SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #6

[vls12345]

Lots of random thoughts to follow, all MOO:

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I've seen various statements in the thread wondering why MM and PM would be outside so late in the dark.

It is SC. They were murdered close to summer/only a few weeks until the day with the longest number of daylight hours.
Islandton sunset time for June, 7, 2021, was 8:30 pm.
Civil twilight/dusk was at 8:59 pm.
Nightfall at 9:34 pm.
Full darkness at 10:11 pm.
Sunrise and Sunset times for Islandton, SC on Monday June 7 2021

Sure, there are probably places along the tree lines and wooded areas that were plenty dark enough. But from the aerial photos, there is a big cleared area that would have still probably had some lingering daylight (and that's not including any on-property lighting).

Plus, if people choose to live in a somewhat rural area, they're not going to be scared of the dark/dusk, especially when they're on their own property. Imo. I guess I just don't find it strange that they would have been outside at that time, especially when it was effectively summer. This is a family that seemed to enjoy the outdoors, ballgames, boating, etc. (from photos posted of them in various news reports). That time of evening in SC is often when it is finally cool enough/comfortable enough to be outside, whether checking on the dogs, going for a walk, watching lightning bugs, looking at the stars that were starting to emerge, or whatever (including investigating a noise/dogs barking, meeting someone, etc...). Plus you're mostly past mosquito time then. (I'm not a fan of mosquitoes.)
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Re: only AM taking the dad to the hospital. It sounds like his dad had been ill for awhile (cancer or something else?). While the Murdaugh family was surely rich enough to hire caretakers, when a lot of care is needed (dad plus the mom has Alzheimer's) over an extended period, families often take turns on who is doing the caring/checking on/hauling to appointments/etc. just to avoid burn-out and to accommodate the schedules of each person in the family. Maybe the other brothers had work meetings. Or one of their kids had a ballgame or practice. While the patriarch was elderly and ill, I'm not sure family knew he might be passing just days later when he was taken to the hospital that particular time. They probably also figured that they could go see their dad the next day or even the day after (because they wouldn't have known their lives would be turned upside-down by MM's and PM's murders later that night). Maybe AM did it because he was the favored son. Who knows? I think there could be many plausible and perfectly innocent scenarios. (It could have also been done for nefarious reasons -- to establish an alibi -- by AM but seem like a perfectly normal scenario to the rest of his family that day.) Either way, it doesn't seem suspicious to me that just one son took the dad to the hospital, especially during a pandemic.
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Thanks to those who posted a link to the recent podcast on how far-reaching all of these things may be; I plan to listen to it tomorrow. I said in the previous thread that I felt like the reopening of the SS case was a big "oh, no" moment for all the folks in all the various LE, legal, and other channels who have been complicit (in small or large ways) through the years and that I was afraid the radio silence from LE might be because there may be internal clean-ups going on to mitigate things that may be dragged out into the open. Again, totally MOO. As such, I worry that the actual murder investigation is taking second place. That's why I wish a bigger/outside group (like the FBI or some other group) was in charge because I think the Murdaugh family tentacles reach far and wide and have for a very long time. There's too much at stake that may be internally compromised, imo. It seems like the podcast some of you have quoted is seemingly alleging similar things. I think there may be so much, I'm not sure we will ever know most of it.

Somewhat related to that, I find it jaw-dropping that the Solicitor's Office kept no records of the hours that AM worked or what he worked on. That seems like a serious breach of some type of ethics related to cases, if nothing else. Surely they would need to keep track in case there was ever a question of an improper investigation or trial? Just... wow. Imo.
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While BM was named in the civil suit (I believe) in relation to letting PM use his ID to buy alcohol, has it been clearly established that he did? PM could have taken it without BM knowing, perhaps? And I do see a physical similarity between PM and BM (hair and eyes especially but I'm certainly no expert) so I would think he could pass it off easily enough. (People looking at it should be paying better attention, but that usually doesn't seem to happen until a tragedy like the boat crash/death.)
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Re: possible footage from the church re: AM's roadside shooting/incident -- I have to hope the security camera was actually on and able to capture something. I do think it's just as likely the security camera wasn't on and so captured nothing. Time will tell, I suppose.
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Again, all of this is my own musing and opinion only.

 

[Luna20]

Being as AM wound was “significant” and he is supposedly a drug addict wouldn’t they want to monitor him for pain management drugs? As opposed to being released less than 48 hours after?

 

[JRWoodwardMSW]

Thanks for posting this key info from the article. I've cleared my cache but for some reason Fitsnews hasn't reset and still says I've used up my free-bees.

If clearing your cache didn’t do it, look through your cookies and try temporarily disabling JavaScript. You can Blast through many paywalls just by shutting down JS.NYT, WaPo, The Atlantic etc.

 

[Luna20]

“Two Samaritans”. A truck comes by and shoots him but the next vehicle comes by and he gets in? Not in the least concerned they were backup shooters?

 

[otto]

The Murdaughs have probably buried a lot of things !

Perhaps true, but the last two burials were wife and son. I doubt it has come this close to home in more than 100 years.

