Cosby Land Group

Murdaugh House: Photos of Their Rural Home Turned Murder House

Sarah Paschall

Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and son and sentence to 2 life terms.
The jury took only 45 minutes of deliberation in Murdaugh’s trial before reaching a verdict.
Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were shot dead at the family’s rural hunting property in Colleton, SC.
No murder weapon has been located in connection to the Murdaugh murders.
The Moselle house where the murders took place was listed for $3.9 mil in 2022.

Why Did Alex Murdaugh Kill His Wife and Son? — Maggie Murdaugh | Facebook

The story of the Murdaugh family and the murders that took place at their South Carolina hunting property is something straight out of a true crime novel. On June 7th, 2021, Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report the shooting deaths of his son, Paul Murdaugh, and his wife, Maggie. While Alex claimed no involvement in his family’s murder, evidence found at the scene suggested otherwise. Below, we’ll explore the Murdaugh murder trial, Alex Murdaugh house, and the crime scene where the gruesome murders took place. Keep reading for all the details below!

Where Did The Murdaugh Family Live?

The Murdaugh family has resided in South Carolina for generations. The property where the crimes took place was located in Islandton, SC, while Maggie’s current residence was located in Edisto Beach.

Alex Murdaugh House Edisto Beach SC (Maggie’s House)

Alex Murdaugh Moselle House SC (Crime Scene)

Alex Murdaugh House Edisto Beach SC (Maggie’s House)

Alex and Maggie Murdaugh had purchased this home in Edisto Beach back in 2002 for $415,000. Maggie had been staying at the home herself since 2020, though the reason for the couple living separately is unknown.

Alex Murdaugh House and Details on Murdaugh Family Murders — Cosby Land Company

Maggie was at this residence the day of the murders when Alex asked her to come to their rural property (where the crimes would later occur). At the time, Alex allegedly intended for the couple to visit his ailing father in the hospital that evening.

The home features 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms as well as 2,238 square feet of living space. While no interior photos are available, a listing for the home states that it has been completely renovated.

Amenities include a sun deck, gourmet kitchen, wood burning fireplace, and easy access to the nearby beach.

Following her death, Maggie’s estate listed the property for $920,000. As of February 21, 2023, the home is pending sale, though no final purchase price has been revealed.

Alex Murdaugh Moselle House SC (Crime Scene)

According to property records, the Murdaugh family purchased this massive property in Islandton, SC for $750,000 in 2013. At the time, no one could’ve expect the picturesque rural property would be the scene of a gruesome double homicide.

The main house features 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, all of which is surrounded by natural amenities.

The property features several structures, including an equipment storage, guest cottage, and a massive kennel owned by the family. It was here that the bodies of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were found.

In 2022, the property was listed on the market for $3.9 million. As of February, 2023, records indicate it is under contract, meaning a buyer’s offer has been accepted and the purchase process is underway.

Who Are The Murdaugh Family?

The Murdaugh’s were a prominent legal family in the Low Country region of South Carolina. Throughout the generations, 3 different members of the family between 1920-2006 served as district attorneys in the state’s 14th circuit district.

Alex’s great grandfather founded a private injury law firm in 1910 called Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED) – now The Parker Law Group. Alex Murdaugh continued to work with his family’s firm until Sept, 2021, when he was forced to resign due to his financial crimes.

Alex’s family legacy once gave him a great deal of power in the small town where his family resides. Over the years, Many have said they believe this power was abused to avoid legal repercussions and to gain wealth illegally.

Murdaugh Family Murders and Evidence

On June 7, 2021, Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report his wife and son had been shot at their family’s hunting property in Islandton, SC.

When authorities arrived, police body cam footage shows us a slightly frazzled Alex at the scene as well as the bodies of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh. Both deceased individuals were located at the property’s massive dog kennel, with Paul lying just outside the kennel storage and Maggie in the grass nearby.

Paul appeared to have been shot in the storage’s doorway. Maggie’s wounds and positioning indicate she may have been attempting to flee her attacker.

12-gauge, 3-inch magnum shells found around the house exterior itself and the scene of the murder are the same brand, size, and model as the ones used to kill Paul. While compelling, the prosecution didn’t have any confirmed murder weapons used in the slayings.

There is an ongoing rumor that Maggie may have been murdered with one of Paul’s missing rifles, though this is currently just here-say.

Why Did Alex Murdaugh Kill His Wife and Son?

While Alex Murdaugh was suspected of shady dealings, no one would’ve ever thought his “white collar” crimes over the years would lead to the murders of his wife and son.

