SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #5

[pizzaman12]

It’s known as “the slayer rule.”


Key Takeaways

• Even the suspicion of murder can disqualify your beneficiary from receiving life insurance proceeds or any other part of your estate
  
  
• The slayer rule applies even if there's no convinction
  
  
• Each state has its own version of a slayer statute
  
  
• If your beneficiary can’t receive the death benefit, it’s paid to your other beneficiaries or your estate

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-east-haddam-murder-life-insurance-20190208-euj7chgh7zbx7bpk22osuq4mum-story.html?outputType=amp

I have a hard time believing they would withhold payment for this duration when AM hasn't even been listed as a POI. Compliance is a big deal in the insurance world and while I know the slayer statue is there, I'd be surprised if they withheld payment in this case. I'm wrong all the time and could certainly be wrong here as well.

This is something that stuck with me from someone on the CD/LV case and BBM

@Pipersand Insurance company lawyer here. An insurer has to pay out if they can't prove complicity. There are contractual (and often statutory) timelines to pay a claim. But trust me, that doesn't prevent an insurance company from continuing their investigation and it is possible that some of that investigation will provide evidence that not only the prosecution can use to bring these charges, but the insurance company will use to recover. Some of the insurance company's special investigators are way skilled at finding out the truth - and it is kind of fitting that fraud charges are laid here. Love it. We may never know how the critical information was found - but I trust my investigators and I suspect they were not only supportive of LE but instrumental in the charges being laid. So proud of those people who uncovered the truth - and so very thankful this is going forward! It is just and fair that they be held accountable for what they have done.

 

[Snoopster]

Timeline ? Alex left the hospital at 9:30, roughly the same time the victims were shot, and called police 37 minutes later? The hospital must be roughly 30 minutes away. Other than arrive home, find the bodies, discover they were deceased and call 911, did he have time to do anything else?

Shot outside the residence makes it easier to clean up crime scene blood.

9-9:30 victims shot, Alex thought to be visiting father at hospital
10:07 Alex Murdaugh called 9-1-1 at 10:07 p.m. on June 7th, he returned to the family property on Moselle Road to find the bodies of his wife and son shot outside the residence.
10:28 sheriff’s office secured the scene and contacted SLED to request the investigate the double murder.
11:47 Lowcountry Regional agents arrived on the scene
12:07 Crime Scene agents worked throughout the morning of June 8th collecting evidence​

Investigators release timeline of events in Murdaugh murder case

​

Just to be clear, Otto, the only info as to what Alex was doing that day, came from from what his brothers told Good Morning America producers. They paraphrased as, he had just taken his dying father to the hospital that day and then went back to his parents' home to check on his mother. We do not know what time he visited his mother and we do not know what time he got home. LE have not commented on the veracity of the alibi.

We know nothing else about the activities of any of the family members that day until the 'estimated time of death' and the time of the 911 call.

 

[raja]

He may indeed have addiction problems and needs rehab, however he could also be a target of an unsuccessful murder and needs protection. Witness protection may be in play. He may be spilling the beans on some other twist not known. Just another idea. IMHO

 

[raja]

I'm totally believing that he needs rehab and when one makes that decision it best to go that day, but if there are drug-world characters involved with the June murders, AM may not be safe -- rehab might also be a place to keep him safe. I can't imagine that jail would go well for him with his former line of work and who knows about walking about freely in the Lowcountry. Only a thought, OMO.

I posted my thought of protection before reading yours. I will say that I don't think this will be about drugs. JMHO

 

[evilwise]

The more I find out about just the legal situation in this county the more it seems like the law firm could have had big piles of cash money to roll around in, or the more professional equivalent of it e.g. "discretionary funds" that may have indeed had millions of dollars in them. As long as things were rolling along smoothly I doubt there would have been a great deal of internal oversight on them.

Things are not moving along smoothly though. Recent events have brought worldwide scrutiny on the legal machine that produced these untold millions of dollars and in the process of circling the wagons, PMP may have left Alex outside the circle.

This only adds even more potential suspects to the pool. I will say that slashing tires then drive by shooting someone in the head is a very different modus operandi than how Paul and Maggie were killed. In fact, drive-by shooting someone once with presumably a low caliber handgun isn't really an MO I'm familiar with at all. What was someone like Alex Murdaugh doing alone changing his own tire anyway? I hope SLED finds that slug and analyzes its trajectory.

