Lawyer’s finances restricted in suit

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A judge on Tuesday ordered independent representatives to take over the finances of a prominent South Carolina lawyer whose wife and son were killed five months ago and has since found himself part of a half-dozen state investigations and a number of lawsuits.

Judge Daniel Hall sided with an attorney suing Alex Murdaugh on behalf of the family of a 19-year-old woman killed in a crash on Murdaugh’s boat that prosecutors said his late son was driving and filed criminal charges.

The family’s lawsuit says Murdaugh is trying to hide millions of dollars they could possibly collect in their lawsuit and he could shift money between unknown accounts and potentially sell off property and a boat after he turned all his affairs over to his surviving son, Buster Murdaugh.

“They have refused from day one to give me any information,” attorney Mark Tinsley said.

John Tiller, a lawyer for Murdaugh, argued at a hearing before the judge that his client has not been found responsible in any civil suits since his wife and son were killed and has insurance to cover if he is required to pay damages.

Murdaugh, 53, remains in the Richland County jail without bond after being charged with stealing nearly $3 million in insurance payments meant for the sons of his housekeeper, who died in a 2018 fall in his home. His legal team did not immediately respond to a request to comment on Tuesday’s ruling.

Remaining unsolved now for nearly five months are the deaths of Murdaugh’s wife, Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22.