South Carolina Orders Murdaugh Retrial

South Carolina Orders Murdaugh Retrial

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, overturned the murder conviction of Alex Murdaugh, ordering a new trial in the high-profile case. The court cited improper conduct by the Colleton County court clerk, Rebecca Hill, who was found to have influenced the jury.

The unanimous decision by the state's highest court found that Hill "egregiously attacked Murdaugh's credibility" and advised jurors on how to perceive his testimony, thereby denying him a fair trial. The ruling also referenced Hill's book, "Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders," as evidence of her inappropriate actions. Hill had previously pleaded guilty in December 2025 to obstruction of justice, perjury, and misconduct in office.

Murdaugh, 57, was convicted in 2023 for the murders of his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, and 22-year-old son, Paul, who were found shot in June 2021. Despite the overturned murder conviction, Murdaugh will remain incarcerated, serving a 40-year federal sentence after pleading guilty to stealing $12 million from clients in separate financial crimes. State Attorney General Alan Wilson announced plans to retry the murder case, stating his office will "aggressively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh."