Alex Murdaugh’s brother testifies in murder trial

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Alex Murdaugh’s legal team finishing their case Monday with a mix of experts and emotions calling John Marvin Murdaugh, Alex’s youngest brother.

Throughout the last six weeks, I’ve seen John Marvin’s constantly saying hello to people with a smile on his face and getting one in return from whoever he’s talking to.

That’s the same thing that happened with the jury as he took the stand today, but shortly into his testimony that joy changed to sadness.

”Excuse me, I have a hard time talking about Paul because we had a very special relationship.”

It’s a bond we’ve heard about throughout the trial, John Marvin saying he’s one of the last people to see Paul Murdaugh alive.

”He was playing with the kids in the yard, being Paul. Was that the last time you saw him? It was the last time I saw him,” John Marvin Murdaugh said.

John Marvin also said he was the first back to the scene the morning after the murders.

”For some reason I thought it was my something that I needed to do for Paul, to clean it up and I can promise you no mother or father or aunt or uncle should ever have to see and do what I did that day.”

Through tissue wiped eyes he explained law enforcement had already cleared the scene but not cleaned it, just one of his gripes with SLED’s handling of the case.

Similarly, to when he approached an agent knowing the location of Maggie’s phone.

”And he said no need, we have technology coming later today and we should be able to find it and it just blew me away.”

The prosecution flipped that cooperation point back at the witness, asking if he thought his brother was helpful to law enforcement during the investigation and followed with this.

”So when did you first learn that your brother was down at the kennels just before the murders? Two days ago like the rest of us?” John Conrad said.

“No, no.”

Alex’s attorneys mixed that emotion with expert details as they closed out their case for the jury.

”The totality of the evidence is more suggestive of a two-shooter scenario.”

Defense witnesses disagreeing with opinions given during the state’s case, this crime scene reconstruction specialist focusing on that multiple shooter theory.

”Structurally difficulty for the same shooter to have two firearms and no practical reason for that to happen, add that to what I believe happened to the shooter who fired first with a shotgun and I think it tips in favor of two shooters.”

It’s an idea the prosecution also didn’t directly dispute..

Again, the defense officially rested their case. From here the state says they expect to call four or five reply witnesses, and then move to closing arguments.

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