Last Podcast On The Left Ep. 648: Alex Murdaugh Part I – From Randy to Buster

Release date: January 16, 2026
Podcast Network: The Last Podcast Network
Hosts: Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, Ben Kissel

Overview

In this first installment of a multi-part series, the hosts dive into the infamous Murdaugh family of South Carolina—a dynasty of lawyers and solicitors whose unchecked power over generations allowed unchecked crime, corruption, and eventually murder. With their trademark irreverence and black humor, the hosts chart how the family’s century-long domination of the Low Country set the stage for the recent high-profile crimes of Alex Murdaugh. This episode focuses on the Murdaugh family history from the early 1900s up to the birth of Alex Murdaugh, dissecting how generational privilege, local corruption, and rampant criminality flourished in the shadows of rural South Carolina.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction: Framing the Case and the Murdaugh Legacy

[03:22] Ben Kissel: The hosts compare the Murdaugh saga with previous “true crime juggernauts” and instantly lay down their view: Alex Murdaugh is “completely, utterly guilty” and they won’t entertain alternative theories.

Notable Quotes

[07:03] Henry: “We here at Last Podcast on the Left think Alec Murdoch is completely, utterly guilty.”
[07:12] Marcus: “I already liked her Poolian speak on the subject and he did not convince me, you or anyone else.”

The Multi-Generational Murdaugh Machine

The hosts break down the family’s rise from the early 20th century with Randolph Murdaugh Sr., through Buster Murdaugh, to Randolph III and eventually Alex:

The Murdaughs held the solicitor (district attorney) position for nearly a century.
They operated the personal injury firm PMPED, notorious for securing huge settlements and controlling local juries.
They were both prosecutors and civil litigators—a unique arrangement only allowed in South Carolina until the 1980s.
Each generation grew more reckless, corrupt, and entitled.

Notable Quotes

[10:35] Ben: “The Murdochs lived by the principle that if you wanted to live above the law, you had to become the law.”

Corruption and Control in the Low Country

The hosts paint a vivid picture of South Carolina’s low country—a poor, insular collection of counties governed by old southern mores, racism, and deliberate isolation (complete with a literal fence built around Hampton County in the 1890s).

The Murdaughs used their control to select favorable juries, protect allies, and mete out violence when necessary.
They “fixed” jury pools—a local child would draw names from a box already stuffed with their chosen men.
The lore of white southern officials taking justice into their own hands is explored, including alleged lynchings and executions of Black defendants.

Notable Quotes

[26:34] Henry: “All he did was corruption in a way, but because it was so localized and he knew everybody, it seemed to be like, fine at the time.”

Murdaugh Family Stories: The Stuff of Southern Gothic

The hosts delight in storytelling, describing:

Buster “Big Daddy” Murdaugh: Both a prosecutor and bootlegging kingpin, known for trial theatrics and bribes.
[47:20] Ben: “He drew an imaginary box with his finger on the floor in front of the jury—said that’s where the victim lay today…when they left, [the jury] all avoided stepping on the grave he’d drawn.”
[56:13] Henry: “Nothing’s like beating the government on charges of bootlegging—truly one of the most wonderful things. Of course it’s going to give him a reputation that everybody’s going to love him.”
Buster’s resignation over a giant moonshine operation (“the Culloden whiskey conspiracy”) and his swift return to power after beating federal charges.
Corruption normalized: Local officials, juries, and even the IRS were routinely outmaneuvered, bribed, or threatened.

The Darker Side: Violence and Crime for "The Greater Good"

Through anecdotes, the hosts show how the Murdaughs justified lawlessness and murder to maintain their fiefdom.

[32:06] Henry (sarcastically, on killing Black suspects): “Yeah, it’s a saving money thing.”
[33:37] Ben: “The Murdaughs learned early on that murdering someone, if it was for the so-called greater good, this could not only be forgiven, but respected.”

Nepotism and the Secret Language of Power

The podcast explores the mechanics and mindset underpinning their control:

Knowing “the number” to settle cases with corporations.
Understanding the “secret languages” of local power, passed through nepotism, not taught in law school.
“If you pick a really horrible place like Hampton County, no one’s really going to care to look.” [71:21] Marcus

Notable Quotes

[45:22] Henry: “They knew the right things to ask for—the secret languages of how these things actually work…and once you get into that back room, lots of stuff opens up for you.”

The Decline and Fall: Each Generation, Less Ethical Than the Last

The hosts shift to the late 20th century:

Randolph III: A criminal “just like his father,” but by the '80s and '90s the game shifted to drug smuggling, protection rackets, and personal excess.
[76:41] Ben: “Randy III, this is Alex’s father, was also fond of sex workers…kept a separate condo…bordered on abandonment.”
Marital dysfunction: At one point, Alex’s mother (Randy III’s wife) published her own fake obituary in the local newspaper to shame him.
By the early 1990s, the locals began protesting: people were tired of the impunity, botched investigations, and arrogance of the Murdaugh family.

