Alex Murdaugh Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Fatal Boat Crash Involving Son

Settlement Reached in Case That Unraveled Murdaugh’s Finances

Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh has reached a settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old killed in a 2019 boat crash involving his son, Paul Murdaugh. The settlement, which involves a $500,000 payment from Murdaugh’s boat insurance policy, ends a legal battle that exposed Murdaugh’s financial misdeeds and set the stage for his eventual downfall.

The Tragic Boat Crash

The lawsuit stemmed from a boat crash in February 2019, when a boat driven by Paul Murdaugh, then 19, crashed into a bridge in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Several passengers were injured, and Mallory Beach was killed. Investigators revealed that Paul had a blood alcohol content more than three times the legal limit at the time of the accident. Paul Murdaugh faced charges of felony boating under the influence but was murdered before the case went to trial.

Beach’s family initially sued the Murdaugh family, claiming negligence. The legal proceedings eventually opened up Alex Murdaugh’s personal and professional finances, revealing a series of fraudulent schemes that included stealing millions of dollars from his clients and his own law firm.

Settlement Details

According to court records, Beach’s family has already received over $15 million in settlements from other parties connected to the case, including Parker’s Kitchen convenience stores, which sold alcohol to Paul Murdaugh, and individuals who hosted the oyster roast attended by the group before the crash.

A settlement with Progressive, the insurer of the boat, was delayed last summer after the company insisted on dropping Alex Murdaugh from the case before paying the claim. The wrongful death lawsuit has now concluded after court-appointed receivers assured that Murdaugh’s assets had been properly distributed. Judge Daniel Hall confirmed the settlement in an order filed on Monday.

Other injured passengers from the boat crash have also settled their lawsuits with Murdaugh and other defendants.

The Fall of Alex Murdaugh

Alex Murdaugh’s involvement in the boat crash case contributed to his eventual conviction for the murder of his wife, Maggie, and his son Paul. Prosecutors argued during his trial that Murdaugh killed his family in a desperate attempt to buy time as his financial crimes were beginning to be exposed, particularly in the wake of the Beach lawsuit.

Murdaugh, 56, is currently serving a life sentence without parole for the June 2021 murders. Although he has maintained his innocence and is appealing his conviction, his financial crimes alone ensure that he will spend the rest of his life in prison. He has already admitted to embezzling around $12 million from his law firm and clients, including funds meant for victims of severe accidents.

“Boat Case” and its Role in Murdaugh’s Downfall

The “Boat Case,” as it came to be known, played a pivotal role in Murdaugh’s undoing. The wrongful death lawsuit helped expose the deep-rooted influence Murdaugh’s family held over Hampton County for generations and shed light on his extensive financial fraud.

Beach’s lawyer, Mark Tinsley, testified during Murdaugh’s murder trial that he initially sought $10 million in the lawsuit but was told by Murdaugh’s lawyer that Alex could only afford to pay $1 million. Suspicious of Murdaugh’s claims of financial ruin, Tinsley pushed for access to Murdaugh’s financial records, a move that prosecutors said motivated the murders of Maggie and Paul.