The MURDAUGH case: suspicious deaths in South Carolina

Hi everyone, hope you're all well! We're back today to talk about a particularly complex American story: that of the Murdaugh family. As you'll see, it's a really huge case, and I'm going to try to present it to you as clearly as possible, but I'm warning you: it's a very dense subject. So focus and grab something to eat! As usual I'll let you make yourselves comfortable, turn off the lights and when you're ready; Let's go ! [Mystery, HolFix] It's June 7, 2021, in Hampton, South Carolina. In Hampton, everyone knows everyone else: it's a small county of around 20,000 inhabitants, and most families have been here for several generations. In this quiet little town, the only thing that usually makes the headlines is the annual watermelon festival. So you can imagine that when the police receive a panicked call from Alex Murdaugh, who says he's found his wife and son dead in their hunting estate, it's a shock. It was after 10pm when the investigators arrived on the scene and discovered what they themselves described as a chaotic scene: the bodies of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh lay just a few yards apart. They appear to have been shot dead next to the property's kennels. Amid the panicked barking of numerous dogs, the police question Alex Murdaugh, trying to understand what could have happened. (clips from police body/dash cams) But before continuing, let me first give you a quick introduction to the Murdaugh family as a whole. It's a very old and very powerful family; one of those American dynasties from the South, I don't know if you know the type. The Murdaughs are lawyers from father to son, they own the biggest law firm in town and have been representing the law for almost a century. The townspeople know that, in a way, they "make" the law. As a result, they are both feared and respected by the entire community. In Hampton, everyone knows that when the Murdaughs say something, it goes like this. Richard Alexander Murdaugh, aka "Alex", was born on May 27, 1968, and has been practicing in the law firm founded by his great-grandfather for many years. While Alex is a man of principle, he's also very pragmatic: he knows when to use persuasion to protect the Murdaughs' interests. He takes great care with his appearance and attaches great importance to detail. Everything must be done a certain way; especially when it comes to his clothes, which he regularly has dry-cleaned. But behind his distinguished appearance lies a man who will do anything to preserve the family legacy. His wife, Margaret Murdaugh, known as "Maggie", is described as someone who knows how to enjoy life: she likes to travel, party and spend time with dogs -her real passion. In fact, she took in several of them at her Moselle hunting estate, where she had a kennel built. According to a former family housekeeper, now a friend, Maggie is not at all the snobbish type; on the contrary. She knows how to have fun and has a great sense of humor. She loves to entertain, and it's not uncommon for the Murdaugh family to spend entire evenings eating and drinking with friends. Maggie is a devoted wife, very proud of her husband and his achievements. According to those closest to her, she truly idolizes him. But the Murdaugh name, because of all it implies, is very difficult to live up to. To give you a concrete example, it's a bit like the royal family in England: there are all kinds of codes and rules to be respected by those who join the family. Together, Alex and Maggie have two sons: Richard Alexander Jr. aka "Buster" and Paul. Buster is the family's eldest son. From the outset, he was destined to carry the family's name and follow in his father's footsteps, and of all the Murdaughs before him. His parents are extremely proud of him, and it's fair to say they have pretty high expectations for his future. Paul, on the other hand, is a bit of an "ugly duckling": he has no desire to follow his father's example and doesn't seem the least bit interested in becoming a lawyer. His hobbies are hunting, partying and spending time on his boat. To try and understand his personality and his relationship with his parents a little better, I think it's important to mention the accident that occurred on February 23, 2019. As you'll see, this is the story that drew attention to the Murdaughs, so it's a focal point of the case. So, on February 23, 2019, Paul and 5 friends decide to go to a sort of annual barbecue, the 'Oyster Roast'. It's a widespread festival in the Lowcountry, and the locals are used to taking part every year. As usual, Paul decides to take his boat there: not only is it more convenient than the car, it's also one of his passions. The group of friends stays there for a while, before ending the evening at Luther's, a bar where they've become regulars. It's almost 1 a.m. when they leave the bar, and Paul's friends suggest that getting back on the boat might not be such a good idea: for one thing, it's freezing cold (after all, it's February); for another, they've all spent the evening drinking. So they're very, very drunk, and clearly not fit to drive a boat. But, as I think you've gathered by now, you don't say no to the Murdaughs. They finally give in and take the boat back at around 1am. Paul takes the helm, but his friends soon notice that he's much too drunk for that: he drives completely erratically and leaves the helm unattended on several occasions. Some of his friends even suggest taking over, but Paul refuses. He replies, "It's my f*cking boat". The boat's passengers are truly panicking, and his girlfriend, Morgan, begs him to let a friend drive. It's at this point that he loses his temper and