Prosecution reveals new timeline in Murdaugh killings

By Martin Savidge and Jade Gordon, CNN

In court documents filed earlier this week, South Carolina prosecutors provided insight into what could be a key issue for the defense in Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial: the time of death of the victims.

Alex Murdaugh is charged with the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul Murdaugh, whose bodies were discovered on the family property in rural Colleton County on June 7, 2021.

Prosecutors noted the mother and son were killed between 8:30 p.m. and 10:06 p.m. Previously, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division had reported the deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Murdaugh, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, said he found the bodies and reported the grim discovery in an emotional 911 call from the same property at 10:07 p.m., according to police records.

The court filing did not explain the new timeline. CNN has reached out to Murdaugh’s attorneys for comment.

In an August hearing, it was revealed that video and audio obtained from Paul Murdaugh’s phone captured a conversation between Alex Murdaugh and his wife and son that took place at Moselle, the property where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh’s bodies were found. That would place Alex Murdaugh at the property and the crime scene at the time of the recording, which was at 8:44 p.m.

Prosecutors said at a hearing last week that Alex Murdaugh fired up his car and left the property at 9:06 p.m. for Alameda, where his father lived. The 911 call at 10:07 p.m. was made from the Moselle property, police records show.

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CNN’s Randi Kaye contributed to this report.