What happened to Paul Murdaugh from Murdaugh Murders?

Now, filmmakers Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason are digging into the true-crime tale with Netflix’s Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.

The three-parter unpacks the many alleged crimes of the clan’s patriarch Alex Murdaugh, who hails from a family of lawyers that has been prominent in South Caroline for over a century.

In the second episode of Netflix's Murdaugh Murders, viewers learn that the bodies of Paul (above, with his brother Buster) and Maggie Murdaugh were discovered at the family's hunting lodge in June 2021. The mother and son were discovered by Alex – Maggie’s husband and Paul’s father – who rang the police and reported that the pair had been shot.

For the past six weeks, he has been facing trial for the double murders — and yesterday (Thursday 2nd March) the jury passed its verdict.

If you're wondering what happened to Paul and Maggie, read on to find out everything we know.

What happened to Paul Murdaugh?

Paul Murdaugh was found dead alongside his mother Maggie on June 7th, 2021. Both had been shot, and their bodies were found by family patriarch Alex Murdaugh at their hunting lodge in Islandton, South Carolina.

In June 2022, Alex Murdaugh was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.

The trial commenced in January 2023, and on Friday 17th February, jurors heard Dr Kenny Kinsey, an Orangeburg County sheriff's deputy and crime scene expert, provide testimony detailing Paul and Maggie’s final moments.

According to the Independent, Dr Kinsey stated that Paul was shot twice in the feeding room of the dog kennels at the family home. He claimed that Paul was shot in the chest and arm and, when the wound didn’t prove fatal, was shot again in the shoulder and brain and died instantly.

He then alleged that Maggie was shot dead outside the kennels with a different weapon afterwards. It has been claimed both an AR-15-style assault rifle and a shotgun were used, and neither weapon has been found by the police.

Who killed Paul Murdaugh?

After contemplating for almost three hours, the jury in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh found the 54-year-old guilty of murdering his wife Margaret and son Paul.

Alex was also found guilty of two counts of a possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in the killings of his wife and son on 7th June 2021.

Judge Clifton Newman set sentencing for Friday at 9:30am (EST) in South Carolina’s Colleton County. Prosecutors have stated that they will seek life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders, foregoing the death penalty.

Alex’s only remaining son, Buster Murdaugh, could be seen crying as the verdict was read, during which Alex appeared to mouth the words “I love you” before being handcuffed.

The verdict came after a six-week trial which looked into the brutal crime, phone forensics, and Alex’s alleged extensive financial misconduct.

“Justice was done today,” lead prosecutor Creighton Waters said yesterday (Thursday 2nd March). “It doesn’t matter who your family is. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, or people think you have. It doesn’t matter… how prominent you are. If you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder, then justice will be done in South Carolina.”

Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is available to stream on Netflix now. Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.