GUILTY SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #25

[Ray_of_hope]

JMO, but I think it’s because he thought he could control the narrative that way, start to finish.

Imagine the sympathy people would feel at the dad/husband discovering such a horrific scene.

 

[AugustWest]

A person with no medical training ought not to be trying to determine time of death, IMO.

His job was to determine manner of death (and it surely wasn't a mutual suicide - no guns lying around and it wasn't an accident) It was rather obviously two homicides. And that's all he should have said.

IMO.

@10ofRods

This is a bit off-topic, but I thought you might be interested in this article on the history of coroners vs. medical examiners. Basically it is a relic the U.S. kept when we Americans decided to become rebel scum

See: COMPARING MEDICAL EXAMINER AND CORONER SYSTEMS - Medicolegal Death Investigation System - NCBI Bookshelf

God save the King, or something!

 

[nodamselindistress]

Same as Latah County, Idaho (i.e., Moscow Murders).

Same as Fremont County, ID where they ruled Tammy Daybell's death as natural causes. Just crazy to have a coroner in an elected position w/no medical training!

 

[Ray_of_hope]

The tech data could not be any more damning, except maybe if he had been wearing an Apple Watch and they had his heart rate data too

lol, DH and I said the same thing.

 

[Odeto BJ]

MOO: Curious that PM's cell phone was left at the scene, though not in its normal containment; whereas MM's phone was removed from the immediate area. Even a little more curious: AM went for a drive immediately thereafter and could have pitched that cell phone a number of places where it would never have been found. By contrast the phone is found a few hundred feet from the front gate, on a road with only a couple of driveways, a couple of residences....

I've done a rapid review of today's testimony and the detail timeline and I think I have read the thread since as well: But I thought there was an element missing out of Mr Rudoski's testimony and cross: It seemed the prosecution got all the way to establishing that MM's phone left the kennel area and ended up on the side of the road in the right time frame for it to be with AM in the Suburban but the location data for that few minutes never indicated that it was actually moving in tandem with the Suburban: the available data indicated the phone jumped from the immediate kennel area to the roadside where it was found the next day, without a directly associated timeline.

IMO its still reasonable inference that it moved with the Suburban....and if there was data that made its movement coincide with that of the Suburban there would be not much left for the prosecution to establish. So did I miss something that specifically made that point?

 

[303gmf]

Link in the above story.

Awesome! Loved reading about this side of him

 

[Cindizzi]

Awesome! Loved reading about this side of him

Me, too! An actual “ rockstar “ ~~ Who’d a thunk it !

 

[Gardenista]

This reminds me of Law and Crime reporter sitting near his sister, LMG, in the courtroom, and overheard who she suspected was one of her children asking LMG if she was aware of details being given during the testimony on Thursday and she replied, 'no.'

I do think it's been somewhat of an awakening for some of them -- especially since they've seldom been held accountable! JMO

Wonder if it's the same with Buster and the rest of them. It's quite the leap of faith to have family members testify when they are just learning these details. I know there is little to no chance, but it would be great if we had a Perry Mason moment favoring the prosecution while the defense is on direct with a family member.

 

[10ofRods]

I agree that a coroner should have some medical experience and don't think it fair to assume Richard Harvey did not have any medical training. His resume shouldn't be discounted. JMO

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-harvey-6b82a011/

So he has a 2 year EMS/EMT program under his belt - conferred in 1991. I realize he's a teacher and all, but I do not think most jurisdictions permit an EMT, all by themselves, to be an expert on time of death. I don't see any specific degrees (or coursework or affiliations) that would substitute for being a forensic pathologist.

Still, I'm sure that, like most coroners, his main goal was simply to decide cause and manner of death and it sounds like his armpit temperature technique is giving him good ballpark estimates (crucial early in an investigation) that will likely be corroborated upon actual autopsy.

IMO.

 

[10ofRods]

@10ofRods

This is a bit off-topic, but I thought you might be interested in this article on the history of coroners vs. medical examiners. Basically it is a relic the U.S. kept when we Americans decided to become rebel scum

See: COMPARING MEDICAL EXAMINER AND CORONER SYSTEMS - Medicolegal Death Investigation System - NCBI Bookshelf

God save the King, or something!

Oh, thank you! Apparently our system is a little unusual (I think most places have elected coroners).

Very interesting indeed.

 

[justtrish]

So Alex calls Maggie several times then just immediately after he dumps her phone he sends the text that he is going to see Em BRB..

I also noticed Maggie checks find my phone while driving to Moselle that evening. Is that something that she can use to check on Paul and Alex?

All those calls Alex makes on his way to his moms. I see he called JMM. I want to believe nobody else is involved, but this is the perfect time to say hey I am putting some evidence out at moms, go get it.

 

[passionflower]

Your wife and son are dead beside you. Good time as any to check out a bikini clad image.

Business as usual.

JMO

What a creep! I thought he was more than ODD

 

[10ofRods]

Can someone clue me in on why Alex was about to become the Head Honcho (if he was) of the Murdaugh family? Isn't Randy older than Alex? Did Randy do something to get himself demoted? Alex was just more ambitious and clever?

This would be Randall IV that I'm asking about. If anyone knows.

Thanks!

 

[LaborDayRN]

Can't imagine how the jury can comprehend and recall all the OnStar and phone data evidence without taking notes. Hope jurors aren't shell shocked from all the confusing technical testimony.

Is the jury allowed to ask for copies of reports that were presented & discussed during the trial? I seem to recall that from the Mark Redwine case.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

YES!! What a morning !!
I Wonder how defense is going to cross examine this witness as the reports and digital and technical info will be hard to dispute.
It's all there--their last steps, actions, everything.

On a side note-- I am going to buy a 1980-1990 chevy and buy a burner phone after this testimony today LMAO

Better yet? Get a 1964 Chevelle Malibu with an AM in dash radio. Last time I looked under the hood of one of them, there was a battery, alternator, radiator, and a 283. Oh yes, distributor and coil and plug wires. Keep it real simple.

 

[Edvis]

Not sure if anyone has floated this version of the “motive” but I started thinking maybe the immediate Murdaugh family of 4 was starting to fracture into 2 camps - AM&BM versus MM&PM. AM feeling his authority is being encroached on by MM and PM snooping into his pill stash and calling him out. MM is really upset and increasingly worried about the boat case, the community shunning, the possibility of her youngest (always the baby even as an adult) going to prison for a significant portion of his life, and the looming financial exposure of the wrongful death civil cases. The “what’s for dinner” emails between MM and PM really struck and saddened me because it shows at the end of the day Paul just wants to see his mom and have a home cooked meal. Now this is totally speculation, but MM has 2 problems to solve - 1) husband on drugs, more awareness on her part about finances, concern she isn’t in the loop about the real state of affairs financially and 2) AM’s financial and drug distractions are impairing his ability, in her mind, to solve the “what to do about Paul’s” legal situation. Normally she would stay in her lane when it came to legal matters, but she starts to stray into AM’s territory. MM is taking Blanca and her sister into confidence. Maybe MM was on the verge of trying to take over control of the finances and Paul’s legal situation in a very non-Murdaugh fashion - with honesty and possible admissions of guilt, contrition or responsibility. As a mom, you would do anything to protect your child, but AM was acting recklessly. Again speculation- but if MM in the role of more responsible parent is making noise about trying to settle the civil case, liquidating property assets, and maybe thinking about a plea in the criminal case, this threatens the Murdaugh dynasty which is on the brink of being under AM’s “watch” with his dad dying. AM cannot risk MM inserting herself into matters that should be left the men in the succession of the legacy. The pill research and texts show PM and MM were outing him which with AM’s personality type starts to feel very, very threatening; so much so AM is going into self-preservation mode; is there an “intervention” in the works. This is an existential threat that unfortunately calls for drastic measures. His wife is becoming “the enemy” with her prying and the youngest, detective, is enabling her; so those 2 are acting in concert in a very non-Murdaugh manner. MM is acting normal so as not to tip off a confrontation with AM that may be coming. Weighing his options, AM rationalizes that the oldest son has to be the one to survive, so he has to protect Buster at the expense of Paul. And sadly MM is way out of her lane, how dare she, and well, he doesn’t have a choice. The Murdaugh’s are a southern variation of the mob, and killing within one’s family, in the name of loyalty to the dynasty family, is one’s duty in that twisted paradigm.

All speculation - but looking at it as AM & Buster versus MM & Paul kind of struck me today.

I like it! as they say when in Rome and we know the history of family carnage that took place there. Family doing hits on family just to stay on the throne. The senate was the least of a Roman Caesar at times, family handing you a goblet of wine got downright scary.

 

[justtrish]

So could Alex have used a Faraday bag to put his phone in for that 1 hour it was not being used and possibly Maggies after he killed her and before he tossed it?

 

[Scooterbolt]

Just wanted to offer my sincerest condolences to any readers here who had a worse day than Dick Harpootlian, because you must really be hurting.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

So could Alex have used a Faraday bag to put his phone in for that 1 hour it was not being used and possibly Maggies after he killed her and before he tossed it?

He didn't need to, he just left it back at the house before he went over to the kennels.
Except the kennel video blew up that nap alibi.

 

[clearskies1]

I didn't hear that (although I might have missed it).
I saw that they showed where Maggie's phone was located and mentioned how fast AM's car was going as it drove past that point. Which means he didn't stop to throw it out the window, but would have thrown it while driving by.
The speed stats came from OnStar, That isn't cellphone info. I don't know that they could determine 'how fast Maggie's phone was going'. They just knew if it was on or off and if any steps were being taken while someone held it.

Exactly. And they could not tell where Maggie's phone was while AM was driving away from Moselle towards Almeda because her GPS data was sparse.