SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #25

[Skigirl]

Not sure if anyone has floated this version of the “motive” but I started thinking maybe the immediate Murdaugh family of 4 was starting to fracture into 2 camps - AM&BM versus MM&PM. AM feeling his authority is being encroached on by MM and PM snooping into his pill stash and calling him out. MM is really upset and increasingly worried about the boat case, the community shunning, the possibility of her youngest (always the baby even as an adult) going to prison for a significant portion of his life, and the looming financial exposure of the wrongful death civil cases. The “what’s for dinner” emails between MM and PM really struck and saddened me because it shows at the end of the day Paul just wants to see his mom and have a home cooked meal. Now this is totally speculation, but MM has 2 problems to solve - 1) husband on drugs, more awareness on her part about finances, concern she isn’t in the loop about the real state of affairs financially and 2) AM’s financial and drug distractions are impairing his ability, in her mind, to solve the “what to do about Paul’s” legal situation. Normally she would stay in her lane when it came to legal matters, but she starts to stray into AM’s territory. MM is taking Blanca and her sister into confidence. Maybe MM was on the verge of trying to take over control of the finances and Paul’s legal situation in a very non-Murdaugh fashion - with honesty and possible admissions of guilt, contrition or responsibility. As a mom, you would do anything to protect your child, but AM was acting recklessly. Again speculation- but if MM in the role of more responsible parent is making noise about trying to settle the civil case, liquidating property assets, and maybe thinking about a plea in the criminal case, this threatens the Murdaugh dynasty which is on the brink of being under AM’s “watch” with his dad dying. AM cannot risk MM inserting herself into matters that should be left the men in the succession of the legacy. The pill research and texts show PM and MM were outing him which with AM’s personality type starts to feel very, very threatening; so much so AM is going into self-preservation mode; is there an “intervention” in the works. This is an existential threat that unfortunately calls for drastic measures. His wife is becoming “the enemy” with her prying and the youngest, detective, is enabling her; so those 2 are acting in concert in a very non-Murdaugh manner. MM is acting normal so as not to tip off a confrontation with AM that may be coming. Weighing his options, AM rationalizes that the oldest son has to be the one to survive, so he has to protect Buster at the expense of Paul. And sadly MM is way out of her lane, how dare she, and well, he doesn’t have a choice. The Murdaugh’s are a southern variation of the mob, and killing within one’s family, in the name of loyalty to the dynasty family, is one’s duty in that twisted paradigm.

All speculation - but looking at it as AM & Buster versus MM & Paul kind of struck me today.

Agree with the above and add to that:

With Randolph ("Handsome") dying, the family fixer -- the person who everyone followed -- was going away. Just a month before, Alex was trying to get yet another $600k loan against Moselle and told Lafitte his father would co-sign. With daddy dying, who's going to help him now?

Who knows what else "Little Detective" had learned about Alex. And Alex was also potentially facing the humiliation of losing Moselle (Paul's "absolute passion") and Edisto (Maggie's favorite place) and being exposed as a fraud. Maggie was prepared to start over when she thought she lived with a man who was pulling in millions a year because starting over wouldn't be that hard. What would happen if the boat case continued and all of Alex's debts and theft came to light?

 

[Edvis]

Thats what I thought. The reason to deal is to make money not go in debt and have to kill to cover tracks.

Non profit drug dealer hmm just doing this out of the goodness of my heart.

 

[meanmaryjean]

She does seem to have an angry, scowling face most of the time for sure, so your instincts are probably spot on. Makes me Sick! I have often wanted to reach out and smack the smirk of AM's face as well. Reality is coming for ya. Ya know...MOO

I honestly think that's her RBF*. I am so afflicted and concentrating on something makes it 10x worse.

*Resting B*tch Face

 

[Edvis]

How ironic, on the menu of Whaley's Edisto:

MAGGIE’S FAVORITE BURGER​

Kid sized cheeseburger 7.95

Sad isn't it even burger joint's profiting off the dead.

 

[Skigirl]

Welp. If Harpootlian and Griffin are the best of the best, that's pretty scary, since Jim opened as many doors as possible to evidence that they were trying to exclude over the course of the trial.

 

[Edvis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1626340946433527809

https://twitter.com/x/status/1626333434745352193

Think there's a bunch of toilet's flushing in that area lol.

 

[10ofRods]

The white ones are 30 mg Oxycodone, very high dose like a cancer patient would be prescribed. I had rotator cuff surgery and was prescribed 5 mg.

Unlike Percocet which is a combination of Oxycodone and Acetaminophen ( Tylenol) it’s just the one drug - addicts will sometimes crush the “ roxies “ and snort the drug. They call it Hillbilly Heroin.

It would be very desirable on the street and profitable to a dealer.

Moo

And the other pill was a tranquilizer/benzo commonly known as Librium. I don't know the dosage. Stronger than xanax or valium, I believe.

 

[rescuemom]

Catching up here..was it determined that Alex had Maggie's phone with him... traveling together.. when he left to go to Almeda and threw it out on his way??? I've asked on what road the phone was found but haven't seen the answer, if it is known

 

[clearskies1]

Catching up here..was it determined that Alex had Maggie's phone with him... traveling together.. when he left to go to Almeda and threw it out on his way??? I've asked on what road the phone was found but haven't seen the answer, if it is known

It hasn't been proved definitely because Maggie's phone had no data that would indicate whether it was in a moving car for the short distance (a quarter mile) from the property to where it was found. It was found on Moselle Rd. Maggie's phone only had limited gps data and it had no gps data on how it travelled from the property to where it was found.

However, the info they do have suggests that it could have travelled with AM on his way to Almeda -- no info contradicts that scenario that I'm aware of. JMO.

