SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #4

[katydid23]

I have actually had a theory on MM’s phone for some time.
But in order for this theory to apply/ be possible, the killer(s) would have to have been hired to commit the murders - and hired by someone extremely close to MM.
Basically the theory is that the taking and discarding of MM’s phone was part of the plan and it had a specific purpose.
An app, such as Life 360, would show anyone in MM’s Life360 circle the location of her phone. There is no record created when someone checks the location of someone in their circle.
(For instance, in our family, our L360 apps are always running in the background. If I want to know where my husband is, I simply glance at his location. Neither my phone nor his phone will have any record of me checking his location. And of course, I’m not really seeing where my husband is, I’m seeing where his phone is.)
Upon leaving, MM’s phone may have been taken and used by the murderer(s) to communicate completion of the job to someone else through this sort of app. A message sent simply by the location change of MM’s phone, communicating “we’re gone”, and with no digital footprint.

Speculation/ theory
All my opinion only

Yes, very interesting theory. So this might imply that someone in the L360 circle of MM hired someone to do the deed and then scatter the phone?

 

[Watts Bar]

Yes, very interesting theory. So this might imply that someone in the L360 circle of MM hired someone to do the deed and then scatter the phone?

That’s what I’m thinking. And possibly repeatedly checked the location of her phone to know when they were gone. This scenario could likely account for the narrow timeline as well.
MOO

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Ps: In the Morphew case they knew not only where and when the husband drove, but that he opened the Trunk/boot of the car 5 times And when it was opened.

Even knowing that it took them Months to arrest him.

No one could get anything from my 23 year old Subaru except that I’m too lazy to change the clock at daily savings time, and wipe up dog hair!

just had to giggle at that one!

 

[LetsSolvIt]

That’s what I’m thinking. And possibly repeatedly checked the location of her phone to know when they were gone. This scenario could likely account for the narrow timeline as well.
MOO

Yes, once that signal was received it was “safe” to come home. JMO.

I like this theory! Good thinking!

 

[Designs]

Kind of interesting -- Zuercher Portal Colleton County. Go to that public site (Zuercher Portal ) and click on inmates. Then hit date of arrest a couple of times to show the most recent at the top. In 2020, two guys were arrested in Colleton County and were convicted of stealing farm equipment, boat motors, trailers worth thousands of dollars. One was charged with possession of a firearm.
Two arrested after Colleton County investigators find stolen goods at local residence

 

[worm]

Kind of interesting -- Zuercher Portal Colleton County. Go to that public site (Zuercher Portal ) and click on inmates. Then hit date of arrest a couple of times to show the most recent at the top. In 2020, two guys were arrested in Colleton County and were convicted of stealing farm equipment, boat motors, trailers worth thousands of dollars. One was charged with possession of a firearm.
Two arrested after Colleton County investigators find stolen goods at local residence

Several counties use that portal but this is the first I’ve seen that didn’t list charges. Theft like the article reports is pretty common in these rural areas. Rec vehicles, tools, equipment, are very often items taken.

 

[Colorado303]

Kind of interesting -- Zuercher Portal Colleton County. Go to that public site (Zuercher Portal ) and click on inmates. Then hit date of arrest a couple of times to show the most recent at the top. In 2020, two guys were arrested in Colleton County and were convicted of stealing farm equipment, boat motors, trailers worth thousands of dollars. One was charged with possession of a firearm.
Two arrested after Colleton County investigators find stolen goods at local residence

What does the individual arrested or the previous theft have to do w/the Murdough murders? Did the items stolen in the earlier theft belong to a Murdough?

 

[Designs]

What does the individual arrested or the previous theft have to do w/the Murdough murders? Did the items stolen in the earlier theft belong to a Murdough?

The 2 guys were arrested last year and were charged with grand larceny — boat trailer, farm equipment, etc. And they were charged w illegal possession of a firearm. These same 2 have been recently arrested. Don’t know for what reason. Among the many theories is an interrupted burglary. Just thought it was interesting and will wait to see how things shake out.

