SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #26

[Ray_of_hope]

This isn’t related directly to the murders, but just their lifestyle. Does anyone find it odd the dogs lived in kennels? Basically the same thing as being at a shelter. Or did they roam all day at the property and just sleep and eat there?

I think they brought up in court that when the family was there that they were allowed to roam but the kennels weren't air conditioned or very large. So sad. In court, it was pointed out that BM had allergies. sigh...

 

[Skigirl]

Unfortunately, that comment,as reported by the media, is unconfirmed and was never put into evidence by the Prosecution. They gave us testimony that MM was worried about AM’s health, that she ordered juice for him, that her sister encouraged her to go to Moselle. But not that.

So either the media had sources that regulariy played them for fools, or the media played us. Or some entity wanted false information to become part of the ‘history’ of this case.

So much media garbage is imbedded in our minds. If the prosecution had this statement, it would have certainly been offered as part of the case. I certainly quoted it and believed it…until trial.

Otherwise, your point is well taken.

I think that the "he's up to something" text was simply a mistranslation by one of the sources. Blanca testified that Maggie sat her down and told her that "Alex doesn't tell me everything," and "there's more to the story that I don't know," and I think in the telling, it was reduced to "he's up to something". Simple misunderstanding, I think. Poor Maggie, she had no idea how right she was.

 

[Knox]

Agree 100%. While acknowledging that opioid addiction is very real and one of the most prevalent addictions I too question his “addiction”. It will be interesting to see if defense brings fourth doctors to verify this addiction. If not, definitely a ploy. MOO

Alex's paralegal ( her name escapes me at the moment). Testified he was a ball of fury when he hit the office. I took that to mean he had a lot of energy, flitting from one thing to the next. If he was addicted to methamphetamine, I would understand. But don't opiods make you slow and fuzzy?

 

[mrjitty]

GPS data is not accurate enough for surveying. IIRC I think it is around six inches of tolerance. BUT in my experience with GPS data most of it is within an inch or two. It is accurate enough to show the path of the car to be used as evidence of it's whereabouts.

Anyone with an iphone that walks or jogs may be able to chime in on that device if they've plotted their walking or jogging paths.

Again this data is appropriate for its use here but it would not be used for property or highway surveying. FWIW it will also give elevations if the shot is on the ground.

Personal experience, is it's generally very accurate with way points to within a metre or 2. So if i run on a windy path, it may plot lines that cut corners, but it knows I went from A to B. So for the current purposes that is more than enough accuracy.

Especially here we are dealing with more than 1 data source as well. The vehicle knows its speed internally. So that can be plotted against the map GPS endpoints. In other words, if we know where he went and all the speeds, there is not going to be much room to dispute the accuracy.

 

[Loveallmyhorsesdogsandcats]

Alex's paralegal ( her name escapes me at the moment). Testified he was a ball of fury when he hit the office. I took that to mean he had a lot of energy, flitting from one thing to the next. If he was addicted to methamphetamine, I would understand. But don't opiods make you slow and fuzzy?

Yes, I saw her testimony, said he was difficult to work for for those reasons. According to Mayo they make you sleepy.

What are opioids and why are they dangerous?

Opioids are a broad group of medicines used to relieve pain. Although these medicines are effective, they can lead to addiction. Take them only as directed.

www.mayoclinic.org

What makes opioid medications effective for treating pain can also make them dangerous.

At lower doses, opioids may make you feel sleepy, but higher doses can slow your breathing and heart rate, which can lead to death. And the feelings of pleasure that result from taking an opioid can make you want to continue experiencing those feelings, which may lead to addiction.

You can reduce your risk of dangerous side effects by following your doctor's instructions carefully and taking your medication exactly as prescribed. Make sure your doctor knows all of the other medications and supplements you're taking.

 

[AskMeNoQuestions]

Walking or running? Hard to imagine walking…

Walking fast. He was fat and had a huge gut. he could not "run" MO

 

[minor4th]

I really wonder what Alex’s lawyers are thinking. Did he lie to them like he lied to the cops and everyone else? Did they actually believe he was not guilty when they started this case? IMO they are not very fond of him.

 

[Kudzuu]

DH reminds me of a senator here in my state MMc. He's in it for the long game to win any way he can. His tactics of yelling, putting words in witness's mouths, rambling, arguing etc etc is so unprofessional. IMO he'll be happy with a mistrial, ineffective counsel, hung jury and if none of those a retrial on appeal. Drag it out in the courts unless AM has a come to Jesus moment and wants to hurry up and move to Federal *advertiser censored* Prison. (Quote from Office Space).

 

[mrjitty]

I don’t think, as of Friday, they have decided whether to agree that Alex was at the kennel, or whether to dispute it. It was something Harpootlian said when examining a witness where he said (paraphrasing) “Alex being at the kennel…OR if you believe he wasn’t at the kennel…” That made me think they’re still deciding which story to spin and whether Alex testifies that he was at the kennel (or “I must have been”) but the shock and trauma affected my memory “badly.”

I think they’re prepping him to testify, but waiting until they see how things go with their defense witnesses and the State’s effectiveness at cross examination to decide.