 

[Colorado303]

If clearing your cache didn’t do it, look through your cookies and try temporarily disabling JavaScript. You can Blast through many paywalls just by shutting down JS.NYT, WaPo, The Atlantic etc.

That’s a great tip. Thanks! I’m sure it’s super-simple but how pray tell does one disable Java Script?

 

[clearskies1]

Hopefully with what's been alluded to here the Feds will now get involved:

"Meanwhile, late last week an ominous email began making its way through South Carolina legal circles. I have been warned against quoting directly from this message, but it hints in no uncertain terms that the embezzlement allegations leveled by PMPED against Alex Murdaugh are just the beginning of a much larger scandal – one that is going to metastasize far beyond the family, the firm and the fourteenth circuit.

The email referenced compromised judges, financial institutions, law firms and elected officials – and intimated that the tentacles of corruption reached far beyond the borders South Carolina."
Murdaugh Murders: Embezzlement Claims Raise Stakes Of True Crime Drama

 

[otto]

Hopefully with what's been alluded to here the Feds will now get involved:

"Meanwhile, late last week an ominous email began making its way through South Carolina legal circles. I have been warned against quoting directly from this message, but it hints in no uncertain terms that the embezzlement allegations leveled by PMPED against Alex Murdaugh are just the beginning of a much larger scandal – one that is going to metastasize far beyond the family, the firm and the fourteenth circuit.

The email referenced compromised judges, financial institutions, law firms and elected officials – and intimated that the tentacles of corruption reached far beyond the borders South Carolina."
Murdaugh Murders: Embezzlement Claims Raise Stakes Of True Crime Drama

Isn't that an odd allusion to more details to follow.

 

[otto]

Bringing this forward ...

Alex called 911 from Moselle at 10:07 PM. The victims were shot between 9-9:30 PM. Given driving time, Alex would have been at the hospital between 9-9:30 PM. This is witness statement, not police statement.

"Alex Murdaugh's brothers told Good Morning America in an interview last week that he was visiting his father in the hospital and checking on his mother and found his wife and son shot when he returned home."
​

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/arti...d-little-new-light-on-south-carolina-killings

"According to ABC News' Eva Pilgrim, Alex discovered the bodies after returning from taking his father, former 14th Circuit Solicitor Randolph Murdaugh, III, to the hospital."
​

Murdaugh family speaks for first time since mother, son murdered | ABC News Exclusive

 

[LaborDayRN]

I'm assuming that Margaret, Paul and Alex were at Moselle on the day of the murders. We haven't heard anything about what time they arrived. We know from the 911 call that no one "else" was supposed to be at the property that evening. Alex does not say that Margaret and Paul were not supposed to be at the property. He does not seem surprised that they are there, but he is shocked that they are deceased near the kennel.

On the evening of the shooting, we have heard that Alex went to the hospital to visit his father. Presumably that was after supper, as he was visiting around 9-9:30 PM.

For some reason, Margaret and Paul drove, or walked, the 350 yards to the kennel at 9-9:30 PM. Was it to put the dog(s) in the kennel for the night? That wouldn't require both of them to be at the kennel. I can't think of any reason that they would both be at the kennel at that time of night, yet there must be a reason that both were at that location in the dark.

About MM and PM being at the kennel. I've been wondering if one or more of the dogs may have been in the house spending time with MM and PM. I believe they are hunting dogs but may have also been pets. She may have walked down to the kennels to put them to bed and was shot by the killer. PM then might have heard the shot and ran to the kennels and was also shot. Or alternatively they may have walked down together. This may have been a nightly routine with the dogs and would make it easy for someone to lie in wait.
I'm leaning towards this being a hit myself.

 

[sunshineray]

“Two Samaritans”. A truck comes by and shoots him but the next vehicle comes by and he gets in? Not in the least concerned they were backup shooters?

Maybe he knew them?

 

[sunshineray]

Hopefully with what's been alluded to here the Feds will now get involved:

"Meanwhile, late last week an ominous email began making its way through South Carolina legal circles. I have been warned against quoting directly from this message, but it hints in no uncertain terms that the embezzlement allegations leveled by PMPED against Alex Murdaugh are just the beginning of a much larger scandal – one that is going to metastasize far beyond the family, the firm and the fourteenth circuit.

The email referenced compromised judges, financial institutions, law firms and elected officials – and intimated that the tentacles of corruption reached far beyond the borders South Carolina."
Murdaugh Murders: Embezzlement Claims Raise Stakes Of True Crime Drama

The way the article makes it sound, I can't see how the FBI wouldn't be involved soon, if they aren't already. There's mention of it possibly reaching over SC state lines. That's FBI involvement right there and who knows what other federal agencies.

 

[otto]

Given that Alex Murdaugh properties were transferred to his wife Margaret on Dec 20, 2016, I wonder whether Alex could no longer access those funds in 2017 or 2020. I wonder why the properties were transferred to his wife Margaret's name in the first place. A couple of properties are joint, but why was she give most property titles?

Online Tax Payment Center

qPublic.net - Colleton County, SC - Report: 123-00-00-002.000

When did the embezzlement start?

