48 Hours - The Murdaugh Mysteries

Episode Date: October 31, 2021

Five deaths with a connection to one family. "48 Hours" contributor Nikki Battiste investigates.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to this podcast ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app today. Even if you love the thrill of true crime stories as much as I do, there are times when you want to mix it up. And that's where Audible comes in, with all the genres you love and new ones to discover. Explore thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals, with more added all the time. thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals, with more added all the time. Listening to Audible can lead to positive change in your mood, your habits,

and even your overall well-being. And you can enjoy Audible anytime, while doing household chores, exercising, commuting, you name it. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free 30-day Audible trial and your first audiobook is free. Visit audible.ca. In 2014, Laura Heavlin was in her home in Tennessee when she received a call from California. Her daughter, Erin Corwin, was missing. The young wife of a Marine had moved to the California desert

to a remote base near Joshua Tree National Park. They have to alert the military. And when they do, the NCIS gets involved. From CBS Studios and CBS News, this is 48 Hours NCIS. Listen to 48 Hours NCIS ad-free starting October 29th on Amazon Music. It used to be weeks back in the good old days when I would have to find something to write about here in this quiet little town. I'm Michael DeWitt, Jr.,

managing editor at the Hampton County Guardian. And then these Murdoch incidents began, and things haven't been quiet since then. Attorney Alec Murdoch said he was shot in the head while changing a tire on this road in Hampton County, South Carolina. Then police arrested 61-year-old Curtis Smith. Police say Murdoch hired Smith to kill him. He wanted you to kill him? Yeah, he wanted me to kill him. To make it look like a suicide?

It ain't happening. Why did you agree to sit down with us? I think people should hear my side of it. You'll hear a lot more from Curtis Smith, the man accused of shooting high-profile attorney Alex Murdochch right here on this rural road in Hampton County, South Carolina. Just one incident in a bizarre and tragic series of deadly events touching the Murdoch family. The shooting of Alex Murdoch comes nearly three months after his son and his wife were both found shot in Colleton County.

First, there's the double murder of his wife and son, Maggie and Paul Murdock. This is Alex Murdock, my wife and child. You're going to stop badly. Alex told investigators he came home and found them. What is your name? They were both shot multiple times. My name is Alex Murdock. Do we really know who Alex Murdoch is?

I think we thought we did. Up until the double homicides, we thought that Alex Murdoch was this prominent, wealthy, entitled attorney. When you are from a family that has been prominent for generations, it comes with access and connections. When Maggie and Paul Murdoch were found dead, who were the most likely suspects? Two common theories that were going around was one, Alex Murdoch has something to do with it.

Did he murder his wife and son? No. Does he have any idea who did? No. The other theory was this was somehow related to the boat crash. A crash that killed teenager Mallory Beach with Murdoch's son Paul allegedly drunk and at the wheel. 911, where's your emergency? We're in a boat crash on Archer Street. There's six of us and one is missing. Who's missing? Female Mallory Beach is missing. Who's driving that boat? Y'all know Alec Murdoch.

That's his son. Good luck. That's when he indicated that he couldn't be touched. Never set foot in a jail. Do you feel that Mallory has gotten justice? I don't. That's just hard to answer. All I ever wanted was for him to get on the stand and say I'm sorry. Then there's another incident with a connection to the Murdochs, the mysterious death of 19-year-old

Steven Smith. His body was found in a roadway with a wound to the head. The rumors were that there were several young men in a truck. The only name that was given to me was the Murdoch name, and of course everybody's kind of shy to say that out, you know what I mean? I don't think anybody will be charged with Stephen Smith's homicide. Multiple deaths with a connection to one family. Alec Murdoch shot this past weekend himself.

Of all the theories swirling around Maggie and Paul's murders, what's the lead theory today? Now I'm hearing more popular theories that he was somehow involved in this. This is like a whodunit playing out in real time on the internet in the age of social media. Like a John Grisham novel come to life. We're now in the third act,

and things have gotten weird. How will it end? With this story, anything can happen. Have you ever wondered who created that bottle of sriracha that's living in your fridge? Or why nearly every house in America has at least one game of Monopoly? Introducing The Best Idea Yet, a brand new podcast from Wondery and T-Boy about the surprising origin stories of the products you're obsessed with and the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. Like, did you know that Super Mario, the best-selling video game character of all time, only exists because Nintendo couldn't get the rights to Popeye?

Or Jack, that the idea for the McDonald's Happy Meal first came from a mom in Guatemala? From Pez dispensers to Levi's 501s to Air Jordans, discover the surprising stories of the most viral products. Plus, we guarantee that after listening, you're going to dominate your next dinner party. So follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can listen to The Best Idea Yet early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. It's just the best idea yet. As a kid growing up in Chicago, there was one horror movie I was too scared to watch. It was called Candyman. The scary cult classic was set in the Chicago housing project. It was about this supernatural killer who would attack his victims if they said his name five times into a bathroom mirror.

Candyman. Candyman? Now we all know chanting a name won't make a killer magically appear. But did you know that the movie Candyman was partly inspired by an actual murder? I was struck by both how spooky it was, but also how outrageous it was. We're going to talk to the people who were there. And we're also going to uncover the larger story. My architect was shocked when he saw how this was created. Literally shocked.

And we'll look at what the story tells us about injustice in America. If you really believed in tough on crime, then you wouldn't make it easy to crawl into medicine cabinets and kill our women. Listen to Candyman, the true story behind the bathroom mirror murder,

wherever you get your podcasts. Both found shot to death. The shooting of Alex Murdoch. Alex Murdoch was shot in the head over the weekend. Disgraced lawyer Alex Murdoch surrendered to authorities today. One story has practically dominated the news cycle in South Carolina's low country this year. It's a series of cases that the locals have dubbed the Murdoch Mysteries, all somehow with a connection to a prominent and powerful local attorney, Alex Murdoch. But how did it come to this? Michael DeWitt, editor of the Hampton County Guardian, part of the Gannett USA Today network, says Alex Murdoch came from a family that over generations grew deep roots and amassed power and influence in this part of South Carolina.

The Murdochs built an empire of sorts here in the Lowcountry. It began over a century ago when the family established a law firm. Three generations of Murdoch men also held the public office of Solicitor, the chief prosecutor. Alex didn't continue that tradition. Alex inherited the last name and the red hair and very little of the talent. Alex worked as a volunteer prosecutor in the office, but primarily he made a good living in the family law firm. He married his college sweetheart Maggie, and they had two sons, Buster and Paul.

They lived the good life, spending time at their 1,700-acre estate and two private islands. They have now generations of political power and political support and contacts and access. And with access comes power. Seth Stoughton is a law professor at the University of South Carolina. A powerful legal family in small-town South Carolina has a lot of levers they can pull. But this September, it looked like someone was out to challenge that power with what appeared to be an attempt on Alex Murdoch's life.

According to his lawyer, Alex Murdoch told investigators he was changing a flat tire right here on this rural road when a person in a pickup truck passed by, asked Alex if he was having car trouble, and then shot him in the head. When I turned my back, they tried to shoot me. They shot me. But incredibly, just 12 days later, on September 16th, Alex Murdoch appeared in court for allegedly trying to plan his own death by conspiring with this man, Curtis Smith, to shoot him.

Did you shoot Alex Murdoch? No. When did you first meet Alex Murdoch? About 35 years ago. Smith, a handyman, says he is a distant cousin of Murdoch, but only got to know Alex well a few years ago, and says he started doing odd jobs for the family. We talked on the phone most days, just chatting back and forth about different things. You've described Alex as like a brother to you. Yeah, he was like a brother to me.

At least I thought he was. He was like a brother to me, at least I thought he was. Smith is now out on bond and faces five felony charges in the shooting of Alex Murdoch. Murdoch will face three charges in the shooting, but with several ongoing investigations and lawsuits looming, many wonder when and how this steep fall from grace will end. Alex Murdoch's world unraveled, and it unraveled quickly. It all started, says DeWitt, back in February 2019. 9-1-1, where's your emergency?

Things began unraveling for the Murdoch family with the boat crash. We're in a boat crash on Arthur Street. We're in a boat crash on Archer Street. It was about 2.20 a.m. Six young friends who had been partying crashed a boat into a bridge. One of them was 19-year-old Paul Murdock. There's six of us and one is missing. Another was 19-year-old Mallory Beach, who disappeared that morning. Who is missing? Female, Mallory Beach is missing. that morning. Who is this? Female Mallory Beach.