JMO.

One issue is he lied so much, it is hard to see why Jury would believe his new "real' truth

What on earth could he actually come up with?

 

[Edvis]

And I conned my daughter into helping me and I set up-- me trying to pull up, run over, check for pulses, try and turn her over Yada Yada Yada.

Just turning her over alone was 17 seconds by itself. No way could all that be done in 20 seconds. And I would have got blood and brain matter all over me.

Under 10 seconds moving with your rifle--wow!!!

My ole vet muscle memory and training still kicks in now and then lol. It may have taken AM longer but sure he wanted to do it as quick as he could to remove the chance of them mainly MM fleeing.

 

[geevee]

I thought it sounded like the shooter was just outside the door frame (but not crouching) for the first shot at Paul. Then the angle on the second shot seemed to imply that the shooter shot from the hip? Hopefully, the prosecution will pull out these details in closing. It's the kind of testimony that some jurors will block out or only remember in a hazy way, because what with the crime scene pictures and the overall gruesomeness of this crime, it's very hard to wrap the mind around the details.

IMO.

I do hope the prosecution tales into account during closing that the gravel is lower than the concrete pad and the feed room, if AM is standing on the gravel just beyond the doorway, it makes the angle a little less drastic.

 

[geevee]

Walking or running? Hard to imagine walking…

He worked himself up into a breathless state prior to the 911 calls, so I wouldn't think he was lollygagging.

 

[ch_13]

GPS data is not accurate enough for surveying. IIRC I think it is around six inches of tolerance. BUT in my experience with GPS data most of it is within an inch or two. It is accurate enough to show the path of the car to be used as evidence of it's whereabouts.

Anyone with an iphone that walks or jogs may be able to chime in on that device if they've plotted their walking or jogging paths.

Again this data is appropriate for its use here but it would not be used for property or highway surveying. FWIW it will also give elevations if the shot is on the ground.

I use GPS fairly regularly for hiking and it's saved me many times from taking the wrong path. Especially at this time of year as the trails are snow-covered and sometimes there's no indication of which way to go. But I've never tried to check its accuracy at the precision of inches.

It may not be accurate enough to tell us if someone was on one side of a doorframe or the other, but it will certainly tell us if they were at the scene and for how long.

Edit - The other interesting thing about the OnStar data is that the prosecution received it after the trial had already begun. It could have easily have been exculpatory. If the OnStar data had shown that AM's Suburban was not at Moselle at the time of the dog tail video, the prosecution's case would have collapsed.

 

[Lillymac]

Was AM's oxy prescription grade or street drug? If street drug there is no telling what it was cut with. MO

 

[Ray_of_hope]

No, it is not at all uncommon in the South, at least. Hunting dogs are not ‘pets’, at least until they retire to being pets. Many hunters/ owners believe that pampering them spoils them and takes their natural instincts away. Hunting dogs in general LOVE to hunt, and they love their owners, and are generally VERY well taken care of. Did you see the condition of that kennel? Did you hear that someone was paid to come clean it and tend to the dogs twice per day? Also, though they are kenneled at times, they are usually let out often for exercise and fun and training.

Before my dad got too old, he had many great hunting dogs. At least one (a chocolate lab) was even designated by AKC as a Master Hunter- the highest level of hunting dog skill and obedience, etc, which then led to other owners clamoring to pay my dad to use his bloodline. He had others equally as skilled, but didn’t always enter them to be rated. Other hunters routinely offered to buy any of his dogs for thousands of dollars each. (Usually he said no.) Dad loved his dogs and the dogs adored my dad and loved hunting. These dogs are prized possessions and companions, yet they always lived outside in kennels similar to Moselle. Once too old to hunt, they often became pets.

Dogs are not my thing, neither is hunting. I am the daughter......

No, it is not at all uncommon in the South, at least. Hunting dogs are not ‘pets’, at least until they retire to being pets. Many hunters/ owners believe that pampering them spoils them and takes their natural instincts away. Hunting dogs in general LOVE to hunt, and they love their owners, and are generally VERY well taken care of. Did you see the condition of that kennel? Did you hear that someone was paid to come clean it and tend to the dogs twice per day? Also, though they are kenneled at times, they are usually let out often for exercise and fun and training.

Before my dad got too old, he had many great hunting dogs. At least one (a chocolate lab) was even designated by AKC as a Master Hunter- the highest level of hunting dog skill and obedience, etc, which then led to other owners clamoring to pay my dad to use his bloodline. He had others equally as skilled, but didn’t always enter them to be rated. Other hunters routinely offered to buy any of his dogs for thousands of dollars each. (Usually he said no.) Dad loved his dogs and the dogs adored my dad and loved hunting. These dogs are prized possessions and companions, yet they always lived outside in kennels similar to Moselle. Once too old to hunt, they often became pets.

Dogs are not my thing, neither is hunting. I am the daughter…

Sorry, OT. Sadly, not in my area of the south. We routinely pick up stray, dumped hunting dogs at the end of hunting season because it's easier to buy new puppies and not have to feed and care for them all winter (across all demographics). That was an explanation given to me with no shame. The good ones are kept but their lives are misery. Very few are treated well. But I'm on the rescue side of things so I see the worst. I do have friends that do treat their dogs well and that's why they remain friends. But glad to read about your dad. We need more like him.

