There are some crimes that grab the public’s attention, and these fascinating tales are often made into television series. Whether it’s Hulu’s recent The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox or Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story, these shows dive deeper into the real-life cases they’re based on, and we simply can’t turn away. However, most television adaptations do need to take some liberties when telling their stories, and it can sometimes be difficult to discern what’s entirely fact and what’s fiction. Hulu’s newest miniseries, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, dives into the shocking real-life story that gripped the nation. Here’s everything you need to know about the actual facts of this twisted case.
‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’ Tackles Two Shocking Murders
The Murdaugh family once dominated Hampton County, South Carolina, where generations of patriarchs had served as prosperous lawyers, but an impressive legacy established over many decades came to a screeching halt when Alex Murdaugh’s (Jason Clarke) wife, Margaret “Maggie” (Patricia Arquette), and their son Paul (Johnny Berchtold), were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds at their home on June 7, 2021. Alex reported that he had discovered the bodies. He and his remaining son, Buster (Will Harrison), set up a $100,000 reward for information regarding the murders. In a major twist, Alex called 911 on September 4, claiming he had been shot in the head. However, the injury turned out to be minor, and Curtis “Eddie” Smith (Mark Pellegrino), Alex’s distant cousin, was arrested shortly after for helping Alex orchestrate the shooting incident. Investigators would learn that Alex had a habit of constructing tragic events in his life to deflect from his troubles.
Alex seemed to be falling even further into a hole when his wife and son’s murder investigation led straight back to him. Law enforcement believed his motives for the killing perhaps revolved around his family potentially discovering he had been embezzling money and was in extreme debt. Alex surrendered to the police on September 16, and with a slew of other charges (including fraud and tax evasion), it became clear that the Murdaugh family legacy had ended in disgrace. Alex was ultimately found guilty of Maggie and Paul’s murders on March 2, 2023, after the jury deliberated for a mere three hours. The next day, he was sentenced to life in prison, with a life sentence for each murder to be served consecutively. But that was nowhere near the end of Alex’s legal troubles. He was also sentenced to another 27-year prison sentence for state financial charges. A federal judge then sentenced Alex to another 40 years in prison for additional financial charges.
The Murdaugh Family Was Connected to Other Mysterious Deaths
For years before the murders, the Murdaugh family had been using their impressive wealth to live rather lavishly. Maggie was proud of her designer clothing and purses, and they had expensive homes, where they threw over-the-top parties. Many in Hampton County observed that the eldest son, Paul, had a substance abuse problem and would often end up in destructive situations. He had crashed multiple cars, which his parents just replaced with no consequences. He also became violent and aggressive during these drinking bouts. This out-of-control behavior would end up leading to a tragic accident. On February 24, 2019, Paul and his friends took a boat out for a late-night ride. Paul, age 19 at the time, was heavily intoxicated, and the boat ended up crashing. The kids were thrown into the water and experienced serious injuries, and 19-year-old Mallory Beach was killed. Parents of the teens involved believed that aspects of the accident were covered up because of the Murdaughs’ influence in the town. Paul was charged with multiple felonies in April 2019, and was set to face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Just two short months later, Paul would be dead at the hands of his father.
The increased scrutiny of the Murdaugh family after the murders also led to investigations into two other deaths. In 2015, a 19-year-old named Stephen Smith was found dead on the side of the road in Hampton County. His death was ruled a hit-and-run, but some investigators thought that Stephen was actually murdered and just left in the road. Although nothing has been proven as yet, many believed that Buster was responsible for Stephen’s death. The case still remains open today. To add to the intriguing mystery of the Murdaugh family, in 2018, the Murdaughs’ housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, died after experiencing a fall at the Murdaugh home. There was already some suspicion about her death, but then her two sons ended up suing Alex for tricking them out of receiving settlement money totaling $4 million for their mother’s death. Her sons ended up giving powerful impact statements at Alex’s sentencing, speaking about how Alex had deceived them.
‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’ Explores Fascinating Themes of Wealth and Privilege
After Maggie and Paul’s murders, Alex’s world quickly crumbled around him. It was discovered that he had stolen millions of dollars from his legal clients. These individuals were often victims of horrific accidents who were seeking settlement money. He didn’t just swindle them; he ruined many of their lives. Alex ended up being disbarred, but his damaging behavior left a lasting wound for many individuals who had crossed his path. The Murdaugh story has been explored on television before, such as the Netflix documentary, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, and HBO’s Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty, but Hulu’s latest miniseries will explore even more of the compelling narrative of the family’s tragic, yet gripping story. How did a family that had everything fall so completely from grace?
Murdaugh: Death in the Family is an eight-episode series that not only digs into this stranger-than-fiction story, but also shows the true breadth of how many victims there were of the Murdaugh family’s misdeeds. With an impressive cast and propulsive storytelling, the series effectively illustrates the disastrous effects of addiction, privilege, and sociopathy — all of which were part of this very real story.
Murdaugh: Death in the Family is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. New episodes drop every Wednesday.
- Release Date
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2025 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Hulu
