On Wednesday, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions and life sentence handed to disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh in the fatal shootings of his wife and son. Prosecutors have said they intend to retry the once-powerful lawyer, who came from a prominent legal dynasty in rural South Carolina known for securing multimillion-dollar verdicts. Murdaugh worked at his family’s century-old law firm, while his father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served as elected county prosecutors. Despite the ruling, Murdaugh, whose case has inspired numerous documentaries and true crime podcasts, will remain behind bars on federal convictions for stealing millions from clients.
Here is a timeline of the key events leading up to the court’s decision:
June 7, 2021
Murdaugh calls police to report his wife Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22, have been fatally shot near a dog kennel on their property.
September 4, 2021
Alex Murdaugh attempts to arrange his own death in a plan to secure his surviving son a $10 million life insurance payment, officials say. The plot fails when the shot by a Murdaugh associate only grazes Murdaugh’s head.
October 14, 2021
Police arrest Murdaugh at a drug rehab facility in Florida on charges he stole insurance settlements totaling more than $4 million intended for the sons of his late housekeeper.
November 17, 2021
Prosecutors reveal 27 new charges against Murdaugh, saying he stole nearly $5 million in settlement money. Prosecutors allege Murdaugh was hiding money from lawyers who sued him over the death of a teenager killed when authorities say an intoxicated Paul Murdaugh wrecked the boat he was driving.
January 18, 2022
Additional indictments mean Murdaugh now faces 71 charges that he stole nearly $8.5 million in wrongful death and wreck settlements from more than a dozen people.
May 4, 2022
Russell Laffitte, the former CEO of Palmetto State Bank before his firing earlier this year, is indicted on charges that he conspired with Murdaugh to defraud victims of $1.8 million.
June 28, 2022
Prosecutors outline an eight-year money laundering and painkiller ring in new indictments.
July 14, 2022
Murdaugh is charged with murder in the deaths of his wife and son. The indictments issued by the grand jury contend Murdaugh killed his wife with a rifle and his son with a shotgun.
January 23, 2023
Murdaugh goes on trial for double-murder in the killings of his wife and son.
February 23, 2023
Murdaugh denies killing them after taking the witness stand at his murder trial. But he admits lying to investigators about when he last saw them alive.
March 2, 2023
A jury convicts Murdaugh on two counts of murder after a six-week trial. The jury deliberated for less than three hours.
March 3, 2023
A judge sentences Murdaugh to life in prison.
January 29, 2024
A South Carolina judge denies Murdaugh’s bid for a new trial after his defense team accused a clerk of court of tampering with a jury.
April 2, 2024
Murdaugh is sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for stealing from clients and his law firm.
February 11, 2026
Murdaugh asks the South Carolina Supreme Court to throw out his murder convictions.
May 13, 2026
The South Carolina Supreme Court overturns Murdaugh's murder convictions and life sentence. In a unanimous ruling, the justices said the conduct by the court clerk “egregiously attacked Murdaugh’s credibility” by suggesting to jurors his testimony could not be trusted. Prosecutors say they plan to retry Murdaugh on murder charges.