calls her a "b*tch" before slapping her in front of everyone. More on this later, but no one is really shocked: they all know that Paul is violent with Morgan. So they give in again, and sit back, watching Paul speed up. But it's already dark, and Paul doesn't have time to see that he's heading straight for a bridge. The front of the boat collides violently with the bridge and the passengers are ejected from the boat. The water is icy cold, they're all injured, and when they emerge, they realize that someone is missing: Mallory hasn't surfaced. Her boyfriend desperately calls out to her, diving several times to try and find her... but to no avail. (audio extracts) While he calls for help, Paul is on the phone with his father. He's learned to call his father whenever he's in trouble. Alex Murdaugh quickly arrives on the scene, accompanied by Paul's grandfather, Randolph. The emergency services have already begun their work, and the dive team is scouring the accident area in search of Mallory. The problem is that the current in this area is very strong, and they know that she has probably already been swept away from the boat. The teenagers are all taken to hospital, and are soon joined by their loved ones. Fortunately, their condition is not critical, but they are traumatized. As the parents worry about their children's condition, Alex and Randolph Murdaugh begin to devise a strategy. They tell everyone that it wasn't Paul who was driving but Connor, another passenger: their aim is clear, to trap Connor while protecting Paul. Connor even remembers Alex whispering in his ear: "Don't worry, don't say anything. I'll take care of everything. And at this moment, in his hospital bed, Connor is truly afraid for his life: rumors are circulating about the Murdaughs and they know exactly how to manipulate the truth and "make someone disappear". The rescue teams work for long hours, even days... without success. Even though Mallory's loved ones still hope to find her, they know in their heart of hearts that there's very little chance she's still alive. Five days later, the teenager has still not been found, and everyone is asking the same question: why? They suspect that the Murdaughs, who have very close ties with law enforcement are deliberately delaying the search. Why, for example, didn't they try to trace Mallory's Apple watch, which she never took off? The answer is, in fact, quite clear: no body, no crime. And Mallory's parents have the feeling that this is precisely the Murdaugh family's goal... A week later, the lifeless body of 19-year-old Mallory Beach is finally found, a few miles from the scene of the accident. For her loved ones, it's a mixture of relief and grief. The cause of death was announced: head trauma followed by drowning. In other words, the teenager collided violently with the boat on impact, then drowned. Now a full-blown legal battle has begun to ensure that justice is served. Paul Murdough's high-profile court hearing takes place around 2 months after the accident, on April 2, 2019. Paul is accused of being responsible for the accident that led to Mallory's death, and must answer to 3 charges. During this hearing, we learn quite a few pertinent things. First, the lawyer hired by the Beach family raises several troubling points: none of the 20 police officers present at the scene bothered to question Paul, even though he had been identified as the driver by the all the other passengers. For him, this only confirms the power the Murdaughs have in the area, and the nature of their links with aw enforcement. The whole thing seems to have been hushed up, and the evidence manipulated. It is also alleged that not a single member of law enforcement bothered to contact Mallory's family at the time of the accident. According to the Beach family's lawyer, this silence on the part of the investigators not only suggests gross negligence in the handling of the case, but also reinforces suspicions of bias towards the Murdaughs... A commissioned expert concludes after analysis that it was impossible for Connor to have been the driver, but that Paul was. This reassured Mallory's relatives, who had feared that Paul would fall through the cracks... And yet, despite this, Paul was not arrested. He was released on 50,000 bail, pending his trial -which, incidentally, never took place... since it took a long time and then he was killed... I told you I'd come back to the relationship between Paul and Morgan, because I think it's necessary to better understand his personality; and ultimately that of all the Murdaughs in general. Paul is described by his friends as both funny and shy. Before Morgan, he'd never had a girlfriend, but he appreciated the attention she gave him. Paul seemed clearly devoted to Morgan, showering her with gifts and attention, but at the same time, he was also very violent with her, allegedly hitting her on several occasions. I think you can see where I'm going with this: there were clearly all the signs of a toxic relationship. In fact, Morgan even said, "When it was good, it was really good; but when it was bad, it was really bad." And that really sums up this type of relationship, with hyper-intense ups and downs that are very hard for the victim to deal with. On top of that, Paul has a serious problem with alcohol. When he drinks, his personality changes radically, and he goes from a nice guy to someone violent and aggressive. His friends even nicknamed his alter-ago "Timmy". And despite several car accidents caused by his excessive drinking he has never been in legal trouble because of his family's status. Each time, his father and grandfather came to his rescue and made sure the incident was buried. Morgan, for her