She's in the water. She was just this wonderful, fun-loving, happy girl. And everybody loved her. Lynn Revis and her niece Mallory were extremely close. You always got a hug, hello, and a hug, goodbye. And the last thing she told me was she loved me. As investigators later learned, the fatal night began around eight hours earlier at the Murdoch family's river home on a private island.

Then 19-year-old Paul Murdoch gathered five friends for a night of partying. Among them were Connor Cook, Connor's cousin Anthony Cook, and Anthony's girlfriend Mallory Beach. All were underage, say investigators, and all were drinking alcohol. Just before they gathered, Paul Murdoch used the ID of his brother Buster to buy beer at this convenience store. And if you look at the video footage,

when Paul comes out of the store, he's holding the beer up, he's celebrating. Shortly after gathering at the River Home, they boarded the Murdoch family's boat and took off. Investigators with South Carolina's Department of Natural Resources would later use data from the boat's Garmin navigation system to create a timeline of events that led to the fatal crash. Around 8 p.m., the group arrived at a party at a house on the river. Just after midnight, the six of them boarded the boat and headed toward downtown Beaufort. Paul and Connor decided to go into this bar for a drink.

He just was very persistent about going up to Luther's and getting shot. He just was very persistent about going up to Luther's and getting shot. Passenger Miley Altman later told police in this interview that the rest of them didn't want Paul to go in. He just is a whole other person when he's drunk. They went in, pounded a couple of shots, somewhere around 1, 1.30. You see the video footage of them leaving the boat dock. It appeared as if a couple of them were very intoxicated. It was kind of a sad, touchy moment when you see Mallory and her boyfriend.

I think it's the last moment that anybody captured an image of her alive. It was around 1.15 a.m. when they took off again on the boat. Paul was just driving, doing donuts. Miley Altman told investigators tempers were running short. So Connor starts driving for a little bit, and then Paul, he stops Connor, and he's like, no, this is my boat. Let me drive. I saw the bridge coming.

What bridge is it? Paul, what bridge is this? I don't know what it is. First responders' dash cam video captured the mayhem. Where's everybody else at? At the bridge, at the bottom of the bridge. Everybody was accounted for, except... We're still missing one. What's her name? Everybody was crying, scared, shocked, just worried about their friend. Then Beaufort County Deputy

Sheriff Stephen Domino was one of the first on the scene. Paul Murdoch wasn't saying much, but Mallory's very distraught boyfriend, Anthony Cook, was talking to Deputy Domino. After Domino got Anthony into his patrol car, Paul Murdoch came into sight. He was walking up from where the boat was.

Get that mother**** right there away from me. He actually tried to rush through me to get to Paul because I guess he saw him smiling. Paul's smiling while Anthony's girlfriend's missing in the water. Correct. Bro, you're f***ing smiling like you're f***ing funny. My f***ing girlfriend's gone, bro. That's when Anthony Cook definitively identified the person he said was driving the boat. Y'all know Alec Murdoch?

Yeah, I know the name. That's his son. That's who was driving the boat. Good luck. That's when he indicated that he couldn't be touched. You're talking about Alec Murdoch's son. Good luck. What do you make of Curtis Smith's story?

Chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and Twitter. Tell me about February 24th, 2019. I had got a phone call at about 5 o'clock that morning, and my sister was calling to tell me that Mallory was lost, that she had been in a boat crash, and they couldn't find her. Lynn Revis says her niece Mallory had already been missing for nearly three hours when her family finally learned the news, but not from police. One of my cousins had called our mom and wanted to know if she knew about the boat crash,

that Mallory had been in it. Everybody's on their way. They all went to where it happened, and I just couldn't go. The search went on for days. and I just couldn't go. The search went on for days. There was people from other states that came, and they wanted help.

On the eighth day, two volunteers, brothers, found Mallory's body about five miles down the river from the crash site. I was at home, and someone called and said they had found her. And I fell apart. Many in Hampton County were grieving, says Michael DeWitt. Hundreds of people attended her funeral. There were so many people. It took like four hours to greet everybody.

