‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’: What to know about the people and events that inspired the show

In the winter of 2019, a young man from a prominent and wealthy South Carolina family was driving a boat while intoxicated. He was carrying five friends when the boat crashed into a bridge late at night, resulting in the death of a 19-year-old female passenger.

Somehow, the saga of the Murdaugh family only gets more twisted and complex after that point.

When Erin Lee Carr and Michael D. Fuller first talked in October 2021 about making a show about the Murdaugh family, the young man involved in the previous boat crash had already been killed.

In June 2021, Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were found murdered at their home. The investigation into their deaths ultimately led to the conviction of Alex Murdaugh, their father, and revealed many secrets about the family.

Television

The Alex Murdaugh trial sparked a lot of related content, with live coverage and competing documentary series actually helping each other gain viewers.

Feb. 21, 2023

The story received widespread attention, initially through constant news coverage and later in documentaries and a TV movie. Several podcasts explored the case, but Mandy Matney’s “Murdaugh Murders Podcast” became the most popular, with over 90 episodes. This podcast served as the basis for the new Hulu miniseries, “Murdaugh: Death in the Family.”

Though many are familiar with the Murdaugh case, the creators of the new series, “Murdaugh,” want to go beyond what’s already known. Showrunner Fuller explains that the series focuses on uncovering the hidden emotional realities of the Murdaugh family – what truly motivated their actions and shaped who they are.

According to Fuller, the actors portraying the Murdaugh family – Jason Clarke as Alex, Patricia Arquette as Maggie, Johnny Berchtold as Paul, and Will Harrison as Buster – will come across as both strangely recognizable and surprisingly different to audiences.

The show’s core strength is its portrayal of real people and a genuine family dynamic. These weren’t simple villains or perfect heroes, but complex individuals who made both good and bad decisions. That’s what makes the story relatable to everyone.

I’m really looking forward to watching “Murdaugh: Death in the Family”! The first three episodes are available on Hulu starting Wednesday, and new episodes will come out every week until the last one on November 19th.

For those who are unfamiliar with the family’s story, Carr says, “Welcome to the Murdaughs, man.”

She described the case as shocking and extreme, highlighting how unchecked power and privilege can lead to devastating consequences, and emphasized its continued relevance today.

To help you follow the series, here’s a breakdown of the main people involved and a timeline of the crimes and events connected to the Murdaugh family.

The photo shows, from left to right, Madeline Popovich portraying Mallory Beach, Ryan Paynter as Anthony Cook, Johnny Berchtold as Paul Murdaugh, and Jessi Case as Morgan Doughty in the Disney+ series “Murdaugh: Death in the Family.” (Photo by Daniel Delgado Jr.)

In the Hulu series, Jason Clarke portrays Alex Murdaugh, while Gerald McCraney plays his father, Randolph. (Photo by Daniel Delgado Jr./Disney)

The Murdaugh family and other key people

Alex Murdaugh

Richard Alexander Murdaugh grew up in a well-known and influential family in Hampton County, South Carolina, with a strong history in law and local society. He followed in his father’s footsteps, attending and graduating from the University of South Carolina’s law school. For three generations, the Murdaugh men served as the top prosecutor – known as the circuit solicitor – for a five-county area. Randolph Murdaugh Sr. began this family tradition in 1920, and their long-held authority led many residents to refer to the region as “Murdaugh Country.”

Alex Murdaugh was a well-known lawyer specializing in personal injury cases. In 2023, he was found guilty of murdering his wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul, and will remain in prison for the rest of his life. Despite the conviction, he insists he didn’t commit the crimes and is appealing the verdict. He also confessed to numerous financial offenses, resulting in an additional sentence of over 60 years in prison.

The law firm where Alex Murdaugh used to work, formerly known as Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick, has changed its name to Parker Law Group. Alex’s brother, Randy Murdaugh IV, continues to work there.

Maggie Murdaugh

Maggie Murdaugh, known as Margaret Kennedy Branstetter Murdaugh, was the mother of Paul and Buster. She and her husband, Alex, met while she was a student at the University of South Carolina in 1991 and married two years later, in 1993.

