Where Is Alex Murdaugh Now? Inside the Former Lawyer’s Life 4 Years After Brutally Killing His Wife and Son By Skyler Caruso and Caroline Blair

Alex Murdaugh was a well-known attorney in South Carolina from one of the state’s most prominent legal families.

However, he had to answer for his secretive, crime-ridden ways after he was charged with killing his wife and college sweetheart, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and son Paul Terry Murdaugh. On June 7, 2021, Alex called 911 and claimed that he had found Maggie and Paul shot to death near the dog kennels on one of their expansive properties.

Although Alex initially claimed that he had not visited that part of the property that night, he was later placed at the scene of the crime around the time they died. He has denied any involvement in the murders but was convicted of both in March 2023.

During his highly publicized trial, prosecutors alleged that he killed his wife and son to cover up his financial crimes, which included stealing an alleged $12 million from his clients and firm, per NPR. Prosecutors claimed that he needed the money to maintain his opioid addiction and luxurious habits, per The Washington Post.

Alex was sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the murders of Maggie and Paul. He received an additional 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 financial crimes.

Alex’s crimes, trial and conviction were adapted for the Hulu limited series, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, which premiered on Oct. 15. His story was also covered in the Netflix true crime docuseries, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, in 2023.

Here’s everything to know about Alex Murdaugh’s crimes and where he is now, four years after he murdered his wife and son.

Who is Alex Murdaugh?

Alex is a former prominent attorney from the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, along with his powerful Murdaugh family, who dominated the legal landscape in the southern part of the state for 100 years. In fact, the five-county district became known as “Murdaugh Country” due to three family members who consecutively served as solicitor for the state’s 14th Judicial Circuit from 1920 to 2006.

Each Murdaugh who served was in charge of prosecuting all criminal cases in the state’s 14th circuit district, overseeing Allendale, Colleton, Hampton, Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Randolph Murdaugh Sr. founded a one-man law firm in 1910 in Hampton (about 65 miles inland from Charleston), which later evolved into the Murdaugh family law firm. Three generations of the family have practiced law in the county since.

As for the double murder, agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division responded to a 911 call saying that two people were dead near some dog kennels at the family’s isolated Islandton home in Colleton County. They were found dead on the 1,770-acre property, where the family has a hunting lodge, the Associated Press, The Island Packet and WSAV reported at the time.

The Murdaugh family also had a home in Hampton, where the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division opened an investigation into the 2018 death of the Murdaughs’ housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who died after what was purported at the time to be a trip-and-fall accident.

On Oct. 14, 2021, Alex was arrested and charged with misappropriating insurance settlement funds in the wrongful death suit that followed the mysterious death. This case numbered among the 22 financial crimes Alex pleaded guilty to.

What was Alex Murdaugh charged with?

Alex’s attorneys issued a statement on Sept. 15, 2021, saying they learned of a warrant for his arrest and that he planned to voluntarily surrender to authorities. The next day, Alex turned himself in to the Hampton County Law Enforcement Center and was charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and filing a false police report.

Later, agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement took Alex into custody on Oct. 14, 2021. He was arrested and charged with misappropriating insurance settlement funds in the wrongful death suit that followed the trip and fall death of housekeeper Satterfield.

Alex was then held at the Richland County Detention Center with a bond set at $7 million, one of the highest bonds in state history. Then, in July 2022, he was arrested again on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

When did Alex Murdaugh’s trial begin?

Alex’s trial was held at the Colleton County Courthouse in South Carolina. It began on Jan. 23, 2023, with closing arguments wrapping up on March 1, 2023, per CNN.

On Feb. 23, Alex took the stand in his own defense during his weeks-long murder trial. Prosecutors revealed evidence that seemingly proved Alex repeatedly lied about his whereabouts on the day his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, were killed.

Prior to the trial, he maintained that he hadn’t been with Paul and Maggie at the family’s dog kennels, where the pair was found slain. But on the stand, he admitted that he had been at the kennels.

“I lied about being down there, and I’m so sorry that I did,” Alex said.

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What was Alex Murdaugh’s verdict?

On March 2, 2023, Alex was found guilty of the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before delivering the verdict.

He was also found guilty of two counts of possession of a weapon in the commission of a crime, per the New York Post and CNN.

What is Alex Murdaugh’s sentence?

The day after he was found guilty of the murders of his wife and son, Alex returned to court for his sentencing, where he received two life sentences in prison, which will run consecutively.

In addition to facing the murder charges, Alex also had to stand trial for his 22 financial crimes. He was convicted of all charges, including bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was later sentenced to 40 years behind bars for his financial crimes.

Where is Alex Murdaugh now?

Alex is currently serving his two consecutive life sentences and 40 years at a maximum-security prison in South Carolina. Due to the high-profile nature of his case, his exact prison location has not been publicized.

However, after his conviction, Alex was moved to a statewide protective custody unit within the prison, a state Department of Corrections spokesperson told CBS News in April 2023.

Alex and his family have drawn nationwide media attention after his case was highlighted in the popular podcast, Murdaugh Murders, hosted by Liz Farrell and Mandy Matney. His story has also been told in the Netflix docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal and the Hulu adaptation Murdaugh: Death in the Family.

Alex has an ongoing appeal in his case due to allegations of jury tampering, per CNN. Becky Hill, the clerk in his trial, was charged with misconduct and perjury in May 2025, according to The New York Times, but she has denied the charges, per Count On News 2.