Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of murdering his wife Maggie and their son, Paul, after a jury unanimously arrived at the verdict in less than three hours, following a six-week-long double murder trial. A judge handed him two consecutive life sentences for his crimes.
The trial has caught the attention of many who have been following day-by-day online, but the case itself has come to global prominence thanks to Netflix releasing a gripping three-part documentary series titled The Murdaugh Murders.
The series investigates a litany of crimes surrounding the family who has long held power and influence in the state of South Carolina. If you've not yet tuned in, check out the trailer below for more insight.
WATCH: The Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is on Netflix now
But if you've been following the trial closely, then you'll know that there have been some bizarre moments that have taken place in the past few weeks. Read on to find out more.
A juror was dismissed ahead of the verdict
Before the jury announced Alex's verdict, one person was dismissed for discussing evidence with outsiders. Although the incident was a serious matter due to the legal implications, the tension was eased when the juror asked the judge what belongings she need to collect before leaving.
Judge Clifton Newman dismissed the juror but assured her: "I'm not suggesting that you intentionally did anything wrong, but in order to preserve the integrity of the process and in fairness to all the parties involved, we are going to replace you with one of the other jurors."
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© Photo: NetflixAlex Murdaugh will serve two life sentences
After she was asked about her belongings, she told the judge: "I got a dozen eggs," which prompted laughter throughout the room as the judge said: "I have heard a lot of things but not a dozen eggs."
The court had to be evacuated due to a bomb threat
In a more serious moment, the court was evacuated following a bomb threat at the beginning of February. Lawyers, the press, and members of the public were forced to vacate the Colleton County courthouse amid a threat made by a member of the public named Joey Coleman, who claimed a bomb had been placed in the judge's chamber.
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The situation was investigated and turned out to be a hoax. It transpired that the claim had come from a contraband phone from an inmate at Ridgeland Correctional Facility in Jasper County.
© Photo: NetflixThe Murdaugh family shown in the Netflix documentary
Buster's testimony
Buster is the only living Murdaugh son and the court saw him take to the stand to testify for his father's defense.
He told the court how when he spoke to his father on the day of the murders, he had sounded "normal" on the phone. This was around 20 minutes after Maggie and Paul were believed to be shot. Buster then added an hour later, after Alex claimed he found the bodies, he found his dad "destroyed" as he delivered the news to his son on the phone.
Although Buster was speaking in defense of his dad, he did admit to the court that he was surprised by Alex stealing millions of dollars from his family's law firm and clients.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesBuster testified in court for his father's defense
Alex Murdaugh's attorney pointed a rifle at the prosecution bench
In an eyebrow-raising moment, Alex's defense attorney was handed a rifle in court for a demonstration. He then pointed it towards the prosecution bench, before joking: "Tempting." The moment was met with laughter by some of those sitting in the courtroom, however, others looked unimpressed.
An attorney was accused of paying a witness
On February 9, an attorney who testified against Alex was accused of paying $1,000 to another prosecution witness. Phillip Barber, a defense attorney, insisted that Mark Tinsley be struck from the record after it was revealed he had donated the money via GoFundMe to Shelley Smith, who was the caregiver to Alex's mother.
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