Murdaugh juror defends guilty verdict: ‘Made the most sense’
James McDowell, whose brother was a witness in the double murder trial, described the jury's deliberations on 'Fox & Friends' days after Alex was convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and his son, Paul.
Randy Murdaugh believes his brother, Alex Murdaugh, is "not telling the truth" about Maggie and Paul Murdaugh's murders.
A South Carolina jury on March 3 found the disgraced attorney guilty of shooting 52-year-old wife and 22-year-old son to death on their family hunting property in Islandton.
"I hoped that after the trial, because there’s nothing more that can be presented, that I’d stop thinking about this," Randy Murdaugh told The New York Times in an interview. "But so far, that has not been the case"
Randy, along with Alex's older brother, John Marvin Murdaugh; their sister, Lynn Murdaugh Goette; and Alex's surviving 26-year-old son, Buster Murdaugh, were present in the Colleton County courtroom for Alex's trial, which began with jury selection on Jan. 25.
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Randy Murdaugh arrives at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Alex Murdaugh is on trial for the double slaying of his son, Paul, and wife, Maggie, in June 2021. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital )
It took about three hours for the jury to convict Alex on two first-degree murder charges and two weapons charges last week.
After the trial, Randy told the Times he thinks his brother is a liar and a thief but is still unsure whether Alex really murdered Maggie and Paul.
"He knows more than what he’s saying," Randy said. "He’s not telling the truth, in my opinion, about everything there."
Alex Murdaugh, left, listens to defense attorney Jim Griffin give his closing arguments in Alex Murdaugh’s trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. ( Joshua Boucher/The State/Pool)
He and Alex both attended the University of South Carolina Law School and worked at their family's personal injury firm — Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick — together but were not particularly close.
"It’s not like there was some problem with our relationship, necessarily," Randy told the Times. "We just really weren’t alike, so we didn’t do stuff together."
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After Maggie and Paul were shot, Randy "spent considerable time, day after day for weeks on end, calling people," but Alex did not often discuss his theories about who might have murdered his wife and son. Maggie Murdaugh's sister, Marian Proctor, testified in February that she found it odd that Alex would not often discuss the murders.
A photo of the Murdaugh family taken days before Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were shot to death. From left to right, Buster, Paul, Maggie and Alex Murdaugh. (Defense exhibit)
Alex Murdaugh is still facing 99 financial crimes stemming from 19 separate indictments for thefts totaling nearly $9 million. He is accused of stealing money from his family's firm and its clients for years.
In September 2021, Randy and others at the firm apparently confronted Alex about the embezzlement allegations against him, and he admitted to his wrongdoings, promising Randy that he would never lie to him again.
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The next day, Alex staged a botched suicide attempt in an alleged effort to get a $10 million insurance payout for his surviving son. He told his brother and police that he had been shot while making repairs on the side of the road, but investigators learned later that Alex had hired Curtis "Cousin Eddie" Smith to shoot him. The plan didn't work; the bullet only grazed Alex's head.
Buster Murdaugh listens to his father Alex Murdaugh's recorded interview, where he describes a suicide attempt he planned, during Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial. (Joshua Boucher/The State via AP, Pool)
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The two brothers have not spoken in nearly a year, Randy told the Times.
The Murdaugh family is currently focused on supporting Buster Murdaugh, he said.
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