NEED TO KNOW
- Alex Murdaugh is part of the Murdaugh family, which was previously known in South Carolina for their legal careers
- The Murdaugh family can be traced back to Randolph Murdaugh Sr., who was born in the 1880s
- Today, Alex is serving time for the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh
Alex Murdaugh became a household name during his 2023 murder trial, for which he was convicted of killing his wife and son. His trial garnered widespread media attention, but even before that, the Murdaughs were a prominent and well-known family in South Carolina.
For nearly a century, the Murdaugh family was a powerful legal dynasty in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. In fact, the region was known by locals as “Murdaugh Country” due to the family’s longtime legal connections. Three generations of Murdaugh men — Randolph Murdaugh Sr., Randolph “Buster” Murdaugh Jr. and Randolph Murdaugh III — served consecutively as the elected 14th Circuit Solicitor, a position equivalent to that of district attorney.
Unlike his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Alex did not serve as the elected solicitor. However, he followed in their footsteps, becoming a licensed attorney and a partner at the family-founded law firm, Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED). The firm, which was founded in 1910 by Randolph Sr., has since been renamed Parker Law Group.
On June 7, 2021, Alex called the police to report that his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh, had been shot and killed on the family’s hunting property. Over the next year, Alex was indicted on multiple charges of financial misconduct, breach of trust, computer crimes and money laundering before he was eventually indicted for the murders of Maggie and Paul in July 2022.
Alex’s trial began in January 2023, and after six weeks of testimony, he was found guilty of two counts of murder and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. He has since filed an appeal with the South Carolina Supreme Court on the grounds of jury tampering, among other issues, which is currently pending.
Throughout the trial, multiple members of Alex’s family stood by him, while others expressed skepticism. Now, the Hulu show, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, which premiered Oct. 15, is revisiting the case.
Here’s everything to know about the Murdaugh family.
Randolph Murdaugh Sr.
Randolph Murdaugh Sr., the patriarch of the Murdaugh dynasty, was born in South Carolina in the late 1880s.
After graduating from law school, Randolph Sr. began building the family’s legal legacy, founding his own law firm in 1910, per the Bluffton Today.
Ten years later, he was elected Solicitor of the 14th Judicial Circuit, acting as the prosecuting attorney for the state in criminal cases, according to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. While serving as solicitor, Randolph Sr. continued practicing civil law at his firm.
In 1940, Randolph Sr. died after his car was struck by a train. His body was found 150 feet away from the track.
Randolph “Buster” Murdaugh Jr.
In the 1910s, Randolph Sr. welcomed his firstborn son, Randolph Murdaugh Jr., who went by the name “Buster.”
Like his dad, Buster went into the legal field. He graduated from law school in 1938 and joined his father’s practice. Following Randolph Sr.’s death in 1940, Buster took over the firm, along with the position of elected solicitor.
He served as the elected solicitor for over 40 years until 1987, the longest term of any solicitor in U.S. history. He died in 1998.
Randolph Murdaugh III
Randolph Murdaugh III was born in the 1930s, per his obituary. He attended the University of South Carolina School of Law and joined the family firm after graduating in 1964.
“I never wanted to do anything other than practice law,” he told the Bluffton Today in 2010. “I’m extremely proud that the firm has lasted this long, but I am most proud that I have two sons who are mighty fine lawyers.”
He and his wife, Libby, welcomed four children together: Lynn, Randy, Alex and John. Eventually, Randy and Alex followed the family career path and went into law.
In 1986, Randolph III became the elected solicitor, taking over for his father after his retirement. He served in the position until 2005, when he rejoined the family law firm, according to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Randolph III died on June 10, 2021, three days after the death of Maggie and Paul. He was 81 years old.
Lynn Murdaugh Goettee
The oldest of Randolph III’s children is Lynn Murdaugh Goettee.
Throughout her brother’s trial, Lynn appeared supportive of him. Although she didn’t testify, she was at the courthouse every day for the entire six-week trial, according to The New York Times.
In court, it was revealed that the last text message Maggie read was from Lynn, per WCBD News 2.
Randolph “Randy” Murdaugh IV
Randolph III and Libby’s second child is Randy Murdaugh.
Like his father and namesake, Randy attended law school at the University of South Carolina and joined the family law firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED), The New York Times reported.
Although he and his brother Alex both worked for PMPED, the two weren’t particularly close.
