Paul Murdaugh received threats from strangers before killing, Murdaugh family says
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Murdaugh murders in Colleton County
Two members of a powerhouse legal family were shot and killed June 7 in Colleton County, SC. Read more of our coverage.
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This story first published June 17, 2021.
Strangers had threatened Paul Murdaugh before he and his mother were shot to death, but the family didn’t believe the threats were valid, two members of the Murdaugh family said in their first interview since Paul Murdaugh and his mother, Maggie, were killed.
John Marvin Murdaugh and Randolph “Randy” Murdaugh IV, Paul’s uncles and Maggie’s brother-in-laws, recorded an interview with Good Morning that aired Thursday morning.
“The person that did this is out there, and there’s information, however big or however small it is,” Randy Murdaugh IV said, pleading for help in the investigation.
The family had issued a separate, brief statement to Good Morning America earlier this week, but other than the funerals for Paul, Maggie, and the well-known patriarch, Randolph Murdaugh III, the Murdaughs have remained out of the public light.
Paul, 22, and Maggie, 52, died from multiple gunshot wounds between 9 and 9:30 p.m. on June 7 outside their home in Colleton County. Alex Murdaugh, Paul’s father and Maggie’s husband, called 911 at 10:07 p.m., reporting that he had discovered the bodies.
Sources close to the investigation previously said they were exploring the possibility that Paul was the killer’s target and his mother was killed because she was there as happenstance. They also said Paul was shot with a shotgun in the upper body and head, while Maggie was shot with an assault rifle.
“I really don’t know of any enemies,” Randy Murdaugh IV said. “You hear of all this talk on social media with regard to Paul, but I don’t know of anybody that would truly be an enemy or would truly want to harm them.”
John Marvin Murdaugh agreed. “I didn’t think it was credible threats. If it was, I would have tried to do something or notify someone, but I guess maybe I made a mistake.”
At the time of his death Paul Murdaugh was facing three felony boating under the influence charges in the 2019 Beaufort County boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach.
The segment noted that the Murdaughs are members of prominent law firm and that some people in the community say the family used its connections to protect Paul the night of the boat crash.
Reporter Eva Pilgrim asked, “Do you feel that anyone in your family interfered in any way?”
Both brothers shook their heads “no.”
“Do you feel like some of the perception of your family has been wrong?,” Pilgrim asked.
“Yes,” Randy Murdaugh IV says. “I’ve seen words like ‘dynasty’ used, and ‘power.” I don’t know exactly how people use those words, but we’re just regular people, and we’re hurting just like they would be hurting if this had happened to them.”
The brothers said their brother, Alex Murdaugh, found their bodies after he got home from being in the hospital with their dad, Randolph Murdaugh III, who died days later.
Alex is “upright and looks strong and is making his way… He breaks down. It’s tough for us,” John Marvin Murdaugh said.
“It changes you as a family,” Randy Murdaugh IV said as he put his arm around John Marvin. “I can’t imagine the horror my brother’s experiencing.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 8:44 AM with the headline "Paul Murdaugh received threats from strangers before killing, Murdaugh family says."
