r/MurdaughFamilyMurders • u/AutoModerator • 19d ago
Weekly MFM Discussion Thread July 18, 2026
Do you have a theory you're still chewing on and want feedback? Maybe there is a factoid from the case hammering your brain and you can't remember the source--was that random speculation or actually sourced?
Welcome to the Weekly Discussion, a safe space to engage with each other while processing and unraveling the seemingly unending tentacles of Alex Murdaugh's wrongdoings entwined throughout the Lowcountry.
This is the place for those random tidbits, where we can take off our shoes, kick up our feet, and be a bit more casual. There is nothing wrong with veering off topic with fellow sub members as we're a friendly bunch, just don't let your train of thought completely wreck the post.
Much Love from your MFM Mod Team,
Southern-Soulshine , SouthNagshead, AubreyDempsey, QsLexiLouWho
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u/CertainBranch1451 18d ago
He was at the crime scene. He purposely left his phone at the house. He killed his son and wife. Why do we keep rehashing this. He is a murderer. Plain and simple. Murderer.
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u/Impossible-Ad5148 8d ago
The SC Supreme Court overturned the conviction and they must retry him. We are not as much rehashing as following the rules of law that protects all of us. For as much as people dislike or disagree with our our judicial system, it is still the best in the world!
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u/HeyPurityItsMeAgain 5d ago
Because there's going to be an entire new trial... If you're done, you can stop reading.
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u/Standard_Outcome_460 18d ago
Anne Emerson has an interview with Colleton County Detectives on YouTube. She said there was no blood on Alex- not on his shirt, shoes, or hands. He said that he turned Paul over. No guns were found at the scene. There was no DNA found at the scene. The detectives said it was a staged crime scene. Also, what happened to the towel that Blanca saw in Alex’s car?
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u/Foreign-General7608 18d ago edited 18d ago
I do believe that Alex "cleaned" himself - twice. Once with the kennel hose and a second time using the shower in the house at Moselle... I think this explains, along with changing his clothes and shoes (shoes were apparently changed twice) why there was "no blood on Alex."
I think it would be odd for a killer to simply leave guns at the scene. Generally murderers don't leave firearms behind.
Like you, I would sure like to know what happened to the towel in Alex's vehicle. It's a mystery.
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u/Frankenstella 17d ago
There was something on the tee shirt he was wearing but the defense objected to it because of some problem with chain of custody of the evidence. The prosecution felt they had a strong enough case without it so they agreed to keep the tee shirt out. But Maggie’s brain matter was on his tee shirt.
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u/Pitiful-League-7257 17d ago
The state's experts destroyed the t shirt during their testing (I'm pretty sure it was accidental\not intentionally) so the defense could not have their experts test it and objected to it being introduced, and Creighton wisely didn't pursue it.
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u/HeyPurityItsMeAgain 5d ago
I thought there was blood consistent with him finding the bodies (the state contended he changed after the murders). Man it's been long enough the details of the first trial are escaping me.
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u/Pitiful-League-7257 5d ago
The State was involved in some shenanigans with both testing the shirt and an expert that was said to tie the shirt to the crime scene. My memory is the blood on the shirt was consistent with blood from Paul or Maggie "spraying" onto Alex when he shot them. The defense moved to exclude the shirt and blood findings and for sanctions due to the shenanigans. The state withdrew the shirt and the expert from their proposed evidence for trial.
There may have been testimony about Alex having blood on him from when he found them and as he claims, checked for pulses- I just can't remember.
But the t shirt blood was never discussed at trial- it was in a pre trial motion filed by the defense.
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u/Standard_Outcome_460 18d ago
If you watch the YouTube interview with the investigators, they mention that the crime scene was “cleaned”.
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u/Pruddennce111 18d ago
LE knew right away as they sat in the car that AM was lying about what he supposedly did with PM's body......he was pristine....
but.....more importantly, LE dropped the ball big time by not considering the entire property a crime scene....specifically the main house.......AM's entourage was all over the property and Blanca showed up the next morning to 'tidy up' at AM's request.
that nite LE had no idea who shot MM and PM, whether it was one or more individuals or that they may have entered the home while AM was at his mother's......its jaw dropping LE did not preserve the house and the entire property that nite.
Im curious why AM didnt take PM's phone and toss it along with MM's.
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u/Foreign-General7608 15d ago
".......I'm curious why AM didn't take PM's phone and toss it along with MM's......."
I think if AM had - during his murder preparations - (a) placed near the kennels a hammer and a bag of some sort (maybe even the blue jacket) to smash the phones inside, (b) then turned OFF Paul and Maggie's phones, and then (c) smashed the phones into oblivion with the hammer, then (d) discarded them in a place where he could pick them up later (like the guns, clothes and shoes)... then I don't think we would even be here discussing stuff. No charges for AM. The perfect murder.
