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‘Murdaugh Murders’ doc examines the many deaths connected to powerful Southern family
For a full century, the Murdaugh family was famous in Hampton County, South Carolina, and the surrounding area, but largely unknown outside of that particular swath of Lowcountry land. Multiple generations of Murdaugh men held the powerful position of solicitor (aka the top prosecutor), and the clan’s reach extended far beyond the courtroom and into virtually every pocket of the county. They were wealthy, influential, privileged, and feared.
Over the last few years, the Murdaughs have become exponentially more well-known. Just a few months after the excellent HBO Max series “Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty” told of the stunning series of events that blew up the family, we’re getting the three-part Netflix documentary series “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” which covers the material in similar fashion.
The filmmakers rely on surveillance cameras, 911 calls, police bodycam footage, interviews with friends and associates of the Murdaughs and dramatic re-creations, all to tell the stories of five deaths and an attempted murder that occurred over the course of six years — and how various members of the Murdaugh family were directly connected or allegedly connected to each of those events.
Even if you’ve seen the HBO Max series and you’ve been following the current trial of Alex Murdaugh, the story is so incredible, so bizarre and so chilling that the Netflix doc makes for a compelling viewing experience.
The first episode focuses on the 2019 accident in which friends in their late teens were in a boat piloted by a heavily intoxicated Paul Murdaugh, who crashed into a bridge, injuring several passengers and killing 19-year-old Mallory Beach. We hear how Paul was a temperamental wild-card who felt he could get away with anything, and we see evidence of that as Paul’s father and grandfather wield their clout in the immediate aftermath of the crash.
Nevertheless, Paul Murdaugh was indicted on three felony counts of boating under the influence — but he was allowed out on bail and was often seen around town, having a good ol’ time.
This is just the beginning of the madness. On the night of June 7, 2021, Paul’s father, Alex Murdaugh, called 911 to report his wife, Maggie, and his son Paul had been fatally shot on his property. “It’s bad!” exclaims a hysterical Alex on the 911 recording.
Things turned even stranger just three months later when Murdaugh was shot in the head and claimed a stranger had tried to kill him, but soon admitted he had hired someone to take him out so his family could cash in his insurance policy. Turns out Murdaugh, a lawyer, had a serious opioid addiction and was swimming in financial trouble, having allegedly embezzled dozens of clients out of millions of dollars. Prosecutors accuse him of killing his wife and son to cover up a slew of financial misdeeds.
In the final episode, we learn of more suspicious events. On July 8, 2015, a man named Stephen Smith was found dead on a rural road. Evidence pointed to his being beaten to death. There were stories circulating about Smith’s association with Buster Murdaugh, older brother of Alex — but Buster has never been accused of any crime.
Then there’s the story of Gloria Satterfield, who had worked as a nanny and housekeeper for the Murdaughs for 20 years. In February of 2018, Gloria fell on the front steps of Alex Murdaugh’s home and subsequently died from her injuries. Ms. Satterfield’s family was to receive a $2.8 million settlement from Murdaugh and his insurers, but they never got a dime, and Murdaugh was charged with crimes related to the missing money.
By the end of the series, we come full circle and hear from Mallory’s friends, who are still reeling from everything that has happened in Hampton County. “I want to know what happened to Gloria,” says Morgan Doughty, Paul’s former girlfriend and Mallory’s friend. “I want to know who killed Paul and Maggie, and who killed Stephen. I still think Mr. Alex is hiding things, and if you ever meet him, I’m sure you’d get that feeling too.”