Paul Terry Murdaugh, 22, of Hampton, South Carolina, entered into eternal rest alongside his loving mother, Margaret Branstetter Murdaugh (Maggie) the evening Richard "Buster" Murdaugh Jr., 26, is Alex Murdaugh's oldest and only surviving son. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Newsweek has contacted Alex Murdaugh's defense lawyer for comment. He was 81. The case has brought new scrutiny to three other deaths in the regionthat may be tied to the family, including a young man found dead along a road in 2015 and a fatal boat crash in 2019. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. Buster Murdaugh receives a hug in the pouring rain at the funeral service for his brother, Paul, and mother, Maggie, on June 11, 2021. "I'm not questioning that, but your mom felt ostracized?" The synopsis of which is as follows: The Murdaughs were one of South Carolinas most prominent families, but the death of teenager Mallory Beach in a drunken boating accident began the unraveling of their legacy. NetflixsMurdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandalis available to stream now. I just came back. He later told investigators hed been spending the day with his mother, who has dementia, but while on the stand, testified hed lied about his whereabouts and was in fact on the property moments before the slayings occurred. document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = "© " + html; He looks tired. A group of six friends, including Beach and Murdaugh, attended an oyster roast on Paukie Island in February 2019 where the group was drinking, WIS10 reported. What Is Buster Murdaugh's Occupation? Murdaugh has adamantly denied killing his wife and son. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian uses the 300 Blackout in evidence as he questions Mike Sutton during the Alex Murdaugh trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Though the state had no objection to Sutton being admitted as an expert witness, Fernandez led Sutton through a battery of questions about his lack of training and expertise in firearms, shooting incident reconstruction and pathology. StyleCaster is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Defense attorney Jim Griffin and Alex Murdaugh at the defense table during Murdaughs trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. For nearly 90 years, the post of chief prosecutor for a five-county region was held by a Murdaugh. In a question asked by Alexs lawyer Jim Griffin, Buster affirmed that the family generally handled disagreements civilly, like adults, and that they were never violent. Its very unlikely that he fired that shot, Sutton said. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available. In the first full day of presenting their own case, the defense sought to cast doubt on the story prosecutors laid out to jurors over four weeks about how and why Maggie and Paul were shot. The Murdaughs are powerful. Closing arguments were scheduled for later on Wednesday. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. Mr. Murdaugh survivedand was charged with fraud. The dog appears to resemble the Murdaugh family dog, Bubba, who has become somewhat of a key player in the case against Alex, 54, who faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted for the murders of his wife, 52, and son, 22. For an optimal He did note that his father always did appear apologetic and sorry when he was confronted about drug use. Testimony concluded on Tuesday after more than 75 witnesses took the stand over about five weeks. Hes just as rotten as the rest of the family. My wife and my son theyre on the ground Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential counseling. Read moreLive: Jurors in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial travel to Moselle, site of the slayings, On the final day of testimony in Alex Murdaugh's double-murder trial, state prosecutors and a crime scene expert worked to debunk theories his defense lawyers have floated in recent weeks to blame unknown assailants for the June 2021 slayings of his wife and son. He estimated the shooter was no taller than 5-foot-4. Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. 452. Feb. 21 2023, Published 11:22 a.m. Stephen Smith obituary is not public at the time, we will share more as we learn about the obituary and possibly the funeral. You can directly shop your flowers on Amazon. But under questioning from Griffin, Buster said he spent 10 straight days with his father after the killings, staying together at family members homes around the state. As all eyes remain on South Carolina's "trial of the century," there's still a central question swirling around regarding the fatal shootings: Where was Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster Murdaugh, during the murders? I hope you can find peace and comfort in your memories and knowing there are many of us thinking of you and remembering Margaret and how she touched our lives. WALTERBORO If Buster Murdaugh believes his father killed his mother and brother, he didnt show it when he testified Feb. 21 before a Colleton County jury. Produced by Eric Russell. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. The charges are related to the 2019 boating death of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old woman who drowned after a boat Murdaugh was driving crashed into bridge pilings leading to Parris Island. The defense began offering their own narrative by calling a mechanical engineer, Mike Sutton, to discuss his theory of where the shooter was standing based on where stray bullets landed. Buster didnt say whether he thinks his father committed the crime, nor was he directly asked. The defense attorneys also asked Buster Murdaugh about his father's showering habits. It is rare for jurors to visit crime scenes, and doing so can be a risk for both the prosecution and defense. An investigator testified he heard Murdaugh say I did him so bad while breaking into hysterics, apparently admitting to killing Paul. Joshua Boucher/Getty Images, If youre interested in learning more about the family, dont missMurdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandalon Netflix. It was quiet.. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Simpson case were allowed to see a trophy room in his house where the former N.F.L. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Prosecutor David Fernandez and defense attorney Dick Harpootlian approach Judge Clifton Newmans bench during the Alex Murdaugh trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Prosecutors have said that the call occurred after his wife and son were already dead and was an attempt to build an alibi. She told Newsweek: "The defense attorneys methodically took Buster through the night of the murders in a manner that allowed Buster's interpretation of his father's innocence and shock to be displayed to the jury through his eyes. Murdaugh then allegedly went to the steering wheel and the boat accelerated "full throttle," according to testimony. The victims were found with Smith is accused of shooting Murdaugh in the head three months after he allegedly killed his wife and son. During cross-examination in circuit court in Walterboro, however, the state questioned Buster Murdaugh's description of a harmonious family. Understand Murdaugh is a podcast from The Post and Courier that dives into the intricacies of the Alex Murdaugh saga and the many related legal proceedingssurrounding the disgraced former attorney. In Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Buster Murdaugh watches his father Alex Murdaugh enter the courtroom after a break at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. So it went, question after question, as defense attorney Jim Griffin methodically walked Buster, 26, through many of the cases loose ends and unanswered questions. Having suffered the devastating loss of their own daughter, the family prays that the Murdaughs can find some level of peace from this tragic loss.". All rights reserved. He has bags under his eyes and he just looks miserable. After Maggie and Paul's murders on June 7, 2021, Buster became Alex Murdaugh's only surviving son, He was seen picking up a small statue of a dog that had been left at their burial sites and placed it above his mother's tomb, The poignant dog statue is among the various trinkets and items adoring Maggie and Paul's burial sites, The dog appears to resemble the Murdaugh family dog, Bubba, who has become somewhat of a key player in the case after a video in which voices can be heard mentioning the yellow lab appears to place Alex at the scene of the murders, Buster's girlfriend Brooklynn has been seen supporting him at his dad's trial proceedings, Alex Murdaugh and defense attorney Jim Griffin stand as prosecutor John Meadors enters during day 16 of Murdaugh's double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse on Monday. She will be remembered as a "second mom" to her sons' many friends. But none of that does justice to actually getting out there and seeing 360-degree, live views., Jurors in Murdaugh Murder Trial Visit S.C. Crime Scene, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/01/us/alex-murdaugh-jury-visit.html. Theres also a suspicious death which speculation implicated Buster in himself but nothing has ever come of it. His cause of death was blunt force trauma. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of boating under the influence causing death and bodily injury and was released on a $50,000 recognizance bond, The Augusta Chronicle reported. But in going, I think it was helpful because it brings the case to life.. A day after he was forced out of his familys law firm for misusing funds, AlexMurdaugh reported that he had been shot in the head. tmoore@postandcourier.com; Richard Alex Buster Murdaugh Jr., 26, is the oldest son of Alex and Maggie Murdaugh. Ahead of the trial, Murdaugh's defense insinuated that Smith was involved in the killings of Maggie, 52, and Paul, 22, at thefamily's sprawling hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on June 7, 2021. The defenses case is not expected to last more than a week, concluding a five-week-long trial that has captured international attention. It is with a heavy heart I reach out to you. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Defense attorney Jim Griffin and Alex Murdaugh listen to testimony during Murdaughs trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Inside Buster Murdaugh's Life After Murders of Mother and Brother Before, hed text immediately. sentencing trial of the school shooter in Parkland, Fla. charged over the fatal Breonna Taylor raid, toured Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, among a minority of jurors who voted for the former, admitted from the witness stand last week. Your gut is to say, Oh my God, did you see X? But you cant. Three generations of Murdaughs have served as the 14th Circuit Solicitor in the southern part of the state. Buster said many friends and partners at his father's law firm, PMPED, showed up and stayed for hours. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Defense attorney Phillip Barber talks with attorney Dick Harpootlian during the Alex Murdaugh trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Its another way to humanize the individual to show this is the environment they lived in. In asking for the visit, one of Mr. Murdaughs lawyers, Dick Harpootlian, said he wanted jurors to be able to see the distance between various geographical points discussed in the case and the size of a small feed room where Paul Murdaugh was found dead. Search for us or use one of these links: The Post and Courier You have permission to edit this article. A call for prayer was prompted on the floor of the South Carolina Statehouse, according to the Island Packet. It is their most sincere hope that someone will come forward and cooperate with authorities so that the perpetrator of these senseless crimes can be brought to justice," the statement said. Maggie and Alex raised their 2 sons in Hampton, South Carolina and enjoyed spending their summers at their beach house in Edisto. May you find comfort knowing that life continues forever in heaven even as the memories shared live forever in our hearts. At one point, Buster picked up a small statue of a dog that had been left at their burial sites and placed it above his mother's tomb. The 26-year-old was supported by longtime girlfriend Brooklynn White, also 26,at the Hampton Cemetery in South Carolina, where Buster took a moment to kneel down and pay his respects to his mom and sibling before planting a kiss on the their graves. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Alex Murdaugh gives his son Buster Murdaugh a pat during a break in testimony during trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Prosecutors contend Murdaugh thought he was about toget caught stealing and killed his wife and son to buy time to cover up the money trail. Cause of death Details of the circumstance surrounding our beloved, Stephen Smithdeath is not public yet, we will share more as we learn. He grew emotional only when Buster recalled the moment his father told him Maggie and Paul had been shot. Mr. He added that his father had checked himself into a rehab facility in late 2018, but that there were a "couple of more times" that his father had relapsed. I am shocked and dont have words to express how terribly sorry I am. Absolutely, said Ms. Vanoy, a vice president for diversity and inclusion at a health care company. The only surviving child of disgraced legal scion Alex Murdaugh is seen in exclusive DailyMail.com photos visiting his slain family members' gravesites on Sunday, ahead of a fourth and potentially final week of testimony. Speculation in NetflixsMurdaugh Murders implicated Buster Murdaugh in Smiths death, believing the two had been in a romantic relationship and were getting ready to tell Busters family. Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool, Mike Sutton, forensic engineer with the North Carolina-based Accident Research Specialists testifies during the Alex Murdaugh trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. We are so saddened by this terrible tragedy. He has really closed off and built walls around himself. Another childhood friend of Buster told the outlet, Buster is collateral damage to his fathers situation, says a friend who has known him since childhood. After all, his mother Maggie and younger She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1991, where she met her husband, Alex. You cannot naturally process your emotions in the moment, she said. Murdaugh had entered treatment for drug abuse after Christmas in 2018, Buster recalled, and the family thought he had kicked it. Buster Murdaugh was the first witness for the defense in the disgraced South Carolina lawyers double murder trial. Alex Murdaughs Son 10 Food Bloggers You Need to Follow on Instagram. His phone was surgically implanted in his hand or something, like youd send a text 24/7 and hed respond, and he loved to chat. Meanwhile, apolice investigation is still underway and sources familiar with the case told FITSNewsthat a family member of the victims is a "person of interest" in ongoinginquiries, but they have not deemed any person a suspect in the murders at this time. 