Eager to make an arrest, detectives forced Burton, then a sophomore at Evander Childs HS, to confess to the slaying, according to a two-year, joint investigation by the Bronx district attorneys Conviction. (Part 2) Accused of shooting his mother, a son stands trial for murder and his family testifies for the prosecution. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and two weapons charges. The pressure on him became larger in spring 2021. After her funeral, Mr. Murdaugh introduced her two adult sons to a lawyer who he said would help them resolve the issues around their mothers death, but the sons said in a recent lawsuit that they did not know that the lawyer, Cory Fleming, was a close friend of Mr. Murdaughs. Murdaugh said hed lied to police about his whereabouts because of paranoid thinking stemming from his addiction to opiate painkillers. Image: Joshua Boucher/Pool/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images. For nearly 90 years, the post of chief prosecutor for a five-county region was held by a Murdaugh. More importantly, exposing the defendants lies about the most important thing he could have told law enforcement. Murdered His Mother or Falsely Accused? A&E's new series"Accused: Guilty Or Innocent?" Misook Wang Murdered Her Mother-In-Law Did She Kill Her Ex's 3-Year-Old Child, Too? When was the last time I saw my wife and child alive? Why in the world would an innocent, reasonable father and husband lie about that, and lie about it so early? Aired on Apr 28, 2020. The housekeepers death is not the only one to receive fresh scrutiny. The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Thats how they did it. CookiePolicy Two days later, hewas chargedwith first-degree murder. Details of how the night of the killings unfolded have been a pivotal focus of the trial, as prosecutors have suggested that Murdaugh fatally shot his wife and son and then attempted to fabricate an alibi by calling and texting his wifes phone and driving to his parents home in Almeda. Waters noted that this weapon went missing and Murdaugh cannot account for it. Mr. Fleming reached a $4.3 million settlement with Mr. Murdaugh and his insurers that was supposed to send about $2.8 million to Ms. Satterfields sons after lawyers fees, but the sons said in September 2021 that they had learned about the deal only recently and never got any money. Jurors will also hear testimony on two charges that Mr. Murdaugh possessed a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. After about a dozen friends and family members identified his voice on the video, Murdaugh took the stand and admitted he was there. Attending the emotional hearing were two fellow exonerees Yusef Salaam of the Central Park Five and Jeffrey Deskovic, cleared of murdering a high-school classmate in Peekskill, Westchester County. Alex Murdaugh, once a prominent lawyer, is on trial for murder, charged with killing his wife and son as his finances and legal career fell into ruin. A civil jury found Jason Carter responsible for his mother's death in 2017;he was ordered topay $10 millionto his slain mother's estate. Was this a cold-blooded murder or a justified act of self-defence? Thats when he was finally cleared of the horrific 1989 killing. This story has been shared 108,314 times. The defenses closing arguments will follow on Thursday. About 2 p.m., 12-year-old Anthony Harris, who lived in the same building, was approached by Devan's mother, Lori, who said she couldn't find the girl and offered him $5 to help find her. CNNs Elise Hammond, Mike Hayes, Dianne Gallagher, Randi Kaye, Elizabeth Wolfe, Christina Maxouris and Dakin Andone contributed to this report. Mr. Murdaugh soon admitted that he had asked Mr. Smith to shoot him in the head. On July 14, the police charged AlexMurdaughwith killinghis wife and son.