The Next Generation: Alex Murdaugh and the Spoiled Progeny

The episode ends by focusing on Alec Murdoch’s early years, setting up future crimes:

Alec was spoiled, entitled, and malicious from a young age, protected by his mother (a school board member) and father.
Known for frat-style drinking, bullying, and open lawlessness.
“They wore their alcoholism like a badge of honor.” [84:36] Ben
His wife Maggie, from a lower-middle-class background, was swept up in the family’s myth and moved with Alec to Hampton, which she hated.
Both their sons, Buster and Paul, were born into this tradition of unaccountable privilege, with evidence of neglect and emotional dysfunction from the start.
The episode closes by introducing Gloria Satterfield, the family’s housekeeper and nanny, foreshadowing her own suspicious death: “Gloria Satterfield would end up in a pool of her own blood at the bottom of a set of brick stairs with a cracked skull 19 years later.” [90:59]

Memorable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

[04:18] Henry (on Alec Murdaugh’s distinctive voice):
“He’s like a flute with a bag of fat filled with oxy attached to it… somewhere between South Carolina heavy hitter Pee Wee Gaskins and Michael Jackson.”
[10:35] Ben:
“The Murdochs lived by the principle that if you wanted to live above the law, you had to become the law.”
[26:34] Henry (on jury fixing):
“All he did was corruption in a way, but because it was so localized and he knew everybody, it seemed to be like, fine at the time.”
[47:20] Ben (trial theatrics):
“[Buster] drew an imaginary box… said that’s where the victim lay today. When [the jury] left… all avoided stepping on the grave he’d drawn.”
[52:23] Henry (doing his rural accent):
“Well, I went back to her bedroom, picked her up and placed her in the grave, covering her with blankets and paper and dirt. At that time she was breathing a li’…”
[56:13] Henry:
“Nothing’s like beating the government on charges of bootlegging—truly one of the most wonderful things.”
[84:36] Marcus:
“They wore their alcoholism like a badge of honor.”
[86:43] Henry (on Alec and Maggie):
“What an amazing love story.”

Important Historical Timestamps

[19:10] — Discussion of the Low Country's geography and insularity, including town-by-town dominance by the Murdaughs.
[22:37] — Randolph Murdaugh Sr. returns to Hampton County after law school, beginning the family legal dynasty.
[38:13] — Randy Sr. dies by suicide (parking his car on train tracks), setting off an insurance scam for the next Murdaugh.
[44:02] — Buster Murdoch sues the railroad for $2 million after his father's suicide, revealing the family’s genius for manipulating the system.

Tone and Humor

True to LPOTL form, the episode is filled with:

Dark, irreverent humor (“A ginger’s nipples need to be cut off.” – [17:58] Henry).
Riffs on southern culture, class, corruption, and American institutions.
Goofy, grotesque imagery and relentless roasting: from the family’s appearance to their “spittoon” habits.
Absurd (often explicit) tangents about sex, bodies, and bodily functions, always used to puncture the pomposity and image of the Murdaughs.

Conclusion and What’s Next

The episode concludes just as Alec Murdaugh, Maggie, and their two sons are returning to Hampton—the family dynasty about to reach its notorious, deadly peak. The hosts tease that the next episode will delve into the mysterious death of Gloria Satterfield, boating accidents, and the unraveling of the Murdaugh legacy.

Episode Structure

[00:52–03:22] Opening banter and comedic riffing

[03:22–19:00] The Murdaugh empire: setting the scene for power, crime, and dysfunction

[19:00–31:25] Early family history, carving out Low Country dominance

[31:25–56:21] The Buster era: corruption, theatrics, moonshine, and impunity

[56:21–68:07] Randolph III, the family’s slow moral decline, and the changing criminal landscape

[68:07–91:43] Alec Murdaugh’s childhood, introduction to Maggie, the birth of Buster and Paul

[91:43–End] Preview of part II: Deaths, scandals, and the end of an American dynasty

Final Takeaway

This episode presents the Murdaughs not merely as a family gone wrong, but as an archetype of southern, regional “B-Team Illuminati”—mythic in their small pond, unstoppable for a century, until arrogance, rot, and violence destroy the legacy from within. The hosts blend genuine research, gallows humor, and their own lived southern experiences to set the stage for the scandal and infamy that will come in later installments.

[Listener tip: Use the timestamps to jump directly to the wildest, most damning, and most entertaining moments—especially if you want an unvarnished, deeply irreverent history lesson about the American South and the true crime family that defined it.]

