Murder Suspect Alex Murdaugh Claims Late Son Was Targeted Over 2019 Fatal Boat Crash
Feb. 24 2023, Published 7:15 p.m. ET
Accused murderer Alex Murdaugh wrapped up his second day of grueling testimony on Friday. The disbarred attorney insisted that he did not kill his wife Maggie or son Paul, alleging the latter was made a target after a fatal 2019 boat crash that claimed the life of Mallory Beach — coincidentally, on the fourth anniversary of her death, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Prosecutors doubled down on Alex's Thursday testimony when he admitted that he lied to investigations and claimed his opioid addiction made him apprehensive to trust law enforcement.
The once-prominent attorney gave an emotional two days on the witness stand. Throughout both days of questioning, Alex vehemently denied killing Maggie or Paul at their family's private hunting ranch on June 7, 2021.
Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters attempted to use Alex's earlier admission of lying to establish a pattern of being comfortable with misleading investigators — and using his years of legal expertise to his advantage by "manufacturing an alibi."
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Waters focused on Alex's statements from the night of the brutal murders, in which the suspect previously claimed he was not at the dog kennels where his wife and son's bodies were found.
"Everything about me not going to the kennel was a lie," Alex told the courtroom.
"You’re able to just do that so easily and so convincingly and so naturally?" Waters responded. "That's not for me to judge," the fourth-generation former attorney quipped back.
Alex said that after his late son was charged in the fatal 2019 boating accident, "misrepresentations of Paul" were made public.
Buster Murdaugh attends his father's testimony.
"I can tell you for a fact that the person or people who did what I saw on June 7, they hated Paul Murdaugh," Alex said through tears. "And they had anger in their heart."
Alex stated that he did not believe anyone directly involved with the boat crash killed Paul and Maggie but rather someone from the community that heard of the case.
As the prosecution continued to focus on Alex's history of mistruths, the embattled attorney shared that he had "a pocket full of pills" when he spoke to law enforcement about the murders.
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The alleged family annihilator revealed the gravity of his opioid addiction and admitted that he had taken 2,000 milligrams of pain killers per day in the months leading up to Maggie and Paul's death.
"There were days where I took more than that," Alex said, while he added there were day when he took "less than that."
Four more defense witnesses expected in court next week. Alex was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, in addition to dozens of financial criminal charges.