In 2021, she and Paul were fatally shot at the family’s hunting land in Colleton County. She was 52 years old. Reports indicate that she and Alex were living apart when she died.

Paul Murdaugh

Born on April 14, 1999, to Alex and Maggie Murdaugh, Paul Murdaugh spent his childhood enjoying outdoor activities like hunting with his father and brother. At the time of his death, he was a 22-year-old junior at the University of South Carolina.

As a teenager and young adult, Paul struggled with alcohol abuse. Friends have described a noticeable change in his personality when he drank, giving his intoxicated self the nickname “Timmy.” In February 2019, he was involved in a boat crash while allegedly driving under the influence. The boat collided with a bridge in the early morning with five other passengers on board. Tragically, one of those passengers, 19-year-old Mallory Beach, died as a result of the crash.

Let me tell you, the details surrounding this case are truly tragic. Paul, just nineteen at the time, was shockingly over the legal alcohol limit when he was rushed to the hospital after a boat crash. He was later charged with a serious felony DUI. But before he could ever face trial, both he and his mother were murdered in 2021. It’s a heartbreaking end to a story that began with reckless behavior and ended with unimaginable loss.

Buster Murdaugh

Richard Alexander Murdaugh Jr., known as “Buster,” went to Wofford College and later studied law at the University of South Carolina, following in his parents’ footsteps. However, by spring 2021, he had been dismissed from law school, allegedly due to poor grades and academic dishonesty.

After his mother and brother died, I started seeing Buster Murdaugh’s name popping up in the news again. Digging into the family’s past brought up a connection to Stephen Smith, a guy he went to school with who was tragically killed back in 2015. Suddenly, there were all these rumors going around – whispers about a relationship between Buster and Stephen, and even suggestions the Murdaughs were somehow involved in Stephen’s death. Buster himself has strongly denied everything, of course, but the whole thing is just incredibly unsettling.

During the trial for the murders of Paul and Maggie, Buster testified in support of his father, stating that his behavior both on the night of the killings and in the weeks after wasn’t unusual. He also shared that Alex appeared deeply saddened by their deaths.

Buster and his girlfriend, Brooklynn White, got married in May 2025. Brooklynn is a lawyer, but Buster didn’t finish his law degree.

Randolph Murdaugh III

Randolph Murdaugh III, Alex Murdaugh’s father, played a key role in building the family’s reputation in the legal world. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he served as the top prosecutor for Allendale, Colleton, Hampton, Beaufort, and Jasper counties in South Carolina. Randolph and his wife, Elizabeth “Libby” Alexander Murdaugh, had four children – Alex, Lynn Goettee, Randolph Murdaugh IV, and John Marvin Murdaugh – and were grandparents to ten grandchildren.

After Paul was involved in a boat accident in 2019, he immediately contacted Randolph. Randolph’s impact on South Carolina was already well-recognized; in 2018, he received the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian award, acknowledging his significant and lasting contributions.

He passed away in June 2021, following a prolonged illness, just three days after Paul and Maggie were killed.

Mallory Beach and her family

Morgan Beach, a teenager from South Carolina, was remembered by those who knew her as a kind and ambitious young woman hoping to become an interior designer. In February 2019, she and her boyfriend, Anthony Cook, joined friends—including Paul—on a boat trip hosted by the Murdaugh family. Tragically, the boat crashed into a bridge in Beaufort, South Carolina.

After the crash, Mallory Beach’s body wasn’t found for about a week. Her family then sued the Murdaughs, leading investigators to examine Alex Murdaugh’s financial dealings more closely. In 2023, they reached settlements with both Maggie Murdaugh’s estate and Buster Murdaugh for an undisclosed sum. The Beach family became involved in the investigation because Paul Murdaugh had used Maggie’s credit card and Buster’s identification to purchase alcohol. They also received a multimillion-dollar settlement from the convenience store that sold the alcohol, and in 2024, Alex Murdaugh’s insurance company paid the family an additional $500,000.