This case really makes me sick in the totally opposite way from when completely innocent people, even children, are randomly victimized. Those kind of cases do make me sick but they get solved, justice gets served and I'm able to believe it was a freak occurrence and we can heal from it, maybe become stronger and make it a little less likely for it to happen again. This case is like a cancer, something deep and rotten down inside our society that's been festering for generations and only now has erupted. Even if there is resolution of these horrible crimes I still will know that the disgusting systemic corruption remains boiling away just under the surface.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

The more I find out about just the legal situation in this county the more it seems like the law firm could have had big piles of cash money to roll around in, or the more professional equivalent of it e.g. "discretionary funds" that may have indeed had millions of dollars in them. As long as things were rolling along smoothly I doubt there would have been a great deal of internal oversight on them.

Things are not moving along smoothly though. Recent events have brought worldwide scrutiny on the legal machine that produced these untold millions of dollars and in the process of circling the wagons, PMP may have left Alex outside the circle.

This only adds even more potential suspects to the pool. I will say that slashing tires then drive by shooting someone in the head is a very different modus operandi than how Paul and Maggie were killed. In fact, drive-by shooting someone once with presumably a low caliber handgun isn't really an MO I'm familiar with at all. What was someone like Alex Murdaugh doing alone changing his own tire anyway? I hope SLED finds that slug and analyzes its trajectory.

This case really makes me sick in the totally opposite way from when completely innocent people, even children, are randomly victimized. Those kind of cases do make me sick but they get solved, justice gets served and I'm able to believe it was a freak occurrence and we can heal from it, maybe become stronger and make it a little less likely for it to happen again. This case is like a cancer, something deep and rotten down inside our society that's been festering for generations and only now has erupted. Even if there is resolution of these horrible crimes I still will know that the disgusting systemic corruption remains boiling away just under the surface.

This is certainly how I feel about the CD/LV case. Those children were missing two years ago.... and we are still, two years later, just going through wranglings and maneuvering in the legal system. LV is currently considered "incompetent to defend", maybe this is the way that AM is going to play it as well.

 

[MajorHoople]

Is the red roof the house? ... is the small building to the right the dog kennel?

Victims in Colleton County double shooting being laid to rest Friday

Otto, there are two sets of maps and aerial views of the Moselle crime scene that are located in the SC - Paul Murdaugh,22 & Mom Margaret,52, 7 June 2021 *Media, Maps, Timeline-NO DISCUSSION* thread

They can be found here and here:

I found the set posted by LetsSolvIt to be especially helpful.

 

[evilwise]

This is certainly how I feel about the CD/LV case. Those children were missing two years ago.... and we are still, two years later, just going through wranglings and maneuvering in the legal system. LV is currently considered "incompetent to defend", maybe this is the way that AM is going to play it as well.

That woman is definitely insane - and in such a profound way that I honestly would prefer for her to be studied for the rest of her life by psychologists than put in with regular prisoners but I do have faith that the wheels of justice are slowly moving forward. Even with the Delphi girls, I can believe that progress is being made.

Not in this case. I don't know what the hell happened or why and I'm not at all confident I ever will, or that we the people will be better off once it is resolved.

 

[everybodhi]

That's a huge law firm for a town of less than 3000 people (Hampton, SC).

Their ability to bring lawsuits against companies for personal injuries in other regions amassed them millions of dollars for years and years.
Snipped

The families power went beyond their profitable private practice as generations of Murdaugh's worked a large area of SC criminal prosecutions, as well, covering 3200 square-miles and the only five-county circuit in the state.

"The family has strong connections to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, which serves Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties.
Members of the Murdaugh family ran the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office for about 87 years, believed to be the longest consecutive run in American history."
Four weeks after Murdaugh killings, community waits for answers

 

[muddlehead]

Saw the story in the NYT today. Naturally, came here.
Can someone provide a thumbnail sketch timeline of the scenario?
Thx.

 

[MsJosie]

He was allegedly shot 14 minutes from his house, parked in front of a church and not on the route to Charleston. Was this a suicide attempt because he was forced to resign due to embezzlement investigation?

