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Alex Murdaugh US ex-attorney killed family members

(28 Posts)
Bea65 Sat 04-Mar-23 13:54:04

This is a tragic but fascinating trial of a father/attorney of a S.Carolina family well known and established who has now been found guilty of murder of his own son and wife...watched this originally on Court TV but now in world headlines...cannot understand how this man could do this to his wife and son and ?housekeeper just to divert authorities of his fraud dealings.. .

Galaxy Sun 05-Mar-23 20:05:55

I think that about quite a few of the true crime stories I listen to.

M0nica Sun 05-Mar-23 17:34:05

If someone used this story in a novel, it would be rejected for being to far fetched to be believable.

Cold Sun 05-Mar-23 16:42:16

There seemed to be so many aspects to this house of cards that was about to come tumbling down and it seemed that several family members were party to the cover ups

The sheer number of strange deaths the family were related to
- the murders of mother and son
- the unexplained death of the son's friend rumoured to be in a relationship together
- the younger son killing a women driving a boat drunk
- the strange death of the housekeeper who "tripped and fell" at the family home - yet the death was not investigated, no post-mortem was performed and the death was "erroneously" recorded as "natural causes"
- the attempted assisted suicide where Alex Murdaugh paid someone to shoot him so that the surviving son could claim insurance

Corruption in office where the judicial system was regarded as rigged because of the family's political and legal power

Embezzlement and fraud where multiple clients were defrauded of millions of dollars insurance payments - including the family of the dead housekeeper

Drug addiction and dealing

Callistemon21 Sun 05-Mar-23 14:06:19

Sparklefizz

I watched the series too. I wonder why the other son, Buster, stood by his dad during the court case.

He can be loyal to all family members, dead and alive at the same time. He must have been terribly traumatised by what has happened and his father is all he has left of his immedate family. he is clinging on to all he has left, inadequate though it be.

Perhaps not so much loyalty to his father, he was probably terrified he was going to lose his protector who may have covered up misdemeanours for him. Not to mention losing a wealthy lifestyle.

Buster was no angel, he was involved in the death of the young lad lad found dead in the road. That was put down to a road accident
It sounds as if the apple didn't fall far from the tree in his case.

Smileless2012 Sun 05-Mar-23 13:59:30

A family who all believed they could do whatever they damn well pleased and get away with it sums this family up perfectly M0nica.

M0nica Sun 05-Mar-23 11:09:57

MerylStreep then no wonder he is sticking by his father. A family who all believed they could do whatever they damn well pleased and get away with it. Until one of them just went too far.

ExperiencedNotOld Sun 05-Mar-23 09:29:13

I watched Dopesick then as much as I could find on the opioid crisis. Truly horrendous. People, once professionally wealthy, reduced to shooting up in abandoned houses, not caring what’s in the street heroin they’re using. Not just opioids - methamphetaline is ruining whole towns. It’s part of a wider malaise, the destruction of a society I believe. Not in the Murtdaugh case so much, but wholesale lose of jobs (see Be. Fogle on Detroit), lack of funding for public services (watch Flint Town on Netflix), particular law enforcement, the sun-prime housing crisis. Poor education, racism, blatantly in places black v white.
It does give me hope that we can avoid much of it here.

MerylStreep Sun 05-Mar-23 09:04:54

The true story about the drug that Murdaugh was addicted to is amazing. The true story of the Sackler family who got America addicted to opioids.
Michael Keeting in the lead. It’s called Dopesick. On Prime.

MerylStreep Sun 05-Mar-23 08:49:39

Buster was no angel, he was involved in the death of the young lad lad found dead in the road. That was put down to a road accident

Galaxy Sun 05-Mar-23 08:46:28

Sorry easier is the wrong word, it's just understandable.

Galaxy Sun 05-Mar-23 08:45:45

I imagine it's something you wouldnt want to face, easier to try to believe he is innocent.

M0nica Sun 05-Mar-23 08:43:44

He can be loyal to all family members, dead and alive at the same time. He must have been terribly traumatised by what has happened and his father is all he has left of his immedate family. he is clinging on to all he has left, inadequate though it be.

Parsley3 Sun 05-Mar-23 08:28:27

After reading these posts I watched this on Netflix. What a bunch of entitled villains in one family.

Sparklefizz Sun 05-Mar-23 08:27:59

M0nica

Sparklefizz It is called family loyalty. You see it in almost any circumstance. Long may it exist.

What about loyalty to his dead mum?

Norah Sat 04-Mar-23 20:58:05

Callistemon21

M0nica

Sparklefizz It is called family loyalty. You see it in almost any circumstance. Long may it exist.

There is a limit to family loyalty, surely?

There surely is to me.

I read a bit about it and asked my brother for more details. I'm glad Alex Murdaugh's earthly punishment was well selected.

Callistemon21 Sat 04-Mar-23 20:43:32

M0nica

Sparklefizz It is called family loyalty. You see it in almost any circumstance. Long may it exist.

There is a limit to family loyalty, surely?

crazyH Sat 04-Mar-23 20:30:10

I followed this on CourtTV - one thing bothers me - I can’t see a motive behind it…. what did he (Alex) gain by killing his wife and son ? I personally think there were 2 killers and it was a revenge killing …

Galaxy Sat 04-Mar-23 20:22:42

He has also suffered through the violent deaths of his mother and brother, I could see how it would be almost impossible to accept that your father had done that.

M0nica Sat 04-Mar-23 18:58:08

Sparklefizz It is called family loyalty. You see it in almost any circumstance. Long may it exist.

Sparklefizz Sat 04-Mar-23 14:52:04

I watched the series too. I wonder why the other son, Buster, stood by his dad during the court case.

dotpocka Sat 04-Mar-23 14:37:40

on to prison at least 30 years without parole

www.cnn.com/us/live-news/alex-murdaugh-sentencing-03-03-23/h_a6bfe01f6204da556e32b097a7feeb8f

Galaxy Sat 04-Mar-23 14:24:03

I have a guilty secret fascination with true crime podcasts so heard about the boat crash/legal case ages ago, it's a completely bizarre story, I hope the family of the housekeeper get some answers.

MerylStreep Sat 04-Mar-23 14:22:26

I too watched the series. They were all rotten to the core. Anyone who got in their way was disappeared 😡

TerriBull Sat 04-Mar-23 14:16:54

I watched the three part series on Netflix very recently. Hard to understand indeed. Young Paul, the murdered son, was an entitled tearaway who was allowed to do what he liked, responsible for the death of one of the girls in his circle when drunk in charge of a boat he drove it into a bridge. After the ensuing drowning the Murdaugh hierarchy moved in straight away and did their best to try and pin the blame on another boy in the party. A father murdering his own son though shocking shock Other suspicious deaths associated, firstly with the older brother, young man, possibly his lover, found dead on a quiet road having been battered and then of course the housekeeper who practically brought up the youngest murdered son, also suspiciously falling down some stairs at the home and dying of injuries in hospital soon after Murdaugh snr. visits her.

An awful lot of badness in one family

M0nica Sat 04-Mar-23 13:59:52

I read this with fascination, a tale of hubris and drugs and a great legal dynasty brought into the dust.

I think many a crime author would give their back teeth to come up with a plot like this, let alone see it really happen