 

[justtrish]

SODDI is not inconsistent with an alibi defense. You’re saying you weren’t there so someone else must have done it. Also, they seem to be glomming on to the original press release saying no danger to the public as evidence that LE decided early that AM did it, i.e., why he might lie. JMO

I think the early on press release of saying there is no danger could also be said that either way there was no danger to the public. IF it was revenge for the boat thing or some issue with Alex and his drug associates, then there still is no danger to the public. To me no danger means there is not a serial killer on the loose or a mentally ill unstable murderer that is attempting to evade being caught. They knew it was targeted somehow and there was no reason for the pubic to fear a crazed murderer on the loose.

 

[Elley Mae]

Finally!!!

Simpson brought all of Murdaugh's clothing and toiletries to a two-bedroom home in Hampton he was using to store his belongings. One day in August 2021, Murdaugh walked into the home as Simpson was preparing to leave, she said.

Feb. 10: Housekeeper testifies in Alex Murdaugh double murder trial

Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson testified she observed a "slight puddle of water, a towel and a pair of khaki pants" on the floor next to Alex and Maggie's shower the morning after

www.postandcourier.com

Murdaugh asked Simpson to talk. He was pacing back and forth and said, "I got a bad feeling. Something's not right," Simpson recalled. He mentioned a "video that was out," she said, and asked whether she remembered the Vineyard Vines shirt he wore the day of the slayings.

Simpson was confused at first, she said. The woman had fixed Murdaugh’s collar that day before he walked out the door — she was certain it wasn't a Vineyard Vines shirt.

"I didn’t say anything, but I was kind of thrown back because I didn’t remember that," Simpson testified, adding, "I didn’t know whether he was trying to get me to say — if I was to be asked — that that was the shirt he was wearing that day."

 

[Derph]

Questions for those thinking it was someone else who did this. Is there one shred of direct evidence that points to anyone else? Is there any circumstantial? There may be others who may have had motive but did they have the means and opportunity? What evidence is there that someone else was at the exact same location that all 3 people AM, PM and MM besides those 3? The only one I can think of is the unknow DNA under MM nails. Which can easily be explained away by her having been at the Dr's office and having a visited a Foot and Nail salon that day.

Anything else?

For me there is one person who had the motive. Alex. Maggie took AM's pills, That right there is motive enough for me. Have you ever seen anyone go thru withdrawals? Any one ever experience it? It is one of the worst experiences a person can go thru and has even been known to cause death. That's not counting the cash he is now out of after buying them.

At the amount of opiates that AM allegedly consumed...$50,000 dollars a week, RECREATIONALY I might add, he would have been facing a very dangerous situation. People have been known to kill over these medications. I think the prosecution kind of blew it here and should have introduced that as another possible motive! Then there is the mountain of financial problems. Oh he DEFINITELY had motives, plural!

Means? Alex had the means. He owned the weapons that shot the two victims which is evidenced by the spent shell casings. He also had a weapon in his possession as witnessed by the 1st officer on scene. One of the victim's blood was on that weapon. Furthermore the other weapons in the house were loaded with the same kind of ammunition that were used in the murders.

And finally, Opportunity. He had the victims isolated on his property. He was also at the crime scene. He was the last person to see them alive which is evidenced by his voice being at the kennel's video that has been identified by 7 people.

Guilty.

 

[General wooster]

I think that the "he's up to something" text was simply a mistranslation by one of the sources. Blanca testified that Maggie sat her down and told her that "Alex doesn't tell me everything," and "there's more to the story that I don't know," and I think in the telling, it was reduced to "he's up to something". Simple misunderstanding, I think. Poor Maggie, she had no idea how right she was.

A mistranslation? On what do you base that? Simple misunderstanding? Geez, I wish I was mistranslating your comment.

 

[Boodles]

One issue is he lied so much, it is hard to see why Jury would believe his new "real' truth

What on earth could he actually come up with?

He’s such a liar. It’s his skill. He might think he can concoct something to convince a juror or jurors. It’s possible. Like I posted earlier: post traumatic temporary amnesia exacerbated by opiods (I just made up that dx, don’t know if it could be a real thing).

IDK. I just suspect they haven’t ruled out his testifying. I will admit, as much as I believe he’s guilty, I think he’s got a “polite likability” demeanor in some of those interviews. While I don’t buy his baloney, others may fall for it.

His biggest advantage, IMO, is the unfathomable thought that a father could do what the jurors saw in the crime scene and autopsy photos.

And “reasonable doubt.” It’s not a formulaic concept. In many trials, I’ve seen jurors come back from deliberations with the request to “define it better” to which the court just repeats the same words in the jury instructions.

Ultimately, in this case I think if you’re leaning toward guilty, you could convince yourself of it; and if you’re leaning toward not guilty, you cold convince yourself of that as well using “reasonable doubt” as your rationale. What we have no way of knowing is how are they leaning. It will be interesting to see how this local group of rural area jurors processes all of this.