Alex Murdaugh will take the stand at his double murder trial on Thursday, his attorney confirmed.
Murdaugh, 54, is accused of fatally shooting his wife, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and their son, 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh, on June 7, 2021. Their bodies were found near the dog kennels on the family’s 1,770-acre estate in Islandton.
Murdaugh claims he was at his mother’s home at the time of the shooting, but authorities allege that blood splatter found on his clothing indicates that he, too, was at the dog kennels when his wife and son were killed.
Murdaugh called 911 at 10:07 p.m. to report finding Maggie and Paul deceased. His attorneys claim their client checked the bodies for signs of life, which ultimately transferred blood onto his hands and clothes.
Prosecutors claim Murdaugh murdered his wife and son to gain sympathy ahead of a “pending motion that threatened to expose years of substantial debts and illicit financial crimes,” reported The Associated Press.
In a shocking turn of events, Murdaugh was shot three months later while changing a tire on a rural road. Authorities quickly unraveled a murder-for-hire plot that would allow Murdaugh’s oldest son to receive a $10 million insurance payout. Curtis Edward Smith, the alleged gunman and former client of Murdaugh, is accused of conspiring with the 54-year-old. The duo was indicted for the alleged scheme in November 2021.
Murdaugh faces 106 criminal charges, including for murder, drugs, and financial fraud dating back to at least 2011. He is also named a defendant in three separate civil suits. He has been disbarred, and his assets frozen.
Murdaugh faces up to life in prison if convicted.