SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #33

[kaen]

i don't mean this personally - please don't take it that way... but I just don't understand how people can't look at the totality of all things coming to a head. Like a perfect storm. He had his battles with addiction (not as big as I think they portray, but okay), Maggie and Paul were onto him about it. He and Maggie, Buster & Girlfriend, spent a weekend at a ballgame where they portrayed it as a wonderful family time with tailgating, etc., when in reality AM was in the hotel room much of the time in withdrawals (in evidence and testified to). I bet Maggie and Buster had some interesting convos regarding AM and this pill addiction. On top of that, Alex had that critical hearing on June 10th where the courts were going to ask for his financial statements for this HUGE lawsuit (30 million) (in evidence, testified to). AM was broke and had tapped out all of his resources. He had had conversations on Friday with Jeanne at work regarding the missing monies - and he knew she was going to come around again on Monday. He knew his friends and partners were going to find out about the extent of his dipping into money and it was more than he was going to be able to cover this time. I do believe that AM made a slip of the tongue and said, "When Maggie asked me to leave, er, ah, go to the kennels..." - and quite possibly asked him to leave the marriage over the weekend while he was withdrawing and not being a part of the family. He did not have life insurance on Maggie and Paul, but he was the beneficiary of her estate - meaning she was worth approx $5 million dead. I'm convinced through evidence in the trial - and not counting anything I've read or seen on Netflix, etc., that the financial crimes, the financial status, and the drug issue all came together with the fact that MM was no longer happy in the marriage. AM lied about going to work at 9 am that morning (didn't get there until noon) - during the morning hours he got guns, clothes, etc. ready for the evening. Begged MM to come back to Mozelle. She did on the insistence of her sister that she should because of his father being ill. And executed his plan. So I agree with the prosecution's theory that the financial crimes were the catalyst to put a hold and stop on all the hearings and the firm's investigation in the missing money.

I don't think the SS death in the road was the start of rumors and gossip of the family. They had been using their connections as Murdaughs for many, many years to get out of speeding tickets, wrecks, boy's mischievious behaviors, allowing 14 and 15 year old friends to drink alcohol in their presence, thinking and acting like they were above the law and above the common people.

MOO.

Yes to all of this, AND, his dad was very ill---flatly refused to call it terminal when asked about so his not wanting to deal with the emotionality of it all is right, straight easy to see.

 

[justtrish]

Totally agree!! That co-dependency is even harder when the addict is so controlling or "giving". His kids were growing up so no more super coaching/going to games/hunting together with dad in the lead.

His testimony bothers me for many reasons, but hearing him say he told Paul Paul he would go to rehab after the boat case was final just really bothers me. He is putting even more on his son by basically saying I can't get clean till I clean up your mess. It can be taken as manipulation and control also. If Paul found more pills, was that the bribe he did to get Paul to keep quiet? It's really just all very twisted no matter how we look at it and it all points right back to Alex having the motive to do this for more than one reason.

 

[Luna20]

JM did tell SLED that it was AM’s voice on the kennel video. He testified that it was the first time that he heard that piece of information. I think you need to listen to his testimony again.

He just heard it very recently, maybe a week ago I think is what he claims. I don’t see him calling Sled while the trial is going on or even calling them at all to report that.

Any reason for him to call Sled and say guess what, that’s my brother’s voice?

 

[rahod1]

okay so here's my prob right now...if he was just tryin to get his pills don't you think threatening them with a gun would have been enough to make PauPau give up the pills? I mean what the heck is the motive???

and why is there no way of knowing who could have come up on that property and done this?

you have to spell it out. there are some bizarre allegations against this family...and I no longer think this was over some pills and I am not sure even if someone could have been laying in wait...somewhere just far enough away from the dogs and chick chicks..

also seems like ever since that poor high school boy got found in the road..Murdaughs got gossiped about and accused of all kinds of stuff...almost to urban myth level ...I don't know...I just can't see it. But this FBI chick on Banfield has absolutely no doubt AM is guilty...but I'm just trying to grasp how this comes to be and why..
some have said there is an affair somewhere in here and that Mags was going to bail.

but we need evidence.

mOO

There's no way of knowing because it's a REMOTE possibility that requires circumstances bordering on science fiction! The defense wants ONE JUROR to think as you do.