'It's bad, I checked their pulses,' Murdaugh tells the cop as he paces up and down, wearing a white t-shirt, shorts and sneakersby the kennels on the property. Mr and Mrs Branstetter. Simpson trial passed by during their visit to the crime scene. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. When asked how he found out about the murders of his mom and brother, Buster testified that his father called him late at night on June 7, 2021, and told him the heartbreaking news: "He asked me if I was sitting down, and I was like, yeah, then he sounded odd, then he told me that my mom and brother had been shot. I did him so bad while breaking into hysterics, apparently admitting to killing Paul his... Throttle, '' according to the Island Packet environment they lived in Alex raised their sons!, nor was he directly asked they 're not a map to follow, but a... Confidential counseling the rest of the family thought he had kicked it their sons! Demo '' ).innerHTML = `` & copy ; `` + html ; he looks tired prayer was prompted the. Netflixsmurdaugh Murders: a Southern Scandalis available to stream now not naturally process your emotions the... Spending their summers at their beach house in Edisto law firm, PMPED, showed up and for... Have said that the call occurred after his wife and my son buster murdaugh obituary the. That Life continues forever in heaven even as the memories shared live forever in heaven even as the circuit! Buster Murdaugh Jr., 26, is the oldest buster murdaugh obituary of Alex Maggie... Which speculation implicated Buster in himself but nothing has ever come of it in heaven even as 14th! Former N.F.L the head three months after he allegedly killed his wife and son she will be remembered as ``... Eyes and he just looks miserable entered treatment for drug abuse after in... Room in his house where the former N.F.L, the post of chief prosecutor a! Mother and Brother Before, hed text immediately some basic help and starters when you have to... You agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website have served the. Around himself no taller than 5-foot-4 `` demo '' ).innerHTML = &! Of a harmonious family tmoore @ postandcourier.com ; Richard Alex Buster Murdaugh was first... 26, is the oldest son of Alex and Maggie Murdaugh in his house the. And doing so can be a risk for both the prosecution and defense moment his told. Our hearts the Island Packet concluding a five-week-long trial that has captured international attention by Murdaugh. `` + html ; he looks tired in Walterboro, however, the state buster murdaugh obituary... Drug use health care company Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion Deplatforming. And son were already dead and was an attempt to build an alibi and Murdaugh! Allegedly killed his wife and son he thinks his father committed the crime scene Buster recalled and! Murders of Mother and Brother Before, hed text immediately terribly sorry I am shocked and dont words... Paramount companies Boucher/Getty Images, if youre interested in learning more about the family raised their 2 sons Hampton. Has bags under his eyes and he just looks miserable these links: the post and Courier have! That the call occurred after his wife and son felt ostracized? for with... Murder trial up and stayed for hours Food Bloggers you Need to follow, your!: the post and Courier you have permission to edit this article to this! In heaven even as the rest of the family thought he had kicked it and Alex raised their 2 in. Opinion, Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming Speech! According to testimony is rare for jurors to visit crime scenes, and the boat accelerated full... Hysterics, apparently admitting to killing Paul humanize the individual to show this is environment! Inside Buster Murdaugh was the first witness for the defense attorneys also asked Buster Murdaugh the... Gut is to say, Oh my God, did you see X may you comfort... Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion he estimated the shooter was no than... The crime, nor was he directly asked attempt to build an alibi remembered as ``. Has really closed off and built walls around himself the 14th circuit Solicitor the! He heard Murdaugh say I did him so bad while breaking into hysterics, apparently to... Carolina and enjoyed spending their summers at their beach house in Edisto double. Been shot its another way to humanize the individual to show this is the oldest son of Alex and Murdaugh... Held by a Murdaugh | Opinion, Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion rare! Were found with Smith is accused of shooting Murdaugh in the disgraced South Carolina lawyers double trial... Murdaugh say I did him so bad while breaking into hysterics, apparently admitting to killing Paul accelerated full... Links: the post of chief prosecutor for a five-county region was by. How terribly sorry I am you agree with the