SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #3

[worm]

I don’t know how my former posts get wrapped in current ones, I’ll try to figure that out and sorry for the hassle.

 

[Warwick7]

With their influence, the Murdaughs did not need to call the Smith family to sway the investigation.

And how would that have worked out if Buster was found to be involved ?

That's the point. They would have never found Buster to be involved. As a matter of fact, isn't that what we're seeing now, there is no Buster or any Murdaugh involved at all....

 

[Hair of the Dog]

IMO, the information downloaded from the EVI (Electronic Vehicle Information) in the Suburban will do a lot to provide SLED with a timeline or verification of the events of June 7. The cell phone records of those involved and data collected from the cell towers closest to Moselle could also lead to a suspect(s).

 

[Warwick7]

In my opinion, there’s too much M family “volunteer” legal advice in cases where it seems inappropriate. But what do I know?

Agreed!

 

[stmarysmead]

There’s a portion of the ABC interview that is cut in some versions, but still in some others. In it, RM is asked whether the mood in the community changed toward PM after the boat crash. He replies…not among those who knew him, but among others…yes. Then the other brother concedes that there were threats made against PM.

All this touches on the mood in the community that might have led to motive and murder. So all those boating depositions flesh out the reasons that this small community might have been in an uproar. That’s why it’s so hard to act as if this history was not part of the murder case…even if it’s unflattering to PM or his family.

Then we add in the report in media that there is a grand jury investigation of how the boating investigation was handled. So now even local investigators are being investigated.

Then the SS case is reopened because of ‘information’ found while investigating these murders. That links in another tragedy by LE and approved media…that before was 0nly stuff of the rumor mill.

This case is a tangled mess.

 

[Warwick7]

Paul was involved in the boat accident - there is zero proof any Murdaugh was involved in the Smith murder. IMO, the only way the Smith's would have needed legal representation would be if they caught a hit-and-run suspect or Stephen was involved in something illegal. I see Randy's offer as a nice gesture and probably by pro bono, he meant the firm would not take their customary 33% cut.

We do not know, there is zero proof any Murdaughs was involved in something illegal. What we do know is SLED announced it was opening a separate investigation into Smith’s death, based upon information gathered during the course of the Murdaug's double-murder investigation.

 

[sunshineray]

Mod Note:

I am unaware if anyone has been named a POI/Suspect in this case. If someone has, please reply to this post with a link to the article as I haven’t followed the case closely. That being said, the Murdaugh family at this time are considered Victims in the loss of MM and PM. Any questionable history of the Murdaugh family does not change WS TOS that we are to avoid accusations and remain victim friendly.

If you observe a post in violation of TOS, please use the “report” link in the post to alert the team. We have hundreds of threads and only a few of us volunteering our personal time behind the curtain. Therefore, we are unable to read each thread and keep tabs on the latest discussions.

Lastly: LINKS - if you are stating something as a fact you must include a link to the approved source.

Tiff, I know the NY Post is not loved by many but since it's been around for over 200 years and has one of the top five distributions in the country, I'm thinking it's considered a MM and therefor it's ok to link things from it to discuss? Is this ok then to talk about in conjucture with the M's having many LE connections and friends?

"Cops reportedly said early on that Alex was a “person of interest” in the investigation of his wife and son’s deaths, but now say he was not. The family has claimed he has a rock-solid alibi: He was visiting his dying father in the hospital at the time of the killings."

Inside the toxic Murdaugh family of South Carolina

 

[Warwick7]

Sure we can - no Murdaugh has been charged with any crime in the Smith death. And it was information found at the M's murder scene - not evidence.

No this is incorrect. It was information gathered during the course of the investigation. We do not know what evidence was "gathered."
-------------
"On June 22, 2021, three weeks after the homicide of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh — members of a prominent Hampton County family — the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced it was opening a separate investigation into Smith’s death, “based upon information gathered during the course of the [Murdaugh] double-murder investigation.”

 

[stmarysmead]

Snip and BBM

That's just it - it's not a balance any more than it was in the Steven Avery case when "Making a Murderer" came out. Even with Avery convicted and in jail for many years, any approach that questioned his guilt was crucified on this board.

