SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #13

[worm]

How do you shoot someone multiple times in the chest and back?
Had she been flipped over??

I took it as probably shot as she was turning away and then shot again while trying to get away. Didn’t it mention shots after she was down? Maybe to be sure of death?

 

[Chelly]

I'm glad to see Laffitte being charged with these crimes; I assume there will be others.

It appears rich and powerful S.C. white-collar crime families do exist. I suspect their associates must be feeling a bit shaky these days.

 

[Chelly]

I took it as probably shot as she was turning away and then shot again while trying to get away. Didn’t it mention shots after she was down? Maybe to be sure of death?

Do you think MM was shot first? I've wondered if AM was unaware Paul was nearby when AM shot MM.

 

[worm]

It appears rich and powerful S.C. white-collar crime families do exist. I suspect their associates must be feeling a bit shaky these days.

These corruption investigations usually spin wide and sticky webs that a lot of folks get caught in. The fed or state usually makes a couple of cases in my county a year with public officials. The big sweeps get more.

 

[Chelly]

These corruption investigations usually spin wide and sticky webs that a lot of folks get caught in. The fed or state usually makes a couple of cases in my county a year with public officials. The big sweeps get more.

What comes to my mind is SLED's amazing investigative abilities and the effectiveness of SC's security surveillance CCTV.

 

[LaborDayRN]

How do you shoot someone multiple times in the chest and back?
Had she been flipped over??

I'm guess she was standing (sadly maybe running away) and turned when she was shot (perhaps fell and was shot again)

 

[MerryB]

How do you shoot someone multiple times in the chest and back?
Had she been flipped over??

I would imagine that’s how they knew she ran. She was shot in the chest, turned to flee, was shot in the back, fell face-down, then was administered 2 shots to the back of the head at close range. Definite overkill and rage-filled, especially if (don’t want to be graphic here) you know what those last 2 shots to the head with an AR would do. MOO

 

[RAISINISBACK]

This look is a long way from evening clothes with dancing pumps!

Did you notice the specific way Poot described the plea? “He thinks he’s not guilty.” Or something to that effect. Not, “he’s not guilty.”

——- added ——
I was going to say — he looks like he was wearing Paul’s clothes they are so I’ll fitting! You mean he has no clothes left

<snipped>
… The 54-year-old, who for decades was a fixture in the Low Country legal elite, was lowered to wearing his lawyer’s son’s clothes and shoes as he pleaded his innocence. …

Alex Murdaugh Borrows Clothes from Lawyer’s Son So He Can Plead Not Guilty to Murdering His Own

Jason Ryan/The Daily BeastWALTERBORO, South Carolina—Alex Murdaugh, the exiled South Carolina legal titan who was already facing a stunning array of criminal allegations before he was charged last week with murdering his wife and son, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.How he did so reflected his...

finance.yahoo.com

dbm

 

[RAISINISBACK]

My suspicious mind thinks we have a PR company employed here…to start creating some sympathy in the run up to jury selection and trial.

The secondary goal is to restore the shredded reputations of the brothers who were deployed to national TV to immediately provide an ‘air-tight’ alibi for their brother. ”See, we won’t even loan him shoes!’

This is blatant manipulation...of the Hampton community that has been ransacked by these dirty deals...of all of us!

We know from the jail-house calls that AM is still thick with his family. Somewhere there is a closet where a few pairs of AM’s shoes from the old days are taking up space. Between the devoted sister-in-law, brothers, sister, and son…all of whom we heard on tape commiserating and running errands…ONE of them could have popped over to Walmart and bought him a shirt and pants.

Someone is funding a PR Pity Party campaign for AM…and for themselves.

’clean-up on aisle four.…’

BBM

Alex Murdaugh Borrows Clothes from Lawyer’s Son So He Can Plead Not Guilty to Murdering His Own

Jason Ryan/The Daily BeastWALTERBORO, South Carolina—Alex Murdaugh, the exiled South Carolina legal titan who was already facing a stunning array of criminal allegations before he was charged last week with murdering his wife and son, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.How he did so reflected his...

finance.yahoo.com

After the 20-minute hearing, Murdaugh lawyer Jim Griffin revealed his son had to provide the former lawyer with clothes after a late notice that Murdaugh did not need to wear his jail-house jumpsuit. Griffin said that in addition to a linen button-down and pants, his son provided Murdaugh with shoes.

