‘Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal’: How Many Deaths Are Connected to the Murdaugh Family?
The murder trial of South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been going on for weeks and people around the world are fascinated by the mystery behind the deaths of his wife and son. There’s even a Netflix series, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, premiering on February 22, 2023.
However, Paul and Maggie Murdaugh’s murders aren’t the only deaths Alex has been linked to. Who else in the Murdaugh family’s orbit has died?
Alex Murdaugh is currently standing trial for the murders of his wife and son
Alex is currently on trial for a variety of different crimes, including the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul. In June 2021, Alex called 911, saying he had found Maggie and Paul’s bodies near some dog kennels at the family’s hunting lodge. Both Maggie and Paul had been shot multiple times and with different weapons.
Following their deaths, many suspected that Alex had something to do with it. But it wasn’t until October that South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said they viewed him as a person of interest in the case. Alex, who claims he is innocent, is currently on trial for the murders, as Yahoo reports.
Did Alex Murdaugh’s son kill his rumored lover?
These aren’t the only mysterious deaths that have involved members of the Murdaugh family. In 2015, Stephen Smith was found dead on a road in South Carolina’s Hampton County. The court ruled it was a hit and run and no suspect was arrested.
However, many wondered if Alex’s oldest son (Paul’s big brother), Buster, was the killer. Buster and Smith, who was openly gay, attended high school together and were rumored to have been in a relationship, according to ABC News.
The bizarre circumstances surrounding the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper’s death
In 2018, the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, was severely injured after she fell down the steps of the family home. She died a few weeks later after suffering a stroke. What makes this death mysterious is the fact that there was no autopsy performed and the death certificate bizarrely claimed Satterfield died of natural causes.
Alex also allegedly acted strangely immediately after her death. According to Vox, he arrived on the scene before EMTs and claimed he heard Satterfield say her fall was caused by the family’s dogs. Satterfield later said she did not know what caused her fall.
Paul Murdaugh died shortly before he was set to stand trial for driving under the influence
The next year, Mallory Beach, 19, died after being thrown from a boat that Paul was allegedly driving. According to witnesses, Paul was intoxicated and crashed the boat into a bridge. Beach’s family filed lawsuits against Paul, accusing him of driving under the influence; Paul pleaded not guilty. He died just before the trial was set to take place.
The 100+ charges Alex Murdaugh currently faces
These strange deaths are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the charges Alex faces. The lawyer is currently facing 106 grand jury criminal charges, including forgery, embezzlement, tax evasion, money laundering, and narcotics distribution.
He is also facing charges of a murder-for-hire suicide scheme. Shortly after the deaths of Maggie and Paul, Alex claimed he was shot in the head while changing a tire on a rural road. He has been accused of staging the shooting, reports BBC.
