Protection floats a number of shooter concept as prosecutors give attention to interview with regulation enforcement at Alex Murdaugh’s homicide trial

“I did him so unhealthy.”

That is what a South Carolina investigator on Monday testified that Alex Murdaugh had uttered between sobs throughout a recorded interview three days after Murdaugh’s spouse and son had been killed.

However to others inside and out of doors the courtroom, it appeared like Murdaugh mentioned, “They did him so unhealthy,” on the audio from a police interview that was performed on the disgraced lawyer’s double homicide trial after he was requested a couple of image of his son’s physique.

Courtroom ended Monday earlier than the protection might cross-examine the agent.

Earlier within the day, protection attorneys continued to query the best way state authorities collected and analyzed proof within the taking pictures deaths of Murdaugh’s spouse and son.

Murdaugh, 54, is standing trial on two counts of homicide within the shootings of his spouse and son at their Colleton County dwelling and looking lodge on June 7, 2021. His spouse, Maggie, 52, was shot a number of instances with a rifle; their son Paul, 22, was shot twice with a shotgun close to kennels on the property. Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in jail if convicted.

Within the interview performed Monday, Murdaugh spoke to the state agent at his brother’s home for about an hour three days after the killings. Murdaugh’s lawyer was shut by.

Prosecutors paused the video a number of instances to offer State Regulation Enforcement Division Senior Particular Agent Jeff Croft an opportunity to emphasise a few of Murdaugh’s feedback. At one level, Murdaugh mentioned his spouse was dwelling hours earlier than the killings when he and his son returned from using across the property. Later within the interview, Murdaugh may very well be heard saying “It is simply so unhealthy,” earlier than the unclear remark that Croft mentioned appeared like Murdaugh was implying he had killed his son.

In court docket, Murdaugh appeared to shake his head no when Croft mentioned what he heard.

Murdaugh additionally broke into sobs on the 2021 recording after mentioning a small disagreement he had together with his spouse over visiting her household.

“She was a beautiful lady and a beautiful spouse. And he or she was a fantastic mom,” Murdaugh mentioned.

Monday began with cross-examination of one other state agent who testified at size about proof collected from the Murdaugh dwelling and property.

Equally to the earlier days of testimony, officers and crime scene technicians introduced proof to the jury that investigators will possible later clarify in additional element. Prosecutors described their case as a puzzle in final week’s opening assertion.

Whereas cross-examining witnesses, although, protection attorneys have requested questions suggesting the metaphorical puzzle items both aren’t clear or prosecutors aren’t placing all of them on the desk.

State Regulation Enforcement Division Particular Agent Melinda Worley testified Friday about pictures of the our bodies, shotgun pellets and DNA swabs from the scene in addition to garments and fingernail clippings from the autopsies.

In Monday’s cross-examination, protection lawyer Dick Harpootlian honed in on a number of gadgets, together with figuring out footprints, certainly one of Worley’s specialties. She informed him one of many footprints in blood close to the place Murdaugh’s son was shot got here from a deputy.

“Is that the preservation of the scene that your requirements require?” Harpootlian requested.

“Not precisely, no,” Worley responded.

Harpootlian additionally had Worley come off the stand and work on a tough diagram of the angles of the pictures fired at Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, declaring a big disparity between the instructions the pictures at every sufferer got here from.

Worley mentioned that may occur when a shooter is shifting.

“One clarification could be motion. One clarification could be two shooters,” Harpootlian mentioned.

Alex Murdaugh continued to rock and dab his eyes throughout extra graphic testimony, together with when Harpootlian confirmed a photograph of his spouse’s physique to ask Worley if there might have been a shoeprint on his spouse’s calf that was not formally documented because the scene was examined.

Worley mentioned she could not make certain.

Croft was one of many chief brokers investigating the double killings and in addition testified about weapons, ammunition, and fired casings gathered from the Murdaugh dwelling after the killings, exhibiting at the very least 4 totally different shotguns and rifles to the jury and testifying that the Murdaughs saved the weapons loaded of their gun room.

In his interview, Murdaugh informed Croft that his son was unfocused and would stick with household and pals throughout the state, leaving his possessions behind as an alternative of bringing them dwelling.

“He did that with garments, he did that with weapons, he did that with my boats,” Murdaugh mentioned.

Prosecutors of their opening assertion mentioned the weapons that killed Paul and Maggie Murdaugh haven’t been discovered, however markings on casings discovered across the dwelling that will have been used for goal apply matched casings discovered on the scene.

Alex Murdaugh additionally faces about 100 costs associated to accusations of cash laundering, stealing hundreds of thousands from purchasers and the household regulation agency, tax evasion and making an attempt to get a person to fatally shoot him so his surviving son might acquire a $10 million life insurance coverage coverage. He was being held in jail with out bail on these counts earlier than he was charged with homicide.

For the reason that killings, Murdaugh’s life has seen a stunningly quick downfall. His household dominated the authorized system in tiny neighboring Hampton County for generations, each as prosecutors and personal attorneys identified for getting life-changing settlements for accidents and negligence instances.