Did Alex Murdaugh confess to killing Paul? SLED agent, defense attorney can’t agree | Murdaugh News

WALTERBORO — Did Alex Murdaugh accidentally confess to brutally murdering his son, Paul, or did a state investigator misunderstand the prominent Hampton attorney’s words?

That’s the question 12 Colleton County jurors will have to ponder in the coming days as they digest a piece of evidence that came into contention this week at Murdaugh’s double murder trial.

Jeff Croft, a special agent with the State Law Enforcement Division, swore he heard Murdaugh wail, “I did him so bad,” as he wept during a June 10, 2021, interview with state investigators. The conversation took place three days after Murdaugh reported finding his sone and wife Maggie shot to death near a set of dog kennels at the family’s spacious hunting property.

But one of Murdaugh’s defense attorneys on Jan. 31 sharply challenged Croft’s interpretation, raising a point that had dominated national discussion of the case overnight: What did Murdaugh actually say?

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SLED agent Jeff Croft holds a .300 blackout rifle while being cross-examined by defense attorney Jim Griffin in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Defense attorney Jim Griffin holds up evidence in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Defense attorney Jim Griffin talks to his client Alex Murdaugh in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Defense attorney Jim Griffin cross-examines SLED agent Jeff Croft in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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SLED agent Jeff Croft holds evidence while being cross-exanmned in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Alex Murdaugh listens in his double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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State prosecutor Creighton Waters looks over to his team with the S.C. attorney General’s office in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Judge Clifton Newman listens in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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A full courtroom is seen in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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From left, defense attorney Jim Griffin, Alex Murdaugh and Dick Harpootlian listen to testimony in Murdaugh’s double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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SLED agent Jeff Croft is cross-examined by prosecutor Creighton Waters in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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State prosecutor Creighton Waters (left) talks with David Fernandez with the S.C. attorney General’s office in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Buster Murdaugh and his girlfriend Brooklynn White in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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SLED agent Jeff Croft uses scissors to open up an evidence package containing a shotgun shell in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Creighton Waters holds a shotgun shell in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Anthony Knecht, a Verizon analyst, is called to the witness stand in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Anthony Knecht, a Verizon analyst, is handed evidence by John Conrad with the S.C. attorney General’s office in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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John Conrad with the S.C. attorney General’s office asks questions to his witness Anthony Knecht, a Verizon analyst, in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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A full courtroom is seen in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Paul McManigal (right), a digital forensic examiner with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, is sworn in before testifying in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Paul McManigal, a digital forensic examiner with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, testifies in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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John VanHouten, a digital forensic examiner with the U.S. Secret Service, walks to the witness stand in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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John Conrad, with the S.C. attorney General’s office, questions John VanHouten, a digital forensic examiner with the U.S. Secret Service, in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Alex Murdaugh is brought into the courtroom in his double murder trial of at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, on Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian talks with client Alex Murdaugh during his double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Prosecutors talk after lunch in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Alex Murdaugh looks towards his defense attorney Jim Griffin during his double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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South Carolina attorney General Alan Wilson listens in court in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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John Bedingfield, a second cousin to Alex Murdaugh, walks to the witness stand in Murdaugh’s double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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attorney and former state lawmaker Bakari Sellers, a CNN Political Analyst (left), talks with defense attorney Dick Harpootlian in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Alex Murdaugh listens in his double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Judge Clifton Newman listens in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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A full courtroom is seen in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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A full courtroom is seen in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Alex Murdaugh is brought into the courtroom in his double murder trial of at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, on Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Prosecutors talk after lunch in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

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Columbia Lawyer Jim Griffin, who was at the June 10 interview, contends his client said, “They did him so bad.” He played a recording of the interview three times for jurors to hear, slowing it down to one-third speed the last time. Several jurors leaned forward intently as the clip was replayed.

Croft, for his part, stuck to his story on the stand. When Griffin asked if he was certain Murdaugh said “I,” Croft testified he was “100 percent confident” that is what he heard. He agreed, however, that the jury will have to decide for itself what to believe.

The exchange helped kick off another busy day at the county courthouse, where prosecutors have presented 15 witnesses — mostly Law enforcement or other first responders — in their effort to prove Murdaugh killed his wife and son.

Prosecutors allege Murdaugh, 54, shot Paul with a shotgun and Maggie with a semiautomatic rifle in order to engender sympathy for himself and distract from a set of inquiries that were about to expose his myriad financial crimes.

awhitaker@postandcourier.com

In addition to the murder charges, Murdaugh stands accused of nearly 100 other charges. Investigators say he leveraged his powerful family name and position as an attorney to surreptitiously steal nearly $9 million from legal settlements and fees owed to his Law clients, coworkers and others who trusted him.

A team of prosecutors in the murder trial have continued to unflip puzzle pieces in their case, often without explaining how the evidence and testimony fits together to prove Murdaugh guilty.

Murdaugh’s defense attorneys, meanwhile, have attempted to paint investigators as incompetent or untrustworthy, alleging they mishandled the crime scene and focused too narrowly on Murdaugh while excluding other possible suspects.

awhitaker@postandcourier.com

They also have speculated that Maggie and Paul were killed by two shooters, given there was some distance between where the shots that killed them were fired.

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters attempted to nip that in the bud on Jan. 31.

“Can people move?” Waters asked agent Croft on the witness stand.

“People can move, yes sir,” Croft replied.

In his own questioning of Croft, Griffin sought to establish that SLED focused on Murdaugh from the beginning. Croft conceded that Murdaugh was on their radar from the start, noting that homicide detectives start with a small circle — whoever was at the crime scene — and work their way outward.

Murdaugh was the only person alive at the crime scene when first responders arrived, Croft testified. But investigators then spoke with more than 100 people over the next few days, he said.

State prosecutor Creighton Waters holds a shotgun shell in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff

awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Griffin spent considerable time questioning Croft about Murdaugh’s purported confession three days after the slayings. That would have been a significant admission, Griffin noted, yet neither of the SLED agents present had asked Murdaugh what he meant.

Croft said SLED’s investigation was still in its infancy and he “did not have information” to challenge Murdaugh’s statements. Griffin seemed puzzled by that explanation.

Griffin asked if Croft had taken written notes of the interview. He had. The defense attorney then asked if he’d written anything about Murdaugh potentially confessing to the crime.

Croft said only that he made a “mental note” to follow up on the statement later. But Griffin pointed out he never did, even when SLED interviewed Murdaugh a third time on Aug. 11, 2021 — two months later.

“You can’t tell the jury you even wrote it down on a piece of paper,” Griffin said.

From left, defense attorney Jim Griffin, Alex Murdaugh and Dick Harpootlian listen to the testimony of a witness in Murdaugh’s double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff

awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Later in the day, the state called a witness from Verizon to testify about call records and other information the telecommunications giant provided after receiving a subpoena. Prosecutors also called a U.S. Secret Service agent who testified he used software to break into Paul Murdaugh’s phone in March 2022 — nine months after the killings — in part by having the program try passcodes associated with the 22-year-old’s birthday.

In the afternoon, jurors heard from a Department of Natural Resources captain and part-time gunmaker who sold Murdaugh — his cousin — three .300 Blackout semi-automatic assault rifles.

The first two — which together cost nearly $9,200 — were Christmas gifts in 2016 for Murdaugh’s sons, Paul and Buster, John Bedingfield testified. Murdaugh purchased the third weapon in April 2018 after Paul’s first one went missing.

Investigators seized Buster’s rifle after the slayings. But both of Paul’s remain missing. Prosecutors say ballistics evidence shows 52-year-old Maggie was shot and killed with one of the missing rifles. The 12-gauge shotgun that killed Paul, 22, is also missing.

With Croft on the stand, Griffin elicited testimony that investigators didn’t find the type of shotgun round used to deliver the fatal shot to Paul’s head — with waterfowl shell — anywhere on the hunting property, known as Moselle.

Prosecutors finished the day in the midst of questioning a SLED digital forensics expert about data he downloaded from the Murdaughs’ cellphones.

Referencing phone records, Lt. Britt Dove testified about a string of calls and texts Maggie received on the evening of June 7, 2021, before and after her phone locked for the final time at 8:49 p.m.

Those phone records are critical to the state’s effort to show when Maggie and Paul were killed — about the time their phones locked and stopped opening or sending messages.

Prosecutors want to condense the timeline between their deaths and 8:44 p.m., when a video on Paul’s phone reportedly places Alex Murdaugh with the victims at the scene of the crime.

Dove will remain on the witness stand when prosecutor John Conrad resumes his questioning Feb. 1.

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