part, tried to talk to Paul's mother, but without much success. As far as she was concerned, Maggie was very detached from Paul, and paid much more attention to her eldest son, Buster. Unlike Paul, who doesn't seem to share the ambition of becoming a lawyer and carrying on the family tradition, Buster is a source of pride for his mother, which tended to create a complex dynamic within the family. Right. Back to our story: after his release on bail, Paul's behavior doesn't seem to change at all, and he continues to drink and party as if nothing had happened. However, I'd like to qualify this by saying that some of those close to him saw just how badly he was affected by the accident. According to several people, he had even carefully packed Mallory's obituary in his car. So it's hard to say that he felt no guilt over his friend's death. However, as for taking responsibility... Well. As I said, the 2019 boating accident drew a lot of attention to the Murdaugh family, but it was only after Maggie and Paul's double homicide that the investigators turned their attention to other troubled family events. It's against this backdrop that the case of Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaughs' former housekeeper, who died in rather strange circumstances, begins to be investigated... This housekeeper, who had been with the family for years, played a crucial role in Paul's life, providing him with the love and attention he sorely lacked from his parents. To him, she was more than a housekeeper; she was something of a second mother. But on February 2, 2018, a tragic event shook the Murdaugh family: Maggie called 911, saying that Gloria had fallen down the stairs outside the residence. She's unconscious, and appears to have suffered a head injury. According to the Murdaughs, it was an accident: Gloria tripped over the family dog and fell backwards, hitting her head on the brick steps. Gloria was immediately rushed to hospital but sadly died a few weeks later, having fallen into a coma. Paul seems particularly devastated by the accident having regarded Gloria as a mother figure. However, Gloria's injuries contradict the accident theory: bruises and several broken ribs are discovered... and yet, there will be no autopsy, and Gloria's death will be attributed to "natural causes". Once again, it seems that as soon as the Murdaugh name is associated with a case, it is quickly hushed up... Nevertheless, rumors began to circulate in the small rural community: Gloria had discovered Alex's addiction to opiates shortly before the "fall" down the stairs. Indeed, she reportedly found pills hidden throughout the house. Because yes, Alex Murdaugh was indeed addicted to opiates, even if his family did everything in their power to hide it. Some even speculated that Maggie, to protect her husband's reputation, might have pushed Gloria down the stairs. After the funeral, Alex makes a surprising decision: he decides to sue himself for "wrongful death" in order to donate the insurance money to the victim's family. I'll talk more about this case later in the video, as you'll see that new elements will be uncovered in the course of the investigation into Paul and Maggie's double homicide. Let's get back to June 7, 2021 and the heart of the story. After the discovery of the bodies of his wife and son, Alex Murdaugh is questioned by the police and provides precise details of his schedule on the evening of the tragedy: at around 7:30 p.m., he wakes up from a nap to find that neither his wife nor his son are at home. At 8pm, he sent a message to inform them of his planned visit to his parents, both seriously ill. After returning home at 10.20pm, he discovers the scene of the double homicide: Maggie has been shot several times in the chest, back and head, while Paul has been hit in the chest, neck and back of the neck. Ten days after the murders, the Murdaugh family makes a public statement, calling on the authorities to investigate and uncover the truth, citing "threats" received by Alex. The question then arises as to whether these threats could be linked to Mallory Beach's death, and all the passengers on the boat are suspected and questioned, along with Mallory's parents. But very little information is forthcoming, and the police go so far as to say there's nothing to worry about, despite the fact that a woman and her son have been brutally murdered. The weapons used in the murders are also identified by the investigators: Paul was killed with a shotgun, while Maggie was shot with an AR-15, a rather rare weapon among civilians. And although the Murdaughs have numerous weapons on their property, including an AR-15... None of them are seized by investigators. However, the investigation reveals important new elements. Acts of fraud and swindling committed by Alex prior to the murders, leading to his forced resignation from the family law firm. Charges include embezzlement, among others. This is particularly difficult for Alex, because the firm was founded by his great-grandfather. But he is, as you'd expect, out on bail awaiting trial on these possible embezzlement charges. Throughout the summer of 2021, he is seen enjoying the good weather with other members of his family, notably his brother. They are often seen in restaurants, bars and fishing. The residents of Hampton are astonished to see that he doesn't seem to be suffering from the loss of his wife and son... But it's all going to catch up with him in September 2021. On September 4, 2021, some 3 months after the double homicide, Alex Murdaugh is the victim of an attempted murder while changing a tire on the side of the road. Interestingly, it's Alex himself who calls 911. He doesn't seem to be seriously hurt, just shot, but he's able to speak clearly when the paramedics arrive. But his story is vague, full of inconsistencies, and both the emergency services and the police find it hard to believe. Alex says he was driving down a country road when one of his tires suddenly went flat. He pulled over to the side of the road, and almost at the same time, an oncoming pickup truck turned around and pulled in behind him. A "friendly" man got out to offer him help, when suddenly he pulled out a gun, aimed at his head, fired and sped off. (excerpt from the 911 call) The police immediately investigate, but find no potholes or debris on the road to explain why his tire was punctured there. What's more, when they consult the video surveillance cameras in the nearby village, they are astonished to discover the following scene: At the time indicated by Alex Murdaugh, he can be seen driving down the road. He is closely followed by a black pickup truck, very recognizable in that its right fender has been replaced by a piece of gold paint. Barely 5 minutes later, the same pickup is speeding past again, in the opposite direction... Finally, a few days later, Alex goes back on his initial statements. He now claims that it was he who hired his dealer, a trusted source who had been supplying him with opiates for a long time, to kill him. Alex specifies that he wanted to ensure that his son, Buster, the last member of his immediate family, would benefit from the life insurance policy and keep the Murdaugh name alive. The "dealer" in question is quickly identified as Curtis Edward Smith, to whom Alex has written numerous checks over the preceding months. He also owns... a black pickup with a gold front fender. What's even more disturbing is that Curtis Smith is nicknamed the "4th Murdaugh." They are indeed distantly related, but more importantly their relationship is based on fraudulent activities. Yes, because this Smith guy seems to be involved in Alex's fraudulent activities in addition to supplying him with drugs. Investigators theorize that the whole thing was taged to make Curtis look guilty. What's more, this would also make Curtis the prime suspect in Paul and Maggie's murder, which would have the advantage of clearing Alex's name. Although they don't want to rule out any leads, the investigators suspect that Alex, sensing the tide was turning at the time, did everything in his power to steer the investigation towards a new suspect while protecting her family legacy. I'd now like to return to the February 2018 accident involving Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaughs' housekeeper, because crucial new elements are uncovered during the investigation into Alex Murdaugh's fraudulent crimes. It turns out that Alex had indeed received the insurance money, a sum that would even amount to more than 500k. Except, as you can imagine, Gloria's family didn't receive a single cent of this compensation. For her sons, it's more than a blow, it's a betrayal: they realize that Alex took advantage of their mother's suspicious death to enrich himself further, and that his motives were clearly not to keep Gloria's family out of trouble... Worse still, Alex wasn't up to his old tricks: in all, since 2015, he had in fact embezzled over $4 million following exactly the same pattern: he would contact insurance companies to obtain compensation on behalf of his clients, but never gave them the money. Following these discoveries, Alex Murdaugh was remanded in custody for the embezzlement case involving Gloria Satterfield. His hearing took place on October 19, 2021, and the judge denied him bail. He was then placed in jail, and to everyone's surprise, the man who had always used his status and power to escape the consequences of his actions was finally caught by the law. Well, I hope you're still following me, because this is a complex case involving many people and spanning several years; with lots of twists and turns. It's now 2022, Alex Murdaugh is still in custody for his financial scams when investigators finally gather enough evidence to link him directly to the crime scene at his home. Extensive analysis of the clothing Alex was wearing on the day of the murders proves that he was, at the very least, next to the victims at the time of their deaths. Oil spatters caused by the use of firearms were found on the T-shirt he was wearing that evening. On July 20, 2022, at a new hearing, Alex Murdaugh was officially charged with the murder of his wife and son. Surprise, surprise... He pleads not guilty, but is still denied bail. More than a year and a half after the facts, on January 23, 2023, Alex Murdaugh's trial for the double murder of Paul and Maggie Murdough begins. Fair warning, it's a big chunk, but it's also a key moment in the case, so I think it's necessary for me to dwell on it a little longer. On this day, then, a surreal scene played out in front of the Colleton County Courthouse: hundreds of people lined up in the hope of getting into the courthouse; some had even brought coolers and camping chairs. One of the lawyers present that day reported that he felt as if he was watching the queue for a Disney attraction, so strange was the scene. For the prosecution, it's now a matter of convincing the jury of Alex Murdaugh's guilt; and they know it's likely to be complicated because in this case, the evidence is essentially circumstantial, meaning that it doesn't directly incriminate the defendant. In fact, it's during the trial that all the evidence against Alex really comes to light. The defense immediately mentions the fact that in the minutes following the arrival of emergency services after Alex's 911 call, he mentioned the famous 2015 boating accident. For