I've never seen so many people. Lynn says even the Murdochs were there. Paul was at Mallory's funeral, and they even went to the cemetery when we buried her. And in the weeks after that, we're just waiting. Is someone going to make an arrest? Is there going to be an admission of guilt or responsibility? A month after the crash, afraid they might never learn what happened to Mallory, the Beach family filed a wrongful death suit against members of the Murdock family. Now the Beach family could depose the survivors about what led to the fatal boat crash.

Paul was allegedly acting rash and reckless. Those children say that they begged for him to stop, and they begged, just let us out. And he refused. And Mallory said she was scared. Yes. And that hurts my heart that she was so terrified. In her deposition, Paul's then-girlfriend,

Morgan Doty, said, Paul and I got into an argument because I didn't take his side. He slapped her and spit on her, she said, and kept leaving the boat's wheel to fight with her. Whenever it was done, she said, he would go back and take over again.

Authorities believe all that movement explains the last moments recorded by the boat's Garmin device. At 2.20 a.m., the Garmin recorded the boat slowing down and then speeding up. Seconds later, the Garmin shows the boat coming to an abrupt stop when it struck a piling over here at Archer's Creek Bridge. In his deposition, Connor Cook said that the morning of the crash, he held back from telling investigators that Paul was driving the boat because he was afraid. And while at the hospital being treated for a broken jaw, he says he was told by Alex Murdoch that he didn't need to tell anyone who was driving. Alex reportedly went from room to room to try to communicate with the other boat crash passengers

and get them all on the same page. A hospital security guard said he overheard Alex Murdoch on his cell phone say, she's gone, don't worry. That hurt when I read that. Because we were asleep, did not know anything was going on. Instead of worrying about who's driving the boat, let us know. I think that from day one, ground zero, the effort was, what can we do to get Paul out of this? In fact, in a recent lawsuit, Connor Cook claims Alex Murdoch tried to frame him as the driver of the boat, not Paul. How can we create a cloud of confusion and say, can you prove who was driving the boat?

At the hospital, Paul Murdoch's blood alcohol level was tested by doctors treating him. Several hours after the crash, the 19-year-old was three times over the legal limit and was allegedly still acting out. He was getting belligerent with the nurses, staff, according to court records, just being loud and troublesome. But that morning and for weeks to come, many felt that Paul Murdoch was not treated like a suspect in a crime.

We didn't think he was going to be charged. Why? Because it was taking so long. We just didn't think we'd see that day. And then for it to happen on our birthday. Nearly two months after the boat crash, on what would have been Mallory's 20th birthday, Paul was charged with three felony counts, including boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs and causing the death of Mallory Beach. He pleaded not guilty. An officer of the court came forward with handcuffs

to formally arrest him, fingerprint him, and they were waved away. Like, we don't need that, you know. So he was never handcuffed. In his booking photograph, Murdoch is wearing his street clothes. Were you surprised that Paul Murdoch never spent a day in jail? I don't know how it happened. My personal opinion, yes. Bond was set at $50,000. And we see from news reports after this that Paul continued to live his lifestyle. How you doing, sir? continued to live his lifestyle.

How you doing, sir? About a year later, Paul got a speeding ticket while towing a boat. The reason I pulled you over, you were booking it. Okay, I got you at 78. 78? Yes. Two years after charges were filed, there was still no trial date set. When, on June 7th, 2021, Alex Murdoch called police and said he'd found his wife and son Paul shot dead.

Maggie and Paul. Maggie is her name? Yes, ma'am. And please hurry. Go inside the Mallory Beach case at 48hours.com In the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Peru and New Zealand, lies a tiny volcanic island. It's a little-known British territory called Pitcairn,

and it harboured a deep, dark scandal. There wouldn't be a girl on Pitcairn once they reach the age of 10 that would still have heard it. It just happens to all of us. I'm journalist Luke Jones and for almost two years I've been investigating a shocking story that has left deep scars on generations of women and girls from Pitcairn. When there's nobody watching, nobody going to report it, people will get away with what they can get away with. In from Pitcairn. When there's nobody watching, nobody going to report it, people will get away with what they can get away with. In the Pitcairn Trials, I'll be uncovering a story of abuse and the fight for justice that has brought a unique, lonely,

Pacific island to the brink of extinction. Listen to the Pitcairn Trials exclusively on Wondery+. Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hot shot Australian attorney Nicola Gaba was born into legal royalty. Her specialty? Representing some of the city's most infamous gangland criminals. However, while Nicola held the underworld's darkest secrets, the most dangerous secret was her own. She's going to all the major groups within Melbourne's underworld, and she's informing on them all.

