COLUMBIA, S.C. — Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers say unknown male DNA was found under the fingernails of his late wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and they want more testing before his retrial. They raised the issue at a pretrial hearing this week.
It was the first court appearance in the case since the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his 2023 murder convictions. Murdaugh remains in prison because his separate financial crime convictions stand.
What the defense said
The defense says the DNA does not match Murdaugh. They asked the court for additional analysis. They also raised a concern about how long extra testing could take.
Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian has said the team has significant new evidence. Court observers say the DNA issue may be part of what he was referring to.
The judge’s timeline
Judge McCaslin said the court intends to have everyone ready for a retrial starting April 5. That leaves about six months for any new testing.
What prosecutors say
A prosecutor has called relying on DNA evidence a high-risk move for the defense, because it would have to show that the DNA proves Murdaugh did not kill his wife and son.
Background
Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her son Paul, 22, were shot to death at the family’s hunting estate in Colleton County, South Carolina, in June 2021. A jury convicted Alex Murdaugh of both murders in March 2023, and he was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. The state Supreme Court threw out those convictions, which is why a new trial is scheduled.
Murdaugh has maintained that he did not kill his wife and son. Separately, he pleaded guilty to financial crimes, including stealing millions of dollars from clients and his law firm. Those sentences still stand.
What’s next
The court will need to decide whether to allow new DNA testing and how that fits into the April 5 schedule. This story will be updated as the case moves forward.
