Where Is Connor Cook Now? Inside His Life 6 Years After Paul Murdaugh Accused Him of the Boat Crash That Killed Mallory Beach By Christopher Rudolph

Years after the scandal involving the prominent South Carolina family, Connor Cook is still connected to the Murdaugh tragedy.

Connor was friends with Paul Murdaugh, the youngest son of Alex Murdaugh and Maggie Murdaugh. In February 2019, Connor and Paul were part of a group that traveled on a boat to a house party and a bar while underage drinking.

They were accompanied by Connor’s girlfriend, Miley Altman; Paul’s girlfriend, Morgan Doughty; Connor’s cousin, Anthony Cook; and Anthony’s girlfriend, Mallory Beach,

Unfortunately, the six were involved in a boat crash with Paul at the wheel, and it claimed Mallory’s life. The fatal incident severed the friendship between Connor and Paul, the latter of whom falsely stated that Connor was the driver.

In another twist, Paul was murdered by his father two years later in June 2021. Still, lawsuits continued with Connor trying to clear his name and the relevant court cases were eventually settled in July 2023.

Now, there has been renewed interest in the Murdaugh scandal because of the Hulu limited series, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, which features Nicholas Cirillo as Connor.

So, who is Connor Cook, and how is he connected to the Murdaugh family? Here’s what to know about him and where he is now.

Who is Connor Cook?

Connor was a friend of Paul’s and was one of the passengers in the boat the night Mallory was killed.

Both Connor and Paul attended Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, S.C., according to Connor’s deposition obtained by Fox News.

When Cirillo’s Murdaugh: Death in the Family casting was announced, Connor’s character was described as “one of Paul’s best friends,” per Deadline.

How did Connor Cook know the Murdaughs?

Connor and Paul went to the same high school.

Aside from Connor being friends with Paul, Connor’s cousin, Anthony, was dating Mallory, who was killed in the boating incident.

What happened between Connor Cook and the Murdaughs?

Connor was one of the six passengers in the boat the night Mallory was killed. She died from drowning and blunt force trauma, according to WTOC.

The group of friends had been partying on Paukie Island, and at one point in the evening of Feb. 23, 2019, Paul and Connor drove to a bar and did shots, according to surveillance footage, per Greenville News.

Paul and Connor rejoined the others in the group, and shortly after 1 a.m., they boarded the boat. According to the friends, they argued over Paul driving, but they relented and let him, even though he was intoxicated.

Shortly after, Paul crashed the boat, which ejected Mallory into the water. Connor then called 911 to report the incident, according to Law & Crime. He also suffered a fractured jaw after he was slammed into the side of the boat.

Paul initially told authorities that Connor was driving the boat, but it was later confirmed by Connor and the rest of the group that Paul had been behind the wheel.

“I was told … by Alex Murdaugh that I didn’t need to tell anyone who was driving,” Connor said in his deposition.

Alex allegedly told Connor “that everything was going to be all right. I just needed to keep my mouth shut and tell them I didn’t know who was driving and that he’s got me.”

Connor, intimated by the Murdaughs’ influence, said, “being who they are, I was doing what I was told. Anything they get in, they get out of.”

Did Connor Cook sue the Murdaughs?

In September 2021, Connor filed a lawsuit against Alex, his eldest son, Buster Murdaugh, and Greg Parker, the owner of the convenience store that sold 19-year-old Paul alcohol the night of the crash, WLTX reported.

In a related case, a $15 million wrongful death settlement between the Beach family and Parker was approved by a judge in July 2023, according to WPDE.

Connor was awarded $1 million from additional money divided among the survivors of the boat crash. He also received $100,000 from Maggie’s estate.

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Where is Connor Cook now?

Connor has not spoken publicly about the Murdaughs or the fatal boat crash in recent years.

According to his Facebook, he lives in Estill, S.C., and is the owner of the forestry company C.M.Cook Construction.

He is still in a relationship with Miley, who was also on the boat the night Mallory died. They have one child.

In July 2023, after the multi-million dollar settlement was reached, Connor’s attorney, Joe McCulloch, said, “This is a wonderful way to start their new life with a baby,” referring to his client’s family.

“I think they hope they can kind of close the door to some of this publicity and resume their kind of anonymous life in Hampton County,” he continued, per WSAV.