This undated photo shows, from left to right, Maggie, Paul and Alex Murdaugh.
(CNN) -
For 87 years, the Murdaugh surname came to represent a dynasty of lawyers on the coast of South Carolina, where three successive generations controlled the local prosecutor's office.
But in recent years, the family has been closely associated with a bloody tragedy.
There was a fatal boating accident in 2019, the murder of two family members in June, the shooting of a family member last week, and allegations of fraud and drug abuse.
No one has yet been arrested for the shootings, but authorities have vowed to get to the bottom of them.
And the investigation has taken them in unexpected directions.
While investigating the murders, investigators decided to reopen an unsolved death case from 2015.
Here's a timeline of what we know about the illustrious history of the Murdaugh family, the murders of Margaret Murdaugh and her son Paul, the shooting of Alex Murdaugh last week, and the entire course of the investigation.
1920-2006
For three generations, at least one member of the Murdaugh family has served as the Attorney for the 14th Circuit, leading prosecutions in Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties in southern South Carolina.
Randolph Murdaugh Sr. was elected to the Office of the Attorney for the 14th Circuit in 1920 and served until his death in 1940.
His son Randolph Murdaugh Jr. then takes over and serves until his retirement in 1986.
His son Randolph Later, Murdaugh III was elected to the position in 1987 and served until the end of 2005.
In 2006, then-Gov. Mark Sanford appointed attorney Duffie Stone to serve as Attorney General for the 14th Circuit, making him the first non-Murdaugh to serve.
He has been elected to the position three times since then, most recently in 2016.
2019
A boat crashes into a bridge near Parris Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, on February 24.
Mallory Beach, 19, dies there, according to court documents from CNN affiliate OMCC.
Six people were on board the ship at the time of the accident, including 19-year-old Paul T. Murdaugh.
His father, Alex Murdaugh, a local attorney and son of Randolph Murdaugh III, owns the ship.
Stone, the Attorney for the 14th Circuit, is withdrawing from the case due to personal connections.
This undated photo shows, from left to right, Maggie, Paul and Alex Murdaugh.
Paul Murdaugh is indicted in April on the charges of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) causing extensive bodily injury and death in connection with the accident, court records show.
He pleads not guilty.
June 7, 2021
Alex Murdaugh, 53, calls 911 and reports that he found his wife Margaret, 52, and their son Paul, then 22, were shot and killed outside their home in Islandton, a small community an hour away. north of Hilton, Head Island, according to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) authorities.
Colleton County Sheriff's Deputies determined that both victims had multiple gunshot wounds.
June 10th
Randolph Murdaugh III dies peacefully at home at age 81, according to his obituary.
June, 15
"Stay Out" signs marked an entrance to the Murdaugh family property in Islandton, where a double homicide occurred.
SLED publishes basic information about the June 7 murders, saying that Alex Murdaugh had called 911 at 10:07 p.m. and that investigators collected evidence that night and the next morning.
"We continue to search for all leads and the investigation is certainly active and ongoing at this time," the agency said.
"We will continue to send all forensic evidence to the SLED forensic lab. The authorities are committed to conducting a thorough and professional criminal investigation to bring justice for the deaths of Paul and Maggie."
June 17
Alex Murdaugh's brothers, John Marvin Murdaugh and Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh IV, speak to "Good Morning America" about the murders.
They say Alex called them "distraught" with the news that his wife and son had been shot.
They say they don't believe their brother is involved.
"My brother loved Maggie and he loved Paul like nothing on this earth, just like he loves (his other son) Buster," Randy told GMA.
"So there is no possible way that he could have something to do with this, I can assure you."
June 21
Buster Murdaugh, center, gets a hug in the rain at the funeral of his brother Paul and mother Maggie on June 11 in Hampton, South Carolina.
SLED recognizes interest in the case and asks the public to hold trial until the investigation is complete.
The division also publishes redacted copies of the Colleton County Sheriff's Office supplemental incident reports.
"This case is complex and we will not rush this or any investigation. The investigative decisions we make throughout this case must withstand the scrutiny of the criminal justice process. SLED officers continue to interview potential witnesses, collect and process potential evidence. and investigating each lead with the same diligence that we devote to each case, "SLED Chief Mark Keel said in a statement.
"SLED agents are working tirelessly with our partners to build a case against anyone responsible for the murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh to ensure that justice is served," Keel added.
Stone, the Attorney for the 14th Circuit, publishes a statement saying it is "neither prudent nor appropriate" to comment on the case and says his office will act "promptly and ethically" if conflicts of interest arise in the case.
He notes that there is no clear suspect in the double murder and contrasts it with the Paul Murdaugh boating case in 2019.
"That was not the situation when I recused my office after the 2019 boating accident for which Paul Murdaugh was ultimately charged," Stone said in the statement.
