first witnesses have testified Alex MurdoffDouble murder trial.
Detective Sergeant Daniel Greene of the Colton County Sheriff’s Office was on the job the night of June 7, 2021 and was the first officer to arrive at the scene of the murder. His testimony was followed by other officers and personnel handling the initial 911 call and response.
The first day of testimony comes as jurors heard gruesome details about the victim’s brutal injuries in opening statements.
The disgraced legal scion, 54, is accused of fatally shooting his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, on the family’s property. He denies the allegations.
During opening arguments on Wednesday, Murdaugh broke down in tears when his family was told in court about his injuries, while prosecutors indicated that the Snapchat video and cellphone data would be “critical” to the case.
The murder trial is only one of Mr Murdaugh’s legal troubles after his life unraveled dramatically over the past 19 months.
Now, the once-powerful attorney is embroiled in a string of scandals, including a failed hitman plot, multimillion-dollar fraud schemes and a series of unexplained deaths.
Alex Murdaugh: A Timeline of Murders, Financial Fraud, a Failed Hitman Plot and Unexplained Deaths
Mr Murdaugh, 54, is accused of shooting Paul, 22, twice with a shotgun and Maggie, 52, five times with a rifle on June 7, 2021, at the family’s sprawling hunting lodge in Islandton.
He was arrested more than a year later in July 2022 and charged with the murders.
In the 19 months since the brutal double murder catapulted the Murdoff family into the national spotlight, a series of other scandals, allegations and alleged crimes have also emerged.
Here’s a timeline of key moments in the case:
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 21:15
Chapman believes that Murdoff’s statement on the 911 call that he was going to get the gun was because he was scared or believed a shooter might still be outside and he might be in danger. A gun was found near his truck.
On Murdaugh’s conduct:
“He was emotional, had a troubled face. He didn’t cry, not everyone cries. I don’t mind it.”
Chapman explains that Murdoff was cooperating with the gunshot residue test.
Talking about the tire tracks mentioned earlier, he clarified that they were tire marks on wet grass, not tracks through dirt that you could take a cast from. Chapman recalls a set near Maggie’s body.
He also notes that the kennels are about 1,000 yards from the house and that there was no vehicle or buggy used by Maggie and Paul to land there that night.
The Court goes into recess for the afternoon break.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 21:00
Chapman testified that Murdaugh did not appear to be crying, but was upset.
It didn’t look like there was dirt or blood on it.
Chapman says Murdaugh said on the 911 call that he checked the pulses of both his wife and son. In his testimony, he states that if he had checked Paul’s pulse there would likely have been blood on his body and that Paul would have struggled to reach any point where a pulse would normally be (front of neck and wrist). ) can be investigated. Paul was found lying face down with his hands under his body.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 20:49
Chapman says there was “a lot of uncertainty” at the site and he worked to secure both the inner and outer perimeters.
Once again the court hears how the responding officers checked under Paul only to find that he had fallen on a weapon.
They were unsure whether it was a homicide, murder-suicide or even an active shooter. They knew Maggie had a shotgun covered by shell casings on the ground.
He remembers standing water on the ground which was not weather friendly before the rains.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 20:32
New witness: Jason Chapman, Colleton County Sheriff’s Office
The next witness is Captain Jason Chapman of the Colton County Sheriff’s Office. His role today, and on day one, is overseeing investigations including murders.
On the night of 7 June 2021, he heard a call out on the radio and location but did not know who was involved, just that it was a man saying that his wife and child had been shot.
Captain Chapman knew the family professionally and once it was confirmed it was the Murduffs, a call was made to the Crime Scene Investigation Unit of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
He was not wearing the bodycam that night because it was attached to his bulletproof vest and he knew the scene was secure.
Upon arrival, they found that there was an impending storm and set to work erecting tents to cover the bodies. Maintaining the integrity of the crime scene was important.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 20:21
On cross-examination, Mr McRoy is asked whether he had asked for certain tire tracks to be preserved.
He says he did and was asked to point out where they were on the still image and video. Mr. McRoy says that about 30 feet from the body there was a distinct set of tire tracks that appeared to be coming in or going out.
When he showed them to a deputy he had a vehicle parked to drive up and protect them, but other people attending the scene obstructed the tracks on the drive and then those near the feed room. ruined people.
The defense team is focusing heavily on how the crime scene could have been doctored and evidence ignored.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 20:08
Mr. McRoy tells of the scene he encountered when he approached the kennel.
He found Paul lying face down near the entrance to the feed room with a severe head injury. Maggie was lying on the right side.
The chief explains that they brought pink blankets from the ambulance to cover the bodies as more people were arriving at the site.
He did not take the pulse of any of the victims as they had injuries that would not be life-threatening. Paul’s brain was on the ground near his ankle and Maggie’s skull had a hole in it that you could see into the head cavity. Blood had started to clot on both of them indicating that there was no longer a heartbeat.
Mr. McRoy said he knew Murdo from professional bouts in which he testified.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 20:02
New witness: Chief Barry McRoy, Colleton County Fire and Rescue
The next witness is Colleton County Fire and Rescue Chief Barry McCreery, a paramedic since 1981.
He responded to Murdoff House on the night of 7 June 2021 and arrived ahead of everyone else and waited for Sergeant Green to arrive before following him onto the property.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 19:53
No cross-examination, Captain Stallings is ejected from the witness box.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 19:48
On the call, a distressed-looking Murdaugh explains how Maggie has been shot in the head and Paul has been fatally shot.
They are asked whether they saw any weapons in their vicinity and whether they saw any, and how they found them (did they hear something, or found them when they came home). He is then asked how long ago he last spoke to her, to which he replies two hours.
Murdaugh tells the operator that he is going home to get a gun “just in case”.
He explains that his son has been threatened “for months and months and months” and has been hit multiple times.
The operator asks if he has the name of the one who will be threatening his son and he says that his other son will know.
oliver o’connell26 January 2023 19:44