Alex Murdaugh Jury to Visit Dog Kennels at Moselle Where Son, Wife Were Shot to Death

A judge ruled Monday that jurors in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial will be taken on a field trip out to Moselle, South Carolina. This is the sprawling hunting property where Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were killed.

At the end of the trial, the defense team requested that the defense team visit the 1,700-acre Islandton property.

Before the jury entered the Colleton County courtroom, Dick Harpootlian, attorney, stated to Judge Clifton Newman, “We believe it would have been useful for the jury to tour Moselle, both in the area of the Kennels and the House just to get an understanding of the spatial relations.”

Newman granted the request but did not provide any details about the approximately 20-minute drive.

Harpootlian complained that there were many trespassers on the property over the weekend, “to take selfies before the feed room,” and the sheriff was called to chase them away. He requested that the scene be secured so that he could visit.

The jury returned to the courtroom, and Dr. Jonathan Eisenstat was called by the defense as their 12th witness.

Murdaugh’s team is expected to call two more witnesses Monday and then rest their case.

Assistant Attorney General Creighton Waters said he expected to have at least four rebuttal witnesses and wrap up their case by Tuesday afternoon. Closing arguments could be as early as Wednesday.

Monday marked the sixth week of the live-streamed trial that has mapped out the spectacular downfall of the powerful scion of a legal dynasty that was once seen as untouchable in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

Murdaugh, who was taking the stand in his own defense Thursday, denied that he had shot his son Paul, 22 years old, with a shotgun. Maggie, 52, was using a rifle to shoot Maggie, near the Islandton dog kennels.

“Mr. Murdaugh,” Waters asked. Waters was asked this question during a nine-hour-long cross-examination that lasted two days.

Maggie would never be hurt by me, “he said. He told jurors that he would never hurt Paul.

Waters depicted Murdaugh, a serial liar, and pill addict, as someone who was about to face a financial disaster.

He was relentless in his squabbling with the disbarred attorney over his changing account of the night of the murders. He initially claimed he was not with his son and wife in the moments before they were shot to death, but investigators discovered a video that contradicted this claim.

Paul had a video on his phone that showed Murdaugh standing at the scene at 8.45 p.m. Prosecutors claim that both victims were killed with their family weapons around 8:50 p.m.

“The moment you are confronted by facts you cannot deny, you instantly come up with a new lie.” Waters challenged Murdaugh.

“Mr. Waters, as we’ve established, I have lied many times,” Murdaugh responded.