Day 23: Alex Murdaugh admits lying to SLED in murder case, stealing client money

Alex Murdaugh, a once prominent Hampton-based attorney from a well-known politically connected family, is on trial in the deaths of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

Murdaugh has pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison without parole if found guilty. The trial started Jan. 23 with jury selection, opening arguments and the initial round of witness testimony.

The defense said they expect to rest their case mid- to late-day Friday, with jury deliberation likely to stretch into next week after rebuttal witnesses and closing arguments.

How to watch the Murdaugh double murder trial, who to follow from The State, Island Packet

5:35 p.m. — Court in recess until Friday

Judge Clifton Newman has sent court into recess until 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Alex Murdaugh remains on the stand under cross-examination by lead prosecutor Creighton Waters.

Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian said the defense has two expert witnesses waiting to testify and asked if they might take the stand before Waters continues his cross-examination.

“I do not want to interrupt my cross. They (the defense) took a very long time today, and the state’s entitled to the same consideration without interruption,” Waters said. “I actually didn’t think it would take this long to get this far, but I think I’ve got some more financials to move through and then we’ll get to the murders.”

Waters estimated he had about three hours of cross-examining Murdaugh.

“I’m not going to require the state to break up the cross-examination of this witness,” Newman said.

“I could have sworn this was a murder case,” defense attorney Dick Harpootlian replied. “We haven’t heard the murder once. ... Denegrating (Murdaugh’s) character is what this is about.”

“Credibility is an issue for all witnesses,” Newman ruled, “as is the case in every case.”

5:21 p.m. — Waters continues testy cross-examination

Throughout much of his cross-examination, Alex Murdaugh has avoided answering lead prosecutor Creighton Waters’ questions simply, often taking long periods of time to answer and reiterating he has foggy memory on the financial crimes he confessed to, while Waters attempts to direct him to more specific answers.

Murdaugh has repeatedly admitted that he took money from his clients and said he was in the wrong, but Waters has insisted on walking the jury through each of Murdaugh’s high-profile thefts.

“How many times did you practice that answer before your testimony today?” Waters asked at one point.

“I’ve never practiced that answer,” Murdaugh said.

“Of all the people on here, all these exhibits, do you have any independent recollection of a time where you sat down, and looked that person in the eye, and you were lying to them and convincg them that everything was OK while you stole their money, do you remember even one of them?” Waters demanded.

“I’m sure I do,” Murdaugh said. Waters asked him to elaborate.

Murdaugh again said he remembered misleading and stealing from his clients, but could not recall one specific conversation as Waters said.

“There were plenty of conversations were I looked people in the eye and I lied to them … (I can’t) tell you a specific time that I sat down with a specific document and what exactly was said,” Murdaugh testified.

“But they certainly remember it, don’t they Mr. Murdaugh?” Waters asked.

Murdaugh agreed.

4:59 p.m. — State highlights Alex’s ability to deceive clients

While Alex Murdaugh’s cross-examination has yet to reach questions about Maggie and Paul Murdaugh’s deaths, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters is hoping to convince jurors they have reason to doubt Murdaugh’s testimony.

Waters has focused heavily on Murdaugh’s history of stealing millions of dollars from his clients. Murdaugh admitted to the crimes earlier today.

In many of the cases, Waters said, Murdaugh would have had to sit down and look his clients in the eyes and convince them he was “on their side” while simultaneously siphoning their funds.

Murdaugh told Waters he was willing to concede he committed all of the financial crimes prosecutors have mentioned, but Waters didn’t back off his line of questioning.

“Mr. Waters, you have charged me with the murders of my wife and son. I can’t tell you all the details of these financial situations. I can tell you I did steal money that wasn’t mine,” Murdaugh said, “And I did wrong. It was terrible what I did.”

“You may want to get through this quicker, but we’re not,” Waters told him.

4:15 p.m. — Alex took advantage of law enforcement relationship

To begin his cross-examination, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters asked Alex Murdaugh about his family’s long relationship with the law community in Colleton and Hampton counties, particularly with law enforcement.

Members of Murdaugh’s family served as the area’s chief prosecutors for more than 80 years combined, from 1920 to 2006, the baton passing from his great-grandfather down to Murdaugh’s father.

Murdaugh testified that he and his family had long-standing professional relationships, and in some case friendships, with members of law enforcement.

Murdaugh would even keep his solicitor’s badge in his car cup holder or on his car dashboard when he wanted “somebody to see it,” he testified. He’d even make it visible when he was pulled over, he said.

“And why would you want someone to see it?” Waters asked.