The actual motive behind the murders has yet to be confirmed, though some speculate it could have involved his financial crimes. The day Paul and Maggie were murdered, Alex had been confronted by a colleague at his firm inquiring about missing settlement cash from a client’s case.

Knowing that his thievery would soon be exposed, prosecutors believed that Alex murdered his wife and son in an attempt to draw attention away from his dirty dealings.

Alex Murdaugh Suicide Attempt

Alex Murdaugh spent the days following the murders attempting to collect money to account for the missing funds at the firm. Two months after the shootings, Mr. Murdaugh was arrested after attempting to stage his own murder.

Alex claims that this was to ensure his surviving son, Buster, would be taken care of with Alex’s $10 million life insurance policy.

According to Alex Murdaugh, he hired a former client by the name of Curtis Smith to carry out the assisted suicide. Smith, however, has always denied his part in the plot and stated that he felt Murdaugh was attempting to set him up when he called to ask for help with something.

A popular theory is that Alex may have intended to set up Curtis for not only his own murder, but for the murders of his wife and son.

Murdaugh Murder Scandal

While the murders of Paul and Maggie’s may have been the most publicized, it is not the first time the Murdaugh family has been tied into a homicide case.

Stephen Smith

In July, 2015, Stephen Smith was found deceased on Sandy Run Rd in Hampton County, SC., not far from his car. The young teen, who was classmates with Alex’s eldest son, Buster, was gay and in the past had been rumored to be in a relationship with Buster.

After the victim’s body was discovered, some locals believed that it was Alex or his sons that were somehow involved. While the incident was declared a hit-and-run initially, it has since been reopened in 2021 following Paul and Maggie’s murders.

As of 2023, the case on Stephen Smith is ongoing. A GoFundMe for Stephen’s family can be found HERE.

Gloria Satterfield

In 2018, Gloria Satterfield, longtime housekeeper and nanny of the Murdaugh family, reportedly fell on the front stairs of Murdaugh’s hunting property. She would die only two weeks after the incident.

An autopsy was never performed and her death was listed as natural. The local coroner’s office, however, stated that her injuries were “inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident.”

Following Gloria’s death, Alex Murdaugh recommended lawyer, Cory Fleming, to her sons – never telling them that Cory was a college friend of his. Murdaugh went on to file 2 separate insurance claims on Gloria – one for $505,000, and the second for $3.8 million.

Alex had acted as though he intended to give the money to Gloria’s sons, who should have received $2.7 million from the claims, but the men received nothing. Instead, the funds went straight to Murdaugh.

Satterfield’s sons ended up filing a lawsuit against Murdaugh for the money they never received. In 2022, Alex would go on to sign a confession of judgement in favor of the Satterfield family. The sons were expected to receive $4.3 million from the case.

An organization was created in Gloria’s name called Gloria’s Gift Foundation. Those who wish to donate can do so HERE.

Mallory Beach

In February of 2019, Paul Murdaugh, 19 at the time, drunkenly took the wheel of his family’s boat for a late night lake cruise with several friends. Seeing Paul’s inability to drive, his friends attempted to reason with Murdaugh to allow one of them to take control of the boat. To this, Paul reportedly became physically hostile towards his friends and continued to drive recklessly until finally crashing into Archer’s Creek Bridge.

Several of the passengers were thrown from the boat. One girl, Mallory Beach, went missing entirely after the crash. Others were injured, but survived the accident. The same, unfortunately, could not be said for Mallory – whose body would be located a week after going missing.

While the crash survivors were still in the hospital, and Mallory still missing, Murdaugh is said to have attempted entry into each of the patients rooms. A hospital security guard also reported that he heard Alex say “she’s gone. Don’t worry.” over the phone.

Morgan Doughty, Paul’s then-girlfriend and boat passenger, has stated that she believes Alex and Paul’s grandfather tried to help cover up the death. Paul was still facing charges for the crash at the time of his murder.

Alex Murdaugh Update

After over 70 witnesses and 27 days, the testimony in Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial came to a close on Tues, Feb 28. Jurors in the case took 45 minutes of deliberation to decide on a verdict. On March 2, 2023 Alex was found guilty for the murders of his wife and son.

He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison, though he is actively trying to appeal his case as of November 2023.

Alex Murdaugh Documentary

There are actually two separate docuseries about the Alex Murdaugh murders. One series aired in Nov, 2022 on HBO Max – Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty. The other, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, aired on Netflix in Feb 2023.