Paul Murdaugh murder: Remembering Mallory Beach, SC girl's death remains a mystery
ISLANDTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: The trial regarding the death of Mallory Madison Beach, a 19-year-old girl from Hampton, South Carolina, took a bizarre turn when one of the prime suspects Paul Murdaugh and his mother Margaret was found dead at their hunting lodge in Islandton, South Carolina, on Monday, June 17.
According to Mandy Matney, a journalist from FITS News, Paul’s father Alex Murdaugh is the person of interest in the double homicide of Margaret and Paul.
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Paul was awaiting trial on criminal charges relating to the 2019 death of Beach. Citing the authorities, NBC News reported that Paul was allegedly driving a boat intoxicated when he crashed, sending Beach overboard. However, Murdaugh never pleaded guilty to his crimes.
But who was Mallory Beach? Why she was the only one who was found missing from the boat that day? Let’s dig a little deeper into Mallory’s life.
Who was Mallory Madison Beach?
Born on April 18, 1999, in Walterboro, Mallory was the youngest daughter of Philip Harley Beach and Renee Searson Beach. She had two siblings, Morgan Beach Black and Savannah Beach Tuten, and was really close to them. Mallory graduated from Wade Hampton High School. She also loved soccer and was a part of the soccer team.
Mallory went on to attend the University of California for further studies. On the other hand, she was also a member of Huggin Oak Church of God in Cummings and enjoyed hunting with her dad. She later started working at It's Retail Therapy apparel store to make a living.
According to her parents and friends, she was really close to her loved ones and had a caring nature. They also described her as a teen who was “always smiling” and loved animals.
How did Mallory die and what happened after body was found?
On February 24, 2019, a 17-foot Triton boat crashed into a bridge in Archers Creek. The boat was being driven by Paul Murdaugh and he allegedly accelerated the boat "full throttle” following an argument between the friends. Seven days later, her body was found five miles away from the crash site. According to Inside Edition, Beach was thrown off the boat after the crash.
All six passengers, between 18 and 20 years old, were ejected. One never made it back to shore. According to The State, Paul’s father Alex Murdaugh and grandfather reached the scene and told the police officials that they were lawyers. The outlet also reported that they stopped all interviews and prevented the teens from taking any sobriety tests. Meanwhile, Mallory’s mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three members of the Murdaugh family.
Recently, it was found that Paul had an alter ego named Timmy and became an entirely different person after drinking too much. The revelation was made by Paul’s cousin, Anthony Cook, who was also Mallory’s boyfriend at that time. According to the court papers, Cook testified that Paul pushed and slapped his girlfriend before stripping down to his underwear on the night of the crash.