“Because I found that law enforcement, oftentimes, is friendlier when you’re in law enforcement,” Murdaugh said.

Waters pressed Murdaugh on if he was taking advantage of the badge and its conferred authority.

“I guess in some circumstances that is accurate,” Murdaugh said.

During his initial testimony, Murdaugh said he consistently lied to SLED investigators looking into Maggie and Paul Murdaugh’s murders because of his “distrust” of the agency and paranoia caused by his opiate addiction.

Murdaugh specifically maintained he never went to the kennels June 7, 2021. Today, he admitted he had been there that night.

3:47 p.m. — Murdaugh under cross-examination

Alex Murdaugh’s cross-examination has started.

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters is asking Murdaugh questions.

He opened asking if Murdaugh believes the “most important” part of his testimony is explaining the numerous times he lied to SLED about not being at the kennels.

Murdaugh responded he felt “every part” of his testimony was important, but agreed the lie is an important piece on its own.

3:32 p.m. — Cross-examination of Alex Murdaugh begins soon

Defense attorney Jim Griffin has ended his questioning of Alex Murdaugh.

To finish the first half of his testimony, Murdaugh described his relationship with Maggie and Paul at length. Murdaugh said he loved Maggie “from the first time we went out,” and cared for Paul “like no other.”

The court has entered a 10-minute recess before cross-examination begins.

3:18 p.m. — Alex details attempted suicide with Eddie Smith

Alex Murdaugh testified that the Sept. 4, 2021, Labor Day weekend shooting was intended to kill him, and was carried out with help from his distant cousin, Curtis “Eddie” Smith.

Murdaugh said he’d called Smith to meet him on a rural Hampton County road and informed him of a “change in plans.”

“What was the change of plans?” defense attorney Jim Griffin asked.

“Not to get pills from (Smith) anymore, and instead, I asked him to shoot me,” Murdaugh testified.

He added the plan was not a “sympathy ploy,” but Murdaugh said he intended to die.

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters has repeatedly rebutted the idea Murdaugh wanted to be killed in the incident. Instead, Waters has suggested Murdaugh was feeling financial pressure once again and created the shooting to build public sympathy and spawn the belief his family was still being targeted by Paul and Maggie’s killers.

3:04 p.m. — Alex admits financial crimes

During his testimony, Alex Murdaugh admitted to stealing money from his clients.

“Alex, the jury’s heard about testimony of you stealing client funds. Did you do that?” defense attorney Jim Griffin asked.

“I did,” Murdaugh confessed.

He continued that he “wasn’t sure” how his financial situation became as dire as it was leading up to and after Maggie and Paul were killed, but said the money he was spending on painkillers was a contributing factor.

Murdaugh testified he became addicted to opiates after injuring his knee during his college football career at the University of South Carolina.

The knee trouble resulting from that injury led to future surgeries, he said, and the last surgery around “2002 or 2004” led to him taking hydrocodone as a painkiller.

“After a while, I was taking so much of that I moved on to oxycodone,” he said.

2:48 p.m. — Alex details meeting with law firm CFO

Alex Murdaugh described his meeting with the CFO of what was PMPED on June 7, 2021, the day Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were killed.

Jeannie Seckinger confronted Murdaugh that morning under suspicion he had been stealing money from the law firm and its clients, particularly $792,000 in missing fees from a case he’d worked on with friend and attorney Chris Wilson that January.

Murdaugh admitted he had “some concern” about the inquiry.

“She was asking about money I’d took that I wasn’t supposed to have,” Murdaugh said, “So obviously there was some concern.”

Prosecutors have argued that confrontation was part of a whirlwind of financial accusations and scrutiny that led Murdaugh to kill his wife and son, potentially to remove his alleged theft from the eye of law enforcement.

“On June 7, did you believe your financial house of cards was about to crumple?” defense attorney Jim Griffin asked.

“On June 7? Absolutely not,” Murdaugh said.

2:45 p.m. — Murdaugh testimony resumes

The jury has returned to the courtroom and court is back on session.

Alex Murdaugh remains on the stand under questioning by defense attorney Jim Griffin.

1:25 p.m. — Court breaks for lunch

Judge Clifton Newman has sent the court into lunch recess.

Before the break, Murdaugh testified he had clothes spread out “all over” in the wake of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh’s murders. He couldn’t spend the night at Moselle after the killings, he said.

Defense attorney Jim Griffin raised the question in response to prosecution’s suspicions that Murdaugh had disposed of clothes he wore while allegedly killing his wife and son.

SLED never asked him to hand over clothes he was seen wearing earlier that day, Murdaugh testified.

Court will resume at 2:40 p.m.

1:20 p.m. — SLED never asked for Alex’s clothes from earlier June 7

Alex Murdaugh testified that SLED investigators never asked him to provide the clothes he was seen wearing in a June 7, 2021, Snapchat video taken by his son, Paul.

Murdaugh said he went to his housekeeper, Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, to ask about those clothes.

Turrubiate-Simpson earlier testified as a state witness, and said she never saw the shirt Murdaugh was wearing that day after the murders.

Murdaugh claimed the clothes he was wearing “never became an issue” until the weeks leading up to his trial, after state evidence alleging Murdaugh’s T-shirt had high-velocity blood spatter on it was shown to be incorrect.

12:50 p.m. — Timeline ‘hard to remember’ after murders, Alex says

Under questioning from defense attorney Jim Griffin, Alex Murdaugh said it was difficult for him to remember specific timelines in the wake of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh’s murders.

“It’s definitely hard to remember. Now, looking at these timelines and all these records it sure helps, but to just do it off the top of my head is difficult,” Murdaugh said.

Where Murdaugh was, and when he was there, has been a sticking point in the murder case. While Murdaugh admitted he lied to SLED investigators about being at the Moselle kennels before his wife and son were killed, he’s also misrepresented the amount of time he visited his mother that night.

He told investigators he was there anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. GPS data recovered from Murdaugh’s vehicle shows his visit was around 20 minutes.

Griffin’s questioning intends to show it could be possible for a reasonable person under pressure or experiencing trauma to forget exactly how long they were at certain places.

12:45 p.m. — Alex got blood on fingertips

Alex Murdaugh said he remembered getting blood on his fingertips after touching Maggie and Paul Murdaugh’s bodies.

Defense attorney Jim Griffin tied the testimony to blood found on the steering wheel of Murdaugh’s car. Murdaugh testified if blood was found on the wheel, he likely left it here.

Murdaugh drove back to his Moselle home to get a gun after finding his wife and son’s bodies at the kennels.

12:10 p.m. — Alex said he ‘should’ve known’ after finding Paul’s body

On the 911 call Alex Murdaugh made after discovering his wife and son’s bodies, he can be heard saying, “I should’ve known.”

“What were you referring to when you said, ‘I should have known,’” defense attorney Jim Griffin asked him.

“(Paul) got so many threats,” Murdaugh said, in reference to backlash his son received following a 2019 boat crash that killed Mallory Beach and injured others. “I was just telling him, telling Paul I should have known. ... He got the most vile threats. I mean, stuff that was on social media, you just couldn’t believe it. It was so over the top. Truthfully, we didn’t think anything about it.”

11:58 a.m. — Alex describes discovering Paul, Maggie’s bodies

When Alex Murdaugh returned to Moselle after visiting his mother, he testified, he thought it was strange Maggie and Paul Murdaugh weren’t back at the house.

After confirming they were not at home, Murdaugh said he drove down to the kennels in his car.

“What did you see when you drove down to the kennels?” defense attorney Jim Griffin asked.

The disbarred attorney paused for around 15 seconds, attempting to compose himself before answering.

“I saw what y’all have seen pictures of,” Murdaugh responded. “I think I jumped out of my car. I’m not exactly sure what I did, but I know I got out of my car, I know I ran back to my car, called 911. I was on the phone with 911, and I was trying to tend to Paul, trying to tend to Maggie, and I just went back and forth between them.”

Murdaugh said he went “back and forth” between the bodies while calling 911.

“My boy’s laying face down, he’s done the way he’s done, his head’s the way his head was,” Murdaugh said. “I could see his brain laying on the sidewalk. I didn’t know what to do. I tried to turn him over, tried to grab him by the belt loop and tried to turn him over.”

Prosecutors have questioned why Murdaugh’s hands weren’t bloody after interacting with Maggie and Paul’s body’s, particularly given the brutal nature of the killings.

11:45 a.m. — Alex: Maggie not answering text wasn’t concerning

When Alex Murdaugh didn’t receive a text message response from his wife the night of June 7, 2021, he said he wasn’t worried at first.

“At that time, it didn’t concern me at all,” Murdaugh said. “No. 1, she was with (Paul). No. 2, it’s not unusual to not be able to get somebody all the time when they’re at the house, or on the property.”

Past witnesses for defense and prosecution said the cellphone reception at Moselle was spotty.

11:37 a.m. — SC lawmakers, staff eyes on Murdaugh testimony

Alex Murdaugh’s testimony has taken hold of much of South Carolina, including some lawmakers and State House staffers.

The State newspaper’s Joseph Bustos reported that one House staff member had muted a group text to avoid “spoilers of Alex Murdaugh’s testimony.”

