Alex Murdaugh faced victims of his vast financial crimes in a Beaufort County courtroom Tuesday as he was sentenced to 27 years in prison as part of a plea deal. The agreement whittles down more than 100 state charges and spares the victims, spanning several counties, lengthy and expensive trials.
The state now estimates Murdaugh, a once high-profile attorney from a powerful legal family, swindled more than $12 million dollars over a decade. He stole from personal injury clients, colleagues, his law firm, friends, even his brother.
Many of the victims were seriously hurt or lost loved ones to accidents. They waited for settlement money to pay hospital bills or support grieving families. But the checks they received paled in comparison to the money Murdaugh pocketed, and in some cases, never came.
The victims
Sandra Taylor was killed in a drunk driving crash, leaving three children behind. Prosecutor Creighton Waters says her mother went to Murdaugh for help because she’d heard “he was the best in town.” But the now disbarred attorney told her he could only get $30,000 dollars, $10,000 for each child.
“And she believed him because like many people, $30,000 is a lot of money,” Waters told the judge during sentencing.
Murdaugh settled the case for more than $180,000. The family never knew he kept most of the money.
And that’s how it worked. Vulnerable clients didn’t question the influential attorney who prosecutors said had an “insatiable need for cash”. They were grateful to get a check. But some never saw a dime.
Gloria Satterfield was the Murdaugh family’s long-time housekeeper who died following a mysterious fall at their home. At her funeral, Murdaugh promised Satterfield’s sons he would take care of them by suing his insurance company. He stole the entire settlement, roughly $4 million. They never knew until Murdaugh made headlines for another crime.
Satterfield's son Tony stared at Murdaugh in court Tuesday and calmly said he forgives him. Still, he struggles to understand why.
“You betrayed me and my family and everybody else,” said Satterfield. “And you did it at the cost of my mom’s death.”
Then, Satterfield’s sister Ginger Hadwin confronted Murdaugh.
“Did you not have a soul? I don’t get it Alex,” said Hadwin. “And I thank God maybe that I don’t understand it."
Murdaugh’s childhood friend Jordan Jinks grasped for words and choked back tears as he faced the man, he’d trusted. He turned to Murdaugh for help following a car crash that left him seriously injured.
“What kind of animal are you?", Jinks asked.
“The money you stole from me you could have asked me for it, and I would have given it to you. That’s how I felt about you and your family.”
Jinks said he couldn’t believe it when Murdaugh was convicted earlier this year of murdering his wife and son in June of 2021. Prosecutors argued Murdaugh was a desperate man at the time, that his decade long financial crime spree was caving in.
“After sitting here today and hearing some of the devious things you did to people, these victims here, it changed my mind bro,” Jinks said.
Murdaugh's apology
Several more victims spoke during the day long sentencing before Murdaugh stood to face them with one unshackled hand that at times gripped notes.
“I hope that the time will come when you can look back and know that despite the things that I did, I care about each one of you,” Murdaugh said.
For nearly an hour, Murdaugh offered a meandering apology for doing, “terrible things”. He said he suffered from a drug addiction.
Murdaugh told his son Buster, who was not in the courtroom, he's sorry for the attacks he’s endured in the press and on social media. He apologized to other immediate family and to those who loved his deceased wife Maggie and son Paul.
“Because I know that the things that I did, that I’m pleading guilty here today, allowed SLED and the Attorney General’s office to focus on me and not pursue the person or people who hurt and killed Maggie and Paw-paw (Paul)."
While Murdaugh pleaded guilty to charges involving theft, he again adamantly denied killing his wife and son, despite a conviction earlier this year following an intense, six-week long trial. He's currently seeking a new murder trial claiming jury tampering by the Colleton County clerk of court.
Tuesday’s sentencing ensures Murdaugh will remain in state custody even if his murder convictions are tossed out. He has agreed not to appeal and must serve at least 85% of his 27-year sentence. He's 55-years-old.
What's next ?
Murdaugh still faces charges following a roadside shooting in which he’s accused of trying to stage his own death. And, he has yet to be sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to similar financial crimes charges.
No word on who will preside over Murdaugh's future court matters. Judge Clifton Newman was appointed in 2021 to hear his cases but retires at year’s end.
“After imposing this sentence, your life will continue,” Judge Newman told Murdaugh. “I will turn the page and leave you behind.”
“You're quite an enigma,” Judge Newman said. “A person that many of us thought we knew.”
Judge Newman then recalled the last time he saw Murdaugh before he was jailed. He said it was during a conference in which Murdaugh was poolside, “having a good time”. It was just a couple months after the murders of Maggie and Paul.