I'm not ready to join the pitchfork and torches crew when it comes to the Murdaughs without concrete proof they did something criminal and even if one of them did, that doesn't mean all of them did.

I’ve been on the minority side of some cases. I understand your frustration. But you are still an asset to the discussion because your view pulls some discussions back from the brink. Moderation does the rest.

IMO, the biggest detriment to the M reputation is/was PM. In such a close knit family, with unlimited financial resources, I am baffled that no one stepped in to get him the help he needed. Or maybe I should say…the help, in my opinion, he needed.

I almost feel sorry for him, reading these depositions. On some level, he must have been aware of the impact of his behavior on HIS OWN happiness. Friends, girlfriends that stick around because Daddy is rich or you have 2 trucks, a boat, and lots of toys…don’t really care about the real you.

The slapping and spitting on his long time girlfriend in front of their friends…such degradation! and her sworn deposition that he’d done it before…unfortunately, this was how the son and heir of the AM family represented them in the community.

I don’t know how we separate such things from the discussion of motive.

 

[Warwick7]

Unfortunately, part of sleuthing is doing just that. A Board like this is not like one put up by a funeral home, where everyone tries to say something consoling.

It’s more like “Clue’ where we look at Miss Scarlet and then maybe Colonel Mustard….and stretch our minds in the process. We try to sort through the misinformation and the excellent moderation demands that. To me, it’s much preferable to the wild world of FB.

But…unlike the game Clue, no member gets to shut up the ‘Board game’ and tell us to go home. We are here looking at each article, reading each deposition, and trying out theories. If the process is uncomfortable, we can step away.

I have found over the years to stay away from absolutes…like ‘no evidence’…’never’…because usually, as soon as I use them, something contrary is revealed. I appreciate posts where the guesses are all about defending the M family. But they are just unfounded as any ‘rumor.’

Was SS attacked with a bat? Is that a rumor we should ignore? One LE thought that was a possibility.

He considered it due to lack of debris at the scene. Someone here brought up the idea of a aluminum bat and the blue metal flecks that were found. That’s good sleuthing IMO …but yes, could still be a rumor. But LE were working with the same possibility as well.

An affair? My heart went out to Scott Peterson and her family adored him.

But balance of opinions is good. Keeps us all sharpening our wits to debate.

BAM!!!

And this is why I am here.

It all started with Healther Elvis. WS drew me in, then I began to interact with other's thought provoking ideas.

The process to nail Tammy Moore for kidnapping was long and tedious, and yes filled with "there is no proof" there is "no evidence." Yet with precision they nailed her backside.

 

[dkryder]

LE probably asked AM if he knew of anybody that would want to kill his son & wife. Seems he has enough people that might fit the bill in the area to keep LE looking for many months. MOO.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

I’ve been on the minority side of some cases. I understand your frustration. But you are still an asset to the discussion because your view pulls some discussions back from the brink. Moderation does the rest.

IMO, the biggest detriment to the M reputation is/was PM. In such a close knit family, with unlimited financial resources, I am baffled that no one stepped in to get him the help he needed. Or maybe I should say…the help, in my opinion, he needed.

I almost feel sorry for him, reading these depositions. On some level, he must have been aware of the impact of his behavior on HIS OWN happiness. Friends, girlfriends that stick around because Daddy is rich or you have 2 trucks, a boat, and lots of toys…don’t really care about the real you.

The slapping and spitting on his long time girlfriend in front of their friends…such degradation! and her sworn deposition that he’d done it before…unfortunately, this was how the son and heir of the AM family represented them in the community.

I don’t know how we separate such things from the discussion of motive.

Well said as always @stmarysmead. As a parent, I have been troubled by this from the beginning and I think it will be central to what led up to this tragedy. All stories have a beginning and end and it is the beginning we need, to try to make sense of the end.

IMO, PM's death was deeply personal, IMO something he said or did made someone very angry. He was literally obliterated by his killer.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

The cell phone records will pinpoint for SLED when the victim's phones went dark. It takes some time to collect and analyze all the data but in so many cases it is critical to the case and the timeline.

