Police said Alex Murdaugh orchestrated his own shooting in a botched assisted suicide scheme for his surviving son to collect a $10 million life insurance payment.Ĭurtis Edward Smith, 61, was arrested on charges of assisted suicide, assault and battery, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.
September 14: Police arrest alleged hitman in Alex's shooting Says 'I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.' September 6: Alex releases a statement confirming his resignation from the firm and announcing he has entered rehab He only had 'surface' wounds and was also able to call his brother September 4: Alex calls 911 claiming he's been shot in the head in a drive-by. The firm has hired a forensic investigator to go through the accounts September 3: Alex resigns from his law firm amid claims he misused funds The father died just three days later, following a battle with cancer. June 10 2021: Alex's 81-year-old father Randolph Murdaugh III dies 'naturally' and 'peacefully' at homeĪlex Murdaugh's alibi for the night of his wife and son's murder was that he was visiting his ailing father in the hospital. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.'Īlex's father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at home three days after Maggie and Paul were found shot dead 'I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt, including my family, friends, and colleagues. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. He said: 'The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. Murdaugh is facing charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report.īefore his arrest, he admitted to to making mistakes in his life. There are now six state police investigations into Murdaugh, including the deaths of his wife and son, millions of dollars missing from the huge law firm founded a century ago by his great-grandfather and trying to arrange his own death.
He is currently in jail and faces 51 charges relating to money laundering and forgery.Īlex Murdaugh, 53, is being investigated by the FBI and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for numerous alleged financial crimesĬourt documents suggest that he had arranged to have himself killed in order that his surviving son, Buster, might collect a $10million life insurance payout. Murdaugh took the settlement money by creating a fraudulent bank account with a name similar to a legal consulting firm that handles settlements, the lawsuit said. Murdaugh managed to secure $4.3 million from his insurers, but he only told the sons about a $500,000 settlement and then never sent them a dime, the lawsuit claims. In October 2021 he was charged with stealing insurance settlements meant for the Satterfield's sons that a lawsuit said totalled more than $4 million. To this day, Satterfield's two sons say they still don't know how the fall caused her such horrific injuries that she died from them.Ĭourt documents state how Alex Murdaugh, a former attorney himself, told Satterfield's sons he was personally responsible for the fall and said he would 'sue himself' so that their family would be taken care of financially.īut four years on from her death, the family have not received any funds from Murdaugh leading to the son's to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him. Murdaugh told Satterfield's sons at her February 2018 funeral that he would get insurance settlements for her death and take care of them, according to the lawsuit filed by the sons.