Alex Murdaugh Indicted for Murders of Wife and Son

Mar. 15, 2025

A grand jury in Colleton County, South Carolina, indicted Alex Murdaugh in connection with the 2021 murders of his wife and son.

PEOPLE confirms that Murdaugh, 54, has been charged two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The charges were handed down on Thursday morning.

Murdaugh made national news in June 2021 when he said he came home and found his wife,Maggie, 52, and their son, Paul, 22,gunned downon their 1,770-acre estate in the small town of Islandton, S.C. The mother and son had been shot with two different guns and were found outside the home, near the dog kennels.

Murdaugh was named as aperson of interestin the murders, according to his attorneys.

Maggie, Paul and Alex Murdaugh.

Alex Murdaugh.Orange County Department of Corrections

After the murders of his wife and son, Murdaugh made news again when he allegedly tried to stage his own death so that his one surviving son, Buster Murdaugh, 26, could benefit from a $10 million life insurance settlement. He was criminally charged in connection with the alleged botched suicide-for-hire plot and is awaiting trial in that case.

According to prosecutors, he had his associate Curtis “Eddie” Smithshoot himon the side of the road, but the shooting was unsuccessful and Murdaugh suffered only superficial wounds. Smith has pleaded not guilty in connection with that case.

From left, Buster Murdaugh, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, Paul Murdaugh, Alex Murdaugh.Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook

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Murdaugh is currently being held on $7 million bond. It’s unclear if additional bond will be added with the new charges.

His attorneys did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment about the new charges.

source: people.com