Podcast Summary: Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore
Episode: INFAMOUS: Murdaugh Murders
Date: October 15, 2025
Hosts: Morgan Absher & Kaelyn Moore
Podcast Network: Crime House
Episode Overview
This episode of Clues delves into the infamous Murdaugh Murders, exploring the shocking double homicide of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh and the unraveling of a century-old legal dynasty in South Carolina. Hosts Morgan and Kaelyn methodically track the key evidence, family history, and criminal investigations that exposed Alec Murdaugh’s schemes, examining whether the rich and powerful can indeed get away with murder. The episode is packed with forensic details, family backstory, financial crimes, and the broader ripple effects in the community.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Scene: The Night of the Murders
[04:53 – 09:23]
- Location: The Moselle estate in Islandton, SC – a 1700-acre property, "twice the size of Central Park."
- Timeline: On June 7, 2021, Alec Murdaugh returns from work, calls his family together due to his father’s declining health. Buster cannot make it; Maggie and Paul arrive. Family dinner follows.
- Murder Discovery: Alec claims he napped, then visited his mother Libby (who has Alzheimer's), returning to discover Maggie and Paul shot dead near the dog kennels.
- Notable quote:
"Paul is face down on the ground and the back of his head is missing. About 30 yards away, Maggie is also face down and she's been shot about five times." – Kaelyn [07:51]
- Notable quote:
2. Murdoch Family Legacy: Decades of Dominance and Corruption
[09:24 – 14:19]
- 100-Year Dynasty: The Murdaughs controlled law enforcement and prosecution in Hampton County. Family members served as the region’s top prosecutor (“solicitor”) for generations.
- Pattern of Corruption: Bribery, bootlegging, manipulating juries, and a sense of untouchable power.
- Family Privilege: Alec and his brothers were raised in opulence and excess, immune from real consequences.
3. Profiles of the Key Players
[14:26 – 15:46]
- Buster: Struggled academically, expelled from law school for plagiarism.
- Paul: Notorious for reckless, drunken behavior—nicknamed “Timmy” when inebriated, often threatening and bullying others.
4. Immediate Crime Scene & Investigation Clues
[17:46 – 21:00]
- Weapons: Two guns used—a .300 Blackout rifle (for Maggie) and a 12-gauge shotgun (for Paul). Both victims were shot at close range, indicating they likely saw their killer.
- No Sign of Robbery: Purse/jewelry untouched; no forced entry or meaningful physical evidence of another intruder.
5. Suspicion Turns to Alec
[22:50 – 26:32]
- Alec attempts to cast suspicion on groundskeeper CB Row with weak anecdotes. Police rule Row out due to an alibi and phone records.
- Red flags: Alec handles Paul’s phone, offers no real explanation for Maggie’s missing phone (later found discarded roadside), and appears freshly showered, smelling of laundry detergent, hours after a gruesome crime.
- Notable quote:
"Alec smelled good when they got there... Lead detective Laura Rutland noticed as soon as she got near him. Actually, she said that Alex smelled like laundry detergent." – Kaelyn [26:34]
- Notable quote:
6. Clues of Missing Evidence
- Missing Firearms [27:08 – 30:34]: Family’s extensive gun collection; Paul’s two favorite guns (matching murder weapons) are unaccounted for.
- Alec’s Alibi & Phone Data [30:38 – 33:48]: His phone shows suspicious activity at just the time the murders occurred. Odd burst of movement at 9:02 pm, multiple calls/texts to Maggie and Paul go unanswered. Driving data shows he sped by the location where Maggie’s phone was later found.
- Missing Clothes & Snapchat Video [33:49 – 35:44]: Paul’s Snapchat shows Alec in different clothes pre-murder than detectives saw after. Those clothes disappear; housekeeper never sees them again.
7. Motive—Financial & Emotional Collapse
- Boat Crash Revenge Theory [36:57 – 39:42]: Alec claims murders were revenge for the 2019 death of Mallory Beach, who was killed in a boat crash with Paul at the wheel (Paul was intoxicated, family used influence to obstruct justice).
- Notable quote:
"Do you know whose son it is? Good luck. Like, good luck." (Anthony Cook to police, about seeking justice against a Murdoch) [45:53]
- Notable quote:
- Other Deaths Around the Family [45:53 – 54:27]:
- Stephen Smith (2015): Unresolved suspicious death with rumored Murdaugh involvement; case reopened after Maggie and Paul’s murder.
- Gloria Satterfield (2018): Longtime housekeeper dies in an apparent accident; Alec uses the situation to commit insurance fraud, stealing the payout meant for Gloria's children.
