A series of deaths and a highly publicised trial: The true story behind Netflix's Murdaugh Murders.

It's the case that ended with five people dead. It's the case that has continued to baffle the general public. It's the case that has been unpacked in detail via Netflix's new docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.

And this week, there's been a major development - Alex Murdaugh, the prime suspect for two of the five deaths, has been convicted of murder.

Since 2015, a South Carolina community has been living in the wake of a series of deadly crimes. And in the docuseries, it's alleged that one family appears to have been involved in every one of the five deaths. It's the Murdaugh family. 

They were known for their century-old family law firm in Hampton, South Carolina. Alex Murdaugh was a powerful civil litigation lawyer working at the firm, and all of the Murdaughs who worked there maintained a significant amount of control and leverage with local authorities. That is until recently. 

The docuseries noted how the five deaths in the community revolved around one branch of the Murdaughs - father Alex Murdaugh, his wife Maggie Murdaugh, and their two sons - Buster and Paul Murdaugh. 

Watch the trailer for the Murdaugh Murders. Story continues below.

Stephen Smith's death.

It all began in 2015.

On July 8 the body of 19-year-old Stephen Smith was found in the middle of a rural highway in Hampton, South Carolina. His car was later found around the corner of the highway. He had severe head trauma. 

Smith had been studying to be a nurse and was an openly gay man. He had attended the local high school, along with Buster and Paul Murdaugh. There had been rumours that Buster and Smith had been in a secret relationship.

Journalist Will Folks said in the docuseries that listening back to police tapes from the scene, there was no evidence that Smith had been involved in a vehicular accident. The blood patterns did not match him being hit by a car, nor did the injuries sustained. Plus the fact he was found smack bang in the middle of the road, not to the side, was troubling.

Despite all of this, Smith's death was ruled a hit-and-run. 

Only later was it revealed that Buster's name had been brought up during the investigation. Smith's loved ones have always believed he was murdered.

"Being gay in the Murdaugh family would have been looked down upon. I feel like they wouldn't want anything happening to their reputation," one interviewee said in the documentary.

Gloria Satterfield's death.

The next suspicious death related to the Murdaughs was the death of their long-time housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.

In February 2018, Satterfield was found seriously injured after falling down the front steps of the Murdaugh house, hitting her head badly on the brick steps. She died a few weeks later following the head trauma. 

The docuseries claimed that Satterfield told medical staff whilst semi-conscious that she didn't know why or how she fell. However, Alex Murdaugh was later recorded by officers saying that he spoke to Satterfield before she was taken away in an ambulance and that "she indicated that the dogs [belonging to the Murdaugh family] had caused her to fall".

It was then alleged in the docuseries that Alex Murdaugh was not actually at his family's residence when the incident took place. The only people allegedly present were Maggie, Paul and Buster.

Two of the other alleged murder victims - housekeeper Gloria Satterfield, and high school student Stephen Smith. Image: Netflix.

After Satterfield's death, Alex Murdaugh allegedly arranged for her sons to sue him in order to collect money from his insurance company, given he claimed his dogs were to blame for her 'tripping'. He brokered a US$4.3 million settlement. However, Satterfield's sons say they never received the money.  

One of the interviewees alleged: "It's just super weird that within the same year that she [Satterfield] had found Alex's drugs [who had an alleged opioid addiction] and told Paul. I think something happened there. I don't think it was handled properly."

Despite the circumstances, Satterfield's death was "not reported to the coroner at the time, nor was an autopsy performed".

Listen to The Quicky interview journalist/editor Michael DeWitt who has extensively covered the Murdaugh murders case. Post continues after audio.

Mallory Beach's death.

During his late teen years, Paul Murdaugh had garnered a reputation for often being "highly intoxicated" and "belligerent". His then-girlfriend has alleged that Paul was violent to her during their relationship. It was also alleged that on multiple occasions where he should have been disciplined by law enforcement, he allegedly managed to get away with his actions by relying on his family's power and connections in the community. 

On the night of February 23, 2019, Paul crashed a boat carrying 20-year-old Mallory Beach and five other friends near Hampton, South Carolina.

Beach was thrown from the boat as a result of the crash, her body recovered in the river days later. Paul was found to be way over the alcohol limit.

Alex Murdaugh's behavior attracted a lot of attention after the crash. According to statements from witnesses at the hospital, Alex was going from room to room, attempting to speak with his son's injured friends.

