Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of murdering his wife and son in June 2021.
According to the New York Times, the disgraced attorney, 54, was convicted by a jury on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon in the commitment of a violent crime. He now faces 30 years to life in prison.
A fourth-generation lawyer from a prominent South Carolina family, Alex Murdaugh's case came into public consciousness with the recent release of the Netflix docuseries, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Focused on his history of crimes and cover-ups, the unraveling of his legacy began when his younger son, Paul Murdaugh, 22, was involved in a drunken 2019 boating accident that result in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach.
What ensued were questions related to the Murdaughs' manipulation of law enforcement and the legal system, leading to renewed interest in the mysterious deaths of the family's longtime housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, 57, and high school student Stephen Smith, 19, who was rumored to have been involved with Murdaugh's eldest son, 26-year-old Buster Murdaugh. A few years later, Alex Murdaugh claimed to have found Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, 52, brutally murdered near the dog kennels on their hunting estate.
While Alex Murdaugh has denied responsibility for the double homicide, he did admit to dozens of fraud charges related to the embezzlement of an estimated $8.8 million from his law firm and clients. During the trial, prosecutors claimed he killed his wife and son to divert attempt away from suspicions surrounding his financial crimes, with the murders taking place the same day he was accused of stealing $800,000 in fees by the chief financial officer of his law firm.
Alex Murdaugh's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 3. In the meantime though, you can read the New York Times' live updates about Alex Murdaugh's double homicide conviction here.
Photo via Getty / Tracy Glantz / The State / Tribune News Service