My read on it was his attorney borrowed clothes from his son because of a last minute notification that AM could wear civilian clothes to court instead of a jumpsuit. But that's just me.

Also what's up with that "I think I am not guilty"? Either you know you are or not.

JMO

 

[RAISINISBACK]

I'm guess she was standing (sadly maybe running away) and turned when she was shot (perhaps fell and was shot again)

I missed something here I guess. Where was it said MM was shot in the chest and back? I thought PM was shot in the chest and head with a shotgun and MM was shot in the back as she was fleeing and then the head after she was already down.

Someone bring me up to date pleaseeee. TIA

JMO

 

[Warwick7]

I missed something here I guess. Where was it said MM was shot in the chest and back? I thought PM was shot in the chest and head with a shotgun and MM was shot in the back as she was fleeing and then the head after she was already down.

Someone bring me up to date pleaseeee. TIA

JMO

Post #514 has the info and link.

 

[Warwick7]

I would imagine that’s how they knew she ran. She was shot in the chest, turned to flee, was shot in the back, fell face-down, then was administered 2 shots to the back of the head at close range. Definite overkill and rage-filled, especially if (don’t want to be graphic here) you know what those last 2 shots to the head with an AR would do. MOO

Thank you for this.
This sketches it in a way I can understand.
It really shows rage...

 

[RAISINISBACK]

I agree . It was the audit that pushed AM over the edge. As we have seen, law suits of any nature can be delayed and delayed. I imagine a private audit can move ahead immediately. AM had no “ good old boys” network to stop the audit.

A CPA firm can audit 3 years worth of financials in a couple weeks. Been there done that. For more than a few clients in fact. A financial audit is the first step in divorce proceedings to determine martial assets. In other words what is there to split up? We are not talking Trump or Gates here.

From reading what AM and MM had, e.g. cash in bank, property, ect I think a halfway decent CPA could have did that audit in less than a week. They didn't really have anything. 3 bank accounts with very little in them, I think I read 16.00 and 58.00 and 8000.00, 2 properties, 1 large but over valued at 3.9 million, as all real estate is right now, because it is mostly 1770 acres of swampland, and one beach house which may be valued higher. The vehicles they drove belonged to the law firm. MM did own a share of PMPED law firm but I don't think the value of that would have been high, as I don't think it was a large share.

All the property was in her name alone so whatever there was to split up would have depended on how generous she felt toward him in the divorce.

I think even the IRS could have did an audit of their finances in about a month and we all know how shorthanded and slow the IRS is.

Once again I think any money in the marriage belonged to MM alone. I think AM brought the name and power and prestige and MM brought the actual cash into that marriage. I think that audit was to find out where her money went.

For my part based on what I have read I do not think the Murdaugh's had that much money between all of them. JMM owns a rental store, AM and RM IV were attorneys in a huge firm that had to split fees with a lot of other employees of the firm. I do not think we are talking millions here on the Murdaugh side. A couple hundred thousand a year in actual profits at best. That's not even lower middle class these days. AM probably made the most because he stole the most.

Maybe my view is skewed from dealing with clients who earn actual millions a year but to me none of them are what I would call wealthy. Living comfortably maybe, but not living high on the hog as we like to say around here.

JMO

 

[RAISINISBACK]

Post #514 has the info and link.

Thank you.

 

[MerryB]

A CPA firm can audit 3 years worth of financials in a couple weeks. Been there done that. For more than a few clients in fact. A financial audit is the first step in divorce proceedings to determine martial assets. In other words what is there to split up? We are not talking Trump or Gates here.

From reading what AM and MM had, e.g. cash in bank, property, ect I think a halfway decent CPA could have did that audit in less than a week. They didn't really have anything. 3 bank accounts with very little in them, I think I read 16.00 and 58.00 and 8000.00, 2 properties, 1 large but over valued at 3.9 million, as all real estate is right now, because it is mostly 1770 acres of swampland, and one beach house which may be valued higher. The vehicles they drove belonged to the law firm. MM did own a share of PMPED law firm but I don't think the value of that would have been high, as I don't think it was a large share.

