Disgraced South Carolina lawyer and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh is set to appear in Beaufort County court on Tuesday for sentencing in relation to his financial crimes. Murdaugh, who is currently serving two life terms in prison for the 2021 murders of his wife and son, has pleaded guilty to 22 counts, including breach of trust, money laundering, forgery, and tax evasion. In exchange for his guilty plea, Murdaugh has agreed to a 27-year prison sentence.
During a hearing on November 17, Murdaugh admitted to his wrongdoing, stating, “I agree that I wrongly took all of that money, Your Honor, and did all of those crimes.” The financial crimes he admitted to include a scheme to steal $4 million in life insurance funds from the estate of his late housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.
The case involving Satterfield dates back to February 2018 when the Murdaugh family reported that she had tripped and fallen on some steps at their estate, Moselle. Satterfield later died in a hospital, and her death was initially attributed to natural causes. However, her family and Hampton County Coroner Angela Topper disputed this conclusion, as her injuries were inconsistent with natural causes.
Despite recovering a multi-million-dollar settlement from their mother’s death, which Murdaugh allegedly stole, the Satterfield family seeks justice for his other crimes. Lawyer Eric Bland, representing the family, stated that they still want to “hold Alex accountable.”
Prosecutors have revealed that Murdaugh secured $4.3 million in insurance settlements for Satterfield’s family without their knowledge and kept the money for himself. During the November 17 hearing, South Carolina prosecutor Creighton Waters emphasized, “In the Satterfield case, he stole every dime, every dime.”
Murdaugh’s sentencing for his financial crimes comes after he previously pleaded guilty to 22 counts of financial fraud and money laundering in federal court. His defense attorneys, Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian, have filed a motion to overturn the guilty verdict in Murdaugh’s double-murder case, alleging that Colleton County court clerk Becky Hill tampered with jurors to sway them towards a conviction. Hill has denied these allegations.
As the sentencing hearing approaches, the focus remains on holding Murdaugh accountable for his actions, both in the financial crimes and the murders of his wife and son. Stay tuned for further updates on this ongoing case.