I'm Marsha Clark, host of the new podcast, Informants Lawyer X. In my long career in criminal justice as a prosecutor and defense attorney, I've seen some crazy cases, and this one belongs right at the top of the list. She was addicted to the game she had created. She just didn't know how to stop. Now, through dramatic interviews and access, I'll reveal the truth behind one of the world's most shocking legal scandals. Listen to Informant's Lawyer X exclusively on Wondery+.

Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And listen to more Exhibit C true crime shows early and ad-free right now. June 7th, 2021. As Paul Murdoch was awaiting trial in the death of Mallory Beach, a fusillade of gunfire erupted on the Murdoch family estate. At 10.07 p.m., a panic-sounding Alex Murdoch called 911, saying he had just arrived home to find his wife of nearly 28 years, Maggie and their son, shot. Is he moving at all, your son?

I know you said that she was shot, but what about your son? Nobody's, they're not, neither one of them is moving. First responders rushed to the Murdoch family hunting lodge, a sprawling 1,770-acre property in Colleton County. But it was too late. 52-year-old Maggie and her 22-year-old son Paul were dead. This place of refuge, where the family had spent their free time hunting and enjoying the outdoors, where Paul had honed his shooting skills alongside his father and brother, was now a gruesome crime scene. Describe the reaction of the community after the double homicide. Shock. A lot of people know them, so there was grief and dismay from a lot of people.

Mallory Beach's aunt, Lynn Revis, was one of those people. The thought of the horror that they went through. I cried. Who would want to kill a mother and son? That's what I can't stop thinking. We've thought about it, too. Things like that shouldn't be happening in our little community. But what happened in this little community soon became national. Investigation into this double homicide continues. And international news. A series of

family tragedies began in June. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, known as SLED, the state's top investigative agency, took over the case. The Colleton County coroner estimates that they were killed between 9 and 9.30 p.m. They were found fairly close to one another on the ground near the dog kennels. Maggie, a dog lover, was said to have spent a lot of time at the kennels with the hunting dogs. Sources tell media that Maggie was killed with some type of automatic rifle, like an AR-15 of some sort, and Paul was killed with a shotgun, and they were both shot multiple times.

48 Hours has not independently confirmed the type of weapons used, and SLED has not named any suspects. But that hasn't stopped social media sleuths from espousing theories. One, Alex's murder has something to do with it. The other theory was that this was somehow related to the boat crash. Somebody wanted justice that they didn't think they would get in the courts in relation to the boat crash. Alex claims to have an airtight alibi. He was at the hospital visiting his sick father when the shootings took place.

But alibis can be deceiving, says Professor Stoughton. Sometimes the person behind the murder is not the same person as the one who pulls the trigger. You think there could be a hitman, possibly? We've certainly seen other cases where there are hired killers, hired guns. I wouldn't want to suggest that is the case here, but sometimes people are smart about how they do bad things. But sometimes people are smart about how they do bad things. Some are asking if Alex hired the man now accused of shooting him.

Did Alex ever try to hire you as a hitman? No. Did you kill Maggie or Paul Murdoch? No. At a recent hearing, I questioned the Murdoch family attorney, Dick Harpootlian, about the double murder. Did he murder his wife and son? No. Does he have any idea who did?

No. Recent reports about the Murdoch marriage have raised questions about a possible motive. People magazine, which cited unnamed law enforcement sources, claimed that Maggie and Alex did not have a good relationship and they were going to get a divorce. She was consulting with an out-of-town attorney. Were there any problems in Maggie and Alex's marriage? Absolutely none. None. And trust me, I was with them for almost two years. Always affectionate, always courteous. Just a picture of a domestic voice. And what about the oldest motive in the book?

Money. Did Maggie and Tomardak have insurance policies? They didn't have any insurance. They had no insurance? They had no insurance. Getting to the truth in this case will be a challenge, says Professor Stoughton. Investigators are going to have a hell of a time sorting through all of the possible explanations and motives, given the different contacts and connections here.

