Key takeaways:
- Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the fatal shootings of his wife, Margaret, and their younger son, Paul.
- Murdaugh took the stand in his own defense and denied the killings, but admitted to lying during his testimony.
- The jury found Murdaugh guilty on all four counts, including two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
A South Carolina jury has sentenced Alex Murdaugh to life in prison without parole for the fatal shootings of his wife, Margaret, and their younger son, Paul. The disgraced former attorney was convicted Thursday on four counts: the 2021 murder of his wife Maggie Murdaugh, the murder of his son Paul Murdaugh, and two counts of possession of a weapon during a crime.
Judge Clifton Newman announced the sentence of “the rest of your natural life” in prison for each of the two murder counts, to be served consecutively. Murdaugh, 54, spoke briefly in court before the sentence was handed down and denied that he had ever hurt his wife or son.
During the trial, Murdaugh took the stand in his own defense and repeatedly broke down in tears over two days of testimony as he denied the killings. He also admitted to lying during his testimony, saying “What a tangled web we weave, once you tell a lie.”
The jury found Murdaugh guilty on all four counts, including two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime. However, due to the life sentence, he was not sentenced for the two possession charges.
Murdaugh’s sentencing marks the end of a long and emotional trial. He will now spend the rest of his life in prison for the murders of his wife and son.
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