Updated: Dec. 10, 2020 at 7:42 PM PST. When asked by his lawyer about those prior statements, Alex Murdaugh admitted to lying to investigators. I didn't know whether he was trying to get me to say that that shirt, if I was to be asked that if that was the shirt he was wearing that day.". NBC10's Danny Freeman has the details. The Murdaugh family legacy is now coming crashing down as 54-year-old Richard Alexander Murdaugh (known as Alex, pronounced "Alec") stands trial accused of shooting his wife Maggie and adult son Paul to death on June 7, 2021. Bizarrely, this is after Murdaugh opened a group text message, called a videographer he barely knew, and appeared to Google "Whaley's Edisto," a restaurant in the beach town where the Murdaughs were renovating a home. Thanks to bodycam footage of interviews, cell phone records, and law enforcement testimony, much of what Murdaugh did from that moment on is documented and plays a large part in the case against him, though the documentary barely touches on it. [5] Hodella's badly decomposed body was found on January 7, 2003, and identified via thumbprints from a previous arrest. "I never manufactured any alibi in any way shape or form, because I did not and would not hurt my wife and my child.". Parole officials did not object to a recommendation by the public defender to sentence Gibson to time served plus 18 months probation. After his release from the hospital, he was sent to serve the rest of his sentence at the Floyd County Jail, where he remained until his discharge on March 12, 2002.[4]. After going through a four-day withdrawal, he was examined by the prison's psychiatrist, Dr. Daniel Howerton. The friends they did know were contacted and told police something the parents weren't aware of. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. EVERETT Gail Jubie's family begged a judge to keep the man who killed her in prison for the rest of his life. Young Women in Salt Lake City Fearful of Serial Killer, Barbara Jean Rockys Sisters Speak Out on Reopening Her Case. Clayton said that his father would beg Linda to tell them who she was talking about and why. Investigation Discovery is in Peoria, Arizona, to investigate the chilling murder of Steven Gibson, who was killed after his wife, Michelle Gibson, enlisted the help of her son and two teenagers to kill him brutally. [2] This continued outside of school, with a childhood friend, Melodie Schultz, claiming that Gibson had shot another child in the eye with a pellet gun. "I saw what yall have seen pictures of," he told the jurors, crying. Law enforcement also acknowledged they had a warrant to search the house where the murders occurred the day after they happened, but chose not to execute it as there were lots of people there that would be "displaced" as a result. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "In the last year, the two brothers started getting into meth," Lofreddo explained. "All the sudden, Jamie McMahan grabs the phone and is yelling at the hostage negotiator.". No arrests have been made, but according to the Pulaski Sheriffs Department press release, the investigation has uncovered possible suspects and investigators have been concentrating on those leads. Firstly, Murdaugh's former close friend Chris Wilson testified that on September 3, he had been told by Murdaugh's law firm partners that Murdaugh had been stealing money. Jamie McMahan and Chris Kaufmann needed cash to fuel their meth habit so they came up with a horrifying plan that included betraying a friend. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. On October 10, 2002, Gibson was out drinking at a bar in Jeffersonville when he met 44-year-old Karen Sue Hodella, a beautician from Port Orange, Florida, who was visiting a boyfriend of hers at the time. He told Dateline that in 1994, Linda lived with her 4-year-old daughter, Stephanie, not too far from the family. She passed away at Floyd Memorial Hospital on January 18, 2012, with some neighbors suspecting that her death greatly impacted Gibson's psyche. Murdoch?" "Murders dont take place and banks rarely get robbed.. Rufus . The judge, whom the DOC said was Vivian Medinilla, instead sentenced him to 31 days, time served, in April. It was tragic, the way we lost them., He told Dateline that, Cody was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.. The Pulaski County Sheriff's Department and the Somerset Police Department are. But by weighting it so heavily within the series, the murders that many assumed would be central to the docuseries are largely lost in the story. During the trial, however, more detail about that day has emerged. Alex Murdaugh, 54, who called 911 to report the discovery, was charged with their murders 13 months later. For several days, McMahan and Kauffman spent the cash "like crazy," said Quinn but by the time the foursome got to Disney World in Orlando, the girls wondered how they'd actually come by so much money. [5], At this final murder trial, Gibson unexpectedly pleaded guilty again, waiving his right to a jury trial. Prosecutors wrapped their cross-examination by showing a clip of body-camera footage of the first deputy arriving at the scene of the killings, prior to SLED's arrival, during which Waters noted that Alex Murdaugh also "told the same lie. [6] On August 15, 2014, Gibson was sentenced to death again, with sentencing Justice Orth deeming that it was "the only appropriate sentence" in regards to the brutal killing. Kauffman told McMahan he wasn't going to shoot Schultz, too, so McMahan shot her in the back of her head, then in her forehead, and took her car. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Keith Gibson Indicted On 41 Felony Charges For Multiple Murders, Assaults, And Robberies - State of Delaware News State Agencies Social Media Mobile Apps Topics NEWS FEED Nominations Open for State of Delaware's Compassionate Champion Awards Date Posted: February 20, 2023 Alex Murdaugh faces about 100 other charges for allegations ranging from money laundering to staging his own death so his surviving son could cash in on his $10 million life insurance policy. Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder. Steven Gibson, 39, was allegedly the target of a family murder plot hatched by his wife Michelle and their son Steven Jr., 15, who took part in stabbing him. Disclosure: Mathias Dpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member. Then, on June 13, two local families contact police: Their 16-year-old daughters had been missing for several days, and the parents were sure they were with Kauffman and McMahan. During the trial, which began last month, prosecutors have presented more than 60 witnesses and evidence, including body camera footage of police arriving at home following the murders and an interview Alex Murdaugh gave to police two months later, in which he denied killing his wife and son. Soon after the murder, he had a tattoo inscribed on his lower right arm indicating the date of the murder, accompanied by an image of a knife. Gibson was once again released from prison and began his probation term. [1], From an early age, Gibson displayed odd behavior, having trouble speaking to others, struggling at school, and preferring to stay home with his mother. Linda Gibson and Cody Garrett were found murdered in a field outside of Somerset, Kentucky, on July 7, 1994. On Wednesday, June 9, Krasner approved murder charges against Gibson in Lugos slaying. It was a crime that "almost slipped through our fingers," Los Angeles police said--an 84-year-old . "I did a lot of damage, I wreaked a lot of havoc, there's no question," Alex Murdaugh said. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. Two weeks after this incident, he joined the Army and was stationed in West Germany as a mechanic. Til Death Do Us Part airs at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery. He grew emotional when asked by his lawyer what he saw at the scene of their murders. Donna Thorngren shot her husband, Curtis Curt Thorngren, three times at their home in Meridian, Idaho, and then tried to stage the incident like a burglary. They call it Iowa nice.. Michelle Gibson was sentenced to life in prison, and her son, Steven Gibson Jr, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and hindering prosecution. Gibsons mother was shot dead in her place of work in Philadelphia. He is currently on death row. Michelle Dawn . That was confirmed by a subsequent tip from a local hotel employee who'd seen the boys with two girls at the hotel around the time of the murders. Wilson had worked with Murdaugh on various cases in which Murdaugh has been accused of misappropriating funds. Asked if the Gibsons 16-year-old daughter would be implicated in the plot, Jacinto added, More arrests could occur depending on how the investigation plays out. Gibson was released from prison and sent to Level IV Community Corrections custody. Wilson testified that on the morning of September 4, hours before Murdaugh would call 911 saying he had been shot in the head by a stranger on the side of the road, he confronted him about the accusations. link However, in February, around the time of his mothers death, Philadelphia police arrested him, though they could only find that he was violating probation by being in the city. Michelle, along with her two teenage children, Steven Jr, 16, and Alysa, 17, decided to kill the family patriarch, Steven, but she didnt want them doing the dirty work. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. June 7, 2021: Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh found dead at the family hunting lodge. More than half have since been solved. At the time of his death, Steven was facing aggravated assault charges. The unemployed carpenter's helper confessed to. Local News Everett. He raped and strangled her before mutilating her corpse, cutting one of her breasts off. Without objection from probation and parole officials, the judge accepted the public defender's recommendation for time served and placed him on 18 months of probation, Miller said. In the body camera footage from that night, a distraught Alex Murdaugh told officers, "It's bad, it's bad," and mentioned that his son had been getting threats following a boat wreck he was involved in. According to the Pulaski Sheriffs Department, after investigating the scene, it seemed that Linda and Cody had been murdered elsewhere, and their bodies were then dumped in the field, which was only two miles from the road on which they were last seen. Officials have said they expect more charges, both in Philadelphia and Delaware. His employee-tenant, Barb Garber, 52, had unusually for her not shown up for work that morning. Rose Harsent was stabbed to death on 1 June 1902, in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England by an unknown assailant. Firstly, Jeanne Seckinger, the CFO of Murdaugh's family law firm, testified that on June 7, 2021, hours before the murders, she confronted Murdaugh about $792,000 of missing legal fees in a case he had worked on. Fox's "America's Most Wanted" did a segment on the boys in late June 1997 it aired twice, according to the Tampa Bay Times which resulted in a tip on June 30 from a woman in Pensacola who recognized the truck. "I have never believed in coincidences and having one homicide in a small rural area in a five-year period is unusual," said Berrier. [4], After being released from jail, Gibson continued hanging around bars, but on February 21, 2006, he stole the purse and $300 from a female acquaintance. On April 27, at the sentencing hearing, Gibson's public defender presented new evidence that the 39-year-old had community supports lined up as well as job prospects. Gibson then doused his home with kerosene and set. [8] Later that day, Gibson was arrested for drunk driving in Whitis' car, and was charged with her murder five days later. Kauffman had just graduated from high school with apparently few prospects and a group of friends who "ran the streets," and McMahan had recently lost his job at a local plant. Officials have indicated there may be more charges for killings in both Philadelphia and Delaware, including that of 28-year-old Metro by T-Mobile employee Leslie Ruiz-Basilio. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh are not presented in the most flattering of lights in the docuseries. Follow the links to read about more marital discord that ended in murder. McAbee pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Michelle. He was released on April 5, 1999, after which he was added to the Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry. The warnings did not sway Medinilla in accepting the public defender's recommendation. While they don't exactly offer answers, they are important pieces to the puzzle. [7] On April 18, he was visited by a 75-year-old friend of his late mother, Christine Whitis. His father, Alex Murdaugh, a local attorney and the son of Randolph Murdaugh III, owns the boat.. Alex Murdaugh called 911 just after 10 p.m. on June 7, reporting that his wife and son had been shot "badly.". Authorities are investigating whether he was responsible for six . (The defense argued during the trial that this was a result of him mistyping in shock.). Sentencing was delayed by two weeks to provide the defense time. State investigators went to the boys' home the following day, shocking their parents, who said they didn't know much about McMahan's friends, but knew he had been hanging out with Kauffman often. On Tuesday, June 7, Gibson was arrested on suspicion of pistol-whipping a Rite Aid clerk during another Wilmington robbery. Their bodies were found in a remote area outside of Somerset, hidden by tall weeds. I have no clue why my mom would do this. [16], Since his incarceration, Gibson has repeatedly appealed his death sentences, with his defense lawyer claiming that his confession to the Kirk murder was a mitigating circumstance. Waters asked, to which Alex Murdough responded, "I disagree with that.". The man fled in Ruiz-Basilios vehicle. Molina-Pompa received a one year sentence for her role in the murder. Thirdly, Owen acknowledged that SLED was told that Murdaugh was spending $50,000 a week on drugs, which he was buying from gang members who were never investigated by law enforcement in connection with the murders. "All kids that I knew in the town of Oskaloosa were either on it, making it, selling it. "Its just filled with good people, Iowa people. Four of the murders Gibson is linked to happened in May and June. William Gardiner, a preacher of the Primitive Methodist Chapel, was suspected due to his affair with the victim. Family and friends told police Gibson had been released from jail and raised concerns about his behavior, Vanore said. Later that night, as police officers were putting tape around the crime scene, McAbee and Molina-Pompa returned to the house and approached the investigators. Upon his return, he saw Steven Sr. awake and holding his head, so he hit him again. The lawyer representing the boys, who were charged with federal counts of aggravated robbery and carjacking and two state counts of first degree murder, negotiated a plea to help them avoid the death penalty. However, SLED took the shirt to a former police officer who runs a "forensics consulting company" from his home, where he conducted what the defense equated to "science fair experiments" before issuing two reports. Couple Is Killed in Alleged $750,000 Murder-for-Hire Plot Designed to Keep Suspect's Affair Secret, Suspect Arrested and 'Charged with Murder' in Killing of Houston Teen Diamond Alvarez: Authorities, How a Camping Trip Among 4 Arizona Teens Ended in Murder, After 12-Year-Old's Murder, Police Arrest Teen and Suspect's Father, Who Allegedly Drove Son to Scene, 'Big Family, Old Money, New Drama': Inside the Powerful S.C. Family at Center of Murder Mystery, Alex Murdaugh Arrested, Charged with Insurance Fraud and Filing a False Police Report, Murder and QAnon: Inside the Case of Matthew Coleman, Accused of Killing Kids with Spear Gun, Ohio Teen Faces Murder Charge in Deadly Alleged Plot to Kill 13-Year-Old Friend's Mother, Wrong Woman Kidnapped and Killed in Alleged Love Triangle Murder-for-Hire Plot: Police, Missouri Woman Allegedly Killed Man to Frame Another Who Questioned Her Role in His Wife's Unsolved 2011 Murder, Celebrity Baker Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot to Kill Ex-Boyfriend, Fianc Allegedly Planned Murder of Colo. Kauffman eventually confessed. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. McAbee told them he was the killer. [4] During that time, he found a job at C&C Hardwood Flooring in Borden, where he was described as a diligent worker, and was regarded positively by friends and neighbors for attending the local non-denominational "Power of the Cross" church, making papier-mch figures and for helping his sick mother - on the other hand, patrons of the bars he frequented considered him strange, and on at least a few occasions, he had asked out women to visit his home, to varying success.[4]. The scheme fell apart when McBee, who was helping Steven Jr. move the body, heard police sirens in the distance, fled the scene but later turned himself in to police at the house, documents say. Attempts to reach their attorneys were unsuccessful. [17] These appeals were rejected by the Indiana Supreme Court, which reaffirmed all of his convictions. Nor was Murdaugh's parents' house searched for the as-yet-undiscovered murder weapons, potential bloody clothes, or other evidence. 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