The Murdaugh Murders, Money & Mystery | Criminally Obsessed

Alex Murdaugh's lawyers are demanding a retrial after several jurors who convicted their client of murdering his wife and son have suddenly come forward to accuse Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca ("Becky") Hill of impropriety. Attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian say the testimony of these jurors point to potential misconduct in office by Hill, alleging she attempted to influence jurors against Alex Murdaugh and deprived him of a fair trial.

Host Anne Emerson, legal analyst Charlie Condon and producer Drew Tripp break down the accusations and potential ramifications in an all-new episode.

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Creighton Waters, Savanna Goude, John Meadors and David Fernandez joined S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson to share insights with the Unsolved South Carolina team from their experiences in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial. Podcast host Anne Emerson is joined by legal analyst Charlie Condon, producer Drew Tripp and reporter Tara Jabour to share highlights of this exclusive and intimate interview with the faces of the State's Murdaugh prosecution team.

Please be sure to check out Finding Brittanee Drexel, another podcast series from the Unsolved South Carolina team!

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If you've listened to this podcast and followed the Murdaugh saga, then you likely know the names Tommy Moore and Sandy Smith. ABC News 4 and the Unsolved South Carolina team were privileged to have them accept a joint invitation for an interview last week, and we're sharing highlights of that interview here.

READ: Attorney: SLED investigating Stephen Smith's death as a homicide

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Death of Stephen Smith, Part 1 | The Death of Stephen Smith, Part 2

Sandy is the mother of Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old young man found dead in the middle of a dark country road in Hampton County in July 2015. Stephen was in college studying nursing when he died. He also happened to be an openly gay man in the conservative, rural South. How Stephen died remains a mystery. Sandy has long suspected he may have been the victim of a hate crime, while the Hampton rumor mill churned with the name "Murdaugh" for years.

Meanwhile Tommy Moore is one of the dozens of people to have fallen victim to notorious attorney-turned-thief and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh. We were the first to share Moore's story with the public in January 2022 after an avalanche of fraud and money laundering charges came pouring down on Murdaugh. The connection between Moore and Sandy Smith and the Murdaughs comes full circle in a bizarre way. Moore recently divulged he helped lead Highway Patrol's investigation into Stephen's 2015 death.

READ: Sandy Smith & Tommy Moore agree Stephen Smith didn't die in a hit-and-run

Moore and his Highway Patrol colleagues insisted Stephen's death was not related to an automobile hit-and-run based on evidence available at the time; rather, they felt it appeared Smith's body had been dumped in the roadway after being killed elsewhere. However, other law enforcement agencies, death investigators and medical officials seemed disinterested in pursuing a homicide probe into Stephen's death.

The case went cold, but Sandy's fight to bring justice and closure for her son never waned. Then, the case gained national attention as part of the broader Murdaugh criminal saga in the summer of 2021. But how are the Murdaugh's connected? Initially, several witnesses interviewed by Highway Patrol back in 2015 and 2016 told Troopers someone in the Murdaugh family was connected to Stephen and may have knowledge of his death. But attempts to track down those rumors led nowhere. It's an allegation never proven, and one which Buster Murdaugh vehemently denies.

READ: New details in 2015 Stephen Smith death investigation

Little else was heard about Stephen's case until the summer of 2021 when SLED announced out of the blue it was opening a new investigation into Stephen's death based on evidence and information gathered while concurrently investigating the June 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. And as of March 21, 2023, SLED confirms to the Smith family's lawyers that they're officially considering Stephen's case a homicide investigation. That's welcome news to both Sandy Smith and Tommy Moore.

Listen along as reporters Anne Emerson and Tara Jabour join former S.C. Attorney General Charlie Condon and retired S.C. Highway Patrol Lt. "Trooper Bob" Beres to share highlights of the interview with Sandy and Tommy, and offer insight into the story.

READ: Independent autopsy to be performed on Stephen Smith

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Colleton County Sheriff's Detectives Laura Rutland, Daniel Greene and Jason Chapman were among the first on the scene the night of June 7, 2021, after Alex Murdaugh murdered his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. And while it was almost unthinkable in the first few hours after the killings, these detectives said they picked up right away on things that weren't adding up -- primarily focusing on Murdaugh's demeanor, emotions and body language. Plus, the detectives respond to rampant criticism of investigators throughout the trial, saying some of the complaints against them were far from fair or reasonable. Join hosts Anne Emerson, Charlie Condon and Drew Tripp as they discuss the new details learned from this exclusive interview.

Want to hear more from the Colleton County investigators? Check out the links below to the stories Anne Emerson and Tara Jabour have published on the topic.

EXCLUSIVE: First CCSO responders to Murdaugh murders talk about the case and trial | WCIV (abcnews4.com)

CCSO investigators respond to criticisms by defense in Murdaugh trial | WCIV (abcnews4.com)

CCSO deputies dig deeper into Murdaugh's motives for killing wife and son | WCIV (abcnews4.com)

You can catch up on all of our Murdaugh coverage, old and new, by visiting the special Murdaugh Murders section on the ABC News 4 website. Charleston Murdaugh Murders | News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | WCIV (abcnews4.com)

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Murdaugh murder trial recap and Q&A with Unsolved South Carolina podcast hosts Anne Emerson, Charlie Condon and Drew Tripp .

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Judge Newman offers stunning rebuke of Alex Murdaugh as he gives him two life sentences for the murders of Maggie & Paul. Anne Emerson, Charlie Condon & Drew Tripp recap a stunning final day of the #MurdaughTrial.

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After less than three hours of deliberations, a jury found Alex Murdaugh guilty on all counts Thursday evening for the June 7, 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, in a trial that spanned more than five weeks and drew attention from across the nation to rural Colleton County, South Carolina. Murdaugh was found guilty on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He will be sentenced Friday morning, March 3, by Judge Clifton Newman.

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The State ties the loose threads in its closing arguments against Alex Murdaugh as his double murder trial nears a conclusion. Prosecutors implored the jury not to let Murdaugh fool them the way he fooled so many others. Did the message land? Join Anne Emerson, Charlie Condon & Drew Tripp for a full breakdown. #MurdaughTrial

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The State's forensic expert Ken Kinsey headlines a powerful final day of testimony in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, picking apart the Defense expert's claims about alternative shooting theories. Plus, forensic pathologist Dr. Ellen Riemer stands up to Dick Harpootlian's onslaught of questions criticizing her autopsy. Also in this episode, Murdaugh's former law partner Ronnie Crosby defends his integrity in a heated exchange with Harpootlian, and a forensic cell phone expert spends his weekend doing somewhat less than scientific research into throwing cell phones, and all the hog hunting content you ever (never?) wanted. Anne Emerson, Charlie Condon & Drew Tripp break down the highlights and look ahead to what's next as trial nears its end. #MurdaughTrial

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Alex Murdaugh's Defense team uses expert witnesses to question autopsy findings in the Murdaugh murders, while also using a forensic expert's testimony to advance a two-shooter theory. Plus, Alex's brother John Marvin Murdaugh offers emotional testimony about his relationship with Paul Murdaugh. Anne Emerson, Charlie Condon and Drew Tripp review the highlights. #MurdaughTrial

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