Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - New Trial for Convicted Double Killer Alex Murdaugh? | Crime Alert 05.05.26

Episode Date: May 5, 2026

Three years after a guilty verdict, Alex Murdaugh may see his murder convictions vacated if the South Carolina Supreme Court finds former court clerk influenced members of his jury. Meth cook busted at Michigan State. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Crime alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney. As the legal world waits with bated breath for an official ruling from the South Carolina Supreme Court regarding convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's high-profile appeal, the rumor mill has officially shifted into overdrive.

We're talking about the June 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, a case that gripped the nation. and we may be on the verge of seeing those double murder convictions completely vacated. The latest firestorm began over the weekend when podcaster Mandy Matney informed listeners, a reliable source confirmed a bombshell. The state's high court has reportedly already reached a decision. According to Matney, all five justices have voted unanimously in favor of Alex Murdoch receiving a new trial. She noted that the official opinion should be released any day now, adding the that she shared the information as a warning for her audience to be prepared for what's coming.

To clarify the legal mechanics, technically the Supreme Court doesn't just order a new trial. The five justices are actually weighing whether to reverse a controversial January 2024 decision made by former South Carolina Chief Justice Jean Toll. Justice Toll previously denied Murdo's request for new proceedings. If the current Supreme Court reverses that decision, the entire case is remanded back to the circuit court level. Essentially, the case would start from square one. If that happens, the ball lands back in the court of South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. His grand jury division led the initial prosecution, and it would be up to him to decide that the state has the appetite and the resources to try Alex Murdoch a second time for the deaths of his wife and

son. Murdo was once a kingmaker in the South Carolina Low Country, a prominent personal injury attorney from Hampton County, he came from a legal dynasty that had controlled the local prosecutor's office for generations. But that legacy shattered on the night of June 7th, 2021. Prosecutors say Murdoch used a shotgun and a rifle to execute his wife, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, and his younger son, 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh, at the family's sprawling, 1,700-acre hunting estate, known as Moselle. The motive? The state argued that Murdaugh's life was a house of cards. He was allegedly drowning in millions of dollars of stolen client funds and a decades-long opioid addiction. Prosecutors insist he killed his family to create a sympathy alibi, hoping the tragedy would stall the investigations into his financial fraud.

In March 2020, after a six-week trial, a jury took less than three hours to find him guilty of both murders. The signs have been pointing to a vacated conviction since February 11th, when the justices heard oral. arguments. During that hearing, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters was subjected to intense questioning from the bench. The justices zeroed in on documented jury tampering and alleged jury rigging, specifically scrutinizing the 11th hour dismissal of juror Myra Crosby, better known as Egg Lady. Many legal analysts believe removing her was the decisive factor in securing that unanimous guilty verdict back in 2023. Further fueling the fire was the mysterious absence of the Supreme Court's advance sheet last week. This is a preview of upcoming decisions typically published every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

When it didn't appear, speculation went into a tailspin. While the court hasn't explained the delay, the timing is certainly conspicuous. At the heart of this appeal is Rebecca Becky Hill, the former Colleton County Clerk of Court. Murdoz's defense team argues she improperly influenced the jury violating the Sixth Amendment. While prosecutors argue her actions didn't change the verdict, the justices seem skeptical back in February. If these convictions are vacated, it changes everything. Murdaugh is currently serving two life sentences for murder, but he is also serving decades for a web of financial crimes. If the murder charges are reset, those financial sentences could be revisited as well. The implications here are massive. This isn't just about one man. It's about how South Carolina

handles juror misconduct in the spotlight. More crime and justice news, after this. The bizarre and dangerous situation unfolded at Michigan State University. For weeks, students and faculty at Wells Hall, the university's largest academic building noticed a strange chemical odor and unknowed substances on the floor. Following a police investigation, 31-year-old Zintong is now facing felony charges for allegedly operating what authorities initially feared was a secret meth lab inside the school. MSU police responded to reports of a suspicious person and used an expired student ID to identify Tong.

Upon obtaining a search warrant for his bags, officers discovered a volatile cocktail of chemicals, including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol and butane, all primary ingredients in the manufacture of methamphetamine. While the university later clarified that a functioning lab was not found inside the building itself, the suspect was in possession of the necessary equipment and chemicals to run one. Wells Hall was evacuated and remained closed for nearly a week while environmental health teams ensured the area was safe. Tong is currently held at the Ingham County Jail on a $500,000 bond,

with a federal hold placed on him by the Department of Homeland Security. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, be sure to tune in tomorrow on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney Silvani. This is an I-heart podcast. Guaranteed human.