Margaret "Maggie" Kennedy Branstetter Murdaugh

Homemaker

Deceased

Gunned down at her family's Moselle estate on June 7, 2021, leading to the high-profile prosecution of her husband, Alex Murdaugh .

Last Verified: Sep 8, 2026Primary Source: Maggie Murdaugh - FITSNewsConfidence: 95% High

OVERVIEW & LEGAL HISTORY SUMMARY

Maggie Murdaugh was the daughter-in-law of the prominent Murdaugh legal dynasty, which held judicial power in South Carolina's Lowcountry region for generations, the wife of former personal injury attorney Alex Murdaugh, and a mother of two. On the night of June 7, 2021, her body was found near the dog kennels at the family's Moselle estate, having been shot five times with a military-style rifle. Her husband, Alex Murdaugh, was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in March 2023 for the double homicide; however, on May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned his conviction on the grounds that court clerk Rebecca Hill improperly influenced the jury.

EVENT TIMELINE

2019Fatal Boat Crash Involving Pau(Sep 8, 2026)

[2019-02-24] Her younger son, Paul Murdaugh, illegally purchased alcohol using Maggie's credit card and crashed a boat while intoxicated, causing the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. The incident created a massive $30 million wrongful death lawsuit pressure on the family.

2021Moselle Double Homicide(Sep 8, 2026)

[2021-06-07] Maggie Murdaugh (52) and her son Paul (22) were found shot to death near the dog kennels at the family's Moselle estate. It was established that Maggie was summoned to the property under the pretext of visiting Alex's sick father and was shot five times with a semi-automatic military-style rifle.

2021SLED Reopens Stephen Smith Case(Sep 8, 2026)

[2021-06-22] Based on findings uncovered during the double murder investigation, SLED officially reopened the 2015 suspicious death investigation of 19-year-old nursing student Stephen Smith.

2023Alex Murdaugh Conviction(Sep 8, 2026)

[2023-03-02] A Colleton County jury found Alex Murdaugh guilty of murdering Maggie and Paul; the defendant was sentenced the following day to two consecutive life sentences.

2026Murder Convictions Overturned(Sep 8, 2026)

[2026-05-13] The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Alex Murdaugh's murder convictions and ordered a retrial, ruling that court clerk Rebecca Hill improperly influenced jurors and sabotaged his right to a fair trial.

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RELATED LEGAL CASES (1)

The State of South Carolina v. Richard Alexander Murdaugh

Victim

It is a world-renowned murder trial concerning Alex Murdaugh, a former member of a prominent and influential legal dynasty that held judicial power in South Carolina's Lowcountry region for nearly a century, who brutally murdered his wife Maggie and son Paul at the dog kennels of their Moselle estate. The prosecution alleged that Murdaugh planned these murders to buy time and cover up his imminent multi-million-dollar financial frauds. Sentenced to life in prison in March 2023, Murdaugh's conviction was unanimously overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court on May 13, 2026, on the grounds that court clerk Rebecca Hill compromised his right to a fair trial by making biased statements to the jurors. The conviction was completely vacated, and the state prosecution plans to retry the case.

Category: Weapon Possession, Murder🇺🇸 United States

VERIFIED SOURCES

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Maggie Murdaugh - FITSNews

https://www.fitsnews.com/key_players/maggie-murdaugh/

Maggie Murdaugh's Life Seemed Perfect. Her Murder Brought Family Secrets to Light. - Biography

https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/a68990592/maggie-murdaugh-family-relationships

Trials of Alex Murdaugh - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trials_of_Alex_Murdaugh

CONFIDENCE SCORE95% HIGH