McCormick Correctional Institution: Inside Alex Murdaugh's new home that housed infamous inmate Stephen Ross Kelly
MCCORMICK, SOUTH CAROLINA: Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh, who fatally shot his wife Maggie and son Paul, 22, at the family’s hunting estate on June 7, 2021, has been sent to McCormick Correctional Institution in South Carolina. The former attorney, who is from a well-known politically-connected family, is being kept away from the general population and is housed in a single 8-by-10-foot cell with a bed, toilet, and sink.
The update comes after the South Carolina Department of Corrections announced on March 31, 2023, that Murdaugh, 54, had been moved to statewide protective custody due to the notoriety of his case. Chrysti Shain, the corrections department spokesperson, said at that time, as per Yahoo!, that there are 28 other inmates in Murdaugh's unit, which includes "former law enforcement" or "corrections officers," who need an "extra layer of security."
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Inside McCormick Correctional Institution
The prison, near the Georgia border, has a total of 1,128 adult male inmates, reports New York Post. According to PrisonPro, it includes a general population wing as well as a “special management” wing for inmates in protective custody. The website states, "Offenders at this institution have primarily committed violent offenses, or have behavioral issues and have been transferred from another facility. Furthermore, inmates at McCormick Correctional Institution usually have long sentences. Offenders are closely supervised and are usually held in single or double bunked cells."
It further added, "McCormick Correctional Institution provides on site medical and dental services to all inmates. This facility participates in the correctional industries program and employs inmates in an upholstery shop, in powder coating metal products, and in a modular furniture plant. Offenders can take adult literacy courses, and earn a GED while incarcerated here, and have various religious worship services and substance abuse treatment programs provided to them."
Stephen Ross Kelly was the prison’s most infamous inmate
The prison’s most infamous inmate was Stephen Ross Kelly, who was convicted of the rape and murder of 18-year-old Briana Rabon in February 2014 and was serving a 50-year sentence. That case was featured in the documentary series 'On the Case with Paula Zahn'. However, Kelly died on February 12, 2022, while receiving treatment for Covid-19.
In 2020, Deshawn Livaughn Simmons, who was convicted of attempted murder and armed robbery, was found in his cell with a stab wound to his back. He was murdered by two fellow inmates inside the prison. That year also saw five inmates briefly escape from the prison after holding a guard hostage, reports The Sun.
Details about the Murdaugh murders in June 2021
As per Murdaugh, he found the bodies of his son and wife at their hunting lodge on Moselle Road in Islandton, Colleton County, on June 7, 2021. He placed a 911 call at 10.07 pm and he told the dispatcher, “I need the police and ambulance immediately. My wife and child have been shot badly,” reports The Post and Courier. He said that he found his wife and son dead on the ground near their property’s kennels. Murdaugh said while crying, "I’ve been up to it, and it’s bad," and pleaded “Please hurry." Records showed his son and wife were shot with different types of long guns, as per WRDW.
In July 2022, Alex got indicted for the murders. At that time, his attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin said in a statement, "[Murdaugh] wants his family, friends and everyone to know that he did not have anything to do with the murders of Maggie and Paul. He loved them more than anything in the world," quotes CNN.
Murdaugh was found guilty on two counts of murder and two weapons-related charges on March 2 after a six-week televised trial that began on January 25, 2023.