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

[swedeheart]

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[Elley Mae]

Paul did in fact have Busters ID. That is why Buster is in the suit. I believe it’s in the deposition. All of this was posted up thread early on. It is on the Mallory Beach thread as well.

....

More than a month after the crash, Doughty told investigators she went with Murdaugh — her boyfriend at the time — on Feb. 8, 2019, to meet his brother Alexander “Buster” Murdaugh at the Thomas Cooper Library on the University of South Carolina’s campus in Columbia. She said the reason for the trip was so Murdaugh could get his brother’s ID. “This was not the first time the brothers had done this,” she said.

Buster Murdaugh, she said, would give his younger brother his over-21 ID to purchase alcohol and would in turn use his passport if he needed an ID.

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article253519379.html

 

[swedeheart]

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[Elley Mae]

Occam’s razor—whenever S.C. changed the law that allowed civil suits to be brought in any county, the money started drying up for PMPED.

This would affect all the partners, yet as far as we can tell the expensive lifestyles continued. This raises many questions. Like how did Grandpa’s death affect firm, did the will contain less money than assumed? Was Alex the only Murdaugh availing himself of the firm credit car?

Wonder when the law changed?

Looks like 2006

https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3682&context=sclr

...

 

[swedeheart]

PMPED is back online. Minus one Alex Murdaugh. Both Randolph's (III and IV) are still listed.

PMPED Law Firm | Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, Detrick

 

[Crosscntrymom]

Does anyone know where Alex actually is? Hoping SLED does.

 

[Rosiebones]

Murdaugh family killings: A timeline of murder and mystery in South Carolina - CNN
This is a good timeline. The only information I haven't read before is the comment by a family member that the head wound AM suffered had an entrance and exit and was not just a graze. This family member said that his skull was fractured.
This doesn't make a lot of sense to me that he would have then been discharged the next day. That relating of facts may have been embellished to gain sympathy. MOO MOO MOO MOO

 

[Dexxie8]

I do too. Especially after hearing that comment he made about PM while on the 911 call. I don't know if he pulled the trigger or hired someone but I believe so much stuff was coming to a head in the M family: the upcoming Beach thing, MM moving to Edisto, the death of AM's father. All those issues involved money, a wrongful death claim, asset reviews on marriage dissolution, financial reviews and imbursements. I also believe at the time the M deaths occurred the firm was already aware of the misappropriation of funds. MOO.

Asset reviews on marriage dissolution? I must of missed this part. We’re they prepping for a divorce?

 

[Elley Mae]

Does anyone know where Alex actually is? Hoping SLED does.

He was airlifted to hospital in savannah, assuming that is where rehab is.

Jmo

 

[Elley Mae]

Do you have a cite or link that says that a plaintiff can bring a civil action in any county in South Carolina? TIA.

Forum shopping

https://www.wiley.law/media/publication/116_Weslow--INTABulletin--05_01_11.pdf

...

They could until 2006

Code of Laws - Title 15 - Chapter 7 - Venue

 

[Elley Mae]

Close up of dog kennel with dog at link.

Alex Murdaugh was refused payout on $6m policy indemnifying him in boating death death lawsuit | Daily Mail Online

 

[Colorado303]

