Jurors watch crime scene video in Alex Murdoff’s homicide trial

Editor’s Notice: The next story incorporates graphic descriptions of murders that could be inappropriate for some readers.

Jurors heard immediately from Alex Murdoff on Thursday by means of legislation enforcement physique digicam footage from first responders who arrived on the scene of the June 7, 2021, killings, the night time his spouse and son had been shot.

It was the primary day of witness testimony within the extremely anticipated homicide trial in Walterboro, and the primary time jurors noticed footage of the scene for themselves.

Sergeant Daniel Inexperienced with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Workplace was one of many first responders to the scene the night time Paul and Maggie Murdoff had been killed at 10:26 p.m., the place Inexperienced described discovering the our bodies and a visibly distraught Murdoff.

Inexperienced describes Maggie and Paul mendacity in a “pool of blood” close to the canine kennels of the agricultural property. He stated Murdoff was the one different individual on the property who was upset, though on the request of prosecutor Creighton Waters, Inexperienced stated he didn’t see Murdoff crying on the time.

At occasions throughout Greene’s testimony, Murdoff might be seen crying on the protection desk as his attorneys periodically confirmed him photographs of the crime scene.

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After arriving on the scene, Murdoff “instantly began speaking about an incident that his son was concerned in a boating accident,” which Inexperienced had not but requested him, Inexperienced stated.

In 2019 Paul was on a ship that crashed in Colleton County waters, killing buddy Mallory Seaside. The case was the subject of a lawsuit and felony expenses towards Paul, and lots of initially speculated that the incident could have had one thing to do with the homicide.

Inexperienced took deputies into possession of a shotgun Murdaugh stated he grabbed after seeing the our bodies. Jurors noticed photographs of that shotgun and Inexperienced’s physique digicam footage from the scene. The general public might hear the audio within the courtroom, however no photos had been seen.

The story continues

An audibly distraught Murdaugh on the tape says Deputy Paul obtained threats for the boating accident, and was “hit and punched” earlier. Murdoff instructed the deputy that on the night time of June 7, 2021, he visited his mom, who has Alzheimer’s, and requested the deputy if Paul and Maggie had been damage. The deputy director confirmed that they had been killed.

“Any affordable one who stumbled on these our bodies would have concluded that they had been useless,” Greene stated in courtroom Thursday.

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Within the physique digicam footage, Marduff reacts to seeing the physique coated up. At one level within the tape, when he’s figuring out his useless spouse, Murdoch pauses to say, “Hey, how are you,” to somebody approaching the dialog. The deputy stated it was one other first responder. A canine may be heard barking within the background.

Inexperienced famous a number of units of tire tracks on the scene, saying it appeared extra exercise came about that night time than Murdoff “simply leaving for house and coming again.”

Whereas looking Paul’s physique, deputies discovered a potential weapon beneath the physique, “to rule out the likelihood that he killed Maggie after which himself,” Inexperienced stated.

Two lives ended, one unfolded

Mordoff, one of many lead attorneys for one of many Lowcountry’s best-known households, is accused of murdering his spouse Maggie, 52, and Paul, 22, on a June night time on the household’s rural Colleton County property in Moselle. 7, 2021.

For the reason that homicide, Murdoch has been fired from the Hamptons legislation agency based by his great-grandfather over 100 years in the past. he was Suspended by SC Supreme Courtand accused of stealing thousands and thousands of {dollars} from his former legislation agency and purchasers whose settlement accounts he was supposed to guard.

For greater than a 12 months now, Murdoff has been held with out bond within the Richland County Detention Heart, first on a number of monetary crimes expenses after which for the murders of his spouse and son.

Prosecutors allege that revelations that his monetary actions — together with his response to the boating accident case — motivated Murdoch to kill his spouse and son utilizing two completely different firearms.

on wednesday, Prosecutors put their evidence against MurdaughA raincoat with gun residue discovered on the house of Murdoff’s Alzheimer’s-stricken mom and cartridges from a gun the state believes Murdoff had beforehand bought for Paul, which they are saying matched the gun that killed Maggie.

The Paul and Maggie are seriously injured That was detailed in earlier courtroom filings. On Wednesday, protection legal professional Dick Harputlian described to jurors how Paul was shot within the neck, inflicting his mind matter to shoot out the again of his head and fall to his ft.

This can be a growing story. It will likely be up to date.