them, this is proof that Alex was thinking of some kind of revenge: his family would have been targeted because of Mallory Beach's tragic death. (clip from the police's dashcam) But the prosecution takes a completely different view: above all, it proves that Alex always saw this accident as the beginning of the downfall of his empire; that of the Murdaughs, who had ruled Hampton County for almost 100 years. During the trial, more than 70 witnesses will be called to the stand. One of the most striking testimonies was that of Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, the Murdaughs' housekeeper at the time. She reports having noticed several disturbing details on the day of the murders. Having worked for the family for several years, and even forged a strong bond of friendship with Maggie, she knew their habits very well. As I said at the beginning of the video, Alex was very attached to his appearance, and he always paid attention to the smallest detail. Blanca says that on this particular day, Alex was wearing crumpled clothes, as if he'd just put on the day before. His hair was disheveled, and he looked like he hadn't slept all night. She also claims to have received a call from Alex the day after the murders, on June 8, 2021, asking her to come and clean up. She wonders if the priority after such a tragedy is really to clean the house; but Alex replies that it's to make sure the house is clean for the many visitors who might drop by. But she found that strange. When Blanca arrives, she's cautious: she expects no one to let her in -remember, it's a crime scene after all, so not just anyone is supposed to have access. And yet, when she pulls up to the property, none of the agents present ask her what she's doing there. She enters the house through the back door, as usual. Then, when she arrives in the kitchen, she notices several unusual details. Maggie's pyjamas are perfectly laid out on the kitchen floor, and the pots and pans are stored in the fridge with their lids on. She knows Maggie and her habits very well, and she knows she would never have done this. Maggie was neat, and she never left her clothes on the floor. Nor did she ever put pots and pans directly into the fridge like that. And while we're on the subject of cleaning, I think it's pertinent to point out that Alex refused help from the state in cleaning up the crime scene. He preferred to rely on those closest to him, which is frankly unusual. When you're dealing with a trauma like this, it's usually extremely hard to take on the added responsibility of cleaning up a place where loved ones have lost their lives. That's why there are so many companies specializing in this kind of clean-up. Of course, I don't want to judge how anyone acts when grieving; We all have weird reactions sometimes. But, let's just say it adds up to the already weird stuff. Now we come to the trial, where the use of two separate weapons is mentioned. As a reminder, Paul was shot with a shotgun, and Maggie with a semi-automatic rifle. For the defense, this confirms the hypothesis that there was not just one shooter, but two. Except that the court-appointed expert confirms that, based on his observations of the crime scene, one and the same shooter was responsible for both murders. In the prosecutor's view, the use of two separate weapons was intended to mislead the investigators into believing that there were two shooters that evening. One witness followed another, and Alex's eldest son, Buster, was called to the stand. The defense wants to use him to show that Alex is a devoted and loving family man, and that he could never have shot his wife and son in cold blood. But the truth is, there was a lot of tension in the family. The weekend before the shooting, Paul had been arrested again as he he was about to take the boat with friends. All were already drunk, and coolers full of alcohol were even seized on the boat. For her part, Maggie went to see a divorce lawyer shortly before the tragedy, as she was beginning to have doubts about her husband's financial situation. All these elements support the theory that Alex Murdough felt overwhelmed by events and decided to eliminate part of his family. On the other hand, the defense puts forward the hypothesis of a settling of scores: Alex Murdaugh's family was killed to pay off possible debts... but this doesn't really hold water. The modus operandi, the weapons used, the number of bullets fired... everything suggests that this was not an execution, but a crime committed by an "amateur". Let's move on to Alex's alibi. Remember, he had claimed to have visited his Alzheimer's-afflicted mother that evening, at around 9.30pm. Elizabeth Murdaugh's caregiver was called in to testify, as she was with her that evening. She begins by saying that Alex's behavior was really quite strange, he seemed very nervous and couldn't keep still. He came back to see her the day after the murders, and allegedly told her verbatim: "If anyone asks you if I was there say I was there for 30 or 40 minutes". But the truth is, he was only there for 20 minutes... So he fabricated an alibi. This trial is also an opportunity to examine the possible complicity of Curtis Edward Smith. After all, he was an accomplice in Alex's fraud. But according to him, when Alex asked him to shoot him on September 4, 2021, he refused. He also claims never to have sold drugs to Alex, which is in line with new discoveries made by the investigators: Alex was surely getting opiates from someone else, a Hampton County resident who was involved in drug trafficking. On the other hand, he had a very close relationship with Curtis, and the two would indeed have participated together in the financial