A judge has set an April 5 date to begin the retrial of on two counts of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions in May, ruling the court clerk at the trial 鈥渆gregiously attacked Murdaugh鈥檚 credibility鈥� by suggesting to jurors his testimony could not be trusted.
The once-prominent lawyer was in rural South Carolina. He worked for his family’s century-old law firm and his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were elected county prosecutors. Murdaugh, the subject of numerous documentaries and true crime podcasts, will remain imprisoned on federal convictions for stealing millions from clients.
Here is a look at the events leading up Murdaugh’s retrial:
June 7, 2021: Murdaugh to report his wife Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22, have been fatally shot near dog kennels on their property.
Sept. 4, 2021: Alex Murdaugh attempts to arrange his own death in a plan to secure his surviving son a $10 million life insurance payment, officials say. The plot the gunshot by a Murdaugh associate only grazes Murdaugh鈥檚 head.
Oct. 14, 2021: Police arrest Murdaugh at a drug rehab facility in Florida on charges he totaling more than $4 million intended for the sons of his late housekeeper.
Nov. 17, 2021: Prosecutors against Murdaugh, saying he stole nearly $5 million in settlement money. Prosecutors allege Murdaugh was hiding money from lawyers who sued him over the death of a teenager killed when authorities say an intoxicated Paul Murdaugh wrecked the boat he was driving.
Jan. 18, 2022: Additional indictments mean Murdaugh now that he stole nearly $8.5 million in wrongful death and wreck settlements from more than a dozen people.
May 4, 2022: Russell Laffitte, the former CEO of Palmetto State Bank before his firing earlier that year, is indicted on charges that he to defraud victims of $1.8 million.
June 28, 2022: Prosecutors outline an eight-year in new indictments.
July 14, 2022: Murdaugh is . The indictments issued by the grand jury contend Murdaugh killed his wife with a rifle and his son with a shotgun.
Jan. 23, 2023: Murdaugh in the killings of his wife and son.
Feb. 23, 2023: Murdaugh denies killing them after . But he admits lying to investigators about when he last saw them alive.
March 2, 2023: A jury after a six-week trial. The jury deliberated for less than three hours.
March 3, 2023: A judge to life in prison.
Jan. 29, 2024: A South Carolina judge after his defense team accused a clerk of court of tampering with a jury.
April 2, 2024: Murdaugh is for stealing from clients and his law firm.
Feb. 11, 2026: Murdaugh to throw out his murder convictions.
May 13, 2026: The South Carolina Supreme Court . In a unanimous ruling, the justices said the conduct by the court clerk 鈥渆gregiously attacked Murdaugh鈥檚 credibility鈥� by suggesting to jurors his testimony could not be trusted.
June 29, 2026: Newly appointed Judge Debra McCaslin for the start of jury selection in Murdaugh’s retrial on the two murder charges as well as an August 14 date to hear pretrial motions. The defense has requested Murdaugh be allowed to wear regular clothes in court, not an orange prison jumpsuit and shackles. They also want to move the trial out of Colleton County, where the killings and the first trial took place.
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