'MURDER' MYSTERY
Deaths of Paul Murdaugh, 22, and mom was ‘double murder’ & he was ‘targeted’ after being charged with teen’s 2019 murder
THE killings of Paul Murdaugh, 22, and his mom, 52, were "double murder" and authorities believe the son was targeted after he was charged in a teen's 2019 death.
Paul and Margaret Murdaugh were found shot to death at their hunting lodge in South Carolina around 10pm on Monday.
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A law enforcement source told that Paul was likely the target, while Margaret may have just been killed because she was there.
Paul was awaiting trial on a charge of boating under the influence causing death in a February 2019 crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach.
The woman’s body was found seven days after the crash.
Authorities have not yet said whether they definitively believe that the attack on the Murdaugh family is related to that incident.
Paul had previously pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges related to Beach's death.
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The wreck led to stories questioning whether his family’s ties to the legal system in the area affected the investigation.
For generations, members of the Murdaugh family were heavily involved in the Hampton County prosecutor's office.
Alex Murdaugh, Paul's father and Margaret's husband, currently works part-time for the 14th Circuit solicitor's office, .
The office was previously run by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, according to the outlet.
Just last week, Mallory's mother, Renee Beach, filed a civil lawsuit against Murdaugh's family, according to .
Colleton County deputies turned the shooting investigation over to the State Law Enforcement Division, whose agents released no information beyond confirming they were looking into the deaths as a double homicide.
The division could not provide any additional information about the case when contacted by The Sun on Saturday, as the investigation is ongoing.
"We cannot and will not do anything that could jeopardize the integrity of this investigation and thus feel it is inappropriate to comment on specifics while this investigation is ongoing," a spokesman for the division said.
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No arrests have been made as of Saturday night, though police have insisted there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Two firearms were reportedly used to carry out the killings -- a shotgun and an assault rifle.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Colleton Sheriff’s Office at 843-549-2211 or Crime Stoppers at 888-CRIMESC.
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