 

[kaen]

His testimony bothers me for many reasons, but hearing him say he told Paul Paul he would go to rehab after the boat case was final just really bothers me. He is putting even more on his son by basically saying I can't get clean till I clean up your mess. It can be taken as manipulation and control also. If Paul found more pills, was that the bribe he did to get Paul to keep quiet? It's really just all very twisted no matter how we look at it and it all points right back to Alex having the motive to do this for more than one reason.

^^^If that conversation happened at all. I think it was a lie, put forth to give the impression that he was listening to PM and MM about their drug concerns. Magically, on the day that PM is killed they have an agreement (looked each other in the eye) and AM was going to get clean and do right by his family. Not sure it ever happened. (Though it would be true that after the trial, when AM was fired and incarcerated for stealing, he would have lots of time for rehab.)

Twisted is a good description.

 

[Gardenista]

His testimony bothers me for many reasons, but hearing him say he told Paul Paul he would go to rehab after the boat case was final just really bothers me. He is putting even more on his son by basically saying I can't get clean till I clean up your mess. It can be taken as manipulation and control also. If Paul found more pills, was that the bribe he did to get Paul to keep quiet? It's really just all very twisted no matter how we look at it and it all points right back to Alex having the motive to do this for more than one reason.

Thank you! I've been meaning to say this for day. It was really crappy of him to say that to Paul and the fact that he doesn't realize it is par for the course

 

[kaen]

why was AM pooping his pants even mentioned and why was that elaborated on? For sympathy?
Just why?

To show how addicted he was as to explain away all of his behaviors. If you have to crap yourself, things must be very, very, very bad. (I also wonder if it is not a passive-aggressive way of punishing him for being such a conniving, s#!$$y brother.)

 

[Cindizzi]

I'm curious if this older truck was ever at Almeda on the 7th? I'll have to go listen again to where all it went or where John Marvin said it went, but interesting if Alex claims that Paul had it and it might be the vehicle they went to the kennels in (meaning Paul that night) and now it's missing so LE starts looking for the truck like it might have been one that the murders stole from the scene.. then it's found on the side of the road, but how convenient John Marvin and the police chief that Alex paid $5000 a month later are involved with how that truck got where it did.

I really wonder if a blue tarp and any guns were ever in that truck. I really dislike suspecting everyone involved with Alex as being capable of things, but it does make one wonder just where those weapons went and how they got wherever they went.

I’ve always wondered if this comment by Blanca about seeing a white truck at the kennels had any significance .

It’s one of those things that I thought maybe the Prosecution would circle back to. So it stuck in my head like the wedding band, the cooler and the Gucci charge on the Belk statement.

Trying to keep all the trucks straight is making my head spin lol.

At 1:58:09

cc: @Seattle1

 

[clearskies1]

^^^If that conversation happened at all. I think it was a lie, put forth to give the impression that he was listening to PM and MM about their drug concerns. Magically, on the day that PM is killed they have an agreement (looked each other in the eye) and AM was going to get clean and do right by his family. Not sure it ever happened. (Though it would be true that after the trial, when AM was fired and incarcerated for stealing, he would have lots of time for rehab.)

Twisted is a good description.

Yes, that conversation did not sound real to me. JMO.

 

[Spartygirl]

entitlement. as if his brother is entitled to get complete and accurate information from SLED during an open investigation. unbelievable.

Yeppers !!
This whole family was entitled their whole lives...generations to generations and on down the line.

For decades, this family has gotten away with everything !!

Even murder(s)-- several of them. IMO

The sad part is, everyone LET them get away with it..Nobody refuted them or dared to cross them. Such BS

I am so angry after these last 5 weeks of listening to the BS and now today listening to JMM on the stand.

They had local LE in their pockets, maybe not so much SLED, however,
IMO, SLED dropped the ball --- that property should have been wrapped several times around with caution tape and NOBODY allowed on the premised except SLED,
Unbelievable that all these people were traipsing around after A DOUBLE MURDER involved on the property. Unbelievable.

