Why Did Alex Murdaugh Kill His Wife & Son?

From respected lawyer to convicted murderer, the saga of Alex Murdaugh reads like a thriller.

He was once part of one of South Carolina’s most powerful legal dynasties. But in March 2023, he was found guilty of killing his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul. The crime triggered a cascade of revelations: financial fraud, lies, addiction, and even a failed attempt to stage his own death.

Here’s how it all unspooled:

On June 7, 2021, Alex called 911 claiming he discovered Maggie and Paul shot on their property.

Investigators uncovered a web of hidden crimes more than 20 financial crimes, including embezzling from his own law firm and clients.

Prosecutors argued the murders were part of a desperate move to distract from exposure of his fraud schemes.

During trial, it was revealed Alex attempted a suicide-for-insurance scheme: hiring someone to shoot him so his surviving son could claim $10 million. That plot failed.

He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the murders, plus 40 additional years for financial crimes.

Despite conviction, the case lives on: he is still appealing, while questions about jury misconduct, missing evidence, and his family’s influence linger.

And now his story is back in the spotlight, in a Hulu dramatization: Murdaugh: Death in the Family.

💭 Let’s Talk

Are Fabdoc crimes more dangerous because the money and influence can bury evidence?

Does dramatizing real murders for streaming risk glorifying violence — or does it force public reckoning?