frauds. Still according to Curtis, Alex pressured him to take part in his illegal activities, cashing checks for Alex and giving him the money afterwards. Curtis Edward Smith has been charged with a number of serious offences, and the investigation is still ongoing. At present, he has been released on bail and is under house arrest, but a trial date has not yet been announced. Numerous other people associated with Alex Murdaugh's various crimes have also been convicted, from fraud and swindling to drug trafficking. Well, now that I've summed up all the evidence against Alex Murdaugh I can tell you about the piece of evidence that turned the whole case on its head: Paul Murdaugh's phone. Until that point, the experts had been unable to unlock it and analyze its contents. But when they finally did, they discovered a video dated the evening of June 7, 2021, at 8.44pm. Rogan Gibson, a friend of Paul's, had entrusted his puppy to Paul because he was out of town. As you know, the Murdaughs had a kennel in their hunting lodge, so they had everything they needed to look after dogs. So, to reassure his friend Rogan, Paul decided to make a video of the puppy and send it to him. And on this video, well... you can hear Alex Murdough's voice. Unfortunately, this video was never sent to Rogan, as Paul was shot dead only a few minutes later. (clip from the video taken by Paul on the evening of the murder) It's also irrefutable proof that the murders took place between 8.44pm and 8.49pm, as Paul and Maggie's phones never recorded any activity afterwards. As Alex's voice can be heard, we can now be sure that he was indeed close to them at the time; contrary to what he had always claimed. Against the advice of his lawyers, Alex chooses to testify in his own defense: he still denies having killed Maggie and Paul, but now admits that he was indeed present at the scene of the crime. For all the lawyers present, this is a serious mistake; and it only strengthens the jury's opinion of his guilt. On March 2, 2023, after just one hour's deliberation, the verdict is in: Richard Alexander Murdaugh is found guilty of the murder of Margaret and Paul Murdaugh. He is sentenced to two life sentences. So of course, he's already appealed this conviction, but there's honestly very little chance of his application being successful. Very recently, on April 1, 2024, he also received an additional 40-year sentence for fraud and swindling. So one thing's for sure, Alex Murdaugh is clearly not about to get out of prison. Well. Now that we've finished this long section on the trial, I'd like to talk about Alex Murdaugh's motive. As you know, while he has admitted to defrauding dozens of people, he has never admitted to killing his wife and son. So we can only speculate as to his motives for murdering two members of his family in cold blood. The most obvious theory is that Alex Murdaugh felt overwhelmed by his own problems: his scams were about to be uncovered; his wife was beginning to suspect that the family's financial situation was at an all-time low and was even considering divorce; and he was unable to control Paul's actions. Now, to protect the family's honor and reputation, that the Murdaugh name not be sullied, we think Alex may have chosen eliminate his wife and son as one would attempt to erase an embarrassing search history. Then, as for staging his own murder, we know that a few days before, he had been summoned by investigators; who had informed him that he was the #1 suspect in the double homicide of his wife and son. Perhaps he felt the noose tightening around his neck, perhaps he felt unable to protect his family's inheritance; and so decided to stage the staging so that the money would go to his eldest son Buster, which would not have been possible had he taken his own life. We also know that on the day of the double homicide, Alex received a call from the hospital to inform him that his own father, Randolph, was about to die and that there was nothing more the doctors could do. Could shock have motivated his actions, at least in part? Randolph meant everything to Alex, and the idea of losing his role model must have been difficult for him to accept. Randolph died the day after the murders, which was the final blow for the remaining family members, already mourning the loss of Maggie and Paul. Since he still denies the murders, we don't really have any information from Alex. The only thing he puts forward to justify the frauds and swindles is that his addiction to drugs was a major reason for his actions... But this is frankly hardly credible, since he clearly didn't embezzle several million simply to buy opiates for his personal consumption. So, you may be thinking "okay, Alex Murdaugh was convicted of Paul and Maggie's murders, but what about Gloria Satterfield in all this?" Unfortunately, I don't really have an answer to that question... Alex did confess to lying about the cause of Gloria Satterfield's fall: he doesn't know what really happened because he wasn't there that day. So when he called and said he witnessed the fall; that she tripped over the dog and then fell down the stairs, etc. This was clearly a scenario that he invented play up the insurance and, of course, embezzle the funds afterwards. But after the double homicide in 2021, the county coroner's intuition led her to dig through the old files and pull out Gloria Satterfield's: she was surprised to discover that no autopsy had been performed, and that her death had been described as "natural". It was only as a result of the medical examiner's doubts that an investigation was launched, and because she herself had contacted the authorities with the evidence she had uncovered. Today, we know that