If it was anyone else in such a predicament, NO Way would anyone be allowed to cross over into a crime scene.

 

[Kembo]

I am always curious how experts are found/hired. Does the defense have to disclose how they find their experts? I mean do they contact like 20 people and see what each says then pick the one that gives them the answer they want?

Because I find it really hard to believe that the defense doesn't tell them what they are looking for specifically when they are hired. So maybe they tell them and the expert decides if they can come up with that conclusion or not, but I don't believe the expert doesn't understand the assignment from the get go. The defense isn't going to waste their money on an expert that isn't giving them the story they want to share.

Palmbach made it obvious his findings had to fit the two-shooter theory. Just the way he was talking, e.g. like, since we know there were two shooters, that means the second shooter must not have had time to grab a rifle since he was covered with blood and brain matter. Since he was covered in blood and brain matter, that means there was an explosion. Since there was an explosion, there must have been a contact shot. And since it was a contact shot, the other shooter was above PM's head. What? The 5'2" 12-year-old can fly now? Or was it PM himself? He even admitted he only looked at what the defense gave him. What about the intact brain and face? Well, hmm. Next!

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

I can't speak for OJ I didn't follow it much.

Casey Anthony jurors have spoken since then and I believe the couldn't agree on the charges they were given. I recall one juror (maybe the foreperson) saying they would have convicted her of a lesser charge, but none were included just murder 1 I think it was. It was sad to hear they felt their hands were tired because they agreed she was involved and was responsible for Kaylees death.

There were plenty of lesser charges. See the verdict form.

I think what one of them said was that they wish they would have voted for one of the lesser charges.

Yes, my username comes from that case.

 

[geevee]

The issue was he said that was probably how Paul got down to the kennels and so the truck was missing Alex was referring to and that cause LE to issue a BOLO for the missing truck. It was suggesting whoever killed them stole that truck when they left.

So odd because JMM and GA knew that truck was on the side of the road, and they both went to Moselle that night - how could AM and LE not know that JMM got stranded in it and GA brought him to Moselle? I doubt either felt it should have been a secret. That whole thing just makes me scratch my head.

 

[Kembo]

The Defense’s pathologist (Eisenstat) said the blood spatter at top of door was blowback, but the LE official (Kinsey, I think was his name) who reconstructed the crime scene from viewing the scene with knowledge of autopsy results said there were multiple pellet indents in the steel door. No way would those indents up there be from blowback; they were pellets ending their path from being shot out of the gun.

But remember, these are magic pellets that make U-turns inside the brain.

 

[Kembo]

Amazing - although he's difficult to understand, it seems like he's claiming that the pellets were fired downward, changed direction in the head, and went up.

aka the magic U-turn pellets.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

If you noticed that John Marvin mentioned calling Michael Paul the day after. That's Michael Paul Thomas from DNR. He also called him lots of times the morning after the boat crash. He also called Austin Pritcher of DNR. JMM is as slimy as any of them.

 

[Amster]

I think he testified it was a planned trip...following each other. which makes it even more suspect. liked how the pros hit him with the 'chief and AM giving him a 'loan'

Does anyone remember either Buster or Alex saying one of the brothers had Alex’s pills that night/early morning at Almeda? I thought it was JM but maybe it was Randy….the bag of pills Alex had in his pocket at murder scene.

 

[clearskies1]

Hope so!

Where were the firm lawyers surrounding WC?

Upstairs hallway of the courthouse. Reporter said that he then saw RM walking towards that hallway. 7:55:54.

 

[Cindizzi]

So, what is AMs explanation for missing clothes?

According to his Defense attorneys ole Alec is just so scatterbrained that he leaves clothes all over the State at all the various places he’s visited and stayed at.

If you don’t believe that, then it’s the fact that ole Alec lost so much weight from grieving and detoxing that he had to buy new clothes and get rid of stuff.

If that doesn’t seem reasonable, then his attorneys just pound the table and say “ to this day no one has asked him for those clothes!”

JMO

 

[Iwondertoo]

.

Upstairs hallway of the courthouse. Reporter said that he then saw RM walking towards that hallway. 7:55:54.

Thank you so much for posting that. You saved me a deep dive searching for the source!