 

[Rusty123]

If they Don’t know who, what, where, $100k is a strangely puny reward to get someone to come forward.

My hunch is that they know there will be no one to come forward because it’s an inside job, if you know what I mean?! But a reward looks good to outsiders, right? I believe the reward will never be claimed. There’s so much reading between the lines in this case it’s making my eyes hurt.

 

[Betty P]

That’s what I’m thinking. And possibly repeatedly checked the location of her phone to know when they were gone. This scenario could likely account for the narrow timeline as well.
MOO

It made me immediately suspicious when the Murdaugh brother was able to find MM's cell phone using his own phone. Who tracks their sister in law with a phone app?

 

[Oakie]

My hunch is that they know there will be no one to come forward because it’s an inside job, if you know what I mean?! But a reward looks good to outsiders, right? I believe the reward will never be claimed. There’s so much reading between the lines in this case it’s making my eyes hurt.

My suspicions have been heading in this direction for a while now too. I wonder if MM and PM were killed, not out of revenge, but to eliminate them from testifying as witnesses in the civil trial. This case just gets darker and darker.

 

[sunshineray]

It made me immediately suspicious when the Murdaugh brother was able to find MM's cell phone using his own phone. Who tracks their sister in law with a phone app?

It was very odd to me also that LE couldn't find a way to track her "missing" phone but AM's brother could. Maybe it was an Apple phone, they are notorious for having to jump through hoops, look at how they treated Becky Patty when she want to find Libby's phone. Maybe LE figured time with the battery was running out and JMM offered?

 

[Luna20]

It made me immediately suspicious when the Murdaugh brother was able to find MM's cell phone using his own phone. Who tracks their sister in law with a phone app?

And why not Alex’s phone?

 

[Betty P]

And why not Alex’s phone?

Yes, odd. Red flag.

 

[pizzaman12]

It was very odd to me also that LE couldn't find a way to track her "missing" phone but AM's brother could. Maybe it was an Apple phone, they are notorious for having to jump through hoops, look at how they treated Becky Patty when she want to find Libby's phone. Maybe LE figured time with the battery was running out and JMM offered?

Where does it say LE couldn't? It could also be the family helping LEO as they probably would have had to obtain a warrant to get that info.

 

[pizzaman12]

It made me immediately suspicious when the Murdaugh brother was able to find MM's cell phone using his own phone. Who tracks their sister in law with a phone app?

BBM
I do. She's in our family group on Life360. Not uncommon at all

 

[pizzaman12]

And why not Alex’s phone?

Do we know this?

 

[pizzaman12]

Yes, odd. Red flag.

Maybe I missed something but where was it stated he had MM but not AM?

 

[Watts Bar]

My suspicions have been heading in this direction for a while now too. I wonder if MM and PM were killed, not out of revenge, but to eliminate them from testifying as witnesses in the civil trial. This case just gets darker and darker.

I’m in this camp as well. The civil trial, but also PM’s looming criminal trial, as well as the potential OOJ charges being reviewed by the GJ.
I tend to think that outright revenge isn’t a strong enough motive to do something like this. I keep coming back to the motive being self preservation of one or more people who needed PM to go away. With PM gone, his criminal charges in the BUI case are dropped. To your point, he would also be unable to testify in what looked like a civil suit that was headed for trial.
And if the OOJ charges came to fruition, the problem of having to control his statement/ testimony to align with a particular narrative is no longer as issue.

 

[sunshineray]

Where does it say LE couldn't? It could also be the family helping LEO as they probably would have had to obtain a warrant to get that info.

That's kind of what I said at the end there. IMO though, it was very inappropriate for the Solicitor's personal to be involved with and walking around the property of an active crime scene with the brother of an automatic POI (the spouse of a victim) in a murder investigation. AJMO