the procedure to have Gloria's body exhumed has been launched, but that's all... The investigation is probably still ongoing, and for the moment no serious suspect has been identified; although the rumors surrounding Maggie are still very much alive, and I have little hope that the investigations can go any further, unfortunately... I'd now like to turn to Buster, the Murdaugh family's eldest son. I've deliberately left him out until now, because there's a lot to say about him too. You're probably thinking "poor guy, he's got no family, he's lost his mother and little brother, and his father's in prison"... Well, he's probably not as innocent and pitiful as he seems... Like all the members of the Murdaugh family, he too is linked to a rather strange death. But for that, we have to go back to 2015. On July 8, 2015, 19-year-old student Stephen Smith is driving home when he suddenly appears to run out of gas on Sandy Run Road. He gets out of the vehicle and presumably decides to either continue the rest of the way on foot, or look for help. It's already pitch dark, but the young man is determined to find a solution. At 4 a.m., 911 receives a call that there is "someone lying in the road". When the officers arrive on the scene, they discover the lifeless body of Stephen Smith, lying in the middle of the road just a few hundred yards from his vehicle. Their first theory is, of course, that it was an accident: as it was dark, someone could have hit Stephen before driving off. But when they examine the scene, they quickly realize that this doesn't hold water: the victim's clothes are intact, his shoes are still on and there's no debris on the road. Even the cause of death doesn't support this hypothesis: the young man did indeed die from severe head trauma, but he had none of the other injuries you'd expect to see in a road accident. He does, however, have significant wounds on his right hand, which could be consistent with defensive wounds. Stephen Smith's death is therefore immediately considered suspicious, and yet... it will be classified as a hit-and-run, and no one will pursue this line of enquiry. The community lends its support to the victim's family, and everyone seems determined to find out what really happened; but the investigation is buried after just a few weeks. Stephen's mother then hires a private investigator, and according to the information he gathers -the rumors anyway- the people involved in the case are pressuring for no information to be revealed. And these people involved, I think you've guessed who they are, haven't you? Buster Murdaugh is said to have played a part in Stephen Smith's death, and the private detective even discovers that his name actually appears everywhere in police reports. He then turns his attention to the connection between Buster and Stephen. He learns that Stephen attended the same high school as Paul and his friends, and so decides to interview his classmates. Although the young teenagers are reluctant to mention the Murdaughs' name, the PI eventually discovers that they had all heard rumors that Buster Murdaugh and Stephen Smith were having an affair. Stephen was gay, and perfectly comfortable with the fact; even if it wasn't easy in this small rural and not exactly open-minded community. He had the support and unconditional love of those closest to him. But on Buster's side, the mood wasn't quite the same. For the Murdaugh family, having a son who was anything but heterosexual was unthinkable: in their eyes, it would be a blow to the reputation of the entire family. Theories begin to emerge, but these remain purely hypothetical; nothing has been proven at this stage. On the night of the accident, Buster and his friends drove along the road and spotted Stephen Smith on the side of the road. They took the opportunity to attack him savagely. Another disturbing fact: just a few hours after the tragedy, Buster's uncle contacted Stephen's mother to offer her help with the whole legal process... free of charge. Normally, you'd say that's because mutual aid is often very important in close-knit communities like Hampton... but here, we're talking about the Murdaughs. In any case, affair or not, what's certain is that homophobia was very present among the Murdaughs. For example, when Paul's ex-girlfriend Morgan asks at a family dinner why the Murdaughs' name is mentioned so much in this case, both brothers are said to have simply replied "We wouldn't kill that fag"... And once again, we see that the moment the Murdaughs' name is mentioned, the case is mysteriously buried; as has almost always been the case, in fact. No one even bothered to question either Buster or Paul. On June 22, 2021, 15 days after Paul and Maggie's double homicide, the investigation into Stephen Smith's death is reopened. Inevitably, everyone wonders why: have the investigators finally found evidence linking the Murdaughs to Stephen's murder? Well, there's a pretty serious motive: maybe Buster was afraid Stephen would talk and confess to their affair; or maybe the whole family was lobbying to get rid of an "inconvenient witness" who could damage their reputation. Meanwhile, Stephen Smith's family decided to create a fund to raise enough money to proceed with the exhumation of his body. They appear to have raised the necessary sum, but there's still no news. I suppose it can be a very long process, but as with Gloria Satterfield, I really hope that these exhumations will enable the families to get the answers they've been waiting for. With regard to the death of Mallory Beach, the victim's family was awarded $50 million in compensation after taking Buster Murdaugh to court. Buster had indeed lent his identity card to his brother