Who was Gloria Satterfield? Murdaugh murders linked to family housekeeper's death
ISLANDTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: Early June was very tragic for the Murdaughs -- a powerful Hampton family — whose members have served for years as top prosecutors in the state's 14th Circuit. Paul and his mother Maggie Murdaugh were reportedly shot dead on the night of June 7 while they were at their hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina.
The month is going to end soon, but investigators have not released any concrete details in the double murder case, except the fact that the 22-year-old South Carolina scion was fatally shot in the head and upper body with a shotgun, while his mother was killed with what appeared to be an assault rifle. Their bodies were found near each other by Richard Alex Murdaugh, father of Paul and husband of Maggie.
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The murders were reportedly linked to the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. There were speculations that the 2019 death of the teen may have offered a motive in the recent crime. However, nothing has been proven yet. Mallory was killed after a boat crashed, and which was allegedly driven by Paul in a drunken state. Paul was awaiting trial in the case after pleading not guilty to three felony charges, which included one count of boating under the influence causing death and two counts of boating under the influence causing great bodily injury.
Is Gloria Satterfield’s 2018 death related to Murdaugh's double murder
Apart from Mallory’s death, cops are reportedly also trying to look into the mysterious death of Gloria Satterfield to find answers related to Paul and Maggie’s deaths. The 57-year-old Satterfield was Murdaugh’s housekeeper. She died February 26, 2018, due to a “trip and fall” in Hampton county, court documents claimed.
According to reports, just a few months before Mallory’s death, Paul’s father and the patriarch of the powerful Lowcountry family of prosecutors and attorneys, Richard, had settled a wrongful death claim in the 'trip and fall' death of Satterfield.
An October 2020 FITSNews report stated that Richard was the only defendant named in the settlement. His insurance company reportedly gave $500,000 for personal liability in the wrongful death and $5,000 for medical payment for the accident. However, the court documents did not note where the accident took place and why Richard was named in the death of Satterfield.
Besides, police are also probing whether the 2015 death of gay man Stephen Smith had anything to do with the double murder. Stephen’s body was found in mysteriously circumstances in the middle of Sandy Run Road in Hampton County, South Carolina, on July 8, 2015. It has been rumored that the 19-year-old was intimately involved with Paul’s brother Buster Murdaugh. The two brothers were even pursued as possible persons of interest in the case, South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) documents stated. But nothing has been proven yet. Once SCHP detective Todd Proctor said, “I think it’s a situation when you grow up and your family is kinda high-profile and you get away with some things because of your family name. You become invincible in a way and you get a little liquor and you think you’re untouchable.”