son of powerful legal family murdered, was awaiting trial for drunk boating death of teen

[Demovictory9]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/paul-murdaugh-mother-found-shot-to-death-outside-their-colleton-co-home-sources-say/ar-AAKPOhU

Jun. 8—Paul Murdaugh, a Hampton man who was charged in the 2019 boat crash that killed a young woman, and his mother were found dead of gunshot wounds Monday night outside their family's home in Colleton County, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.


The bodies were found by Alex Murdaugh, husband of Maggie Murdaugh and father of Paul, according to legal sources who did not want to be identified because they are not authorized to disclose the information. Alex Murdaugh told authorities he had been out at the time of shooting and found them when he arrived home, the sources said.

One victim apparently had been shot with a shotgun; the other was killed with what appears to have been an assault rifle, the sources said.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9680391/Son-powerful-family-target-shooting-familys-hunting-lodge-killed-mom.html

Margaret, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found dead, shot multiple times, in the backyard of their sprawling estate in Islandton, South Carolina, Monday

They were found by husband and father Richard Alex; their deaths have been ruled a double murder
Police have released no motive, no suspects and no information five days on

They have insisted there is no danger to the public
Sources said Paul was the likely target and his mother was collateral damage

Paul was shot in the head and upper body with a shotgun, while Margaret was shot with an assault rifle, they said, with their bodies found several yards apart

Paul had been awaiting trial on charges relating to the 2019 boating death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach, who was thrown from the boat Paul was driving
The Murdaugh family has ruled the county's legal system for decades


Paul was awaiting trial in the 2019 boating death of Mallory Beach, 19 (pictured above)

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Well, that's terrible ... how awful would that be to come home and find your wife and son murdered?

Though I have to wonder by what means they're discerning the kid was the 'likely target', given they apparently have no suspect(s).

Seems at least AS likely that the dad, the powerful lawyer was the target, and the other two were killed cause they're his family.

A lot of people don't like lawyers, and many defendants have some kind of beef with either their defense lawyer, or the government lawyers involved in prosecuting them.

[ZZenith]

4. The parents were acting like they were untouchable and trying to rig the system for their son.

Someone went a little “extra-judicial” on them, it would seem. It was beginning to look like he was going to skate because of his family’s status in the legal community.

Don’t get much swampier than South Carolina.

[Demovictory9]

6. that's what I'm thinking. primary suspect...father of the teen girl

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. That would make sense too (nt)

[Demovictory9]

13. looks like cops are focusing on Paul's father

FITSnews reported through sources that a Murdaugh family member is a “person of interest,” and that R. Alexander Murdaugh – Paul’s dad and Maggie’s husband – is “a central focus of the probe.” The site noted that he has an alibi but quoted a source as saying there are “credible concerns” about when the shootings happened and said authorities are looking into “possible manipulation of the crime scene.”

https://heavy.com/news/paul-maggie-murdaugh/

[Hortensis]

24. Well, the spouse is always the initial top suspect. SOP.

I would imagine that even in cases where a coverup was going on smart investigators would pretend to adhere to standard practices.

[ZZenith]

8. Or brother. Or cousin. Or uncle. Or boyfriend. Or grandfather.

Or quite possibly all of them in concert. This is how feuds begin.

[WestIndianArchie]

9. In the absence of justice

People will get creative...