"In that case, it was immediately apparent that Mr. Murdaugh would be a suspect, that his father was the owner of the ship on which those involved were traveling, and that other passengers were related to employees of my office. Therefore, any comparison of these cases are simply not suitable. "
June 22nd
SLED reopens an investigation into the unsolved death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, who died in 2015 in Hampton County.
The agency says the investigation will be reopened based on information gathered while investigating the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, CNN affiliate WCSC reports.
June 25th
Alex Murdaugh, the fourth generation of a powerful South Carolina dynasty, comes out of a hearing in a personal injury lawsuit at the Richland County Courthouse. (Credit: ZUMA Press Wire)
Alex Murdaugh and his other son, Buster, announce a $ 100,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murders of Margaret and Paul, according to WCSC.
July 22
SLED posts redacted audio of Alex Murdaugh's 911 call the night of the murders.
In the audio, a distraught Murdaugh warns dispatchers that his wife and son were shot, are on the ground and not breathing.
August 11
Despite his earlier statement, 14th Circuit Attorney General Stone writes a letter to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, saying he intends to recuse himself from investigations into Murdaugh's death, WCSC reports.
He writes that the request comes "considering today's events in the SLED investigation" but does not provide further details.
Friday September 3
Alex Murdaugh resigns from the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED) law firm, according to the firm.
Saturday September 4
Evidence markers are found at a location where Alex Murdaugh reported to police that he had been shot in Hampton County, South Carolina, on September 4.
Murdaugh calls 911 and reports he was shot Saturday afternoon on a highway in Hampton County, according to a statement from SLED spokesman Tommy Crosby.
He was taken to a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, where he was treated for a "superficial gunshot wound to the head," the statement said.
"At this time no arrests have been made," the statement said.
Monday, September 6
Murdaugh publishes a statement through his attorney, Dick Harpootlian, to CNN affiliate WCSC, in which he says he is resigning from the PMPED law firm and entering rehab.
"The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made many decisions that I really regret," he says in the statement.
"I am resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been compounded by these murders. I am immensely sorry for everyone I have hurt, including my family, friends, and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate and I remake my relationships. "
Tuesday September 7
The law firm says Murdaugh resigned "after PMPED discovered that Alex misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED rules and policies."
"This is disappointing news for all of us. Rest assured that our firm will deal with this in a straightforward manner. There is no room in our firm for such behavior," the law firm said in a statement.
PMPED says it plans to hire a forensic accounting firm "to conduct a thorough investigation" and has contacted the police and the South Carolina Bar.
Wednesday, September 8
The South Carolina Supreme Court issues an order suspending Alex Murdaugh's license to practice law in the state.
According to the court, his license "is suspended until further order by this court."
The 14th Circuit Attorney's Office also confirms to CNN that Murdaugh has been stripped of his privilege to prosecute cases as a volunteer.
Randy Murdaugh IV, Alex Murdaugh's brother and also an attorney for the PMPED law firm, publishes a statement regarding the resignation.
"I was shocked, like the rest of my PMPED family, to learn of my brother Alex's drug addiction and money theft," Randy Murdaugh writes in the statement.
"I love my law firm family and I also love Alex as my brother. While I will support him in his recovery, I do not support, forgive or excuse his stealing behavior by manipulating his most trusted relationships," says Murdaugh.
"I will continue to pursue my client's interests with the highest degree of honesty and integrity, as I always have."
Thursday September 9
Attorney Jim Griffin specifies that Alex Murdaugh has an addiction to opioids.
Griffin says his client is in the early stages of treatment at an undisclosed location.
Friday September 10
A family spokesperson released a statement regarding the Alex Murdaugh shooting indicating that the injury was more serious than a superficial wound.
"After the shooting, Alex had an entry and exit wound, his skull was fractured and it was not a self-inflicted gunshot wound," according to the statement.
The spokesperson also added more details about what led up to the incident.
"Alex stopped after seeing a low tire indicator light. A male driver in a blue van asked him if he had a problem with the car, as soon as Alex responded, he was shot," the statement said.
"We know that SLED continues to work diligently to find this person and the person or persons who murdered Maggie and Paul Murdaugh," the statement said.
Monday September 13
SLED publishes a statement announcing that it has opened an investigation into Alex Murdaugh "based on allegations that he misappropriated funds in connection with his position as a former attorney for the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED) law firm. in Hampton, South Carolina. "
"As head of SLED, I continue to urge the public to be patient and let this investigation take its course. The investigative decisions we make throughout this case and any potentially related cases must ultimately stand up to the scrutiny of the process. criminal justice, "Chief Mark Keel said.
"As with all cases, SLED is committed to conducting a professional, thorough and impartial criminal investigation, no matter where the events take us."
- CNN's Melissa Alonso, Dakin Andone, Angela Barajas, Caroline Kenny, Gregory Lemos, Shawn Nottingham, Rebekah Riess, and Martin Savidge contributed to this report.
Crime Murdaugh Family