Last Podcast On The Left Ep. 648: Alex Murdaugh Part I – From Randy to Buster

Release date: January 16, 2026
Podcast Network: The Last Podcast Network
Hosts: Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, Ben Kissel

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction: Framing the Case and the Murdaugh Legacy

Notable Quotes

[07:03] Henry: “We here at Last Podcast on the Left think Alec Murdoch is completely, utterly guilty.”
[07:12] Marcus: “I already liked her Poolian speak on the subject and he did not convince me, you or anyone else.”

The Multi-Generational Murdaugh Machine

The hosts break down the family’s rise from the early 20th century with Randolph Murdaugh Sr., through Buster Murdaugh, to Randolph III and eventually Alex:

The Murdaughs held the solicitor (district attorney) position for nearly a century.
They operated the personal injury firm PMPED, notorious for securing huge settlements and controlling local juries.
They were both prosecutors and civil litigators—a unique arrangement only allowed in South Carolina until the 1980s.
Each generation grew more reckless, corrupt, and entitled.

Notable Quotes

[10:35] Ben: “The Murdochs lived by the principle that if you wanted to live above the law, you had to become the law.”

Corruption and Control in the Low Country

The Murdaughs used their control to select favorable juries, protect allies, and mete out violence when necessary.
They “fixed” jury pools—a local child would draw names from a box already stuffed with their chosen men.
The lore of white southern officials taking justice into their own hands is explored, including alleged lynchings and executions of Black defendants.

Notable Quotes

[26:34] Henry: “All he did was corruption in a way, but because it was so localized and he knew everybody, it seemed to be like, fine at the time.”

Murdaugh Family Stories: The Stuff of Southern Gothic

The hosts delight in storytelling, describing:

Buster “Big Daddy” Murdaugh: Both a prosecutor and bootlegging kingpin, known for trial theatrics and bribes.
[47:20] Ben: “He drew an imaginary box with his finger on the floor in front of the jury—said that’s where the victim lay today…when they left, [the jury] all avoided stepping on the grave he’d drawn.”
[56:13] Henry: “Nothing’s like beating the government on charges of bootlegging—truly one of the most wonderful things. Of course it’s going to give him a reputation that everybody’s going to love him.”
Buster’s resignation over a giant moonshine operation (“the Culloden whiskey conspiracy”) and his swift return to power after beating federal charges.
Corruption normalized: Local officials, juries, and even the IRS were routinely outmaneuvered, bribed, or threatened.

The Darker Side: Violence and Crime for "The Greater Good"

Through anecdotes, the hosts show how the Murdaughs justified lawlessness and murder to maintain their fiefdom.

[32:06] Henry (sarcastically, on killing Black suspects): “Yeah, it’s a saving money thing.”
[33:37] Ben: “The Murdaughs learned early on that murdering someone, if it was for the so-called greater good, this could not only be forgiven, but respected.”

Nepotism and the Secret Language of Power

The podcast explores the mechanics and mindset underpinning their control:

Knowing “the number” to settle cases with corporations.
Understanding the “secret languages” of local power, passed through nepotism, not taught in law school.
“If you pick a really horrible place like Hampton County, no one’s really going to care to look.” [71:21] Marcus

Notable Quotes

[45:22] Henry: “They knew the right things to ask for—the secret languages of how these things actually work…and once you get into that back room, lots of stuff opens up for you.”

The Decline and Fall: Each Generation, Less Ethical Than the Last

The hosts shift to the late 20th century:

Randolph III: A criminal “just like his father,” but by the '80s and '90s the game shifted to drug smuggling, protection rackets, and personal excess.
[76:41] Ben: “Randy III, this is Alex’s father, was also fond of sex workers…kept a separate condo…bordered on abandonment.”
Marital dysfunction: At one point, Alex’s mother (Randy III’s wife) published her own fake obituary in the local newspaper to shame him.
By the early 1990s, the locals began protesting: people were tired of the impunity, botched investigations, and arrogance of the Murdaugh family.

The Next Generation: Alex Murdaugh and the Spoiled Progeny

The episode ends by focusing on Alec Murdoch’s early years, setting up future crimes:

Alec was spoiled, entitled, and malicious from a young age, protected by his mother (a school board member) and father.
Known for frat-style drinking, bullying, and open lawlessness.
“They wore their alcoholism like a badge of honor.” [84:36] Ben
His wife Maggie, from a lower-middle-class background, was swept up in the family’s myth and moved with Alec to Hampton, which she hated.
Both their sons, Buster and Paul, were born into this tradition of unaccountable privilege, with evidence of neglect and emotional dysfunction from the start.
The episode closes by introducing Gloria Satterfield, the family’s housekeeper and nanny, foreshadowing her own suspicious death: “Gloria Satterfield would end up in a pool of her own blood at the bottom of a set of brick stairs with a cracked skull 19 years later.” [90:59]