House Majority Whip Brandon Newton told Bustos he is following the trial today, while Rep. Neal Collins said he may be “the only person in South Carolina” not keeping tabs on Murdaugh’s testimony.

State Rep. Justin Bamberg is in attendance at the Colleton County Courthouse.

Currently, the Law and Crime Network livestream has 187,000 viewers.

11:15 a.m. — Murdaugh didn’t ‘immediately’ go to the kennels, he said

When Maggie and Paul Murdaugh went to the Moselle kennels the night they were killed, Alex Murdaugh said he didn’t go with them at first.

Murdaugh testified he was tired after riding around the property with Paul that day, and had just showered. It was still hot that evening, he said, so he was slow to join them.

He eventually drove down to the kennels in a golf cart a few minutes after Paul and Maggie left the house, Murdaugh said.

During SLED’s investigation, he repeatedly insisted he never visited the kennels on June 7, 2021. But nine separate witnesses identified Murdaugh’s voice in a video Paul took at 8:45 p.m. that day.

At the start of his testimony, Murdaugh said he lied because of paranoia induced by his opioid addiction.

11:11 a.m. — Murdaugh says he changed clothes because of sweat

Jurors have heard several witnesses identify different outfits Alex Murdaugh changed into the day Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were killed.

Prosecutors raised suspicion that Murdaugh changed clothes between a 7:40 p.m. Snapchat video Paul took, suggesting he stripped to clean himself of blood after committing the murders and changing into a clean shirt and shorts before investigators arrived at Moselle.

Murdaugh testified that he was “bigger” at that time, and riding around Moselle on a hot summer day with Paul made him sweat more.

“Taking prescription pills,” Murdaugh added, “can also make you sweat more.”

When he and Paul returned to Moselle’s main house that day, Murdaugh said he showered and changed into the white T-shirt and shorts he was seen wearing in first responders’ body camera footage.

11 a.m. — Murdaugh shares last day with Paul

Alex Murdaugh shared details about he and his son Paul’s activity on June 7, 2021.

Earlier in the day, he and Paul visited a field of sunflowers to investigate damage done by their then-groundskeeper, C.B. Rowe, Murdaugh testified.

“You could tell (the sunflowers) had been sprayed, and they were dead,” Murdaugh testified. “So we knew we had to replant the whole field, so that didn’t take but a second. But after that, we just rode the property we spent time together.”

The pair also visited the Moselle property’s duck pond and several “food plots” on the 1,700 acres.

“You could not be around (Paul),” Murdaugh said, fighting back tears. “You could not be around him and not have a good time. You couldn’t be any closer than (Paul) and I, and Buster and I.”

10:50 a.m. — Murdaugh: ‘I did lie’ to SLED

Early in his testimony, defense attorney Jim Griffin asked Alex Murdaugh if he was at the kennels the night Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were killed.

“I was,” Murdaugh said.

“Did you lie to SLED Agent (David) Owen and Deputy Laura Rutland on the night of June 7, and told them you stayed at the house after dinner?”

“I did lie to them,” Murdaugh answered. “And I’m so sorry that I did. ... I’m sorry to my son Buster, I’m sorry to grandma and Papa T. I’m sorry to bother of our families. And most of all, I’m sorry to Mags and (Paul). I would never do anything to intentionally hurt either one of them.”

Murdaugh explained that as his opioid addiction evolved, he would have “paranoid thoughts.” That paranoia, he said, caused him to lie to SLED and continue lying during the investigation.

10:46 a.m. — Alex Murdaugh testimony begins

Alex Murdaugh has taken the stand before a court room packed full of family, attorneys and members of the public.

The defense is expected to rest its case tomorrow. It’s unknown how long Murdaugh’s testimony could last.

10:23 a.m. — Alex Murdaugh to soon take the stand

Alex Murdaugh will soon start his testimony in his double-murder trial.

The jury was sent out of the courtroom before Judge Clifton Newman asked whether the defense needed any more preparation before Murdaugh’s testimony.

“I don’t need to talk to you,” Murdaugh was heard telling Dick Harpootlian.

Harpootlian rose shortly afterward.

“He indicates he doesn’t need to talk to me, which hurts my feelings,” Harpootlian joked. “But we don’t need any break.”

Murdaugh visited the restroom before taking the stand. Court is now in a 10-minute recess.

Murdaugh has been at the center of South Carolina’s “trial of the century” for years since the June 7, 2021, killings of his youngest son and wife, Paul and Maggie Murdaugh. This will mark the first time since that day he’s shared his story with anyone besides close friends, family and SLED investigators.

