ABC News' Eva Pilgrim, Alexandra Faul, William Gretsky, Janice McDonald, Jen Leong and Mike Repplier contributed to this report. "I mean, we see it in the world. A string of bloody killings and mysteries involving a prominent South Carolina family has sent investigators on a wild chase full of twists and turns. The final witness for the defense was Alex Murdaughs brother John Marvin Murdaugh. Margaret and Paul Murdaugh were found dead near dog kennels at the family's home near Islandton, South Carolina, police said. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships," he said. If (Woodward) can explain why hes running again, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. In cross-examination, the defense reiterated that Alex Murdaugh said he checked Maggie and Paul both for pulses when he found their bodies. On Thursday, Murdaugh briefly described the roadside shooting, saying that he intended to die that day. Murdaugh said he called either Alex or Buster (he said he thinks it was Alex) and asked them for the password to Maggies phone so investigators could unlock it. "Alex intends to fully cooperate with this investigation, as he has with the investigation into the murder of his wife and son," his lawyers said in a statement. Two days after a judge first denied Alex Murdaugh bond last fall, the disgraced Hampton County attorney called his younger brother and son from Richland County Detention Center and warned them to move quickly. Hey, John, Murdaugh said to John Marvin Murdaugh on Oct. 21, 2021. The two brothers recalled how "smitten" Alex was from the moment he met Maggie and how "he truly doted on her.". Two members of the jury for the Murdaugh murder trial have been released after they tested positive for COVID-19. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. SLED announced the arrest of Curtis Edward Smith, 61, in connection with the shooting incident involving Alex Murdaugh on Sept. 4 in Hampton County. No arrests have been made and no suspects have been named. In February 2019, 19-year-old Mallory Beach was killed when a boat she was riding on that belonged to the Murdaugh family hit a bridge structure at 2 a.m. Dick Harpootlian said the defense has extensive cross-examination for Riemer, which could last more than an hour. Two alternates, 441 and 326, took their places. Attorneyssaid at the bond hearing that they were nearing a resolution with Alex Murdaugh and that he had agreed to a $4.3 million judgment, subject to the approval of court-appointed receivers who nowcontrol his assets, The Associated Press reported. Buster and I, along with Maggie's mother, father and our entire family, ask that anyone with helpful information should immediately call the SLED tip line or Crime Stoppers. In this undated file photo, Alex Murdaugh, fourth generation of a powerful South Carolina dynasty and owner of a boat involved in a fatal accident, leaves a hearing in a personal injury lawsuit at the Richland County Courthouse. This trial is the bottom of a stunningly far and fast downfall for the man whose family dominated the legal system in tiny neighboring Hampton County for generations, both as prosecutors and private attorneys known for getting life-changing settlements for accidents and negligence cases. "Since early September the families are dealing with the betrayal of trust and that their loved one's death was used as a vehicle to enrich others over the clients. "So there's no possible way he could have anything to do with this, I can assure you. The defense, however, has argued that Murdaugh had no motivation to murder his wife and son that several witnesses have described as his top priority. "It was very difficult.". The residue came when Murdaugh picked up a shotgun after checking his wife and son for signs of life and calling 911 in case their killers were still on his property, Harpootlian said. In a bond hearing in Hampton County court on Thursday, Sept. 18. One possibility is that Paul and Maggie Murdaughs killings were in some way an effort on Alex Murdaughs part to prevent authorities who were looking into the boat crash from discovering his elaborate web of other alleged criminal behavior. In the affidavit, Proctor renounced her right to handle her sisters estate and said she didnt receive any money in relinquishing her right to handle it. John Marvin who owns a heavy equipment rental and sales center indicated he wasnt able to find buyers for either piece of equipment and thought he might What Was Alex Murdaugh's Motive For Killing His Wife And Son? I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. Mr. Murdaugh, who has since been disbarred, has been held in jail since October 2021, when he was charged with stealing money from the family of his former housekeeper, who died after a fall on the steps of the Murdaugh family home. Her death is being reinvestigated following the filing of the financial charges against