Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated

48 Hours The Murdaugh mysteries: Five deaths with a connection to disgraced S.C. attorney, family, under investigation .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-48-hours.jpg'); } By Nikki Battiste, Judy Rybak, Judy Rybak Producer, "48 Hours" Read Full Bio Judy Rybak, Liza Finley, Claire St. Amant, Richard Barber Updated on: May 13, 2026 / 3:01 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Editor's note: On March 2, 2023, a South Carolina jury found disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son at their country estate in June 2021. After a six-week trial, jurors deliberated for less than three hours before returning the four guilty verdicts in connection with the murders of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh. Alex Murdaugh was also found guilty on two counts of possession of a weapon during a crime. On March 3, he was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.On May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Alex Murdaugh's double murder convictions and granted him a new trial. The court held that Murdaugh was denied the right to a fair trial, including an impartial jury, due to the actions of County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill.    [This story originally aired on October 30, 2021. It was updated on July 16, 2022.]One story practically dominated the news cycle in South Carolina's Lowcountry since 2021. It's a series of cases that the locals have dubbed "The Murdaugh Mysteries" — all somehow with a connection to a prominent and powerful local attorney: 911 DISPATCHER: 911, where's your emergency?ALEX MURDAUGH: This is Alex Murdaugh. … My wife and child have been shot badly …But how did it come to this? Michael DeWitt, editor of The Hampton County Guardian, part of the Gannett USA Today network, says Alex Murdaugh came from a family that over generations grew deep roots and amassed power and influence in this part of South Caroli...