Alex Murdaugh trial live coverage: Surviving son Buster to testify today as defense pushes back on crime scene evidence

Alex Murdaugh’s surviving son Buster is expected to testify today at his father’s double murder trial.

Murdaugh is accused of shooting to death his wife Maggie and son Paul — Buster’s mother and brother — on the family estate on June 7, 2021.

Buster, 26, — who has sat in the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, every day since the start of the high-profile trial — will be the first witness called to the stand by the defense Tuesday morning, a source told CNN.

His testimony comes after the defense opened its case Friday, hitting back at a trove of circumstantial evidence, including cell phone and car records, an incriminating video that allegedly placed Mr. Murdaugh at the crime scene and glaring holes in his alibi.

Murdaugh’s legal team argues that he cannot be responsible for the murders because he is a loving father and son.

They claim the killer or killers are still out there.

Alex MurdaughThe defense lawyer has been mocked for his “spicy” cross-examination of a police officer who testified about the accused killer’s battered hitman plot.

Alex Murdaugh allegedly ambushed his son Paul in the dining room of the family’s doghouses before turning on his wife Maggie who tried to escape only to be shot and killed on her knees, according to chilling testimony from a crime scene expert.

Rachel Sharp have the details.

Megan Sheets has the story.

Newly released footage has revealed the dramatic moment which Alex Murdaugh was confronted for the first time by the police for killing his wife and son.

A visibly uncomfortable Alex Murdaugh grimaced as prosecutors played the 911 call in which he reported being shot in the head — in what turned out to be a botched hitman plot.

Defense attorney Jim Griffin brought up Murdaugh’s expensive opioid habit during cross-examination by SLED Special Agent David Owen — the lead investigator in the brutal murder of Mr Murdaugh’s wife Maggie and son Paul.

Disgraceful legal consequence Alex Murdaugh is currently on trial for the cruel double murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul, who were found shot to death on the family’s sprawling estate in Islandton, South Carolinaon June 7, 2021.

Prosecutors claim he was motivated by desperation to distract from his string of alleged financial crimes that were on the verge of being exposed.

For years, the Murdaughs ruled the local legal system and mingled in powerful circles.

Now the brutal double murders have uncovered a series of scandals surrounding Murdaugh, including unexplained deaths, a multi-million dollar fraud scheme and a botched hitman plot – in a sprawling saga that touches many across the Low Country.

Here are some of the key players in the case:

Jurors heard the last text messages and phone calls Paul and Maggie made before their brutal murders.

On the night of 7 June 2021, Paul made a call on his mobile phone to friend Rogan Gibson at 8.40pm, which lasted four minutes, followed by a second call at 8.44pm. The second was the last incoming message Mr Gibson received from Paul’s mobile phone.

Five minutes later, at 8:49 p.m., Gibson texted Paul: “See if you can get a good picture of it. Marion wants to send it to a girl we know is a vet. Make him sit and stay. He shouldn’t move too much.”

The message – believed to be about a dog Paul took care of for him – went unanswered.

From that point on, neither Paul nor his mother Maggie answered any messages or calls on their cell phones.

Prosecutors said in opening statements that Paul was shot dead only at 8:50 p.m., and Maggie minutes later. Their cell phones had no activity from 8:49 p.m. onwards.

After sending the text message at 8:49 p.m. and having received no response from his friend, Gibson sent a follow-up text at 21.58, which simply read: “Yo.”

Mr Gibson also tried to call Paul several times at 21.10, 21.29, 21.42, 21.57 and 22.08.

Jurors received no response from their friend and heard he also texted Paul’s mum Maggie at 9.34pm saying: “Tell Paul to call me.”

Shortly thereafter, Gibson had four missed calls from Alex Murdaugh at 10.21pm, 10.24pm, 10.25pm ​​and 10.30pm.

Bodycam footage released by the court on January 30 revealed a huge cache of firearms inside the Murdaugh family’s home in the days after the murders.

SLED Special Agent Jeff Croft told jurors how he seized firearms and ammunition from the Murdaugh home — including guns and ammunition that matched the type of gun and bullets used to kill Maggie and Paul.

A .300 Blackout semi-automatic rifle, 12-gauge Browning shotgun, Benelli shotgun and 12-gauge pump shotgun seized from the family’s home were all brought into the courtroom and shown to jurors.

The agent testified that several empty boxes of ammunition were also found during searches of Murdaugh’s home on June 8 and June 13.

Inside the .300 Blackout rifle was Sellier & Bellot .300 AAC BLK ammunition – the same type of ammunition used to kill Maggie.

Also taken as evidence was a credit card receipt for a $1,021.10 item from Gucci – the item had been called in.

On January 31, Agent Croft also testified that ammunition—steel shot ammunition specifically Winchester DryLok—matching the fatal shot fired through Paul’s brain had been located on the Murdaugh family property.

Two separate weapons – a rifle and a shotgun – were used to kill Maggie and Paul. They have never been found.