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On March 2, a jury unanimously found Alex Murdaugh guilty of killing his wife and son in 2021. (Video: Reuters)

Alex Murdaugh found guilty in murder of wife, son; sentencing Friday

Updated March 2, 2023 at 10:15 p.m. EST|Published March 2, 2023 at 7:07 p.m. EST
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Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of killing his wife and son, tarnishing a last name that for four generations has been synonymous with the law in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

A jury convicted the 54-year-old Thursday after about three hours of deliberation. The verdict capped a month-long effort by prosecutors to prove that the scion of a legal dynasty killed those closest to him to cover up a scheme of stealing millions from clients, partly fueled by an addiction to opiates.

Key updates

Here’s what to know

  • Alex Murdaugh blinked repeatedly as the clerk read the guilty verdict on all counts. His son, who goes by Buster, had his hand on his face and stared into space. Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
  • The previous three generations of men in the Murdaugh family have served as elected prosecutors in the state’s Lowcountry, and this already stands as a large blemish on the family name.
  • Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman deferred sentencing of Alex Murdaugh until Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. due to the “late hour.” Legal observers were surprised at how quickly the jury came to a verdict. Prosecutors have said they are not seeking capital punishment in this case.
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Alex Murdaugh blinked repeatedly as the clerk read the guilty verdict on all counts. His son, who goes by Buster, had his hand on his face and stared into space. Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
The previous three generations of men in the Murdaugh family have served as elected prosecutors in the state’s Lowcountry, and this already stands as a large blemish on the family name.
Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman deferred sentencing of Alex Murdaugh until Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. due to the “late hour.” Legal observers were surprised at how quickly the jury came to a verdict. Prosecutors have said they are not seeking capital punishment in this case.

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