Paul, then a minor, so that he could buy alcohol. He is therefore considered partly responsible for the accident that claimed the life of the 19-year-old. Before ending this video, I'd like to come back to a few points. Firstly, the organization of an auction that was, as you will see, ethically dubious. On March 16, 2023, Alex Murdaugh's belongings are auctioned off, with hundreds of people in attendance. The event gets a lot of media coverage with people even posting videos to show off the items on their social networks. (excerpts from a live stream of the auction) And here, I confess, I was deeply shocked to learn that cameras, with SD cards still full, were sold. In other words, some people have outright access to the Murdaugh family's private photos. (excerpts from a live stream of the auction) I honestly find it shocking, and I wonder why these memory cards were not kept by the investigators... Even though Alex Murdaugh had already been convicted of the murders of Paul and Maggie by this time, there are still major grey areas in the investigations of Gloria Satterfield and Stephen Smith; and perhaps there was interesting information on these cards... Finally, I think it's necessary to discuss the particular dynamics of the Murdaugh family. As you know, this is a wealthy, powerful family that values its reputation above all else. In this context, it's not so surprising to hear Buster say in an interview that "his reputation is tarnished". He continues to proclaim his father's innocence, and even testified on his behalf at the trial. If you've seen my video on the Le Roux-Agnelet case, you'll have noticed the similarities between the two stories. Like Buster, Agnelet's two sons have long maintained that their father was innocent. What also stands out is the feeling of omnipotence that drives Alex Murdaugh, of course, but ultimately the whole family. They all feel untouchable, above the law and with a very particular perception of reality. An accidental death, a serious accident, maybe even murder; it’s ultimately just a “problem” to be resolved, through money or through their influence. As far as Alex Murdaugh's psychology is concerned, I'd like to stress that he hasn't been officially examined, so what I'm going to share with you are really theories; in particular those of a forensic psychologist, Dr. Gary Brucato For him, Alex Murdaugh's motivations are purely "pragmatic". Dr. Brucato has developed a classification that divides homicides into several categories according to motive. In Alex Murdaugh's case, it would be what he calls "elimination murder": a person kills because he sees the victim as an obstacle preventing them from getting what they want. For example, he mentions the case of Suzanne Smith, who killed her two children because her new partner didn't want children. In this type of crime, it's not about revenge, there's no hatred for the people eliminated, the victims are not seen as human beings but rather as cumbersome objects to be eliminated. He makes a real distinction between this type of murder and the usual cases of homicide-suicide, where the murderer eliminates all their family, even animals, and really seeks to eliminate themself as well. For Dr. Brucato, Alex Murdough felt threatened, and he justified his crimes as one might invoke self-defense: basically he had no choice, it was as if he were under attack, his wife and son were threatening his reputation and power status. More to the point: he killed his son before the trial for Mallory Beach's death, which could have ruined the family's reputation; and his wife before she exposed his financial problems and opiate addiction, or even filed for divorce. Then, the psychologist also points out another important issue: opiate addiction. It's quite classic in this kind of case, and often a reason for victimization: "I'm suffering, I'm sick, it's not my fault" I don't mean to minimize the seriousness of an addiction, but rather to underline Alex Murdaugh's inability to assume responsibility. Finally, Dr. Brucato also talks about narcissism in Alex Murdaugh's case. Again, this is a fairly classic trait in criminals, so it's no great surprise, but it's particularly striking in Alex. He sees people as objects, and in this case obstacles, even. Another example of his narcissism: at his trial, he had the audacity to defend himself, whereas in similar cases the chances of being acquitted are less than 1%. Being a lawyer, he knew this but he persisted, thinking he could turn the situation to his advantage. So really, he has absolutely no doubts about himself and his abilities. The same goes for his lies, which, as you've seen, weren't exactly top-notch, but he was convinced they'd stick. In the end, the most frustrating part of the story is the extent to which the system protects both the rich and the powerful, which is quite logical, since it was built by them and for them. So, listen, we've come to the end of this long video. I really hope you've been able to follow along, it's such a dense and huge story... I've done my best to organize the facts as clearly as possible, but it was frankly not easy. If, like me, this story has fascinated you, I recommend the Netflix documentary "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal" which devoted two seasons to the case or the book “The Low Country Murders” by 'Arthur Cerf! Thank you for following me to the end of this video. If you've enjoyed my work on this case, don't hesitate to give me a thumbs-up, leave a comment and subscribe if you haven't already! I'll see you next week for a new video, I'm sending you lots of love and in the meantime, as usual; Don't forget to turn the lights back on! [Old Lake, Jesse Walton]