Mr. Murdaugh. Marian Proctor filed an affidavit, dated Dec. 9, in Colleton County Probate Court, according to The Island Packet. ET to report that he had returned to his family's estate in Islandton, a rural community in South Carolina's Colleton County, to find the bullet-ridden bodies of his 52-year-old wife, Margaret "Maggie" Branstetter Murdaugh, and his 22-year-old son, Paul Terry Murdaugh. From 1987 to 2005, Randolph held the job as prosecutor for Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties, like his father and grandfather did before him. I just dont know.". The newspaper was the first to report the document, which was later obtained by NBC News. You can share rumors, but they must be clearly labeled as rumors. Jim Griffin, an attorney for Alex Murdaugh, said it's not clear why Proctor's name was crossed out and replaced, but he told The Island Packet that he didnt believe the will was motive for Alex Murdaugh to be involved in his wife's death. She took the stand to explain graphic photographs from her investigation to the jury and said the gunman was likely within three feet of Paul Murdaugh. He was arrested in connection to the Sept. 4 shooting incident "in which he conspired with Curtis Edward Smith to assist him in committing suicide for the explicit purpose of allowing a beneficiary to collect life insurance," SLED said in a statement. Prosecutors released little information about their case before Wednesday. He has been in jail since Oct. 14 and then was arrested on charges of obtaining property by false pretenses, in which he is accused of misappropriating settlement funds from the sons of Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaughs longtime housekeeper and nanny. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. He messed himself. She analyzed the contents of Maggie and Pauls stomachs. The truth is he did graduate from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice in the early 1990s, but he ultimately chose to evolve into an entrepreneur decently self-employed. He has also since been charged with executing multiple fraud and embezzlement schemes that were ongoing at the time of the crash; these included an alleged attempt to commit insurance fraud in order to benefit from the 2018 death of a housekeeper at one of the Murdaugh familys properties. Barber had Zapata count 74 cuttings taken from Alex Murdaughs shirt, all of which tested negative for human blood. For the last 20 years, there have been many people feeding his addiction to opioids. They don't believe Alex is involved in the murders. Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh IV and John Marvin Murdaugh speak with ABC News for an interview that aired on "Good Morning America" on June 17, 2021. "It changes you as an individual. John Marvin was the last witness to testify before the defense rested on Monday. Its a journey. But like a lot of things that are complicated, we start to put them all together, piecing together like a puzzle all the sudden, a picture emerges.. Sept. 15: Lawyers say Murdaugh set up his own shooting, police open criminal investigation into 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield. Alex is not without fault but he is just one of many whose life has been devastated by opioid addiction," the lawyers' statement continued. Theres no fingerprints. "I could see the white sheets across the way," he said. Stone had previously recused himself in 2019 after Paul Murdaugh was involved in a fatal boat crash. SLED announced it reopened an investigation into the death of a man named Stephen Smith, 19, after new evidence was gathered during the course of the investigation into the Murdaugh double homicide. A family spokesperson told ABC News at the time that he was changing a tire when a car passed him. DNA profiles were found on Alex Murdaughs shirt that likely came from Maggie, Pauls friend Nolan Tuten and an unidentified, unrelated person. John, who lives further away in the community of Okatie, west of Hilton Head Island, said he got there about 30 minutes later. Murdaugh was charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, along with filing a false police report. The family is pleading for the public's help in bringing justice to Maggie and Paul. And it was the worst phone call because of his voice, the fear. Alex Murdaugh enlisted Curtis Smith to shoot and kill him while in his mentally ill, drug-addicted and grieving state, Murdaugh's attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian said in a statement on Sept. 15, a day after Smith was charged. The prosecution said ammunition cartridges found around Maggie Murdaughs body had markings that matched other cartridges fired at a range on the property and other locations. He is accused of killing his wife Maggie and 22-year-old son Paul in June 2021, Slate reports. Lawyer Alex Murdaugh walks into his bond hearing, Sept. 16, 2021, in Varnville, S.C. ", "I