All the property was in her name alone so whatever there was to split up would have depended on how generous she felt toward him in the divorce.

I think even the IRS could have did an audit of their finances in about a month and we all know how shorthanded and slow the IRS is.

Once again I think any money in the marriage belonged to MM alone. I think AM brought the name and power and prestige and MM brought the actual cash into that marriage. I think that audit was to find out where her money went.

For my part based on what I have read I do not think the Murdaugh's had that much money between all of them. JMM owns a rental store, AM and RM IV were attorneys in a huge firm that had to split fees with a lot of other employees of the firm. I do not think we are talking millions here on the Murdaugh side. A couple hundred thousand a year in actual profits at best. That's not even lower middle class these days. AM probably made the most because he stole the most.

Maybe my view is skewed from dealing with clients who earn actual millions a year but to me none of them are what I would call wealthy. Living comfortably maybe, but not living high on the hog as we like to say around here.

JMO

I think you’re spot on.
Maggie and Alex sold the family home on Holly St. in May. They moved out and he went to Moselle while she was in Edisto full-time by July.
In SC, you have to live apart for 1 year before you can file for divorce. That 1-year mark was soon approaching.
As you said, all assets were in her name. Alex was strapped for cash and she thought he was hiding cash from her in anticipation of the divorce. She ordered the audit and, if you are correct, very likely may have uncovered the truth in the process of it was done quickly.
Remember Creighton Waters said yesterday at the hearing that the motive was closely tied to the financial crimes.
MOO

Edit to add actual quote:
"Much of the information that has been gathered in the state grand jury case -- all of the 81 allegations of white collar fraud and other crimes, drugs and the like -- that has been gathered against Mr. Murdaugh over the course of that long investigation ... a lot of that provides the background and the motive for what happened on June 7, 2021," Waters said.

Alex Murdaugh pleads not guilty to murders of his wife and son

Disgraced former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the murders of his wife and son, who were found shot to death on the family's property in

www.kvoa.com

 

[FlamingoLady]

BBM

Alex Murdaugh Borrows Clothes from Lawyer’s Son So He Can Plead Not Guilty to Murdering His Own

Jason Ryan/The Daily BeastWALTERBORO, South Carolina—Alex Murdaugh, the exiled South Carolina legal titan who was already facing a stunning array of criminal allegations before he was charged last week with murdering his wife and son, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.How he did so reflected his...

finance.yahoo.com

After the 20-minute hearing, Murdaugh lawyer Jim Griffin revealed his son had to provide the former lawyer with clothes after a late notice that Murdaugh did not need to wear his jail-house jumpsuit. Griffin said that in addition to a linen button-down and pants, his son provided Murdaugh with shoes.

My read on it was his attorney borrowed clothes from his son because of a last minute notification that AM could wear civilian clothes to court instead of a jumpsuit. But that's just me.

Also what's up with that "I think I am not guilty"? Either you know you are or not.

JMO

And why does he not have clothes ready on standby for these situations? IMO, his support circle is dwindling.

 

[Warwick7]

AM's clothes?
Let's call it: Operation Let's Make Him Look Broke

 

[RAISINISBACK]

I think you’re spot on.
Maggie and Alex sold the family home on Holly St. in May. They moved out and he went to Moselle while she was in Edisto full-time by July.
In SC, you have to live apart for 1 year before you can file for divorce. That 1-year mark was soon approaching.
As you said, all assets were in her name. Alex was strapped for cash and she thought he was hiding cash from her in anticipation of the divorce. She ordered the audit and, if you are correct, very likely may have uncovered the truth in the process of it was done quickly.
Remember Creighton Waters said yesterday at the hearing that the motive was closely tied to the financial crimes.
MOO

Edit to add actual quote:
"Much of the information that has been gathered in the state grand jury case -- all of the 81 allegations of white collar fraud and other crimes, drugs and the like -- that has been gathered against Mr. Murdaugh over the course of that long investigation ... a lot of that provides the background and the motive for what happened on June 7, 2021," Waters said.