Local journalist Michael DeWitt said to CBS: "I think that from day one, ground zero, the effort was 'What can we do to get Paul out of this? How can we create a cloud of confusion and say, 'Can you prove who was driving the boat?'"

In a deposition, one of the friends on the boat - Connor Cook - said Alex Murdaugh told him that he "didn't need to tell anyone who was driving." And a hospital security guard went on the record saying he overheard Alex say on his cell phone, "She's gone [Mallory Beach]. Don't worry." 

Beach's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against members of the Murdaugh family on March 29, 2019, after little action had been made against Paul as the culpable boat driver.

Mallory Beach in the maroon dress, her boyfriend Anthony on the left, her best friend Miley on the right, and Miley's boyfriend Connor on the top right. Image: Netflix.

Three weeks later, on what would have been Mallory's 20th birthday, Paul Murdaugh was charged with multiple felonies: boating under the influence resulting in the death of Mallory Beach and serious bodily injuries to two passengers. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. Paul would not end up facing a trial.

Anthony, Beach's then-boyfriend, said that everyone on that fateful boat trip and Beach's family were devastated and angry over what happened. 

"To have something that you love and then it's gone. Everybody is suffering for those mistakes. I lost a really big piece of my heart," he said in the docuseries.

It was the next and final two deaths that shocked the Hampton community, changing the entire Murdaugh family case. And it put Alex Murdaugh in the spotlight of detectives. 

Paul and Maggie Murdaugh's murders.

On June 7, 2021, officers responded to a late-night 911 call from Alex saying that his wife and son were dead at a residence in Islandton, South Carolina. Maggie and her son Paul were found dead on the 1,770-acre property, where the family had a hunting lodge.

Alex claimed he had returned home after visiting his mother to find Paul and Maggie's bodies. His 52-year-old wife was shot four or five times with a rifle and their 22-year-old son was shot twice. He also claimed that the murders were done by someone who was disgruntled over the death of Mallory Beach, due to Paul's involvement in that event.

But Alex was charged with the murders.

Prosecutors later revealed that mobile phone records placed Alex at the location where they were murdered, minutes before Paul and Maggie were shot despite Alex telling "everyone he was never there".

The prosecution then showed video footage taken of a dog by Paul minutes before his murder. The video features three voices in the background. One of those voices belongs to Alex. 

It was also revealed that Alex had embezzled millions of dollars from clients and his family's generational law firm, to fuel an extreme addiction to opioids. Prior to their deaths, Maggie and Paul had confronted Alex, Maggie also raising concerns about their finances and missing money. 

In October 2021, Alex was then arrested on insurance fraud charges in relation to Gloria Satterfield's settlement, and the attorney for the Satterfield estate announced that they'd never received a settlement. 

The investigations into both Satterfield and Stephen Smith's deaths have since been reopened.

The Murdaugh family - Buster, mother Maggie, Paul, and father Alex. Image: Netflix.

This week, a US jury found Alex guilty of murdering his wife and son. The jury took less than three hours to reach a unanimous verdict after an almost six-week trial. He received two consecutive life sentences, and mouthed 'I love you' to his surviving son Buster who sat in the courtroom. 

The trial heard about betrayed friends and clients, and Alex's failed attempt to stage his own death in an insurance fraud scheme. Alex was accused of killing Maggie and Paul in order to garner sympathy and divert attention from his financial crimes.

And once the video footage and mobile phone location evidence were shown in court, Alex broke down and admitted that he was at the location where the killings occurred on the night of the murders. He did not admit to murdering his wife and son, but blamed the "paranoia" and lies on his drug addiction.

He is still facing almost 100 charges for a multi-million-dollar financial fraud scheme.

For the victims caught up in the whole web of lies - particularly Stephen Smith, Gloria Satterfield and Mallory Beach - their families continue to call for justice. 

Stephen Smith's family released a statement via their lawyer, saying: "We know firsthand the agony and frustration of being in the dark about how a family member was killed and I am thankful the whole story was put before the jury in a public trial. One day, I pray the same happens for my Stephen, but today we should honour and remember the victims of this man who so many people trusted."

As Mallory Beach's father left the courtroom after watching Alex be convicted of murder, he simply said to reporters: "Justice has been served."

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. 

Feature Image: Netflix.

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