First week of Alex Murdaugh trial is done, what to expect next

COLLETON CO, SC. (WTOC) - It’s the trial that has the nation’s attention for disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh who is charged with murdering his wife and son.

We go into week two of the trial on Monday.

On day three of the trial, they released the first interview Alex Murdaugh had with investigators on the night of his wife and son’s murder.

Murdaugh is charged with two counts of murder and two weapons charges in the fatal shootings of Maggie Murdaugh, his wife, and Paul Murdaugh, his son.

It all happened at the family’s hunting property in Colleton County almost two years ago.

The prosecution and defense in Alex Murdaugh’s case agreed on one thing the night of the murders – the gruesome, chilling crime scene.

There were moments that witnesses and attorneys described Murdaugh’s wife and son laying in a pool of their own blood.

And for the first time, we saw the interview Murdaugh gave investigators just hours after it all happened.

“I ran over to Maggie...actually, I think I tried to turn Paul over first you know. I tried to turn him over,” Alex Murdaugh said.

Colleton County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Laura Rutland and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Agent David Owen questioned Murdaugh inside of a vehicle on the crime scene due to the weather. Murdaugh described his marriage as “wonderful”.

“And yours and Paul’s relationship?” questioned one of the investigators.

“As good as it can get,” he replied.

The defense made attempts to discredit the preservation of evidence on scene – deputies not wearing protective foot coverings and citing there isn’t enough evidence to prove Murdaugh is guilty.

“No forensics tying him to the murder. When I say forensics...fingerprints...blood. Whatever tying him to shooting anyone that night. The cellphone records indicate he had less than 10 minutes to kill him, get them to the house, get in the car, crank it up covered in blood,” Defense Attorney Dick Harpootlian said.

Among the prosecution’s main arguments we can expect to go into next week, inconsistencies in Alex Murdaugh’s timeline of that night and whether he cleaned himself up after his wife and son were killed.

“Did you see blood on his hands? the prosecution questioned Rutland.

“I did not.”

“On his arms?”

“No.”

“On his shirt?”

“None.”

“On his shorts?”

“No.”

“On his shoes?”

“I did not.”

Rutland confirmed when questioned by the prosecution that Murdaugh’s clothes looked fresh out of the laundry because she noticed him sweating when his clothes were dry.

Murdaugh’s defense attorney doubled down on his innocence to the jury saying the defendant had a healthy relationship with his wife and son. In a snapchat video that has not been made public yet, Harpootlian alludes to Murdaugh bonding with Paul the same day he was killed. Harpootlian said there was no way he could’ve executed his family.

“Not believable, not believable.”

Another big piece of evidence we heard was from SLED Agent Melinda Worley. Nearly a dozen swabs were taken from Murdaugh’s black suburban. They tested presumptive for blood...meaning there was likely a presence of blood.

The defense did not get a chance to cross-examine her Friday.

Someone else we’re hoping to hear from is Alex Murdaugh’s son Buster who has been there during the trial.

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