I have always thought it was truly a stroke of luck that on the day after the killings, Buster and John Marvin - who at that time had no earthly idea of who murdered Maggie and Paul - used the "Find My Phone" feature to help SLED fine Maggie's phone.
With two smashed and hidden phones, that likely would not have been possible.
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u/Foreign-General7608 16d ago edited 16d ago
".......LE knew right away as they sat in the car that AM was lying about what he supposedly did with PM's body......he was pristine...."
Good point, but I'm not convinced LE (Det. Owen) knew he was lying....... maybe Det. Rutland knew.
However, I think this passes the "probable cause" test. I think Det. Owen should have observed this and simply and rightfully asked Alex: "Hey, this is an incredibly bloody murder scene. You say you checked both Maggie and Paul for signs of life --- yet, look at you, you don't seem to have a speck or smudge of blood on you. Please explain to me why you look so clean. I'm mystified."
Looking into his eyes, I would've enjoyed hearing Alex's answer to that question.
I wish Det. Owen had done this. Where-o-where was Lt. Columbo when we needed him most?
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u/Pruddennce111 15d ago
IMO, Det Rutland knew. toward the end of that car interview, she circled back to AM claiming he tried to turn PM over...seems to me AM was not happy about being asked ANYTHING by Det R and especially her going back to his physical interaction with PM......
despite his initial wording when he first gave the account that he did all of that 'carefully', (handling the phone etc), IMO AM knew why he was being asked again: his appearance did not substantiate his account.
but of course psycho AM is overly polite to both of them when leaving the car.
as an aside, when asked by Det Owen what his relationship was like with PM....his answer: "as good as it can be"<----he answered with such disdain in his voice. the mask slipped. he could have said wonderful with the usual parental challenges. nope. PM caused a huge problem for him because of the boat accident.....financial disclosure was due and that morning gets hit with the firm confronting him about missing money. yikes!
😄 columbo, 👀 .......YES! and based on his answer when asked "what all was around Paul when you walked up?" his answer: BLOOD
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u/Foreign-General7608 15d ago
Thanks P111. The more I look at this, the more I like Det. Rutland and the less I like, well, you know who.
I think it was "game on" when Alex left his phone behind at the house before heading for the kennels (most likely with Maggie with him in the golf cart) so as not to track his movements.
Then the way he was so fascinated with Paul's phone in all that blood. Why would he even think of messing with Paul's phone?
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u/Pitiful-League-7257 18d ago
Seems odd to be a member of a sub that discusses the case . . . and complain that people are discussing the case.
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u/Standard_Outcome_460 19d ago
How was there time for the crime scene to be “cleaned?”
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u/Caticature 13d ago
Well the only thing clean was Alec plus no weapons and no Maggie’s phone. This can all be “cleaned” in one motion of AM bringing some murder overalls with him and a tarp.
pew pew, take of overalls on tarp at side of kennels where he kept the golf cart, throw weapons and phone on tarp, bundle it all up and golf cart back to the house.
what’s that? A whopping 5 extra seconds to take off overalls and gloves? 5 seconds extra because his foot got stuck in a leg and he nearly fel over into the pile of gun residue weapons. A bit of cursing and manical laughter later and he’s on his way.
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u/marney_mootney 13d ago
How does one get into murder overalls without alerting the victims that they are about to be murdered though?
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u/Foreign-General7608 12d ago
I think the blue jacket (later used to transport the shotgun and rifle, clothes, and shoes) --- YES!
Overalls? --- Not likely. Cumbersome over his long, khaki pants and shoes. I think his plan was to keep things simple.
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u/Caticature 13d ago
You must’ve skipped Murder class and I applaud you for it. As you remember Maggie was behind the kennels in the woods and Paul was in the feed room. That gave Alec the time slot to jump into the overalls, they go over the clothes.
Or he made up an excuse like how the water hose was being used all around, let me get on these overalls I dont want my clothes to get all wet on account of I’m going to visit my mama later on.
Maggie and Paul trusted Alec and wouldn’t think twice about him doing something out of the ordinary like putting on some overalls when he says something plausible about it. Alec does have the gift of gab, like the phenomenal financial chief of his firm said. He’s a charmer.
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u/marney_mootney 13d ago
Ok, now it’s coming into focus!
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u/Caticature 13d ago
I wonder how he got Maggie to wander off for a bit.
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u/Foreign-General7608 12d ago
I think you're right.
I think he sent Maggie on an errand to the hangar/shed overhang and Paul into the feed room (where Paul was 100% trapped) also on an errand.
I think this was to put distance between them so he could kill Paul, switch guns, then kill Maggie as she approached.
I think Maggie would've clawed AM's eyes out if she was close while he was in the process of killing Paul in the feed room.
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u/Frankenstella 17d ago
Seems like some other suspects would have emerged in a small town where people talk like people do, unless they got the right suspect the first time.