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'Justice is served': Internet rejoices as Alex Murdaugh found GUILTY of murdering wife Maggie and son Paul

The state convinced jurors that Alex Murdaugh murdered his wife and son in an attempt to distract from the millions he had stolen from his law firm

WALTERBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA: Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of murdering his wife Maggie, and son Paul after jurors deliberated for three hours on Thursday, March 2. The 54-year-old was seen shaking as the verdict was read out at the Colleton County courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina. This comes after six weeks of testimony. 

Prosecutor Creighton Waters told jurors, "The pressures on this man were unbearable and they were all reaching a crescendo the day his wife and son were murdered by him." The state convinced jurors Murdaugh murdered his wife and son in an attempt to distract from the millions he had stolen from his law firm. It also involved a lawsuit over Paul's drunken boat wreck that could have financially threatened him. Murdaugh, who faces 30 years to life in prison after being convicted of two counts of murder and two weapons charges, will be back in court for sentencing on Friday, February 3, at 9.30 am.

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The murders of Maggie and Paul

Murdaugh, who was already in prison for charges relating to embezzlement and fraud, reportedly shot Paul once in the head and once in the chest. Maggie, on the other hand, was shot multiple times with an assault rifle. Reports said that their gunshot wounds were consistent with "execution-style" killings. Sources said that Paul's body was found partially inside one of the kennels, but Maggie's body was found several feet away. This indicated that she may have been running from her killer while being attacked. Murdaugh had told investigators after the murders that he was visiting his dying father and his mother about 11 miles away at their home in Varnville when the crime took place.

Meanwhile, in September last year, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) opened an investigation into the 2018 death of the Murdaugh family's former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield. This came just one day after investigators said that Alex Maurdaugh hired a hitman to kill him in a botched assisted suicide scheme after his wife and son were murdered. Gloria Satterfield was a longtime housekeeper of the Murdaughs. On February 26, 2018, the 57-year-old woman died “as a result of injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident” in a Hampton County home belonging to the family. 

Did Alex Murdaugh admit to lying about his whereabouts?

In closing arguments on Thursday, Murdaugh's lawyer alleged investigators had fabricated evidence, according to the Daily Mail. He said the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) focused on his client's alleged financial misdeeds instead of securing the crime scene and examining key evidence. Assistant Attorney General John Meadors then stated that there was no need for prosecutors to prove the motive as all the evidence pointed at Murdaugh.

Murdaugh's statements from the stand last week where he admitted to lying about his whereabouts on the night of the slayings is reportedly one of the state's strongest pieces of evidence. While he initially said he was not at the dog kennels before the murders, he changed his account after jurors listened to an audio tape that placed him at the crime scene moments before the murders took place. 

Audio and video obtained from Paul's cellphone, which was found near his body, indicate that Murdaugh was speaking with Maggie at the time of her death. Not only that but "high-velocity impact spatter" of blood found on his clothing that night places him at the crime scene when at least one of the victims died, according to FITSNews. Patterns in bloodstains and other bodily fluids can reportedly help investigators understand what happened at the time of violent death as it relates to the positioning of the victim and the suspect. 

'Privilege and status don’t always win'

Social media seemed content after the verdict, with one user saying, "Paul Murdaugh is the one responsible for this verdict. His video was the nail in the coffin." "Maggie and Paul, justice has been served. Rest in peace. The Snapchat video showed you (Paul) knew what was coming because you knew your dad’s soul," said another. "Alex sentenced in the same Courthouse that dad and grandfather were chief prosecutors. Poetic justice," one user said, while another wrote, "Guilty!!! YES!!!! Now if we could just get justice for Mallory, Stephen, Gloria and every other person affected negatively by this man!"

"His face says it all. Not shocked whatsoever," one user said, while another wrote, "Justice prevailed today!!! Justice for Maggie and Paul. Paul got him from the grave with the video." "Privilege and status don’t always win," said one user. Another said, "Congratulations to Creighton Waters and his entire prosecution team! Job well done!"

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