Respectfully SBM

Cook, who sustained a broken jaw in the crash, said that he was “scared” to tell investigators the truth — that Paul Murdaugh was driving the boat on February 24, 2019 when Beach was killed.
Specifically, he said he was scared because of the Murdaugh family influence.
“I mean, just anything they get in, they get out of,” Cook said of the Murdaugh family. “I’ve always been told that.”
In deposition, Connor Cook said that Alex Murdaugh approached him while he was getting X-rays at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, just hours after Mallory Beach went missing in the horrific boat crash. This statement is supported by a nurse’s affidavit.
“There’s a couple of things that had happened in Hampton that I heard about,” Cook said.
Cook then told attorneys about rumors claiming that the Murdaughs were allegedly involved in two other deaths.
“Well, one was said that Paul had pushed his housemate down the stairs and she died and nothing ever happened,” Connor Cook said.
“And another one, there was something that Paul was supposedly involved with a guy, got found beat up in the middle of the road that they got out of,” Cook said.
In deposition, Connor Cook told attorneys he hadn’t hung out with Paul Murdaugh since the fatal boat crash. He said they were friends growing up, but mostly hunted together at Moselle, which is the property where Paul and Maggie were found murdered on June 7, 2021.
Connor said that alcohol was openly provided to minors in the walk-in deer cooler at Moselle, where the Murdaughs often hosted parties.
A security guard overheard Paul’s father on the phone saying “she’s gone, don’t worry about her” — when Mallory had only been missing for a few hours, according to the SCDNR file.
According to the SCDNR investigation files, two of the boat crash survivors told authorities that they were afraid of the Murdaughs and assumed that they were working on a coverup.
Paul’s girlfriend told her nurse at Beaufort Memorial Hospital on the night of the crash that Paul and his drinking habits “almost killed them in a vehicle accident before while he was intoxicated.”
She didn’t mention details, but said they were in his truck.
During Connor’s deposition, the attorney said “Paul Murdaugh may have had some other accidents that were alcohol-involved.”
“I heard he wrecked his truck a few times because of alcohol, but I never witnessed it with my own eyes,” Connor said.
The videos show Anthony Cook was clear with law enforcement from the very beginning that his cousin Connor was not driving the boat at the time of the crash.
Particularly, Anthony Cook told Austin Pritcher — one of the SCDNR officers accused of manipulating his reports to favor Paul Murdaugh — that Paul was driving moments before the craft crashed into a piling.
“Who was driving the boat?” Pritcher asked.
“(When) I grabbed my girlfriend and got down to the bottom of the boat, Paul was driving,” Anthony said.
“Paul was driving?” Pritcher asked.
“Yes, sir,” Anthony responded.
Pritcher did not write that in his SCDNR report, however.
Instead, he wrote that Anthony “did not know” who was driving the boat.
In deposition, Connor said Paul “was pissed and everybody was ready to get home, so he hauled ” in the final moments leading up to the crash.
“Did anybody ever tell Paul to stop the boat and take them to the dock to get off?” an attorney asked Connor.
“Yes, sir,” Connor said. “Anthony and Mallory.”
“What did Paul say?” the attorney asked.
“That it would be all right. We (were) fixing to make it home,” Connor said.

Wow. The police-cam video embedded in the article is worth a listen. It doesn’t contain much new information and visually it might as well be a still shot but what’s said and how it’s said provides a lot of insight into personal dynamics.

What struck me first was the portion where you hear Paul talking to the police, giving his name snd saying “I’m fine”. He sounded like someone asked “are you OK” after accidentally bumping into him in a hallway. Not rattled. No concern about Mallory. Doesn’t sound remotely upset. (Interestingly, he also doesn’t sound drunk to me even though we know his BAL was off the charts. This is a guy who has had plenty of practice working to appear sober after consuming enough alcohol to put many of us under the table.)

Contrast that w/Connor who is clearly frantic about Mallory. It’s heartbreaking to listen to but telling. You can hear him lose it with Paul because Paul is smiling. He tells police to “keep that MF away from me” and shortly afterwards says to the cops
“Y’all know Alex Murdough? That’s his son. Gooood luck”. The distain in his voice was strong and the inference clear. Paul was untouchable. The comment’s made around the 12 minute mark and Connor’s tone even more than the words should convince anyone who has doubts that the Murdough’s held an incredible amount of power in that town.

 

[Elley Mae]

“They are the law around here,” said one man who asked not to be identified.

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article251970618.html

...

Many people declined to comment on this story, pointing to the power and influence of the Murdaugh name.

“They are known for suing people. That would be the last place you would want to find yourself — in court, with those folks suing you,” said a longtime Hampton-area resident who didn’t want his name used. “The Murdaughs know everyone, they are well-liked and they make it a point to stop and talk to people, just like politicians. They never know who might be on a jury.”