The defense shared consternation that Murdaugh would be questioned about the bevy of financial crimes he’s been accused of, but Newman indicated any objectionable matter will be addressed during testimony.

If convicted, Murdaugh faces life in prison without parole.

10:15 a.m. — Defense witness puts Alex at kennels

Another friend of Paul Murdaugh’s identified Alex Murdaugh’s voice in a video Paul took at the kennels the night he was killed.

Nolan Tuten is the ninth person to testify they heard Murdaugh speaking in the background of a video Paul took on June 7, 2021, around 8:45 p.m.

Nathan Tuten, another friend of Paul’s and Nolan Tuten’s brother, also identified Murdaugh speaking in the clip during his testimony in the prosecution’s case.

10:10 a.m. — Alex would stop by kennels when leaving Moselle

Nolan Tuten, one of Paul Murdaugh’s close friends, said Maggie and Alex Murdaugh would “more often than not” stop by the kennels when leaving Moselle to check on Paul and his friends, if they knew they were there.

Prosecutors have questioned why Murdaugh didn’t stop at the kennels to check on his wife and son before leaving Moselle the night they were murdered, June 7, 2021.

The state alleges the killings took place around 8:50 p.m., and Murdaugh left to visit his mother at 9:07 p.m.

9:57 a.m. — Paul’s friend called as defense witness

Nolan Tuten, a friend of Paul Murdaugh’s, has been called to the stand for the defense.

Tuten’s testimony has focused on Alex Murdaugh and Paul’s relationship. Tuten testified Murdaugh was “patient” with his son.

Jurors have heard from several friends of Paul’s during the trial, most of them during the prosecution’s case. Many of those friends described the Murdaughs as a second family, and identified Alex Murdaugh’s voice on a video taken at the kennels recovered from Paul’s phone.

That video has been a sticking point in the state’s case to prove Murdaugh’s guilt. It was taken around 8:45 p.m., roughly five minutes before prosecutors allege the murders too place on June 7, 2021, and places Murdaugh at the crime scene in direct contradiction to his alibi.

9:53 a.m. — Murdaugh: ‘I am going to testify.’

Alex Murdaugh has decided to take the stand today in his double-murder trial.

“I am going to testify,” Murdaugh told Judge Clifton Newman. “I want to testify.”

Murdaugh will be open to all questions relevant to the case thus far, Newman confirmed. He will be confronted with prosecutors’ questions regarding his numerous white-collar crime accusations, and more directly tied to the murders of his family. He’ll also be questioned about why he lied about not being at the kennels the night of the slayings and how long he visited his mother that night.

9:45 a.m. — Judge discussing Alex’s rights on witness stand

Alex Murdaugh has come before Judge Clifton Newman this morning ahead of his expected testimony today.

Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian has said the defense has one “short witness” before Murdaugh testifies.

Newman said Murdaugh has the right to claim his Fifth Amendment rights, protecting his privilege to not testify if he chooses.

Murdaugh was sworn in, standing beside his attorneys.

“No one can waive this right except you,” Newman told Murdaugh. “If you decide to testify you will be subject to the same rules as other witness, and you may be examined or cross-examined on any relevant issue in this case.”

Harpootlian has previously argued that Murdaugh shouldn’t be opened to cross-examination on his alleged financial crimes, since he is on trial for the double-murder of his wife and son, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul.-

7 a.m. — Murdaugh to take stand

Alex Murdaugh is expected to take the stand in his own defense on Thursday barring any snag in the plan, according to a source with knowledge.

Defense attorney Jim Griffin first said on Wednesday that Murdaugh was considering taking the stand, asking Judge Clifton Newman on what topics Murdaugh would be permitted to plead his Fifth Amendment rights. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters argued that should Murdaugh take the stand, cross-examination would be “wide open.”

“I am not going to issue an order in advance limiting the scope of cross-examination,” Newman said Wednesday. “Any objectionable matter must be addressed as the evidence is presented and not based on any advanced ruling by the court. ... That (issuing an order) is unheard of, to me.”

On the stand, Murdaugh will be asked to explain why he lied about his whereabouts June 7, 2021, and why he repeatedly told investigators and friends and family that he never went to the dog kennels where his wife and son were found brutally murdered. A cellphone video taken by Paul and played repeatedly to the jury throughout the trial has placed Murdaugh at the death scene.

The testimony also, however, will expose him to a grueling cross-examination by prosecutors with the S.C. Attorney General’s Office about every aspect of the killings, as well as the trove of financial crimes and his long-hidden life as an accused embezzler.

Reporter John Monk contributed to this report.