Alex Murdaugh trial: Recap of mysterious murder investigation | USA TODAY

Alex Murdaugh, a member of a well-known legal family in South Carolina, was indicted on murder charges following multiple investigations and civil lawsuits.

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Disbarred South Carolina attorney Richard “Alex” Murdaugh will stand trial on Jan. 23 for the double homicide of his wife and son. The state is seeking a life sentence in prison without parole.

Murdaugh was indicted on two counts of murder on July 14 and faces other charges including tax evasion and fraud.

A cascading series of events led to the indictment of the high-profile lawyer in the middle of multiple state investigations and civil lawsuits. Murdaugh was shot in what police now say was a botched insurance fraud scheme months after the murders of his wife and son.

Alex Murdaugh, a member of a well-known legal family in Hampton County that ran a local prosecutor’s office for more than 80 years, allegedly had a former client shoot him with hopes that his $10 million life insurance policy would be paid out to his surviving son.

Murdaugh survived the shooting and has been charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and filing a false police report. Curtis Edward Smith, Murdaugh’s former client, has since been charged with several felonies in connection with the scheme.

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