Buster Murdaugh faces intense public scrutiny after Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life imprisonment for June 2021’s murders of Maggie and her son Paul. Buster’s mother is also a brother.
On Thursday, a South Carolina jury found the disgraced 54 year-old lawyer guilty of two counts each of first-degree murder as well as two counts of weapons possession during violent crimes in the deaths of Maggie, 52-years-old, and Paul.
Brooklynn White, the eldest Murdaugh boy, and Brooklynn White, his girlfriend, currently live in Hilton Head, a peaceful South Carolina beach town that is a popular spot for family vacations.
They were present at his trial every day, starting on Jan. 25. Buster also testified in the defense of Alex.
Buster said that his father was “devastated, heartbroken” to jurors at the elder Murdaugh double murder trial in Walterboro. “I walked into the door, saw him and gave him a hug. [He was] just broken down.”
He said, “I was shocked” when his father called him to inform him that Paul and Maggie had been killed on the Islandton hunting estate.
Prosecutors claim that Alex murdered his wife and son in order to distract attention from his financial crimes. These alleged financial crimes were first coming to light in summer 2021. Alex is accused in embezzling money from the law firm he was a part of and its clients. 99 financial crimes against Alex stemming out of 19 indictments totaling almost $9 million are his charges.
Even though the double murder trial was over, the complex story surrounding Alex’s crimes and the Murdaugh family is not over.
Dana Wilson, Murdaugh’s family friend, said that “Buster”‘s world would never be the same.” She also added that he has “a very loving family” and support group.
Wilson said, “I cannot imagine… losing everything you have ever known.”
Buster, his father being convicted, has been under scrutiny for the 2015 death of Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old high-school classmate. The incident, which police initially called hit-and-run, took place just miles from Murdaugh’s hunting estate. The case was reopened.
Eric Bland represented the Murdaughs’ housekeeper Gloria Satterfield, who died in their Murdaugh home in 2018. Bland also described the Murdaugh family’s “long-rumored involvement” in Smith’s death, on Sunday’s Fox & Friends.
Bland said that he found him on a Hampton County country road. “The highway department claimed he was struck by a car but there was no broken glass or car parts.” Pete Hegseth, Bland’s co-host, confirmed. His clothes and shoes were still on him, and he suffered a clear head trauma that appeared to have been caused by another vehicle.
The investigation into the death of the 19-year old remains ongoing.
Buster’s current location is not known. Before being fired for plagiarism, he worked at his family’s legal firm. FITS News reports that Alex paid $60,000 to an attorney to help Buster be readmitted.
After his father’s verdict, Buster filed a report to the police.
FITS News obtained Buster’s October 2022 phone conversation with his father. Buster was surprised to learn that national media attention was being paid to him after he had traveled to Las Vegas with Alex’s brother John Marvin Murdaugh.
Buster explained that he had taken a redeye Spirit Airlines flight to Las Vegas and then returned home by driving. “Someone took pictures of me and John Marvin at the casino.
Buster said, “I guess that, i mean, he’s a national figure.”