Understand Murdaugh

In this episode, hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks discuss Wilks’ recent profile of Creighton Waters, the state grand jury chief prosecutor who has led the state criminal investigations into Alex Murdaugh and will try his double murder case in Colleton County in January.

Hampton, a small, sleepy town in rural South Carolina, is upended by one of the largest criminal scandals in Lowcountry history. The town is now known worldwide as the backdrop for the Alex Murdaugh saga, a tale of drugs, deceit and death. But what was Hampton like before a pair of murders in the Murdaugh family cast an unwelcome light on the town and the very public unraveling of a Lowcountry legal dynasty? How is Hampton trying to shake off that dark cloud and reclaim its downhome charm? Join host Nathan Stevens and reporter Kelly Jean Kelly as they look at the past and future of Hampton, SC.

In this bonus episode, hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks dig into the Dec. 9 motions hearing in the Alex Murdaugh double murder case, including new revelations about the disgraced former lawyer’s alleged motive for the slayings and possible problems with a key piece of evidence in the state’s case.

Avery Wilks joins host Nathan Stevens to answer a couple of reader questions about the Murdaugh Saga.

Listeners can submit questions to be answered in future mailbag episodes by emailing [email protected].

The first criminal trial in South Carolina’s sprawling Murdaugh saga ended in a resounding defeat for Russell Laffitte, the Hampton banker charged with helping disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh steal nearly $2 million from their mutual clients. Hosts Nathan Stevens and Avery Wilks preview what’s next for Laffitte’s case and the federal Murdaugh investigation.

In the second part of this two episode recap, Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks catch you up on major twists and turns of South Carolina's Murdaugh saga so far, from the 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach to the recent federal trial of ex-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte.

Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks catch you up on major twists and turns of South Carolina's Murdaugh saga so far, from the 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach to the recent federal trial of ex-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte.

Host Nathan Stevens and investigative reporter Avery Wilks discuss one of the major decisions Attorney General Alan Wilson must make in the Alex Murdaugh double-murder case: whether to seek the death penalty for the disbarred lawyer, who is charged with killing his wife, Maggie, and son Paul.

Avery outlines the factors and intricacies which could potentially weigh into Wilson's decision and what his choice could mean for Murdaugh's upcoming trial.

Avery outlines all the factors and intricacies which could potentially weigh into Wilson's decision and what the choice could mean for the trial.

Host Nathan Stevens and investigative reporter Thad Moore sit down to discuss the federal trial of ex-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte, the Lowcountry banker accusing of helping Alex Murdaugh plunder the accounts of their mutual clients. The trial begins November 8, and this episode will serve as a primer on Laffitte's alleged crimes and his connection to the Murdaugh saga.

Welcome to Understand Murdaugh, a podcast from The Post and Courier, South Carolina’s largest newspaper. Our award-winning reporters have spent more than a year digging into the Murdaugh saga to bring you the latest news and in-depth analysis as we cover this story of drugs, deceit and death in South Carolina’s rural Lowcountry. Hosts Glenn Smith and Avery Wilks discuss the launching of Understand Murdaugh, the complex through lines of the case and what comes next.