Alex Murdaugh Back in Court as Defense Targets Police Chief Over Missing Guns
Alex Murdaugh is due back in a South Carolina courtroom Friday as his lawyers press new questions about a local police chief and the weapons used to kill his wife and son, which have never been found.
The disbarred attorney, 58, is set to attend a pretrial hearing ahead of his murder retrial, which is scheduled to begin April 5, 2027. Judge Debra McCaslin is expected to take up what she called "all urgent evidentiary issues," including DNA, cellphone data and ballistics, Fox News reported. Other motions will be heard Nov. 13.
Defense Points to a Police Chief
In court filings, Murdaugh's defense team has zeroed in on Yemassee Police Chief Greg Alexander, whom prosecutors have described as "extremely close" to Murdaugh.
The defense cited a Post and Courier report in which a Lowcountry official told state investigators that Alexander spoke of arriving early at the murder scene and discussed giving Murdaugh a change of clothes. The official believed the guns and clothing were taken to a police station, according to the report. The newspaper said it could not corroborate the allegations.
The filings also cite press reports that witnesses told a state grand jury Alexander was seen with the murder weapons shortly after the killings, and that a second Yemassee officer is under investigation.
Defense attorney Richard Harpootlian called the information "exculpatory" of the state's theory, arguing it suggests more than one person was involved, CNN reported. The defense has asked the judge to order prosecutors to turn over the witness's statement, related interview reports and grand jury material.
Alexander's attorney, Joe McCulloch, said his client received a subpoena but did not testify. He said Alexander "had nothing to do with taking evidence or concealing it."
Prosecutors Stay Quiet on Grand Jury
Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters said the state "cannot prematurely confirm or deny the contents of any State Grand Jury investigation." Prosecutors have previously argued that no one else was at the home between the killings and Murdaugh's 911 call.
The tone of the filings has grown sharper. Prosecutors wrote that the defense's filings contain "highly prejudicial falsehoods," adding, "Facts matter," according to WTVM.
Fights Over DNA and Ballistics
The two sides also disagree over DNA evidence. The defense wants more testing on Maggie Murdaugh's fingernail clippings and her cellphone, which it says contain male DNA. The state said nothing about the fingernail DNA is "new" and raised concerns that more testing could destroy the remaining samples. It said it would consider steps for the phone.
The defense is also seeking state data on other shootings involving .300 Blackout ammunition, the type of round used in the killings, in eight nearby counties. Prosecutors called that request a "speculative fishing expedition," noting it is the second-most popular rifle cartridge in the country.
Ahead of the hearing, prosecutors agreed to turn over raw cellphone data and 3D scans of the kennels where the killings happened. The defense said it was glad to get the scan data but wished it had arrived a month earlier.
How the Case Got Here
Maggie Murdaugh and the couple's 22-year-old son, Paul, were shot to death on June 7, 2021, at the family's Moselle estate in Colleton County. Prosecutors argued Murdaugh killed them with a shotgun and a .300 Blackout rifle, then moved the weapons to his parents' home. Murdaugh denied the shootings but admitted lying to investigators about where he was that night.
He was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to two life terms. Earlier this year, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his convictions, ruling that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill improperly influenced the jury, including by telling jurors to watch Murdaugh's body language when he testified.
The retrial was moved to Sumter County, about 80 miles away, after the judge found heavy publicity in Colleton County could prevent a fair trial. Pretrial hearings are being held in Lexington County.
Whatever the outcome, Murdaugh will remain behind bars. He is serving a 40-year federal sentence alongside a 27-year state sentence for stealing about $12 million from clients.
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