A jury in South Carolina has found discredited lawyer Alex Murdaugh guilty of brutally murdering his wife and younger son at the family’s property, Moselle, in 2021.
After deliberating for almost three hours Thursday, the jury reached the verdict after hearing weeks of testimony from more than 70 witnesses, including Murdaugh himself. He denied the murders but admitted to lying to investigators and cheating his clients.
He was found guilty on all four counts: two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon in the commitment of a violent crime, ABC News reports.
Murdaugh, 54, who called 911 to report the discovery of the bodies, was charged with their murders more than a year later. He faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors argued that Murdaugh used a shotgun to kill his son, Paul, 22, inside a feed room attached to dog kennels at the family’s property and a rifle to execute his wife, Maggie, 52, on June 7, 2021.
Assistant Attorney General Creighton Waters told jurors that the disbarred attorney carried out the double slayings to stave off his financial issues.
A member of a once powerful dynasty of attorneys, Murdaugh admitted he was a drug addict and crook who allegedly swindled his law firm and clients out of nearly $9 million. However, he denied murdering his wife and son.
For months, Murdaugh repeatedly lied to investigators, friends, and his family that he did not go to the dog kennels the night of the slayings. He claimed, instead, that he was napping at the main house perched on a hill, then left to visit his mother in nearby Almeda at 9:07 PM.
But, the most potent piece of evidence, a cellphone video recovered from Paul’s phone in 2022, placed him at the murder scene with the victims four minutes before prosecutors say they were shot to death at 8:50 PM.
Sentencing is set to take place Friday morning at 9:30 AM.