two, pieces of proof - they are quite skilled. But, this case is like so many others we have seen... It is the overall amount of evidence that will sink AM. The prosecution has so much evidence - even if the financials are somehow excluded - there is a preponderance of proof against this guy. I just can't see how any juror could overlook so much.

After learning about how AM was constantly conniving and cheating, like, EVERYONE around him, I can't understand why the guy didn't collapse before he committed the murders. So much running and lying - it sounds exhausting. Hopefully, prison will provide respite; for the rest of his life.

 

[pizzaman12]

He said that all weapons are cleared when they come to sled.

I meant from the crime scene in general. If the first round he tried chambering did not do so correctly, was there a prior issue or was that simply an isolated occurrence?

 

[worm]

I meant from the crime scene in general. If the first round he tried chambering did not do so correctly, was there a prior issue or was that simply an isolated occurrence?

They treated it like a one off during testimony with the atty saying something like “this happens once in a while” or something.

 

[pizzaman12]

They treated it like a one off during testimony with the atty saying something like “this happens once in a while” or something.

Which is fine and does happen. However, was there a live round in the .300 when it was recovered? I think there was but that testimony was awhile ago and I can't remember.

 

[worm]

Which is fine and does happen. However, was there a live round in the .300 when it was recovered? I think there was but that testimony was awhile ago and I can't remember.

I don’t remember. Man they were so many numbers flying and casings here n there. I recall them talking about getting it but lost on the answer.