Alex Murdaugh pleads not guilty to murders of his wife and son

Disgraced former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the murders of his wife and son, who were found shot to death on the family's property in

www.kvoa.com

I think she uncovered the truth in an audit or more than likely suspected or knew the truth far earlier.

It was said early on that AM was not working that much. If we break that down, he was doing volunteer work for the DA's office and I don't remember if it was Fitznews or elsewhere said he hadn't been handling that many cases for the last few years (Maybe because the law firm knew he had a drug problem?)

Yet we see hundreds of thousands at a time running through bank accounts per the LaFfitte indictment. MM had to have wondered, in view of the fact he wasn't working that many cases (which she would have known by asking her FIL or BIL) where all the money he was spending was coming from.

We know from the indictment of LaFifitte (https://www.fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2022/07/Laffitte-Indictment.pdf) that he was putting very small amounts in MM's bank account, 7,500.00 and 10,000.00. But she had to see him spending large. So I think she became suspicious far earlier. She knew he had a drug habit, no way did his wife not know. She knows he is not working that much yet sees him spending large. Did she suspect he was dealing in drugs and become afraid she would be caught up in it and go to prison? Or did she suspect he was stealing from the law firm or client settlements? How much did she really know about those hundreds of thousands or even millions running through their bank accounts?

One thing that bothers me. I know people on here have disputed this, but I did not hear any dogs in that GS 911 call. MM and PM would have known if there were any dogs near the GS fall. AM is the only one who says the dogs were the cause, but yet MM halfway backs him up in a statement to the insurance company by saying one of the dogs (Bourbon I think) was very unruly and hard to handle. Was she aware he was ripping off the insurance companies by claiming their dogs did it?

Another thing that bothers me is their personal and/or corporate business income taxes. Money running through bank accounts in large amounts is reported to the IRS and also leaves a long money trail. BOA especially would have reported it, as big a corporation as they are, the IRS keeps a close oversight on them as does the FDIC and Treasury department. Especially since the Forge account at BOA had to have been listed as a business account (DBA or LLC or INC) since it was not in his personal name. Small banks also have to report it since they too have oversight from the IRS.

Even if AM did his own taxes, he would not have been so stupid as not to report that money going into his bank account, especially that Forge business account. (Everyone knows bank statements equal money trails the IRS can follow in an audit.) If a CPA did them they would have caught that money in a red hot hurry and asked a lot of questions about it.

But whether he did them or a CPA did them MM had to sign them either on a paper return or a form 8879 if they were filed electronically. By IRS law a preparer has to provide copies to the client. If they owned stocks or other investments that would have been reported on their tax return. In fact all income would have been. So I do not think MM was ignorant of the money going through their bank accounts. In view of the fact AM wasn't working that much where did she think that money was coming from? Wouldn't she have asked questions? Like "hey, here is 990,000.00 where did that come from?" He could not tell her he was mortgaging the property since it was in her name alone and she would have had to sign the mortgage papers.

The only way she would not have asked questions about their living large lifestyle is 1. she knew what he was doing or 2. she had a lot of money gifted to her by a relative and thought the outsized spending was from her money.

I think it was the latter, hence the audit of their personal finances she asked for.

As an aside I was shocked at how fast the Gates split up 113 billion in money and assets. Less than 3 months.

JMO

 

[RAISINISBACK]

And why does he not have clothes ready on standby for these situations? IMO, his support circle is dwindling.

IDK. Does anyone know if jails allow you to keep civilian clothes there to wear to court?

JMO

 

[Seattle1]

And why does he not have clothes ready on standby for these situations? IMO, his support circle is dwindling.

Depending on the State Constitution and the Statutes governing criminal procedure -- some states are very strict about if/when a defendant can appear in Court wearing street or civilian clothes, and others strictly adhere to the in-custody defendant's Constitutional or statutory right to wear civilian clothes only at jury selection and trial.

I could see how that played out here with a defendant except not with AM or his legal team!

For example, in states where a defendant is required to appear in person for an arraignment, most are prohibited from wearing civilian clothes here to preserve a sense of equity among those defendants in custody. Whereas states where the arraignment is viewed only as a formality, and in-person appearance is optional, they might grant civilian dress in court for the arraignment by request.

In this case, seems SC goes with civilian dress at arraignment is optional.