View attachment 311655

Google Maps

agree with many posters….and the shooting took palace in front of the church or as close as possible, in the parking lot or drive, because someone would drive to the church and find the car and victim…..if done at home or on a deserted road, no one would find anything for some time. This way the victim would be found alive. Jmoo

 

[YouWho]

Maybe I’m not hearing this right but this is the second news segment where the reporter says that Alex was caught misappropriating funds the day before he was reported shot. How do you misappropriate millions of dollars in just one day? No mention of a prior prolonged investigation. And matches up with the law firm statement that they will now hire a forensic accounting firm to investigate. As if there had not been extensive investigation before… just perhaps a one time realization, oh my God he has appropriated funds! What do you think? Maybe it doesn’t matter.

 

[evilwise]

How do you misappropriate millions of dollars in just one day?

Maybe a big empty sack with a dollar sign on it was found next to him.

 

[EGirl]

Maybe I’m not hearing this right but this is the second news segment where the reporter says that Alex was caught misappropriating funds the day before he was reported shot. How do you misappropriate millions of dollars in just one day? No mention of a prior prolonged investigation. And matches up with the law firm statement that they will now hire a forensic accounting firm to investigate. As if there had not been extensive investigation before… just perhaps a one time realization, oh my God he has appropriated funds! What do you think? Maybe it doesn’t matter.

Ithink the misappropriation had gone on for a while. Not just one day. The forensic audit had already been completed. They forced him out on the Friday prior to the shooting.

 

[tara83]

With talk of his addiction and stealing money I wonder just how long this was going on and how much his wife knew.She couldn't have been happy about it and it makes me wonder if she was considering a divorce.

 

[Cryptic]

How did he have access to the Firm's money?

Probably from having a managing partner type role.

In my general understanding Sue'em firm money flows in the following directions:

- Settlements are paid to the firm, where the loot is then divided: 70% to the client (after pre trial costs are deducted- which can substantially reduce the client's share). 30% to the firm.

- The firm then kicks some of that 30% to the attorney who handled the case. The rest is used to cover firm operating expenses, senior partners take some as profit sharing etc.

Someone in a managing partner type role would have the ability to dip into A. money owed clients, B. money owed firm attorneys or C. money from operating expenses.

I think embezzling from funds "A" (client money) would be tempting, but could also lead to fast and furious Bar complaints with the Bar quickly acting in favor of the client. Bar complaints can cost attorney's their licenses fast.

But..... I bet that the Bar leaves internal firm profit sharing / operating disputes pretty much alone until a criminal conviction occurs. Thus, embezzling from funds "B" and "C" can probably go on far longer.

 

[oviedo]

The missing millions must be from client trust accounts, etc. not from the monies that were designated as law firm profits. Too much missing for that, imo.

If this is true - they may be disbarred - all of them. An Attorney's trust account is sacred. I don't know why they would have that much in trust though - do they do criminal defense? Closings? If it was from their operating account(s) that would be unusual as well since most partners typically take their share of the profits annually. This aspect will be very interesting to follow.
JMO
ETA: I see now that they handled personal injury litigation.

sigh..

 

[Elley Mae]

Looking to see who owns the pmped building and found this.
Hope its ok.


Total Open Liens Amount

$2,125,020

101 Mulberry Street East, Hampton, SC 29924: Sales, Floorplans, Property Records | RealtyHop


who would be able to take liens out in the firm.?

 

[clearskies1]

Otto, there are two sets of maps and aerial views of the Moselle crime scene that are located in the SC - Paul Murdaugh,22 & Mom Margaret,52, 7 June 2021 *Media, Maps, Timeline-NO DISCUSSION* thread

They can be found here and here:

I found the set posted by LetsSolvIt to be especially helpful.

@otto -- my understanding is that there is an entrance from the road that goes by the kennel area -- that drive then leads to the house. It is a circuitous route from the road to the house that goes by the kennel area. I believe there was a post that said it was the most frequently used entrance from the road to the home. JMO.

 

[LaborDayRN]

If a patient has tried to hurt himself, which might be the case here, they will hospitalize since "they are a danger to themselves and others." They were probably trying to find an appropriate rehab facility with an opening, too. Spots in rehab centers are currently hard to come by. The isolation and anxiety around the pandemic has been a huge stressor for people in recovery -- there has been a lot of relapsing. It's not surprising to me at all that AM was admitted for two days.

OMO.

I just wanted to clarify that if you read the last sentence of my post I totally agree with you that he was kept for mental health reasons. I wrote my post late last night and now reading it back, I wasn't very clear.