I do not envy them that job. As investigators were attempting to untangle the snarls of evidence in the double murders, they came across yet another case with a connection to the Murdochs, the mysterious death of Stephen Smith. just 15 days after the murders of maggie and paul murdoch sled made a stunning announcement they had found information while investigating the double murders that led them to open a new investigation into an old case, the mysterious death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith. Tell me, who is Stephen Smith? Stephen Smith was a young man living in Hampton County. He had a sister. They were twins. Openly gay and well-liked, Stephen attended the same high school as Buster Murdoch.

They were in the same class, but apparently traveled in different circles, neither friends nor enemies. After graduation, Buster went to college to study government and international affairs. Stephen went to a community college to pursue his dream of becoming a nurse. But all those dreams came to a sudden halt here on this two-lane country road sometime in the early morning hours of July 8th, 2015.

What happened to Stephen has been the subject of rumors and speculation ever since. Stephen Smith was found dead at the scene from blunt force trauma to the head. Stephen's yellow Chevy was found roughly three miles away, his wallet inside, the gas cap unscrewed. Initial reports by the highway patrol claim Stephen ran into car trouble and was likely walking when he was struck and killed by a vehicle. But recently released audio interviews show some officers on the case did not agree with that hit and run theory. Nothing at the scene appeared that it was a vehicular accident. This is the voice of Trooper David Rau. Walked both shoulders of the highway, east and west, looking for any evidence.

Didn't see anything that appeared to be vehicular involved. There was no vehicle debris, no broken headlight or paint scrapes or anything. When someone is hit by a car, they're very frequently knocked out of their shoes. Stephen Smith's shoes were still on when he was found. They were still on and they were loose. It certainly raises questions as to whether hit and run is the right conclusion. Stephen's mother, Sandy Smith, told the local CBS affiliate she didn't believe the hit and run scenario either. The only damage to

his body was his head. From his right eye socket to the back of his head, his right shoulder was dislocated. When someone is struck by a car going at speed, and I don't mean 70 miles an hour, I mean even something like 25, 30, 35 miles an hour. You fly. Bodies get pushed a long way. The body rolls and moves, and there's road burn, there's rash marks. There's evidence often on the road. Sandy Smith told Michael DeWitt's newspaper she believed her son was murdered. She believed it was a hate crime related in some way to his sexuality.

And in our interviews with her, she pleaded to the public, if anybody knows anything, please, I want answers. Investigators like trooper Todd Proctor spent months talking to Stephen's friends, family, and possible love interests, trying to get those answers. You're the ninth person that I've talked to so far about this, so hopefully some people are going to start talking. In recorded audio interviews, one name kept coming up over and over again. Stephen's sister, Stephanie, heard that name multiple times. I went into the store and a bunch of people kept coming up to me and they're like, did you know the Murdoch boys are behind it? Neither brother has ever been named a suspect and the Murdoch family attorney has not

responded to 48 Hours' request for comment on the Smith case. But Smith family attorney Andy Savage said publicly the focus on the Murdoch family may be unfounded. Quote, There are suspects we have in sight that are unconnected to Murdoch. The pathologist ruled the blunt head trauma that killed Stephen could have possibly come from contact with the side view mirror of a passing truck. Now former trooper Todd Proctor recently told Fox News he didn't believe it then and he doesn't believe it now.

It looked like it was more staged, like possibly the body had been placed in the roadway. The case was never solved and went cold until the house of Murdoch came crumbling down one brick at a time. And it's almost been a case of episodic television where tune in this week and we'll see what's next from Hampton County, home of the Murdochs. Do you think there will be an arrest in the Stephen Smith case? Chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and Twitter. On September 6th, 2021,

two days after being shot, Alex Murdoch found himself once again making front page news when he stunned the world by releasing this statement. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret, he said, and announced he was leaving the law firm. Alex Murdoch put out a statement saying he's going into rehab. Alex Murdoch was now saying he has been addicted to opioids for two decades, a surprise to many.

The idea of a 20-year-old serious opioid addiction does not seem consistent with Alex Murdoch's successful practice as an attorney. It wasn't only claims of drug abuse now staining Murdoch's reputation. Murdoch has now been accused of stealing millions from his own law firm and was asked to resign the day before he was shot. Friday, the law firm has a come-to-Jesus meeting with him. We know you're allegedly stealing money. You're out.