“It’s not like there was some problem with our relationship, necessarily,” he told the outlet in 2023. “We just really weren’t alike, so we didn’t do stuff together.”
Throughout the trial, Randy periodically attended the proceedings. Speaking to The New York Times after Alex was convicted, Randy said that his brother was a “serial liar and a thief,” but remained unsure of his actual guilt.
He told the publication that, as a lawyer, he had total respect for the jury’s verdict, but still had trouble believing that his brother would be capable of committing such a crime. Regardless, he shared his belief that Alex has some level of involvement.
“He knows more than what he’s saying,” he said. “He’s not telling the truth, in my opinion, about everything there.”
John Marvin Murdaugh
Randolph III and Libby’s fourth child is John Marvin Murdaugh, who was born after Alex.
Although John graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, he opted not to pursue a career in law, according to the Hilton Head Island Packet. Instead, he opened two equipment rental companies.
Along with his sister, Lynn, and nephew, Buster, John attended Alex’s trial every day. He also testified for the defense. During his testimony, John spoke about arriving at the crime scene the morning after the murders and cleaning up Paul’s remains.
“I saw blood, I saw brains, I saw pieces of skull, I saw tissue,” he told jurors. “When I say brains, it could just be tissue. I don’t know what I saw, it was just terrible.”
He went on to say that he was shocked to see the scene hadn’t been cleaned up yet and that he chose to take on the task to honor his nephew’s memory.
“It felt like it was the right thing to do. I felt like I owed him, and I just started cleaning,” he explained. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever been through in my life.”
John also testified about his brother’s relationships with Maggie and Paul, calling him a good husband and father. “All marriages, I’m sure, have hiccups here and there, but I’m telling you it was a good marriage,” he said.
Alex Murdaugh
Alex Murdaugh, born Richard Alexander Murdaugh, attended law school at the University of South Carolina and then joined the family law firm alongside his brother, Randy, and their father.
He was a partner at the firm until he was forced to resign in September 2021 after his law partners discovered that he had misappropriated millions of dollars from clients and the firm.
The forced resignation came three months after his wife Maggie and son Paul were killed. Alex was charged with their murders in July 2022, and after a six-week trial, he was found guilty on both counts in March 2023. He was given two life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders.
Additionally, he pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes at the state level, including fraud and money laundering, and received a 27-year sentence for the offenses. He also pleaded guilty to 22 federal charges, including bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy, and was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
Alex is currently serving his sentence in a maximum-security prison in South Carolina. He has consistently maintained his innocence and has appealed the verdict.
Maggie Murdaugh
Born Margaret Kennedy Branstetter, Maggie Murdaugh married Alex after meeting at the University of South Carolina, per CBS News. They welcomed two sons, Buster and Paul.
Her sister, Marian Proctor, said during the trial that she was a devoted mother.
Maggie died on June 7, 2021, at the age of 52 from multiple gunshot wounds.
Paul Murdaugh
Paul Murdaugh was Alex and Maggie’s younger son. He was shot along with his mother on June 7, 2021.
At the time of his death, the 22-year-old was an undergraduate student at the University of South Carolina.
In 2019, Paul was involved in a fatal boat accident. He was driving the family’s boat while intoxicated when he crashed, throwing his friends overboard. Among the passengers was 19-year-old Mallory Beach, who was found dead about a week later.
When he died, Paul was facing multiple felony charges related to the incident.
Buster Murdaugh
Alex and Maggie’s older son is Richard Alexander Murdaugh Jr., known as Buster.
Throughout his father’s 2023 murder trial, Buster stood by his side and maintained his innocence. He was in the courthouse daily for the trial and testified for the defense. Still, behind closed doors, the situation was devastating for him.
“Buster is collateral damage to his father’s situation,” a childhood friend of Buster’s told PEOPLE in 2022. “I think he’s developed this attitude of ‘I’m gonna shut people out before they shut me out.’ His circle of friends got really small, really fast.”
Even after Alex was convicted of the murders, Buster continued to show support for his dad in public. In August 2023, Buster shared his opinion in Fox Nation’s special, The Fall of the House of Murdaugh.
“I do not think that he could be affiliated with endangering my mother and brother,” he said. “We have been here for a while now, and that’s been my stance.”
In May 2025, Buster and his longtime girlfriend, Brooklynn White, got married in a ceremony in Beaufort, S.C.
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