missed some phone calls from him. During his testimony, John Marvin Murdaugh confirmed for prosecutors that his brother, Alex Murdaugh, lied to law enforcement investigating Paul and Maggie In the civil lawsuit, Satterfield's surviving sons claimed Alex Murdaugh approached them after she died, proposing the sons sue him so they would get a life insurance settlement on their mother's behalf, the complaint states. The defense in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial rested their case Monday. They were able to open the phone on site, he said. "He said, 'Come as fast as you can. The law firm said later that he resigned only after it was discovered that he was alleged to have misappropriated funds from the firm. SLED said in a statement at the time that he was shot on Old Salkehatchie Road near Varnville,South Carolina. Both had full stomachs of food that looked identical to each other, which likely showed they recently shared a meal together. At the time, the couple's sons were children. Alex Murdaugh was the person who reported their deaths to police, saying he had discovered them dead on a 1,700-acre hunting property belonging to the family. Alex murdaugh shot Paul through the open door, while he was sitting on that 4wheeler, that he decided to ride down to the kennels, then, he shot Maggie, they said her leg had a smear from a 4wheeler tire, not forgetting he lured Maggie and Paul to be home on the same day, and to be at the kennels at the exact time, and he lifted Paul body and tried to open his phone, but he couldn't, so he placed his phone in his back pocket, the clothes, he had clean clothes on that 4wheeler with him, he had no blood on him because he shot Paul through the open door, that would have made him 5'2-5'4 sitting down on it. A male driver in a blue pickup asked him if he had car troubles, as soon as Alex replied, he was shot. Its the hardest thing Ive ever been through in my life, John Marvin Murdaugh said through tears on the stand. The defense Alex Murdaugh was taken into custody upon his release from a Florida rehab facility and charged with two felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, SLED announced. Murdaugh submitted his resignation at his law firm to enter rehab the day before he is alleged to have tried to fake his own death. The 14th Circuit Solicitors Office also confirms to CNN that Murdaugh has been stripped of his privilege of prosecuting cases as a volunteer. Alex is fully cooperating with SLED in their investigations into his shooting, opioid use and the search to find the person or people responsible for the murder of his wife and son. Marvin Murdaugh drove down to the crime scene to a group of investigators and told them that Maggie's phone was active and could be tracked, he said. Court is in recess until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. "I know he's struggling with it, and I just can't imagine what's going through his mind. He was being held in jail without bail on those counts before he was charged with murder. "The arrests in this case are only the first step in that process.". John Marvin was emotional throughout his testimony. John Marvin Murdaugh, the alleged killer's younger brother, said he returned to the hunting estate the day after arriving the killings to clean up the horrific scene John No mother, father, aunt, or uncle should ever have to see and do what I did that day, John Marvin Murdaugh, the defense teams final witness, told Colleton County jurors on Monday about his decision to clean his brothers hunting estate. One of those individuals took advantage of his mental illness and agreed to take Alex's life, by shooting him in the head," the statement said. The cartridges were used in a type of automatic rifle that Alex Murdaugh bought but cant be accounted for, Waters said. Prosecutors are expected to rest their case this week. The whole family is suffering," John told ABC News. "So there's no possible way he could have anything to do with this, I can assure you. Alex Murdaugh is the only publicly known person of interest in the murders, which remain unsolved. The firm said that it contacted law enforcement and the South Carolina Bar. I will continue to pursue my client's interests with the highest degree of honesty and integrity, as I always have," he said. In 2006, he rejoined the Hampton-based law firm that his father had started more than 100 years ago. John Marvin continues talking about the false information he received from SLED. There was gunshot residue on a seat belt, bullets pulled from bodies that matched ammunition boxes from around the home and cellphones never used again just a few minutes after Murdaugh, his wife and son were all heard in a cellphone video, prosecutor Creighton Waters said in his opening statement. Less than five minutes later, Paul Murdaughs phone was never used again. 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