South Carolina’s Supreme Court overturned Alex Murdaugh’s double murder convictions and set aside his life sentence.
On Wednesday, May 13, the State Supreme Court overturned the convictions, citing jury interference by former Colleton County Court Clerk Rebecca “Becky” Hill. She is accused of tampering with the jury by making comments about Murdaugh’s testimony.
One juror said Hill told them “not to be fooled” by the defense’s case and urged them to watch Murdaugh’s “actions” and “movements” in court.
Another juror said Hill told them as deliberations began, “This shouldn’t take us long.”
Hill pled guilty in December 2025 to perjury charges for letting the press view sealed exhibits and lying in court about it, PEOPLE reports.
Murdaugh was sentenced in March 2023 to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, on June 7, 2021.
Prosecutors said Murdaugh lured his wife and son to the family’s hunting lodge in Islandton. Maggie texted a friend, saying Murdaugh sounded “fishy” and was “up to something.”
She parked her car at the house and walked to the dog kennels where she found her son, Paul. Around 10 p.m., Murdaugh called police to say he found the bodies of his wife and son near the dog kennels.
Each victim had been shot dead multiple times with different guns. Murdaugh claimed that at the time of the murders, he was visiting his mother who had dementia.
Prosecutors say he called and texted his wife’s phone after the murders to establish an alibi.
Earlier in the day, Murdaugh’s law firm’s chief financial officer confronted Murdaugh about a six-figure settlement check that the law firm never received.
Murdaugh was later convicted of stealing about $8.8 million in settlement checks that were intended for his clients.
The State Supreme Court said interference by the former county clerk was grounds for appealing Murdaugh’s double-murder conviction.
But Murdaugh is not a free man. He remains in prison, where he is serving concurrent federal and state sentences for his financial crimes.