Now to phone interview of
#AlexMurdaugh on 9/13/2021. AM was in Atlanta.
Dick Harpootlian says they have to be out of the room in 30 to 40 minutes. Kelly said they prefer not to do telephone interviews. But this is what they requested so they don't have a choice.
"Richard Alexander Murdaugh" AM says as he identifies himself for the recording.
Kelly: are you in sound body and sound mind?
AM: Yes sir.
Kelly: Are you talking to us willingly?
AM: Yes sir.
AM said he met with Jim Griffin and then Chris Wilson at his mom's house. AM and Chris Wilson were talking about everything he had done with pills, money and lying
AM says the best he can remember, his Oxycontin addiction had begun 18 to 20 years ago. "I had taken some at 4 a.m. so I was having some withdrawals." The next day, news of his embezzlement came out
AM said he felt it would be easier for his family if he was dead. "I had a fair amount of life insurance.. $10M or $12M." AM said he called Curtis Eddie Smith. Had bought them from him for years
AM said he'd been giving Eddie Smith $50K-$60K each week for pills. Asked Eddie to meet him "not too far out from my mom's house."
Eddie followed him into town by the Sunoco gas station. "I don't think we got out of our cars." AM in Mercedes. Eddie in the grey pickup truck. He said he asked Eddie to shoot him. He seemed surprised but then said "Ok."
Eddie was going to follow him out. AM said he gave Eddie the gun. Not much discussion. Eddie followed him out to Salkehatchie Rd. AM said he made his tire flat. Back driver's side.
AM drove out. Eddie shot him but missed. Hit him in the back of the head. Lost vision for a little bit. Disoriented. Took a minute for vision to come back. Remembers there were two cars. One stopped and tried to help him
Alex said his intent was to be killed so Buster could get life insurance because he was about to lose everything. AM said he first asked Eddie to shoot him at the Sunoco and then it happened however long it took to get back to the scene
AM apologizes to Kelly and said when he saw him in the hospital he was in a "very bad place." Kelly: How long have you known Curtis? AM: I've known him for years. I represented him. He knew my dad from playing softball
AM said he talked to Eddie on teh phone frequenty about getting pills. He said he paid him frequently. It varied. Paid mostly in checks. Most came from Bank of America and Palmetto State Bank accounts
AM says he paid Eddie Smith from the DBA Forge account. AM says he was told Eddie got the drugs from a black guy in Walterboro and some connection in Beaufort. Never saw those guys. Don't know
AM said he gave Kenny Hughes money for drugs, too. Who's Kenny Hughes? He's a guy I called up and asked for drugs. Paid him in checks and cash. "In the past, I have paid other people."
AM said he had paid Barbara Mixon on very few occasions for drugs. Mixon worked for his mom, Miss Libby
.38 revolver had been at Miss Libby's house. He said he gave it to Eddie Smith but doesn't know what he did with it. AM said he doesn't know if Eddie has talked to any of his family members. AM doesn't know. Kelly says Eddie said he needed to talk to his attorney, who was Am
Kelly said Eddie then said Randy Murdaugh was his lawyer. AM said Randy's not going to rep him."
AM denies calling Eddie Smith from the hospital but then said Randy said he called him. "When you're going through withdrawals, you'll do anything to make it stop. That's probably what that was about"
#AlexMurdaugh says majority of the money he paid to Eddie Smith was ill-gotten. Might have been some of his money. Dick says AM is no longer independently wealthy
AM says he didn't pay Eddie to shoot him, when asked. He just asked him and he said he'd do it
AM said it would have been several days before the shooting, last time he paid Eddie Smith with a check. Kelly asks if he owes other dealers money. AM: No sir. Kelly asks b/c he wants to know if there's a threat to Buster
Griffin then says something about "that assumes he passed all the money along." Referencing Alex not owing any dealers money. (There's been mention of the Cowboys gang)
Kelly said it doesn't make any sense to him about not paying Eddie Smith to shoot him. Kelly asks again "you did not pay any money to Eddie to shoot you?" AM: No, I did not
AM is asked about the insurance policy. He says he doesn't know where it is.
Kelly: Did anyone know about this plan besides you and Curtis? AM: "No.... I sincerely apologize for lying to y'all.
Kelly now going through the details of the shooting. AM says he thinks he got the knife from Eddie after he gave him the gun. Kelly: Why weren't you truthful with us about this when it happened? AM: I don't know other than I was in a bad place