(Trends Wide) — Records Trends Wide has obtained of Alex Murdaugh’s time in prison so far include a brief phone call between the convicted murderer and his only surviving son, Buster.
It is the first time the public has heard Murdaugh’s voice since Judge Clifton Newman sentenced him to two life sentences in March, after a jury found him guilty of shooting and killing his wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul.
Murdaugh made the free call to Buster from prison on May 16, 2023. It lasted just 42 seconds.
FITSNews was the first to publish the phone call, along with other records of time Murdaugh has spent in a South Carolina state prison.
Alex Murdaugh opens the call with the greeting “Hi buddy.”
Buster hastily replies, “Hey, I don’t have much time. I just boarded a ferry back to Hilton Head from [la isla] Dauffy.”
The former lawyer points out that he has “tried to call” his son, adding: “I was supposed to call you while you were with Jim, about this meeting. How about you text Jim and tell him I’m trying to call him?
“Jim” likely refers to Murdaugh’s defense attorney, Jim Griffin.
The phone call quality is poor and breaks up a bit in the middle. Buster smoothly responds to his father’s request with a simple “Mmkay”.
“Did he tell you about that, about what I told him?” Alex Murdaugh asks, as static interrupts the call.
“No, I can’t understand you either,” Buster says, still sounding rushed.
“I’ll leave Jim a message and he’ll get back to you,” says the jailed Murdaugh, who, after a pause of several seconds, adds: “I love you.”
Buster replies, “I love you too.”
Alex Murdaugh replies, “Proud of you.”
Your child offers a forced-sounding response: “Thank you.”
Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina on Friday, March 3, 2023 after he was found guilty on four counts. Credit: Andrew J. Whitaker/Pool/The Post And Courier/AP
The call, which was a free jail call that could only last 60 seconds, ends after that.
Buster Murdaugh testified on his father’s behalf in his double murder trial.
Alex Murdaugh will appeal his conviction.
South Carolina prosecutors argued during his trial that Murdaugh killed his wife and son to distract attention from a variety of alleged financial crimes, charges for which he now faces a state court, including embezzlement, computer crime, money laundering, of money and conspiracy. In all, state prosecutors allege Murdaugh defrauded his law firm, his clients and the government out of more than $9 million.
Trends Wide’s Devon M. Sayers and Dakin Andone contributed to this report.
