Murdaugh: Death in the Family on Hulu: The Story Behind Alex Murdaugh
The first episode of the documentary series investigates the boat accident in 2019 and the fall of the Murdaugh dynasty
What is the series about?
Murdaugh: Death in the Family (Hulu, 2025) follows the shocking story of Alex Murdaugh, a powerful attorney from South Carolina, whose life and career collapsed under the weight of murder charges and revelations of massive financial fraud. The first episode, 'The Boat Crash and the Beginning', specifically focuses on the tragic boating accident in 2019, where Paul Murdaugh was at the helm. This incident was the catalyst for a series of events that stripped the Murdaugh name of its luster and led to one of the most talked-about trials in recent U.S. history. Director Erin Lee Carr weaves archival footage together with new interviews to illuminate how the family's influence in the legal system for decades protected them from consequences.
The real case
The real case behind the series centers on the murder of Maggie Murdaugh and her son Paul Murdaugh, who were found shot on the family’s hunting property, Moselle, in Islandton on June 7, 2021. The investigation, led by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), quickly revealed that Alex Murdaugh was not only the person who discovered the bodies but the primary suspect. During the investigation, it emerged that Alex Murdaugh had stolen over $4 million from a settlement case belonging to the family of his deceased housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield. Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders in March 2023 and is now serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Timeline of the case
The case is complex and spans several years with branches into both vehicular homicide and insurance fraud. It all culminated in the trial in Walterboro, South Carolina, where the prosecution presented crucial evidence in the form of a video from Paul Murdaugh's phone, placing Alex at the crime scene just minutes before the murders took place. In addition to the violent murders, the case has also shed light on corruption and abuse of power in the local judicial system, where the Murdaugh family has held the office of solicitor for three generations. For those looking to understand the depth of the fraud, Murdaugh's financial crimes