Gloria Satterfield

Satterfield worked for the Murdaugh family for many years as a housekeeper and nanny, becoming a mother figure to Paul and Buster. She was married to David Michael Satterfield and had two sons, Michael “Tony” Satterfield and Brian Harriott.

In February 2018, Gloria Satterfield reportedly fell at the Murdaugh family home and was hospitalized for several weeks before passing away at age 57. Her obituary identified Alex and Maggie Murdaugh as people she considered family.

During the investigation into Satterfield’s death, Murdaugh falsely stated she had tripped over his dogs, fallen, and injured her head. He then advised her sons to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him. Murdaugh connected the sons with another lawyer, Cory Fleming, who took their case and worked with Murdaugh to fraudulently claim money from Murdaugh’s homeowner’s insurance. Although the settlement totaled over $4 million, Satterfield’s sons never received any of the funds.

Fleming received a prison sentence of almost four years for his part in the scheme. Murdaugh confessed to planning the entire plot and taking the insurance money that was intended for the Satterfield family, putting it directly into his own bank account. He was sentenced to 40 years for this, and also pleaded guilty to numerous other financial crimes in 2023.

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith grew up in Lexington County, South Carolina, and went to Wade Hampton High School, graduating in 2014 with Buster Murdaugh. In July 2015, he was found dead on a country road in Hampton County. Authorities first believed his death was caused by a hit-and-run accident.

After the Murdaugh double homicide investigation began in 2021, South Carolina authorities reopened the case of Stephen Smith. A report by local news source FITSNews indicated the Murdaugh family name appeared frequently – over 40 times – during the investigation. Detectives investigated Buster Murdaugh as a potential person of interest, as rumors suggested a romantic relationship with Smith, but they never found evidence to support this and he was never considered a suspect.

An abridged timeline of the real-life events

July 8, 2015 — Stephen Smith is killed

Smith was found dead in the road with head injuries that appeared to be caused by a blunt object. The scene didn’t suggest a car accident – there were no signs like skid marks, tire tracks, or broken vehicle parts, and his lower body wasn’t injured. Despite this, the medical examiner first believed he’d been hit by a car and the driver had left the scene.

Feb. 26, 2018 — Gloria Satterfield dies

I remember when Gloria Satterfield tragically died just weeks after she supposedly had an accident at the Murdaugh family’s property back in February. There was a lot of confusion about what actually happened, but it all came out in 2023 – Alex Murdaugh confessed he’d lied about his dogs causing her to fall. It was all part of a messed-up plan to get money from his insurance companies.

Feb. 24, 2019 — Mallory Beach killed in boat accident

Paul drove his family’s boat with several passengers – including his girlfriend, Morgan Doughty, and Anthony, Connor, and Miley Cook – after drinking heavily. Around 2:20 a.m., the boat hit the Archers Creek Bridge, throwing one passenger, Beach, into the water and injuring the others.

April 18, 2019 — Paul charged in boat crash case

Paul faces serious charges after a boating accident, including one felony count related to causing a death while intoxicated and two counts for causing serious injuries. Evidence shows he purchased alcohol earlier that day using someone else’s ID and credit card before operating his father’s boat.

Paul pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were ultimately dropped after his death.

June 7, 2021 — Paul and Maggie Murdaugh are killed

Around 10 p.m., Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report that his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, had been shot at their remote hunting estate near Islandton, off Moselle Road. Paul was shot twice, and Maggie was shot five times, indicating two different firearms were used. Investigators later determined the shootings likely occurred between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m.

June 22, 2021 — Law enforcement reopen Smith’s case

Following investigations into the Murdaugh family, South Carolina authorities have decided to reopen the case of Stephen Smith, who died in 2015. His death remains unsolved after the initial investigation stalled within a year.

Sept. 3, 2021 — Alex resigns from family law firm

Alex stepped down from his position after his firm discovered he had acted improperly with finances. Shortly after, on September 6th, he publicly admitted to making regrettable choices and announced he was seeking help for a long-standing addiction, which had worsened following recent tragic events. He expressed deep remorse to those he had harmed, including his family, friends, and coworkers.

