Buckle up because this story is absolutely insane!
A very prominent lawyer in South Carolina was arrested this week for allegedly planning his death so that his 25-year-old son would receive a hefty life insurance payout — just three months after the fatal shooting of his wife and other son.
On Thursday morning, Alex Murdaugh turned himself into the Hampton County Detention Center for the incident and was charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report. Authorities believe he conspired with his former client, Curtis Edward Smith, to help him commit suicide so that his surviving son, Buster Murdaugh, could collect $10 million in life insurance.
The acquaintance allegedly attempted to shoot Murdaugh in the head with a gun provided by the attorney while he changed a tire on the side of the road on September 4. However, Alex somehow survived the shooting with the bullet only grazing his head. The father initially lied to the police, claiming he got shot by some random man riding in a blue pickup truck. But Murdaugh eventually confessed to police on Monday that he had created this elaborate scheme.
His attorneys claimed on Today that Alex was extremely depressed and struggled with a drug addiction following the murders of his wife, Margaret Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh. FYI, Paul was facing charges of drunk driving a boat that crashed and killed a 19-year-old woman in 2019 at the time. In case you didn’t know, the mother-son duo was shot dead outside of the family’s home in Islandton back in June. No suspects have been arrested in the case, and he has denied any involvement.
In an attempt to “do something to protect” Buster, Murdaugh concocted the hitman plan after believing his son would not obtain the $10 million if he died by suicide. His lawyers said:
“On September 4, it became clear Alex believed that ending his life was his only option. Today, he knows that’s not true. It was an attempt on his part to do something to protect his child.”
They further claimed that Smith took advantage of Murdaugh’s mental health and addiction, explaining:
“For the last 20 years, there have been many people feeding his addiction to opioids. During that time, these individuals took advantage of his addiction and his ability to pay substantial funds for illegal drugs. One of those individuals took advantage of his mental illness and agreed to take Alex’s life, by shooting him in the head.”
According to CNN, the 61-year-old accomplice was charged with assisted suicide, assault, and battery of a high and aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.
And this is where the whole thing gets even more interesting…
This latest development now places Murdaugh at the center of multiple investigations. One day before the hitman scheme, Murdaugh resigned from his law firm after he was accused of allegedly misappropriating funds. Two days after the shooting, he released a statement saying his law license was suspended:
“The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I’m resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders. I am immensely sorry to everyone I’ve hurt including my family, friends, and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.”
But that’s not all…
In another twist on Wednesday, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division opened a criminal investigation into the 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaugh’s housekeeper, who died in an alleged “trip-and-fall” accident. According to the Dailymail.com, the Hampton County Coroner requested that SLED investigate the employee’s death after it was not reported to the coroner’s office at the time, and her manner of death was listed as “natural,” which was “inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident.” They also reportedly found other unidentified inconsistencies during SLED’s investigation into Alex Murdaugh.
After gathering information on the deaths of Margaret and Paul, authorities also re-opened a new inquiry into the unsolved death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, whose body was found dead down the road from the Murdaugh home in 2015.
Wow, you really cannot help but think that all of these cases are somehow connected — and that Alex may have something to do with it all. What are your reactions to this bizarre legal matter, Perezcious readers? Sound OFF with your thoughts in the comments (below).
[Image via Hampton County Detention Center]
The post South Carolina Lawyer Hired Hitman To Kill Him For Insurance Money — Amid Mystery Of His Wife & Son’s Murders… appeared first on Perez Hilton.
