The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the two murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh, the attorney who a jury found in 2023 murdered his wife and youngest son.
In a 27-page opinion, the court pinned its new unanimous decision on the “improper” influence of Colleton County court clerk Becky Hill had on the jury, alleging she pushed the group in several ways to find Murdaugh guilty.
“Our justice system provides — indeed demands — that every person is entitled to a fair trial, which includes an impartial jury untainted by external forces bent on influencing the jury toward a biased verdict,” the court wrote. “Although we are aware of the time, money and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial due to Hill’s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial.”
Murdaugh was convicted in 2023 for the 2021 murders of his wife Maggie and 22-year-old son, Paul. Murdaugh maintained his innocence throughout the trial, though he did plead guilty to a slew of financial crimes. He is currently serving two life sentences for the murders and concurrent state and federal sentences of 27 and 40 years, respectively, for the financial crimes.
Attorneys for Murdaugh did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. Meanwhile, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said his office will “aggressively” seek to retry Murdaugh.
“Let me be clear — this decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released. He will remain in prison for his financial crimes,” he said in a statement. “No one is above the law and, as always, we will continue to fight for justice.”
Hill was charged with obstruction of justice and perjury last year, with prosecutors accusing her of distributing sealed photos that “prevented, obstructed, impeded, hindered or potentially impeded or hindered the administration of justice” during Murdaugh’s trial.
The Murdaugh saga spawned a torrent of documentaries, podcasts and fictional adaptations, including a Lifetime film and a Hulu series. The latter, “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” starred Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke as Maggie and Alex Murdaugh and premiered in October 2025 to mostly positive reviews.
Another of the media releases in question: The 2023 book “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders,” co-written by Hill.
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