Understand Murdaugh

Watchdog and public service editor Glenn Smith and reporters Jocelyn Grzeszczak, Thad Moore and Avery Wilks discuss the conclusion of Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial, the potential appeal and several other lingering questions surrounding the aftermath of the guilty verdict. They also answer a few listener questions.

Disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh will spend the rest of his life behind bars after his conviction in the June 2021 murders of his wife and son, sealing his stunning downfall in a courtroom where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather once tried cases as this region's top prosecutors.

Alex Murdaugh, the wealthy scion of a powerful Lowcountry legal dynasty, was found guilty of murdering his wife and son in a pair of grisly June 2021 slayings that captured international attention and kickstarted the former Hampton lawyer's precipitous downfall.

Disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh is a gifted liar who spent a decade concealing his true identity as a white-collar thief and opioid addict, prosecutor Creighton Waters told a Colleton County jury March 1.

In this bonus episode, public service and watchdog editor Glenn Smith answers questions surrounding the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. Readers wrote in about the Walterboro Cowboys gang, DNA evidence and other aspects of the trial.

On the final day of testimony in Alex Murdaugh's double-murder trial, state prosecutors and a crime scene expert worked to debunk theories Murdaugh's defense lawyers have floated in recent weeks to blame unknown assailants for the June 2021 slayings of his wife and son.

As John Marvin Murdaugh cleaned his nephew’s blood and brains off a feed room floor on June 8, 2021, he made a silent vow. “In my mind, I told Paul I loved him,” he tearfully testified to a Colleton County jury on Feb. 27. “I promised him that I’d find out who did this to him.” “Have you found out?” asked Jim Griffin, a defense attorney representing John Marvin’s brother, Alex Murdaugh. “I have not,” John Marvin replied.

There are still many questions surrounding the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial even as it draws closer to closing arguments. In this bonus episode of Understand Murdaugh, hosts Glenn Smith answers some of the questions from readers about the trial and testimony the jury has heard so far.

Alex Murdaugh's testimony wrapped up on Friday afternoon. Prosecutor Creighton Waters continued to question Murdaugh about his money issues and the lies he admitted to telling about the night of the murders. In this daily update episode, hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell discuss the prosecutions cross-examination of Murdaugh.

Alex Murdaugh took the stand and addressed the lies he told investigators following the deaths of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh. He also admitted to stealing from several of his clients. However, Alex denied killing his wife and son on June 7, 2021. In this daily update episode, hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell break down the highly anticipated testimony.

The day started with defense attorney Jim Griffin letting it be known that Alex Murdaugh is considering whether or not to take the stand. Jurors also heard from several more defense witnesses on day 22 of the trial, including Murdaugh’s former law partner Mark Bell. In this daily update episode, hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell discuss everything that went on in the courtroom on Wednesday.

The defense continued to call its witnesses Tuesday, starting with Alex Murdaugh's oldest son Buster. His testimony bolstered some of the defense team's case. In this daily update episode, hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell recap the testimony from Buster and others on day 21 of the trial.

Alex Murdaugh seemed to be in a hurry in the hour after his wife and son were brutally shot to death. The soon-to-be-disgraced Hampton trial attorney sped down a pothole-riddled country road at more than 74 mph on the way to visit his mother that evening, according to new data gleaned from his 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. His speedometer touched 80 mph on the way back home, well over the 55 mph speed limit.

Jurors in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial on Feb. 16 heard the once-prominent Hampton attorney confess to an entirely different crime: trying to orchestrate his own murder to leave behind a $10 million life insurance payout for his son.

The lead investigator of the high-profile murders of Alex Murdaugh's wife and son admitted Feb. 15 he was unaware until four months after Murdaugh’s indictment that the defendant’s white T-shirt from the night of the slayings had tested negative for human blood.

In the weeks after Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were brutally shot to death, their relatives were terrified, Maggie’s sister testified Feb. 14. Investigators had made no arrests nor named any suspects. No motive was clear for the shocking slayings of two members of the prominent Hampton family.

Judge Clifton Newman’s dismissal of the two jurors set off alarms that an outbreak in the jury room could require a suspension of the weeks-long proceedings or, worse, a mistrial. A court employee also tested positive, Newman said.