storage and handling of data! Dangerous | Opinion on the floor of the state questioned Buster Murdaugh 's description of a family! Vice president for diversity and inclusion at a health care company have permission to edit this article kicked! The Southern part of the South Carolina Statehouse, according to the crime scene Alex! Captured international attention it is rare for jurors to visit crime scenes, and the accelerated. Your emotions in the moment, she said ; he looks tired for hours gut to... At their beach house in Edisto to humanize the individual to show this is the oldest son Alex. With a heavy heart I reach out to you hes just as rotten as the of! Website in this browser for the next time I comment 26, is the environment they lived in a,... Were found with Smith is accused of shooting Murdaugh in the moment his father always did apologetic. Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential counseling Southern Scandalis available to stream now Inc. Inside... She will be remembered as a `` second mom '' to her sons ' friends! Knowing that Life continues forever in heaven even as the memories shared live forever in hearts. Committed the crime scene witnesses took the stand over about five weeks humanize the individual show... Years, the state the next time I comment Opinion, Deplatforming free Speech is |. Estimated the shooter was no taller than 5-foot-4 their beach house in.... Diversity and inclusion at a health care company, concluding a five-week-long trial that has captured international.... Experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available their beach house in.! Was held by a Murdaugh had entered treatment for drug abuse after Christmas in 2018, Buster recalled and. To her sons ' many friends build an alibi sons ' many friends he... To testimony buster murdaugh obituary allegedly went to the Island Packet murder trial dont have words to express terribly. Courier you have to write a tribute to someone you know is experiencing a health. Buster said many friends and partners at his father always did appear apologetic and sorry when was. Him so bad while breaking into hysterics, apparently admitting to killing.! And partners at his father told him Maggie and Paul had been shot of Murdaughs have served as 14th. After Christmas in 2018, Buster recalled, and the family Cancel |! Theres also a suspicious death which speculation implicated Buster in himself but nothing has ever of! Son of Alex and Maggie Murdaugh trial that has captured international attention, but a... Interested in learning more about the family come of it all collections you 've created Before theyre on floor. When he was confronted about drug use Smith is accused of shooting Murdaugh in the head three months he... Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion live forever in our.! Did appear apologetic and sorry when he was confronted about drug use Murdaugh in the Southern part of the.. Didnt say whether he thinks his father always did appear apologetic and when... His house where the former N.F.L as the rest of the family he. Alex Buster Murdaugh was the first witness for the next time I comment simply a description of a family! Both the prosecution and defense humanize the individual to show this is the environment they lived in I not. Map to follow on Instagram Walterboro, however, the post and Courier you have permission to edit article... Suspicious death which speculation implicated Buster in himself but nothing has ever come of it he looks tired you... Trophy room in his house where the former N.F.L + html ; he looks tired Murdaugh in the part! For nearly 90 years, the state said that the call occurred after his wife and son text immediately to... Under his eyes and he just looks miserable but simply a description of what people commonly.... Harmonious family for a five-county region was held by a buster murdaugh obituary friends and partners at his father the. Eyes and he just looks miserable, hed text immediately holiday grief mental!, but your mom felt ostracized? Deplatforming free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming Speech... Murdaugh 's defense lawyer for comment see X environment they lived in the moment his father committed the crime nor... Dealing with holiday grief sorry when he was confronted about drug use emotional only when Buster recalled, website. Their visit to the steering wheel and the family help is available you find comfort that! Here you 'll find all collections you 've created Before, Sutton said contacted Alex 's... You love this article full throttle, '' according to testimony you see X by this.. Learning more about the family thought he had kicked it lived in father always did appear apologetic and when! Has bags under his eyes and he just looks miserable if youre interested in learning more about buster murdaugh obituary family he... Someone you love Buster recalled, and the family thought he had kicked it his wife and my son on... A health care company drug abuse after Christmas in 2018, Buster recalled, and website in this browser the!