Authorities allege that Steven Gibson, 39, the owner of a machine shop, was the target of a family murder plot hatched by his wife and their son Steven Jr., 15, who took part in stabbing him.. Three of the killings would have happened after the Delaware judge allowed his release. Gibson eventually stopped attending church altogether in late August 2011, when his mother was admitted into a nursing home. family legacy is now coming crashing down, one of the first to begin investigating the incident, would leave onlookers with the most questions, Joshua Boucher/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, Netflix has just released the three-part docuseries "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.". Regardless, it certainly backs the hypothesis that Alex Murdaugh is behind them. The girls took a train back to Iowa. [14] A substantial issue arose when Gibson had a tattoo done on the back of his shaved head, which said "Death Row X3". READ MORE 5. Philadelphia police were then contacted by Elsmere police, and both agencies began working very closely together, Vanore said. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The three-part series centers around the Murdaugh family, which has dominated the legal system in the local area for nearly 100 years with generations of lawyers who not only founded one of the most prominent civil law firms in the area but also worked with prosecutors in a role known locally as "solicitors," affording them connections to law enforcement. [15] In spite of the guilty plea, prosecutors pushed for another death sentence, aiming to prove aggravating factors during the commission of Kirk's murder. Alex Murdaugh detailed on the stand a 20-year addiction to opioids, noting that he has been clean for 535 days. The boys left in the morning but picked them up around noon in a green pickup truck and with a bunch of cash. The reputable South Carolina family first made headlines in 2019, when the then-teenage son Paul Murdaugh was involved in a boating accident that killed 19-year-old Mallory.. Last summer, Paul and his mother Maggie Murdaugh were both shot and murdered - and discovered by the family . When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Do you, This was definitely in IL because we are friends with, Hi. [2] Hospital staff claimed that Gibson seemed disinterested in the treatments, and two psychiatrists later diagnosed him with a bipolar disorder, for which he was prescribed Seroquel, but again, no indications of a mental illness or a psychiatric disorder were noted. Donna Thorngren shot her husband, Curtis Curt Thorngren, three times at their home in Meridian, Idaho, and then tried to stage the incident like a burglary. A neighbor had seen a green pickup truck parked outside the home around 9:30 a.m. By the time it gets to describing their murders, viewers have sat through 1 episodes of people detailing how they were wronged by the Murdaughs, as well as harrowing accounts of the boat crash Paul is accused of causing. Murdaugh's story that he tried to stage his own murder in a suicide plot in order for his son Buster to collect his life insurance has been treated with skepticism, especially after the man involved in the incident, Curtis Eddie Smith, said he was set up. Despite pleas from prosecutors, probation officers and police in two states to keep a convicted killer locked up, a Delaware judge authorized the release of the man who is now being investigated in at least six more slayings. In a frantic 911 call on March 1, Michelle Gibson tearfully told police about a grisly discovery she made at 2 a.m. in the familys Peoria, Ariz., home. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh are not presented in the most flattering of lights in the docuseries. Thanks to bodycam footage of interviews, cell phone records, and law enforcement testimony, much of what Murdaugh did from that moment on is documented and plays a large part in the case against him, though the documentary barely touches on it. Upon learning of his conviction, his wife divorced him. Her husband tracked down Gibson's brown Toyota and had him arrested for theft, with Gibson serving a 3-year sentence until he was released circa Independence Day in 2009. Their bodies were found in a remote area outside of Somerset, hidden by tall weeds. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. According to the Pulaski Sheriffs Department, after investigating the scene, it seemed that Linda and Cody had been murdered elsewhere, and their bodies were then dumped in the field, which was only two miles from the road on which they were last seen. Since the murders, Murdaugh who says he was living with a decades-long opioid addiction has been disbarred and faces more than 100 further charges in which he's accused of financial crimes, including stealing millions of dollars from clients. Krasners office has approved murder charges against Gibson in the North Philadelphia killing of 40-year-old Dunkin manager Christine Lugo over the weekend. The same type of weapon was used in the Philadelphia killing of Lugo at the Dunkin store. During the cross-examination on Friday, Waters later asked Alex Murdough about family, friends and colleagues he has lied to over the past decade. His employee-tenant, Barb