 

[Sustained]

No this is incorrect. It was information gathered during the course of the investigation. We do not know what evidence was "gathered."
-------------
"On June 22, 2021, three weeks after the homicide of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh — members of a prominent Hampton County family — the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced it was opening a separate investigation into Smith’s death, “based upon information gathered during the course of the [Murdaugh] double-murder investigation.”

Semantics ...

 

[Warwick7]

Semantics ...

There is a big difference between "information found at the M's murder scene" as you said... and "information gathered during the course of the investigation."
No it's not semantics...

 

[LetsSolvIt]

I don’t know how my former posts get wrapped in current ones, I’ll try to figure that out and sorry for the hassle.

I'm having similar issues and I think it might be my old iPhone not playing nice with WB.

 

[Tiff23fr]

Tiff, I know the NY Post is not loved by many but since it's been around for over 200 years and has one of the top five distributions in the country, I'm thinking it's considered a MM and therefor it's ok to link things from it to discuss? Is this ok then to talk about in conjucture with the M's having many LE connections and friends?

"Cops reportedly said early on that Alex was a “person of interest” in the investigation of his wife and son’s deaths, but now say he was not. The family has claimed he has a rock-solid alibi: He was visiting his dying father in the hospital at the time of the killings."

Inside the toxic Murdaugh family of South Carolina

Hi @sunshineray - Yes, the NY Post is an approved source.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

IMO, the information downloaded from the EVI (Electronic Vehicle Information) in the Suburban will do a lot to provide SLED with a timeline or verification of the events of June 7. The cell phone records of those involved and data collected from the cell towers closest to Moselle could also lead to a suspect(s).

Of course, like a CSI expert said during a recent televised panel interview posted up thread, they may have an issue with clean evidence related to that SUV. I was struck by this fact, too. LE had the local tow company take the vehicle into the LE forensics facility. Maybe in rural Lowcountry the police don't have their own resources for towing, but you would think SLED might have stepped in. Now defense can question who might have tampered with the SUV. I did read they had the tower wear latex gloves and there was a police escort, front and back of the towing, but doesn't seem careful enough.

 

[worm]

I don’t know how my former posts get wrapped in current ones, I’ll try to figure that out and sorry for the hassle.

Of course, like a CSI expert said during a recent televised panel interview posted up thread, they may have an issue with clean evidence related to that SUV. I was struck by this fact, too. LE had the local tow company take the vehicle into the LE forensics facility. Maybe in rural Lowcountry the police don't have their own resources for towing, but you would think SLED might have stepped in. Now defense can question who might have tampered with the SUV. I did read they had the tower wear latex gloves and there was a police escort, front and back of the towing, but doesn't seem careful enough.

They do stay close and never take their attention from the evidence when escorting a tow like that. It’s probably on video too. I doubt they would leave a defense atty a shot at that but then again, with these inept investigations, there are no more surprises.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

I’ve been on the minority side of some cases. I understand your frustration. But you are still an asset to the discussion because your view pulls some discussions back from the brink. Moderation does the rest.

IMO, the biggest detriment to the M reputation is/was PM. In such a close knit family, with unlimited financial resources, I am baffled that no one stepped in to get him the help he needed. Or maybe I should say…the help, in my opinion, he needed.

I almost feel sorry for him, reading these depositions. On some level, he must have been aware of the impact of his behavior on HIS OWN happiness. Friends, girlfriends that stick around because Daddy is rich or you have 2 trucks, a boat, and lots of toys…don’t really care about the real you.

The slapping and spitting on his long time girlfriend in front of their friends…such degradation! and her sworn deposition that he’d done it before…unfortunately, this was how the son and heir of the AM family represented them in the community.

I don’t know how we separate such things from the discussion of motive.

St. Mary's Mead -- thank you for your solid, non-argumentative responses! Couldn't figure out how to post this on your profile, but you certainly come off as grounded, wise, and objective. I always want to read your posts!