8. Financial Crimes Come to Light
[56:07 – 62:19]
- Discovery of a missing $792,000 check days before the murders; Alec is embezzling millions from clients and his firm.
- Notable sequence:
"On June 4... confronts him about it... the phone call about his father's failing health interrupts, then the murders happen..." [56:07]
- Notable sequence:
- Alec owed massive amounts, was being sued for wrongful death after the boat crash, and was about to have his financial records subpoenaed. His wife was also considering divorce and investigating their finances—threatening to expose him on all fronts.
9. Physical Evidence Emerges: The Blue Raincoat
[62:58 – 64:55]
- Alec is spotted at his mother’s house post-murder with a bundled blue raincoat later found to be covered in gunshot residue. Police theorize he used it to hide the weapons used in the murder.
10. Downfall: Staged Suicide & Critical Phone Evidence
[64:55 – 70:47]
- After being fired, Alec attempts to stage his own murder to make it look like the boat crash victim’s family (specifically Anthony Cook) sought revenge—ultimately admitting to the ruse.
- Ten months later, police crack Paul's phone (simple passcode: his birthday), finding a critical video from 8:44 pm—just before the murders—capturing Alec’s voice at the kennels, contradicting Alec’s alibi.
- Notable quote:
"For 10 months, Alec had insisted he never went near the kennels... But this video proves he was lying." – Morgan [70:47]
- Notable quote:
11. Trial and Sentence
[71:01 – 75:52]
- Prosecution: Argues Alec killed Maggie and Paul to gain sympathy and avert exposure of his massive financial crimes.
- Defense: Claims Alec loved his family, focuses on lack of murder weapons, missing clothes, tight timeline for one person acting alone, and inconsistencies in police investigation.
- Alec's Testimony:
- Memorable line:
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Once I told a lie, I had to keep lying.” – Alec (while on the stand) [74:25]
- Memorable line:
- Outcome: On March 2, 2023, Alec found guilty and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.
12. Ripple Effects: Reopened Cases & Remaining Mysteries
[75:52 – 82:21]
- The Stephen Smith and Gloria Satterfield cases are reopened; settlements reached with Satterfield and Beach families.
- Buster Murdoch (Alec’s surviving son) faces his own legal fallout, defamation lawsuits, and inheritance of the family’s tainted legacy.
- Notable discussion:
"They auctioned off all of the items from the house... one lady paid so much money for a vacuum that was, like, still full of dirt from their home." – Morgan [80:27]
- Notable discussion:
- Ongoing community debate about Alec’s guilt, with some citing judicial misconduct (a former clerk was charged with perjury and obstruction).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On privilege and power:
"We don't really have royalty here in America, but this is like as close as you can get... They'd never really heard no all that much." – Kaelyn [12:54]
- On the crime scene:
"Both victims were shot at an incredibly close range; just a few feet away. They probably saw the face of whoever did this." – Morgan [19:50]
- Alec’s arrogance:
"I think a lot of people speculate it was probably against his lawyer's advice, but, like, kind of being maybe a little centered, cocky. He really thought he was untouchable." – Morgan [74:15]
- On the fall of a dynasty:
"A century-old legal dynasty burned to the ground and left people wondering, can the rich and powerful really get away with murder?" – Morgan [00:58]
- Critical evidence:
“This video proves he was lying.” – Morgan [70:47]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Intro & background: [00:38 – 04:53]
- Family legacy & power: [09:24 – 15:46]
- Details of the murders: [17:46 – 21:00]
- Suspicion turns to Alec: [22:50 – 26:32]
- Missing evidence: [27:08 – 35:44]
- Boat crash backstory: [36:57 – 45:53]
- Pattern of cover-ups: [45:53 – 54:27]
- Revelation of financial crimes: [56:07 – 62:19]
- Physical evidence (blue raincoat): [62:58 – 64:55]
- Staged suicide & phone reveal: [64:55 – 70:47]
- Trial & verdict: [71:01 – 75:52]
- Unresolved threads & legacies: [75:52 – 82:21]
Final Thoughts & Call for Listener Input
Morgan and Kaelyn close by inviting listeners to share their own verdict—what evidence speaks most strongly to them, and what theories remain unaddressed. They highlight ongoing lawsuits and settlements surrounding the Murdaugh estate and underscore the enduring impact of power, corruption, and the pursuit of justice in a small Southern town.
Missing Person of the Week
[82:51 – 83:48]
- Susan Hilly, 67, Philadelphia, missing since September 9, 2025.
Contact: 215-686-3243 with tips.
Clues leaves listeners with a fascinating portrait of arrogance, privilege, and downfall, demonstrating how one family's secrets can ultimately upend an entire community—and, for once, even those who seemed untouchable can be brought to justice.