The jury heard testimony from Blanca Simpson, the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper. Simpson testified about returning to Moselle the day after the murders as well as some of Alex Murdaugh's actions in the weeks and months following the murders. In this daily update episode, hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell discuss Simpson's testimony as well as the other key moments in the courtroom on Friday.

The vast majority of today’s testimony was taken up by four witnesses who each had already spoken during Judge Clifton Newman’s separate hearing on whether evidence of Alex’s alleged financial crimes could be admitted in the double murder trial.

In a day disrupted by a courthouse bomb threat, state prosecutors on Feb. 8 served jurors a smorgasbord of financial, digital and forensic evidence in their effort to prove once-respected Hampton attorney Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son.

Forensic scientists found copious amounts of gunshot residue inside a jacket Alex Murdaugh allegedly stashed at his parents’ house just days after his wife and son were shot to death, jurors learned Feb. 7. Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Nathan Stevens discuss the evidence and today's motions at the trial.

In the coming days of Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial, jurors will hear testimony accusing the once-prominent Hampton lawyer of secretly stealing millions of dollars from friends, family, clients and others who trusted him for the better part of a decade. Hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Nathan Stevens discuss what this might mean for the third week and beyond of the trial.

The court, still without jurors, went over the alleged financial crimes of Alex Murdaugh, including his connections with Palmetto state bank and the possible embezzlement of money from his law clients. Whether or not this evidence can be used in the double murder trial as character evidence is still to be seen. But jurors were allowed back in to hear further testimony from law enforcement.

In addition to more law enforcement testimony, the defense and prosecution argued if Alex Murdaugh's financial crimes could be presented in his double-homicide trial. If presented, they could become part of a larger section of evidence concerning Murdaugh's character. This was presented in front of a jury-less courtroom and will continue tomorrow.

Alex Murdaugh's defense attorneys got a chance to cross examine SLED agent Jeff Croft, leading to a back-and-forth over whether Alex confessed to killing Paul and Maggie during his second interview with the agency. In this daily update episode hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell dive into the debate surrounding Alex's wording and the discussion of firearms and phone records on Tuesday.

Alex Murdaugh's defense attorneys got a chance to cross examine SLED agent Melinda Worley. The Jury also heard from SLED agent Jeff Croft, who testified about an interview he had with Alex three days after the murders. In this daily update episode hosts Jocelyn Grzeszczak and Eric Russell discusses the Monday's testimony and the recording of Alex's interview played in the courtroom.

Two investigators testified Friday about their initial encounter with Alex Murdaugh and the crime scene on the night Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were murdered. In this daily update episode reporter Jocelyn Grzeszczak discusses the new details revealed during the second day of testimony in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial.

Our award-winning reporters have spent more than a year digging into the Murdaugh saga to bring you the latest news and in-depth analysis as we cover this story of drugs, deceit and death in South Carolina’s rural Lowcountry. But because this story involves so many people – including the folks in Walterboro, who’ve ended up hosting the state’s so-called trial of the century – we’re also covering what’s going on outside the courthouse. And on January twenty-third, a lot of what was going on was Southern cooking.

The prosecution called its first witnesses in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial on Thursday. In this episode, reporter Jocelyn Grzeszczak discusses some of the main points the witnesses highlighted in their testimony on day four of the double murder trial.

Alex Murdaugh's murder trial officially began Wednesday afternoon as the prosecution and the defense delivered opening statements to conclude the third day in the courtroom. Reporter Jocelyn Grzeszczak joins this daily update episode to discuss the conclusion of jury selection and the key points from the opening statements.

Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks discuss Wilks’ recent profile of Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, the seasoned Columbia trial attorneys who are leading Alex Murdaugh’s defense.

The second day of Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial included the continuation of jury selection as well as Judge Clifton Newman ruling on several motions. Also, the prosecution made a major revelation regarding the potential murder weapon. In this trial update episode, reporter Thad Moore recaps day two of the trial and discusses some of the key moments from inside the courtroom.

This bonus episode of Understand Murdaugh features audio from the most recent Beyond the Headlines event hosted by the Post and Courier. Moderated by Watchdog/Public Service Editor Glenn Smith, reporters Avery Wilks, Thad Moore and Jocelyn Grzeszczak discuss where things stand with the Alex Murdaugh double murder case, including the evidence against Murdaugh, his alleged motive and the legal strategies at play. They also answer a few questions submitted by the audience.

