WALTERBORO, SC (WSPA) — After calling dozens of witnesses to the stand and admitting hundreds of pieces of evidence, the prosecution rested its case Friday afternoon against former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh.
Murdaugh is accused of shooting and killing his wife and son at their family owned property in Colleton County in June 2021. Murdaugh and his defense team deny the accusations.
The final witness for state prosecutors went over a timeline of events on June 7, 2021. That timeline rehashed things like cell phone evidence shared with jurors over the last few weeks.
SLED Special Agent Peter Rudofski spoke at length about car GPS information sent to investigators late last week. Prosecutors used this to shore up their timeline of Murdaugh’s movements the night of the murders.
Rudofski said Murdaugh’s phone did not record any movement between 8:09 and 9:05pm. Prosecutors say Murdaugh was at the dog kennels, just minutes before the murders.
According to data obtained from Murdaugh’s vehicle, he left the family property on Moselle Road after 9:00pm. His cell phone data showed he had taken 283 steps between 9:02pm and 9:06pm.
Rudofski told jurors that the backlight for Maggie’s cell phone turned off around the same time Murdaugh’s SUV went by the location where his wife’s phone was found the next day. He testified the GPS data showed Murdaugh’s car slowed down near that spot at 9:08pm.
Murdaugh returned home that night around 10:00pm and went to the dog kennels in his car not far from the home, Rudofski said. Murdaugh had told first responders he checked Paul and Maggie for pulses.
Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters asked, “From the moment that Suburban arrived at the kennels how long did it take for that 911 call to be made?” Rudofski replied, “Less than 20 seconds.”
Attorney Phillip Barber with Murdaugh’s defense team set a 20-second timer on his phone to demonstrate to jurors the timing in real time. He stood next to Rudofski waiting for the alarm to set off.
Barber also pointed out step information from cell phones did not indicate location or speed.
Friday afternoon, Murdaugh’s defense team began laying out their case to prove to the jury Murdaugh is innocent. If convicted, Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in prison without parole for the murders.
The trial resumes Tuesday morning at 9:30.