On the same day Alex made his announcement, his old law firm stated he had quit after they found out he was taking money improperly.

Sept. 4, 2021 — Alex says he was shot in the head

Alex called 911 after being shot while stopped on a road in Hampton County with a flat tire. Police say he suffered a minor head wound and is expected to fully recover.

Just under two weeks after the initial incident, Alex confessed to hiring someone – identified as a former client and alleged drug dealer – in a plan to take his own life. Alex intended for his son, Buster, to receive a $10 million life insurance payment. The man he hired, Curtis Edward “Eddie” Smith, was arrested and faces charges including assisted suicide, aggravated assault, threatening with a firearm, and insurance fraud.

Sept. 16, 2021 — Alex surrenders to authorities for financial crimes

Alex voluntarily turned himself in to face charges related to the insurance fraud case. He was released on bail, but required to give up his passport and then enter a drug rehabilitation program.

Oct. 14, 2021 — Alex is arrested after rehab release

Alex was arrested in Florida while at a rehabilitation facility, facing charges connected to the misuse of money from a settlement in the Satterfield case. A judge has denied him bail.

July 14, 2022 — Alex is indicted on double murder charges

Alex was formally accused of murdering Maggie and Paul by a grand jury. He entered a plea of not guilty in court a few days after the charges were filed.

Jan. 23, 2023 — Alex’s trial begins

The process of choosing jurors began for Alex’s trial on charges related to the death. The trial is taking place at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, and is being broadcast on television, attracting viewers from across the country and around the world. The case has already received significant national and international media coverage.

March 2, 2023 — Alex is convicted of murders of Paul and Maggie

After only three hours of discussion, the jury delivered its verdict. The man was convicted of murdering both his wife and son, and also found guilty of having a weapon while committing the crime.

The following day, the judge gave him two life sentences, one after the other, with no chance of ever being released. A week later, Alex’s lawyers officially began the process of appealing both his convictions and the sentences he received.

Sept. 5, 2023 — Alex’s lawyers file motion for a new trial

Alex’s lawyers have asked for a new trial in his murder case, claiming a court clerk improperly influenced the jury. They allege the clerk told jurors not to trust Alex’s testimony or the evidence his lawyers presented, and that the clerk acted suspiciously in other ways.

Nov. 28, 2023 — Alex gets state prison sentence for financial crimes

Alex received a 27-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to financial crimes. Before the sentence was handed down, those he harmed had a chance to speak to him, and Alex offered apologies to both his family and his victims.

Jan. 29, 2024 — Judge denies Alex’s bid for new trial

The legal team for Alex Murdaugh claimed the court clerk had improperly communicated with the jury, but the clerk denied ever discussing the case with them. While the judge wasn’t completely convinced by the clerk’s denial, all twelve jurors who testified stated that anything she said didn’t affect their guilty verdict.

The clerk resigned two months later, but her attorney said it was unrelated to the Murdaugh case.

April 1, 2024 — Alex gets additional sentence for federal financial crimes

In September 2023, Alex pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes, such as bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. As a result, he received an additional 40-year prison sentence. This sentence is for crimes related to fraudulently profiting from an insurance claim following Satterfield’s death, and it will be served at the same time as his sentence for the murders of Maggie and Paul.

Dec. 10, 2024 — Alex’s lawyers officially appeal murder conviction

Alex’s team has officially appealed his convictions, claiming mistakes made during the trial unfairly influenced the jury.

Aug. 8, 2025 — State responds to Alex’s appeal, says he’s ‘obviously guilty’

So, the state attorney general’s office finally got back to the Supreme Court about this appeal. They’d asked for more time to look at everything, and their response basically said the jury convicted Murdaugh because the evidence against him was just *that* strong. They’re insisting it wasn’t about any worries over the jury being messed with – the case was won on the facts, as far as they’re concerned. As a movie lover, I can tell you, a solid case is always better than a twisty plot!

About a month after the state filed its paperwork, Alex’s lawyers reiterated their position, claiming he hadn’t received a fair trial.

2025-10-15 13:36