Murdaugh housekeeper death probed
One twist after another
Authorities opened an investigation into the mysterious death of a longtime housekeeper of disgraced South Carolina legal scion Alex Murdaugh — as his attorney claimed a probe into the murders of Murdaugh’s wife and son was centering on a suspect.
Gloria Satterfield, 57, died in February 2018 after “a trip-and-fall accident” in the Murdaugh home, where she had worked for more than 20 years and was treated like “part of the Murdaugh family,” a lawsuit filed by her sons said.
More than 3 ½ years later, “the exact details of the fall remain unclear,” even to the housekeeper’s sons and heirs, says the Hampton County lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division opened a criminal investigation into Satterfield’s death Wednesday after being told by the local medical examiner that her “death was not reported to the coroner at the time, nor was an autopsy performed,”
documents show.
“On the death certificate, the manner of death was ruled ‘Natural,’ which is inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip-and-fall accident,” Hampton County Coroner Angela Topper wrote in a letter to law-enforcement officials.
Murdaugh — who on Monday allegedly confessed to a “suicide” plot to be shot dead to enable his surviving son to collect a $10 million life-insurance payout — told Satterfield’s family “he was going to take care” of her sons and sue himself to collect on personal-liability insurance he had with Lloyd’s of London, court records show.
As part of the claim, “Alex
Murdaugh admitted that he was at fault” over Satterfield’s death and “told his insurer that there was no defense to the claim and that the claim must be paid,” the lawsuit says.
Murdaugh reached a settlement in December 2018 to pay $500,000 liability and $5,000 medical costs to Satterfield’s sons, Brian Harriott and Tony Satterfield, court documents from the time show.
“To date, Tony and Brian have not received any monies from any claims or settlements with Murdaugh and his insurance carriers following their mother’s death,” their attorney, Eric Bland, claimed in Wednesday’s suit.
Earlier Wednesday, Murdaugh’s attorney blamed the prominent South Carolina lawyer’s opioid addiction and depression for the alleged plot to have himself killed.
The attorney, Dick Harpootlian, told NBC’s “Today” on Wednesday that Murdaugh did not murder his wife and son in a June shooting — and that an investigation led by Murdaugh’s attorneys is centering on a potential suspect.