US Jury finds lawyer Alex Murdaugh guilty for murder of his wife, son

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The widely-followed US trial centered around the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, the wife and 22-year-old son of lawyer Alex Murdaugh has come to a close. The pair were killed on June 7, 2021, at the family's South Carolina estate. Maggie was killed after being fatally shot by a rifle, and her son by a shotgun.

The US jury found South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh guilty on Thursday of murdering his wife following a trial that kept the nation busy since proceedings first began at the beginning of February. 

He was found guilty on both murder counts, as well as two additional counts of possession of a weapon during a crime. The 12-member jury deliberated for less than three hours before announcing the verdict.

Disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of killing his wife and son in a unanimous verdict from a South Carolina jury. The murder case has gripped the nation's attention for two years https://t.co/b4OXsPDr3I pic.twitter.com/M7pFGYVFF6

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 3, 2023

Murdaugh faces 30 years to life behind bars. The prosecution team has indicated they will be seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole for the double murder.

He was removed from the courtroom after the verdict was announced, showing no emotions or response.

Sentencing in the case is set for Friday at 9:30 a.m. local time.

'Money over blood'

The case gained nationwide attention after reports detailed that Murdaugh murdered his wife and son in an attempt to keep his behavior of embezzlement disclosed. Prosecutors argued that the disbarred attorney stole millions of dollars from his clients and colleagues.

During a news conference, Creighton Waters, the chief prosecutor for the state said that "justice was done today, it doesn't matter who your family is, it doesn't matter how much money you have or people think you have, it doesn't matter what you think how prominent you are." 

Alex Murdaugh just taken out the back door of the courthouse. pic.twitter.com/I2kwmc4oN4

— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) March 3, 2023

Murdaugh's defense team didn't lose an opportunity to lay doubt in the investigative work carried out by both the police and forensic teams assigned to the case, arguing that no physical evidence tied him to the murder of his wife and son.

Officials explained the lawyer's repeated alibi revisions by describing them as a result of an addiction-induced paranoia, noting that Murdaugh was addicted to opiates. Away from the sentence on Friday, Murdaugh is also facing 99 separate charges in cases that have yet to go to trial, all related to the history of alleged financial crimes.