Memorable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

[04:18] Henry (on Alec Murdaugh’s distinctive voice):
“He’s like a flute with a bag of fat filled with oxy attached to it… somewhere between South Carolina heavy hitter Pee Wee Gaskins and Michael Jackson.”
[10:35] Ben:
“The Murdochs lived by the principle that if you wanted to live above the law, you had to become the law.”
[26:34] Henry (on jury fixing):
“All he did was corruption in a way, but because it was so localized and he knew everybody, it seemed to be like, fine at the time.”
[47:20] Ben (trial theatrics):
“[Buster] drew an imaginary box… said that’s where the victim lay today. When [the jury] left… all avoided stepping on the grave he’d drawn.”
[52:23] Henry (doing his rural accent):
“Well, I went back to her bedroom, picked her up and placed her in the grave, covering her with blankets and paper and dirt. At that time she was breathing a li’…”
[56:13] Henry:
“Nothing’s like beating the government on charges of bootlegging—truly one of the most wonderful things.”
[84:36] Marcus:
“They wore their alcoholism like a badge of honor.”
[86:43] Henry (on Alec and Maggie):
“What an amazing love story.”

Important Historical Timestamps

[19:10] — Discussion of the Low Country's geography and insularity, including town-by-town dominance by the Murdaughs.
[22:37] — Randolph Murdaugh Sr. returns to Hampton County after law school, beginning the family legal dynasty.
[38:13] — Randy Sr. dies by suicide (parking his car on train tracks), setting off an insurance scam for the next Murdaugh.
[44:02] — Buster Murdoch sues the railroad for $2 million after his father's suicide, revealing the family’s genius for manipulating the system.

Tone and Humor

True to LPOTL form, the episode is filled with:

Dark, irreverent humor (“A ginger’s nipples need to be cut off.” – [17:58] Henry).
Riffs on southern culture, class, corruption, and American institutions.
Goofy, grotesque imagery and relentless roasting: from the family’s appearance to their “spittoon” habits.
Absurd (often explicit) tangents about sex, bodies, and bodily functions, always used to puncture the pomposity and image of the Murdaughs.

Episode 648: Alex Murdaugh Part I - From Randy to Buster

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Summary

Last Podcast On The Left Ep. 648: Alex Murdaugh Part I – From Randy to Buster

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction: Framing the Case and the Murdaugh Legacy

Notable Quotes

The Multi-Generational Murdaugh Machine

Notable Quotes

Corruption and Control in the Low Country

Notable Quotes

Murdaugh Family Stories: The Stuff of Southern Gothic

The Darker Side: Violence and Crime for "The Greater Good"

Nepotism and the Secret Language of Power

Notable Quotes

The Decline and Fall: Each Generation, Less Ethical Than the Last

The Next Generation: Alex Murdaugh and the Spoiled Progeny

Memorable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

Important Historical Timestamps

Tone and Humor

Conclusion and What’s Next

Episode Structure

[00:52–03:22] Opening banter and comedic riffing

[03:22–19:00] The Murdaugh empire: setting the scene for power, crime, and dysfunction

[19:00–31:25] Early family history, carving out Low Country dominance

[31:25–56:21] The Buster era: corruption, theatrics, moonshine, and impunity

[56:21–68:07] Randolph III, the family’s slow moral decline, and the changing criminal landscape

[68:07–91:43] Alec Murdaugh’s childhood, introduction to Maggie, the birth of Buster and Paul

[91:43–End] Preview of part II: Deaths, scandals, and the end of an American dynasty

Final Takeaway

Summary

Last Podcast On The Left Ep. 648: Alex Murdaugh Part I – From Randy to Buster

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction: Framing the Case and the Murdaugh Legacy

Notable Quotes

The Multi-Generational Murdaugh Machine

Notable Quotes

Corruption and Control in the Low Country

Notable Quotes

Murdaugh Family Stories: The Stuff of Southern Gothic

The Darker Side: Violence and Crime for "The Greater Good"

Nepotism and the Secret Language of Power

Notable Quotes

The Decline and Fall: Each Generation, Less Ethical Than the Last

The Next Generation: Alex Murdaugh and the Spoiled Progeny

Memorable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

Important Historical Timestamps

Tone and Humor

Conclusion and What’s Next

Episode Structure

[00:52–03:22] Opening banter and comedic riffing

[03:22–19:00] The Murdaugh empire: setting the scene for power, crime, and dysfunction

[19:00–31:25] Early family history, carving out Low Country dominance

[31:25–56:21] The Buster era: corruption, theatrics, moonshine, and impunity

[56:21–68:07] Randolph III, the family’s slow moral decline, and the changing criminal landscape

[68:07–91:43] Alec Murdaugh’s childhood, introduction to Maggie, the birth of Buster and Paul

[91:43–End] Preview of part II: Deaths, scandals, and the end of an American dynasty

Final Takeaway