 

[Elley Mae]

Catching up here..was it determined that Alex had Maggie's phone with him... traveling together.. when he left to go to Almeda and threw it out on his way??? I've asked on what road the phone was found but haven't seen the answer, if it is known

Moselle rd on the left heading south just before Godley farm lane.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

I wonder if it’s even that she thinks he’s not guilty. I think she just. Doesn’t. Care. As long as the dynasty continues. Almost a “how dare they do this to us?!” kind of thing. JMO. She just reeks of entitlement to me. “So what if he did? Don’t you know who we are?” MOO.

I think you’re probably right. This is the first time in a century a Murdaugh has been held accountable for anything. They are used to misdeeds being ignored or treated with a simple shoulder shrug. They probably still think the Murdaugh magic will prevail.

 

[Boodles]

I’m consternating (if that’s a word) about the defense having Buster testify next week. Harpootlian has been conferring with him at every opportunity during the breaks, like almost stalking him, (IMO) keeping his spirit in line with testifying pro Alex, especially in light of the final timeline synopsis.

I can’t stand it when murderers use their kids to help get them off. I don’t know anything about Buster. I know there are rumors about another death, but AFAIC they’re rumors.

I consider Buster a victim. He has lost his mother and brother and has had to sit through this ungodly testimony about his own father. No one knows what’s in his head or what he thinks about all of this. I’m sick of Harpootlian (apparently) constantly schmoozing him. Sick of it. I feel for this young man.

 

[Luna20]

Notice his sister sitting behind him and nodding at Harpo talking. She still thinks AM is not guilty. In denial Big time!

Serious denial! They each have an aloof look implying that AM isn’t guilty. The eye roll look without the eye roll.

 

[Seattle1]

True, however Buster didn't have a pending law suit that threatened to take all or most of their assests and money ... however PM did.

Buster wasn't released from the wrongful death lawsuit until just recently-- when the Beach's settled their suit against the estate of MM.

 

[kaen]

Gotta wonder if the pill stash that has been described were more than enough for personal use. Maybe he was not dealing but, more so, that for large quantities he held onto the drugs for the local dealer. This man was clearly well connected to LE and the system. The chances of his car, person, home ever being raided seemed slim to none. To have him be a known drug user to local dealers and not have his name ever come up in someone's plea negotiations seems odd especially given the "oxy" issues throughout the early teens to the twenties. I guess it is possible that he had a 50k/week habit but that amount given his job was not necessarily ruinous and was probably sustainable until the liability for the death in the boating accident put him and the family in the financial crosshairs. No evidence of him hiding money so was the habit cost inclusive of hush monies to make sure his world didn't collapse.

On another note at the trial yesterday the defense brought up the idea that AM will most likely spend the rest of his life in jail for financial crimes. Do we think that was brought up as a way to signal to the jury that if they don't feel like there is enough to convict, he will still have consequences so they could acquit with a clear conscience?

This killer (still alleged) got great preferential treatment throughout his spree. It is remarkable to me that it took so long to bring him into a room....maybe part of a plan to keep him talking but still doesn't seem like all suspected criminals get this light touch interactions with LE.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

JMO, and apologies if this has been discussed, but I’m guessing the weapons have been disassembled and buried with different remains in Georgia. Link:SC ex-lawyer Alex Murdaugh fronted $110K to purchase Georgia funeral home in 2020: court docs

A funeral home? Can this get any more like Ozark?

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Paul really did have the "last say" when it came to the tree video and kennel video.

Little detective solved his final case.

 

[Luna20]

Gotta wonder if the pill stash that has been described were more than enough for personal use. Maybe he was not dealing but, more so, that for large quantities he held onto the drugs for the local dealer. This man was clearly well connected to LE and the system. The chances of his car, person, home ever being raided seemed slim to none. To have him be a known drug user to local dealers and not have his name ever come up in someone's plea negotiations seems odd especially given the "oxy" issues throughout the early teens to the twenties. I guess it is possible that he had a 50k/week habit but that amount given his job was not necessarily ruinous and was probably sustainable until the liability for the death in the boating accident put him and the family in the financial crosshairs. No evidence of him hiding money so was the habit cost inclusive of hush monies to make sure his world didn't collapse.

On another note at the trial yesterday the defense brought up the idea that AM will most likely spend the rest of his life in jail for financial crimes. Do we think that was brought up as a way to signal to the jury that if they don't feel like there is enough to convict, he will still have consequences so they could acquit with a clear conscience?

This killer (still alleged) got great preferential treatment throughout his spree. It is remarkable to me that it took so long to bring him into a room....maybe part of a plan to keep him talking but still doesn't seem like all suspected criminals get this light touch interactions with LE.

Having the pills loose in a bag sounds more like distribution than personal use to me. Have to check but I don’t think Paul or Maggie made a reference to ‘an addiction’, just finding pills.

 

[kaen]

Having the pills loose in a bag sounds more like distribution than personal use to me. Have to check but I don’t think Paul or Maggie made a reference to ‘an addiction’, just finding pills.

True. That said, I would imagine he did have an addiction issue. I can't see him meeting with unseemly, regular old addicts. So maybe distributing to wealthy folks with interest but that seems not lucrative which is why I get back to him holding larger quantities for the "local dealer" who distributes. AM was also a local prosecutor in Hampton County (SC ex-lawyer Alex Murdaugh fronted $110K to purchase Georgia funeral home in 2020: court docs) until Sept. 2021 so who knows if that figures into the "oxy" and money loss issue.

 

[Gardenista]

Has anybody else noticed Alex smiling at a juror? Many times I just listen, but today I was actually watching some of it and noticed him smiling at someone.