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article227456544.html

Buster Murdaugh Jr. had a reputation as a law-and-order solicitor. But several Hampton County residents told The State that he could also look the other way.

“As a little girl, I remember Daddy saying, ‘Go to Buster Murdaugh, he’ll make it disappear.’ It was always that good ol’ boy system,” said a woman with deep roots in Hampton County who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

2005: Randolph Murdaugh III does not seek re-election, instead focusing on the family law firm full-time. He remains a paid, part-time assistant solicitor. His son, Alex Murdaugh is a volunteer solicitor, helping his dad prosecute cases.

....

AM has been a volunteer since 2005??

 

[branmuffin]

Asset reviews on marriage dissolution? I must of missed this part. We’re they prepping for a divorce?

All supposition on my part. MM's move to Edisto, her hiring of a forensic accountant suggests divorce was on the horizon and AM would lose $$. MOO

 

[pizzaman12]

He was airlifted to hospital in savannah, assuming that is where rehab is.

Jmo

He was discharged from that hospital that Monday (2 days later). His rehab could be anywhere and I'd be shocked if he wasn't at a different rehab facility given the publicity of this case.

 

[Elley Mae]

He was discharged from that hospital that Monday (2 days later). His rehab could be anywhere and I'd be shocked if he wasn't at a different rehab facility given the publicity of this case.

Yes it could be, but my money is on savannah or someones home.

...

The statement reads:

"The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I’m resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders. I am immensely sorry to everyone I’ve hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships."

Alex Murdaugh resigning from law firm, entering rehab after shooting

Snipped from statement.

I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships."

....

He could be holed up in a home in the woods rehabilitating himself for all I know.

Jmo

 

[bestill]

I suspect he is in a rehab center somewhere and it's multipurpose. He's getting his story together before he faces the music, he's likely dried out by now and aware of the reality of the situation he is in. I'm sure he has his attorney working the phones negotiating. Whatever happens to him is going to be scrutinized deeply, so there's that hope that some justice is going to be served.

 

[Elley Mae]

I have a feeling the media jumped on the “rehabilitate” as rehab leaving off the “myself”.

Jmo

 

[Beren]

I think the one thing you’d really focus on as a lawyer is “limit your liability”. If anyone hired a hit, the focus would be on covering tracks and eliminating that liability. Money won’t keep people quiet long and all a hitman needs is a better offer to spill the beans.

IF anyone had hired a hit (because it’s not a huge mental leap to imagine a person who can go from saying “don’t worry about her, she’s gone” to actually thinking about and then making someone inconvenient be gone).

What better way to eliminate liability than by showing up home earlier than planned at the time and place of the hit and ambushing the hit man in “self defense”?

Explains why:
1. There were 2 different guns used,
2. first reports mentioned something about him saying he’d been out shooting before coming home (then realized that excuse no longer works once he thought it through that PM would not be shooting at MM! Mom he was supposedly with conveniently has dementia),
3. His true despair and utterance about PM getting involved in the 911 call because he had intended to shoot the hitman, not PM whom he hadn’t known would be there and it was dark,
4. Law firm hadn’t hired a forensic accountant until after finding out about the embezzling - how did they find out? He told them, then in his own words “resigned”. Why? He needed to disappear. Clearly worse possibilities are out there in his mind than getting arrested for embezzling.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

I suspect he is in a rehab center somewhere and it's multipurpose. He's getting his story together before he faces the music, he's likely dried out by now and aware of the reality of the situation he is in. I'm sure he has his attorney working the phones negotiating. Whatever happens to him is going to be scrutinized deeply, so there's that hope that some justice is going to be served.

Thing about reputable rehab is they strictly limit your access to outside world. They dont want you interacting with potential stressors and you are very busy learning self care, involved in reflection, daily AA meetings, and various therapies — group, individual, art, music, acupuncture, etc.You might be allowed 2-3 ten-minute phone calls per week (you are not allowed to have cell phone) and only one face-to-face visit on a Sunday afternoon.