 

[otto]

About MM and PM being at the kennel. I've been wondering if one or more of the dogs may have been in the house spending time with MM and PM. I believe they are hunting dogs but may have also been pets. She may have walked down to the kennels to put them to bed and was shot by the killer. PM then might have heard the shot and ran to the kennels and was also shot. Or alternatively they may have walked down together. This may have been a nightly routine with the dogs and would make it easy for someone to lie in wait.

I'm leaning towards this being a hit myself.

I too have wondered whether the dogs were normally kept in the home when family is home, and routinely put to bed in the kennel at 9 PM.

I would like to know the dogs' routine, and the 24 hours cell phone communication prior to murders for Margaret and Paul

I think they walked from the house to the kennel.

Only problem with a hit is that more people are involved. Is Alex that dumb?

 

[LaborDayRN]

I too have wondered whether the dogs were normally kept in the home when family is home, and routinely put to bed in the kennel at 9 PM.

I would like to know the dogs' routine, and the 24 hours cell phone communication prior to murders for Margaret and Paul

I think they walked from the house to the kennel.

View attachment 312319

Only problem with a hit is that more people are involved. Is Alex that dumb?

Is Alex that dumb? IMO yes.

 

[DeDee]

The lawyers aren't there to dispel internet rumors, especially when Alex has not been charged in connection with the murders. He is a victim whose wife and son were violently murdered at the family home. He was looking after his parents that evening, and arrived home around 10 PM. Why is his statement about his activities prior to discovering the murders in question?

Could it be because he has not been cleared of the murders of his wife and son?
It is not only some of us, at Websleuths, that may suspect AM of their murders although many of us may. It is more because LEO hasn't stated unequivocally that AM did not murder his own family members the night in question.

 

[otto]

Hmmmmm.....guess we will be seeing "stay tuned, more to come".

" ... endured a Labor Day weekend meltdown of Biblical proportions. Murdaugh’s weekend featured a roadside shooting, admissions of opioid addiction, a helicopter flight to the hospital, a subsequent trip to rehab, rumors of multiple mistresses …

Late last week, a source who spoke confidentially with one of the defense attorneys working the Murdaugh case reached out to me. According to this source, the attorney described the unraveling saga as something akin to “an episode of Ozark.” That’s a reference to the Netflix hit in which a financial advisor from Chicago (portrayed by Jason Bateman) drags his family against its will to rural Missouri – where they become key cogs in a massive money laundering operation at the behest of a Mexican drug cartel.

Another source close to the same attorney claimed they made a similar reference earlier last week comparing the Murdaugh case to Ozark.

Meanwhile, late last week an ominous email began making its way through South Carolina legal circles. I have been warned against quoting directly from this message, but it hints in no uncertain terms that the embezzlement allegations leveled by PMPED against Alex Murdaugh are just the beginning of a much larger scandal – one that is going to metastasize far beyond the family, the firm and the fourteenth circuit.

The email referenced compromised judges, financial institutions, law firms and elected officials – and intimated that the tentacles of corruption reached far beyond the borders South Carolina.

A source who forwarded the email to me spoke of “genuine panic” within the state’s legal community, adding that “while they may not know it yet, everyone in this state knows someone, perhaps many, in severe legal jeopardy right now.”

Local sources have offered similarly dire predictions.
“If Alex Murdaugh and his family goes down, there’s a lot of people – maybe a whole system – going down with them,” one Hampton native told me on Saturday. “There’s nobody who didn’t want to be on the Murdaughs’ payroll.”​

From people who cannot access Fits and Island news, thank you!

 

[otto]

Could it be because he has not been cleared of the murders of his wife and son?

It is not only some of us, at Websleuths, that may suspect AM of their murders although many of us may. It is more because LEO hasn't stated unequivocally that AM did not murder his own family members the night in question.

Catch 22. No, he is not obligated to explain himself.

He has not been accused of murder. Therefore, he does not have to clear himself of murder.

We don't want criminal investigations <modsnip> where accused are deemed guilty by popular demand.

Access to the internet does not mean access to all information. If social media wants to know whether Alex was at the hospital, why don't they make demands for CCTV footage at the hospital. Perhaps it's not legal, but at least they'll have an explanation.

 

[katydid23]

Given that Alex Murdaugh properties were transferred to his wife Margaret on Dec 20, 2016, I wonder whether Alex could no longer access those funds in 2017 or 2020. I wonder why the properties were transferred to his wife Margaret's name in the first place. A couple of properties are joint, but why was she give most property titles?

Online Tax Payment Center

qPublic.net - Colleton County, SC - Report: 123-00-00-002.000

When did the embezzlement start?

RE: the transfer of properties to his wife -----I wonder if he was being threatened with a lawsuit at that time? Somebody may have said they were going to go after him financially and he wanted to take away some of the targets?

 

[otto]

RE: the transfer of properties to his wife -----I wonder if he was being threatened with a lawsuit at that time? Somebody may have said they were going to go after him financially and he wanted to take away some of the targets?

Perhaps. The properties were transferred Dec 20, 2016. I wonder when the embezzlement started. I wonder why Margaret requested an audit of family finances when most of the property was in her name.