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Elizabeth “Libby” Alexander Murdaugh – wife of the late Randolph Murdaugh III and mother of accused killer Alex Murdaugh – is reportedly on her deathbed at the Almeda, South Carolina home where her husband passed away a year-and-a-half ago.
This same home, incidentally, could figure prominently in the narrative surrounding the crimes her son is accused of committing (and for which he is scheduled to stand trial next week).
Murdaugh, 83, has suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for the past four-and-a-half years, sources familiar with her situation have told me. She has reportedly deteriorated to the point friends and relatives have been called to “say farewell.”
A school teacher and librarian in Hampton County, Libby Murdaugh was married to Randolph Murdaugh III – the former S.C. fourteenth circuit solicitor – for sixty years. The couple had four children together.
In a bizarre narrative twist fitting with the crazy, convoluted nature of the ‘Murdaugh Murders‘ crime and corruption saga, Libby Murdaugh was the subject of an obituary hoax in 1976 when The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper erroneously reported that she had died.
The lead investigatory agency probing that hoax? The S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) – the same agency which has led the multiple criminal inquiries into Alex Murdaugh.
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Murdaugh III died in the Almeda home he shared with Libby Murdaugh on June 10, 2021 – three days after his daughter-in-law, Maggie Murdaugh, and grandson, Paul Murdaugh, were brutally murdered on the family’s hunting property near Islandton, S.C.
Alex Murdaugh was charged thirteen months later with the murders of his wife and son. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial beginning Monday (January 23, 2023).
It is not immediately clear whether Libby Murdaugh’s condition will impact the timing of the upcoming double homicide trial of her son. Multiple sources familiar with the situation said they did not expect any delays.
This news outlet certainly extends its thoughts and prayers to members of the Murdaugh family – including Alex Murdaugh – as they deal with Libby Murdaugh’s deteriorating condition.
The Murdaugh saga has generated national and international attention. Just this week, it was announced that Netflix was preparing to air a new series related to the family. The family was also the focus of a sprawling piece in The New Yorker published earlier this week.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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3 comments
Always a sad situation. Alzheimer’s is a tough disease that robs one of mental and physical capabilities. As far as Alex is concerned, the trial should go forward regardless. Just as it would if the last name was not Murdaugh.
It could be that Alec might be in the very beginning of a kind of dementia. As lucid as he sounds, why not have him examined neurologically. 20 years of opioids is a long time addiction. This whole mess is so bizaar. Too bizaar. What did he gain by killing Maggie and Paul? What did he imagine he would gain by their deaths? was it just revenge for them finding out about his addiction and destitution, would killing them silence his fall from grace? Was it too horrible for Alec to contemplate the whole world knowing he was a thieving drug addict? Well, he won’t be the first thief, and he won’t be the first drug addict that ended up behind bars for seemingly abberant behavior. He really disguised his mental illness from everyone who cared about him, including himself. He just went in a rage and blew away his wife and son. Did he feel that they were the cause of all his problems? Maybe? People would find out he was less than perfect, that’s for certain sure. Nowhere to hide now.
After watching the trial and understanding the possibility of a two shooter scenario and the graphic in-depth explanations of the way both perished, I am rather loathe to assign their deaths to Alex alone. The shooter of Paul would be covered in blood and guts and brain bits after and that would require him or her to pause for a minute or more to get free of blood debris in the eyes or face before killing Maggie. The killer would have had to have
another gun at the ready, or an accomplice. The murders were violent and up close and messy, there was blood spatter everywhere and bits of the victims all over the scene and the killer or killers.
This case is so interesting to watch unfold, however sad and tragic it may be.