In this episode, investigative reporters Jennifer Berry Hawes and Avery Wilks discuss her profile of Circuit Judge Clifton Newman, who will preside over the Jan. 23 Alex Murdaugh murder trial.

In this episode, hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks their recent story on Curtis “Cousin Eddie” Smith, including the revelation that the Walterboro trucker has been subpoenaed as a witness in Alex Murdaugh’s Jan. 23 double murder trial.

As Alex Murdaugh sits in jail awaiting trial, the Murdaughs’ estate – often referred to as Moselle – where the alleged murder of his wife and son took place may soon change hands. Just months after it was listed for $3.9 million in February, a mysterious buyer emerged to place the property under contract. Post and Courier reporter Kelly Jean Kelly joins host Nathan Stevens to discuss the property and its place in the Murdaugh murder saga.

Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks discuss the latest in the Murdaugh saga, including recent twists in the double murder case, Murdaugh’s indictment on tax evasion charges and prosecutors’ decision not to seek the death penalty.

Alex Murdaugh's jailhouse tapes were a fount of insight into the disgraced attorney's life behind bars, his relationships with his closest relatives and his outlook on the sprawling criminal investigations that have accelerated his personal unraveling. But why have they run out, and what impact did they have on the Murdaugh saga? Join host Glenn Smith as he untangles the threads of the tapes.

In this episode, hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks discuss Wilks’ recent profile of Creighton Waters, the state grand jury chief prosecutor who has led the state criminal investigations into Alex Murdaugh and will try his double murder case in Colleton County in January.

Hampton, a small, sleepy town in rural South Carolina, is upended by one of the largest criminal scandals in Lowcountry history. The town is now known worldwide as the backdrop for the Alex Murdaugh saga, a tale of drugs, deceit and death. But what was Hampton like before a pair of murders in the Murdaugh family cast an unwelcome light on the town and the very public unraveling of a Lowcountry legal dynasty? How is Hampton trying to shake off that dark cloud and reclaim its downhome charm? Join host Nathan Stevens and reporter Kelly Jean Kelly as they look at the past and future of Hampton, SC.

In this bonus episode, hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks dig into the Dec. 9 motions hearing in the Alex Murdaugh double murder case, including new revelations about the disgraced former lawyer’s alleged motive for the slayings and possible problems with a key piece of evidence in the state’s case.

Avery Wilks joins host Nathan Stevens to answer a couple of reader questions about the Murdaugh Saga. Listeners can submit questions to be answered in future mailbag episodes by emailing murdaugh@postandcourier.com.

The first criminal trial in South Carolina’s sprawling Murdaugh saga ended in a resounding defeat for Russell Laffitte, the Hampton banker charged with helping disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh steal nearly $2 million from their mutual clients. Hosts Nathan Stevens and Avery Wilks preview what’s next for Laffitte’s case and the federal Murdaugh investigation.

In the second part of this two episode recap, Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks catch you up on major twists and turns of South Carolina's Murdaugh saga so far, from the 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach to the recent federal trial of ex-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte.

Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks catch you up on major twists and turns of South Carolina's Murdaugh saga so far, from the 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach to the recent federal trial of ex-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte.

Host Nathan Stevens and investigative reporter Avery Wilks discuss one of the major decisions Attorney General Alan Wilson must make in the Alex Murdaugh double-murder case: whether to seek the death penalty for the disbarred lawyer, who is charged with killing his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. Avery outlines the factors and intricacies which could potentially weigh into Wilson's decision and what his choice could mean for Murdaugh's upcoming trial. Avery outlines all the factors and intricacies which could potentially weigh into Wilson's decision and what the choice could mean for the trial.

Host Nathan Stevens and investigative reporter Thad Moore sit down to discuss the federal trial of ex-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte, the Lowcountry banker accusing of helping Alex Murdaugh plunder the accounts of their mutual clients. The trial begins November 8, and this episode will serve as a primer on Laffitte's alleged crimes and his connection to the Murdaugh saga.

Welcome to Understand Murdaugh, a podcast from The Post and Courier, South Carolina’s largest newspaper. Our award-winning reporters have spent more than a year digging into the Murdaugh saga to bring you the latest news and in-depth analysis as we cover this story of drugs, deceit and death in South Carolina’s rural Lowcountry. Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks discuss the launching of Understand Murdaugh, the complex through lines of the case and what comes next.