Alex Murdaugh isn’t happy with Hulu’s docudrama about his life and crimes. The convicted lawyer serving two life sentences for the deaths of his wife (Maggie Murdaugh) and son (Paul Murdaugh) spoke from behind bars, expressing displeasure with his portrayal in Murdaugh: Death in the Family. He condemned the series for relying heavily on sensationalized accounts from secondary sources that mischaracterized his family life.
The disgraced lawyer said the show’s creators didn’t reach out to him or anyone in the Murdaugh family to verify facts. Accused of killing his wife and son to cover up his financial crimes, Alex Murdaugh pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes ranging from money laundering to bank and wire fraud. He insists he’s innocent of his wife’s and son’s deaths, but was found guilty of two counts of murder in March 2023. Here are facts the true crime drama got wrong about the former attorney and his family.
The Murdaughs Didn’t Embark On A Lavish Vacation After The Boat Accident
Each episode of the crime drama begins with a disclaimer asserting that actual events inspire the series, while noting that certain parts have been fictionalized solely for dramatic purposes. Although viewers are cautioned not to regard the characters portrayed as a reflection of any actual person or entity, Death in the Family’s depiction of the Murdaughs in a lavish vacation after the boat accident that claimed Mallory Beach’s life is a disservice to the family.
It’s despicable that the Murdaughs tried to frame Connor Cook for the accident in a desperate bid to protect their son (Paul) from facing the consequences of his reckless lifestyle, which caused the boat crash. But does that justify depicting the family on a vacation after the unfortunate accident? Yes, the family once took a vacation to the Bahamas, but that didn’t happen after the accident. In real life, the Bahamas vacation came two years before the fatal boat accident in February 2019.
Gloria Satterfield Didn’t Comfort Paul After The Boat Crash
Murdaugh: Death in the Family features a scene that shows Gloria Satterfield (Kathleen Wilhoite) consoling Paul (Johnny Berchtold) after the boat crash. This didn’t happen in real life. Gloria was the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper for at least two decades. She might have had a good relationship with Paul, but she wasn’t around to console him after the 2019 accident. She died the previous year following a fall at the Murdaugh home.
After Maggie and Paul’s murders in 2021, the circumstances around Gloria’s death were subjected to speculation. It was suggested in various quarters that her death may not have been an accident. Alex Murdaugh collected over $4 million in insurance settlements without informing her family. This fueled the speculations about Gloria’s death, compelling the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to open a criminal investigation into her death in September 2021. At the end, no one was charged for Gloria’s death.
Buster Murdaugh Was Never Formally Accused Of Stephen Smith’s Death
The docudrama also featured the death of Stephen Smith, a teenage nursing student found dead near the Murdaughs’ home in 2015. Just like Gloria, the unresolved mystery around Stephen’s death resurfaced after Maggie and Paul’s murders. Alex Murdaugh’s oldest son (Buster Murdaugh) was rumored to have a hand in the homicide. The unverified claims suggested that Buster attacked and killed Stephen because of his sexuality.
Exploring the story, Death in the Family reiterates Buster’s possible involvement in the death of his former classmate. While the show’s approach reflects a popular notion linking Buster to Stephen’s death, an accurate narrative would have stressed that Buster was never charged or questioned. So far, there is no evidence connecting Buster to the crime. He reinforced that fact in a March 2023 statement issued through his lawyer.
“I have tried my best to ignore the vicious rumors about my involvement in Stephen Smith’s tragic death that continue to be published in the media as I grieve over the brutal murders of my mother and brother,” reads the statement. “This has gone on far too long. These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.” Check out what Monster Season 3 got wrong about Ed Gein.