[hlthe2b]

14. Hmmm. Well, if true, someone's motive may have been advertised in Neon lights.

[Demovictory9]

5. true. but murders happened a few days after hearing. only speculating

[malaise]

10. Never rule out an inside job

:

[Demovictory9]

12. true... this article says the father is of interest

FITSnews reported through sources that a Murdaugh family member is a “person of interest,” and that R. Alexander Murdaugh – Paul’s dad and Maggie’s husband – is “a central focus of the probe.” The site noted that he has an alibi but quoted a source as saying there are “credible concerns” about when the shootings happened and said authorities are looking into “possible manipulation of the crime scene.”

https://heavy.com/news/paul-maggie-murdaugh/

[uponit7771]

15. Why would the father kill his wife and son though??

[malaise]

17. My imagination - the son has disgraced the family

and I bet not for the first time. Mommy is very overprotective which has long disgusted daddy who may well have a young thing on the side.
Clean it all up! See no trial now. Oops!
I watch too much Investigative Discovery

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

18. My wife and I watch ID, also....

Some pretty lurid cases on the different shows. One of our favorites is Joe Kenda's show. The comment from the heavy.com link provided above about this case being like a John Grisham novel is spot-on IMHO.

[malaise]

19. Love Kenda

Way above average and dead pan on steroids

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

20. I like him a lot, also.

In some ways, Kenda is a lot like those detectives from the old crime shows. Years of hard work in a very mentally stressful job have put a lot of lines on his face. Add long, late-night hours, lots of coffee and maybe smoking (not sure if he is/was a smoker) helped put those lines there, also. A straight-up, no BS guy who seems to have an uncanny ability to read people and figure if suspects are being truthful or not. I also think Carl Marino, a former deputy sheriff, does a fine job of portraying the younger Kenda in the shows.

[Demovictory9]

26. Love the actor who plays young kenda

[Demovictory9]

25. I watch ID also...love how Kenda says "my my"

How these shows recreate the past, particularly Kenda's show..where you see modern cars on the street but they have young Kenda using a phone boith and smoking

[Demovictory9]

27. I am sure the story will show up on ID and dateline

[malaise]

29. I'm betting it makes National News as well

[Sur Zobra]

30. Agree

My first thought was the father/husband, but hadn’t thought of the mistress yet. Probably more than one mistress and money problems

[malaise]

31. ROFL

Didn't think of two mistresses and money problems

[Mike Nelson]

2. Hmm...

... all that power and a gazillion dollars couldn't keep them safe. Maybe be an inside job... Conservative media could add it to "skyrocketing crime' and blame it on Biden.

[malaise]

16. Inside job is my first thought

The 'shame and disgrace' are gone! NOT!

This will be a great mystery - cue the outside woman part of it and that overprotective southern mommy (now mummy).
My imagination is getting the better of me.

[Baitball Blogger]

22. Makes me want to know what this legal family did in the county, because it's obvious that it

exceeded someone's fear factor of the criminal justice system they controlled.

[malaise]

23. That too

[ZZenith]

3. That's a crazy story.

Wow. Looks like the kid’s money couldn’t save him. Someone exacted their revenge big time.

[LiberatedUSA]

11. I am honestly surprised...

...this hasn’t happened to the cops who have gotten away with murdering people. Not saying I condone it, I am just surprised it doesn’t seem to happen. Not just the people they have killed, but they have walked in and killed a lot of people’s dogs; almost like a first response. I am very surprised more revenge cop shootings don’t happen.

[Baitball Blogger]

21. "The Murdaugh family has ruled the county's legal system for decades"

Well, wow. Based on the weapons that were involved, I don't think this was a mis-timed burglary. At first, I couldn't understand why someone would go after the mother too, in a revenge scenario; but if the family was known for controlling the county's legal system, I guess it makes sense to anyone who is angry enough to want justice for the loss of a loved one.

But, wow.

[TheBlackAdder]

32. Wow! Could be revenge, or an inside job now that there is reasonable doubt.

.

If the father did it, and he is well-connected, then he might skate on it.

This will be one of those Unsolved Mysteries we watch 10 years from now.

.

[nuxvomica]

33. And the FIL/grandfather passed 2 days later

He was in ICU at the time and the trauma of the family deaths may have been a factor but still this is awfully curious. No cause of death reported yet. This is one for Adrian Monk.
https://apnews.com/article/sc-state-wire-south-carolina-shootings-9dae62a81061550de6f851d65df75fbd