Saturday, the reported shooting. Monday, Alex releases a statement saying, I'm going into rehab. Then came the news about why Murdoch had allegedly hired Curtis Smith. He says it was to make his suicide look like murder, so his son, Buster, could collect a $10 million insurance payout. I believe one of the initial statements was that because he did not know whether his life insurance would pay out in the event of a suicide. He's a lawyer who is perfectly capable of reading his insurance policy.

Murdoch's confession sent Curtis Smith to jail for two days until he posted a $55,000 bond for his alleged role in the shooting and another $5,000 for possession of methamphetamine found in his home when he was arrested. They just arrested me based on what he said. According to Curtis, there was no fraud scheme. Alex called him that day to help with a flat tire. When he arrived, Curtis says he found a desperate man holding a gun. He's down there like this. He said, you know, you got to take care of this. I said,

well, I can't do it. He told me he turned his head. I just grabbed his arm, put it behind his head, took the gun from him. Curtis says the gun went off in the struggle, but he managed to take it from Alex and dispose of it. Then he got out of there as fast as he could. Why did you leave the scene? I didn't know anything else to do. He was alive. He was alive and the gun was out of his hand. Curtis Smith's defense attorney, Johnny McCoy. Some people would think, call the police, call someone. Well, Alex Murdoch is the police. He's a prosecutor. Curtis didn't report anything because there's no crime. He saved his life.

On September 16th, 2021, facing charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy, and filing a false police report, Alex Murdoch turned himself in. No plea has been entered yet. The fact that Murdoch sat in a chair in a jumpsuit with handcuffs is something I've never seen in my lifetime. Despite the serious charges against him, Alex Murdoch was released on $20,000 bond and allowed to go back to rehab in Florida. While there, investigators were looking into all of his business dealings when the list of missing money and suspicious deaths orbiting Alex Murdoch's world grew longer and now included this woman, Gloria Satterfield. Gloria was the housekeeper for the Murdoch family for more than 20 years. Ronnie Richter is an attorney for the Satterfield family.

She literally helped raise Alex Murdoch's sons, Paul and Buster. In 2018, the 57-year-old died after a trip and fall accident at the Murdoch estate, the very same property where Maggie and Paul would be found dead in 2021. What's been reported is that she was at the house that day on the front steps. The dogs got a little rambunctious and gave her a push, and she fell down the stairs. Back then, Satterfield's death was not questioned. Instead, it was ruled natural, and no autopsy was ever performed. There is nothing natural about a 57-year-old woman falling down a flight of steps

and dying from head trauma. At Gloria's funeral, Murdoch did something very odd, says Richter. He recommended Satterfield's sons file a wrongful death lawsuit against him. Alex even steered them toward an attorney, his former college roommate and Paul Murdoch's godfather, Corey Fleming. A lot of trust was placed in both Alec and in Corey to do the right things. And it really went south from the outset. Court documents show a $4.3 million payout by Alex's insurance company. But none of the money ever went to Gloria's family. Where did that money go? Well, allegedly it went into Alex Murdock's pocket. On September 15th, 2021,

SLED announced they were opening a criminal investigation into Satterfield's death and the handling of her estate. Then, on October 14th, another twist in the Alex Murdoch case, the new criminal charges the disgraced lawyer is facing. Alex Murdoch now faces two felony charges for his alleged role in the Satterfield insurance fraud. No plea has been entered in this case either. But this time, a judge ordered Alex Murdoch to be held without bond. He's been in the Richland County Jail since October 16th. Meanwhile, the investigation into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdoch is still ongoing.

You certainly cannot rule out Alex Murdoch as a suspect. And the family of Mallory Beach hope Murdoch is investigated for obstruction of justice in the investigation into Mallory's death. This is where Mallory is buried. For the family of Mallory Beach. There's just days where you just want to cry all day long. The grieving continues. just days where you would just want to cry all day long. The grieving continues.

What would justice possibly look like for your family now? Now, I just think if the lawsuit would be settled so we can get on with our lives. Because Mallory died almost three years ago. And every time these stories come out, it's like it happens all over again. A wealthy community, a stunning crime. This little girl was murdered brutally. A Kennedy cousin convicted, then conviction overturned. Does her diary hold

clues to her murder? I believe there's someone who's been keeping a secret. A new 48 Hours, Saturday on CBS. If you like this podcast, you can listen ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick survey at wondery.com slash survey.