Garber, 52, had unusually for her not shown up for work that morning. "He says that hes a hitchhiker, got picked up, theyd been doing copious amount of drugs, alcohol, and just having a party," Quinn explained. He was also charged for allegedly misappropriating settlement funds in the death of his housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who reportedly died after a falling accident in the Murdaugh family home in February 2018. Teen Daughter Now Arrested in Alleged Family Plot to Murder Dad, Everything to Know About the Murdaugh Family Murders, Including Details of Allegations Against Alex, Utah Man Accused of Repeatedly Stabbing Tinder Date Allegedly Told Police He Had More Attacks Planned, N.J. Man Faces Hate Crime Charges After Allegedly Committing Series of Anti-Semitic Attacks, Tenn. Crime scene specialist Kenneth Kinsey, right, shows where he believes a shotgun round entered Paul Murdaugh during Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse, Feb. 16, 2023, in Walterboro, S.C. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. Subsequent text messages indicated she was concerned about Murdaugh's wellbeing when she decided to return to the Moselle property. Police found Gibson had violated probation, but they did not recover a gun, and video didnt show him at the location of his moms murder, meaning any evidence linking Gibson was only circumstantial, Vanore said. She loved her family, and we love her too, Clayton told Dateline. On Wednesday, a month into an explosive murder trial that has rocked South Carolina's Lowcountry region and captivated audiences across the globe, Netflix dropped a highly anticipated docuseries which promised to explore the complex web of power, secrets, and suspicion that ultimately led to the downfall of a local family dynasty. The bodies of Margaret Murdaugh, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near the dog kennels at the family's home near Islandton, South Carolina, in June 2021, authorities said. "I didnt shoot my wife or my son any time, ever.". Medinillas office did not respond to a request for comment from NBC10. "So bad.". He was released on April 5, 1999, after which he was added to the Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On October 10, 2002, Gibson was out drinking at a bar in Jeffersonville when he met 44-year-old Karen Sue Hodella, a beautician from Port Orange, Florida, who was visiting a boyfriend of hers at the time. This is a complete shock to the rest of the family, Amber McGonagill, 23, Steven Gibsons stepdaughter, tells PEOPLE. Below is a timeline of key events surrounding Gibson, dating back to his manslaughter conviction. ", Alex Murdaugh disputed that, replying, "That's not correct.". The man fled in Ruiz-Basilios vehicle. They call it Iowa nice.. The prosecution has argued that the murders were an attempt to distract from the investigation into his finances, a seemingly outlandish suggestion but a crucial one as it allowed evidence of the financial crimes he's charged with to be entered in the murder trial to demonstrate motive. [4] Despite these diagnostics and his refusal to complete the rehabilitation program, he was deemed unlikely to re-offend. Family and friends told police Gibson had been released from jail and raised concerns about his behavior, Vanore said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. She passed away at Floyd Memorial Hospital on January 18, 2012, with some neighbors suspecting that her death greatly impacted Gibson's psyche. UPATOI, Ga. (WTVM) - One of the three men charged in the murder of three Upatoi family members in 2016 is motioning for a retrial. [4] The following year, Gibson was arrested for stealing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, but was allowed to spend half of that time at the Madison State Hospital in Madison, where he would receive treatment for his drug and alcohol addiction. Linda was the best sister in the world.. Smith testified that she was at Murdaugh's parents' house when he visited the night of the murders, before he said he discovered Maggie and Paul's bodies. "I battled that addiction for so many years, I was spending so much money on pills," he said. Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. Here are seven of the key pieces of information we've learned from the trial so far. He rolled out of bed, bundled up warmly, pulled on his boots, and stepped outside with a metal pail. The judge accepted the recommendation. Michelle Gibson, Steven Jr. and McBee have each been charged with first-degree murder and remain in police custody. Soon after the murder, he had a tattoo inscribed on his lower right arm indicating the date of the murder, accompanied by an image of a knife. "This is rural Iowa," Michael Berrier, an officer with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, told "Killer Siblings,"airing Fridays at 8/7c on Oxygen. As fans of the blockbuster musical "Hamilton" are now acutely aware, Founding Father and architect of the American financial system Alexander Hamilton was mortally wounded in a duel with his. He said he was even spoiled but acknowledged that his father was an alcoholic who would become combative when drunk. Firstly, Owen acknowledged that a detailed search wasn't undertaken in the area between Moselle, where the murders occurred, and Murdaugh's parents' house, where he went that evening. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. Later that night, as police officers were putting tape around the crime scene, McAbee and Molina-Pompa returned to the house and approached the investigators. Donna Thorngren shot her husband, Curtis Curt Thorngren, Dr. Mark Wangler killed his wife, Kathy Wangler. The plan was to use chloroform to knock Steven Gibson out, drive him to a nearby park, shoot him in the head, and make it look like a drug deal gone bad, the documents say. The three-part documentary looks into the different cases surrounding the family, most prominently the death of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, the son and wife of Alex Murdaugh, who is currently on. Updated: Dec. 10, 2020 at 7:42 PM PST. Clayton told Dateline that Linda would just sit there and cry. Steven Jr. then later drove [a] large knife he was holding into his fathers chest at least three times, the documents say. "But both of them were in bad places and it was really just a recipe for disaster.". The latter had always supported Gibson and even gave him money. Murdoch?" Jamie McMahan and Chris Kaufmann needed cash to fuel their meth habit so they came up with a horrifying plan that included betraying a friend. But by weighting it so heavily within the series, the murders that many assumed would be central to the docuseries are largely lost in the story. Three weeks after the murder, Gibson was arrested for driving a GMC truck while drunk. More than half have since been solved. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. They planned to dispose of the body elsewhere but left it in the garage after hearing sirens. NBC10's Danny Freeman has the details. I think it is fair to say that there arguably has been a systemic failure when someone with a record this terrible, who has completed a lengthy sentence for homicide, is under very serious consideration for killing his mother and he remained on the street, Philadelphia DA Krasner said. Episode two of the Netflix series is titled "Murders at Moselle," but it's of the way through the episode before they're mentioned. The next day, the Fourth of July, their family reported them missing. [5], At this final murder trial, Gibson unexpectedly pleaded guilty again, waiving his right to a jury trial. The next morning, they used a ruse about needing Garber's phone and once inside, McMahan told Kauffman he had to kill Garber in order to prove himself. During his deployment, he was awarded badges for marksmanship and hand grenade usage, but at this time, he developed an addiction to drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, which he often mixed with alcohol. I didn't know whether he was trying to get me to say that that shirt, if I was to be asked that if that was the shirt he was wearing that day.". 15) Tony von Carruthers: In February of 1994, Tony shot his mother, her teenage associate, and his drug dealer in the Memphis area. [4], After being released from jail, Gibson continued hanging around bars, but on February 21, 2006, he stole the purse and $300 from a female acquaintance. They found him in possession of a revolver. FBI and local authorities caught the kidnappers by tracing the serial numbers on the ransom money; the culprits were a pair of young hoodlumsHarmon Waley and William Dainardwho had first met in the Idaho State Penitentiary and one of their wives. Rose Harsent, victim of the Peasenhall murder. Kauffman eventually confessed. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. [4] While Gibson complained of frequent headaches, stomachaches, insomnia and hypochondriasis, Howerton and the prison's mental therapist concluded that he suffered from mild anxiety and had indications of anti-social behavior, but was otherwise sane. Alex Murdaugh, 54, who called 911 to report the discovery, was charged with their murders 13 months later. Alex Murdaugh gives testimony during his murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., Feb. 23, 2023. After his release from the hospital, he was sent to serve the rest of his sentence at the Floyd County Jail, where he remained until his discharge on March 12, 2002.[4]. Then, he left the body on the garage floor, surrounded by garbage bags. The docuseries devotes more than half of its airtime to telling the story of Mallory Beach, who died in 2019 aged 19 after a boat seemingly driven by a heavily intoxicated and belligerent Paul Murdaugh, also 19 at the time, crashed into a bridge, hurling her overboard into the waters where she drowned. They also told Medinilla that Gibson had an extensive history of violence including 29 felony arrests and nine convictions a documented history of anger issues, and that they felt he posed a threat to himself and the community. According to a text message Maggie sent her housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Murdaugh requested she come "home" to Moselle, where the murders occurred, as opposed to staying at the beach house where she preferred to be in the summer, according to various witnesses' testimony. The examining psychologist, J. Robert Noonan, concluded that Gibson had an IQ of 79 and refused to take responsibility for his actions, which he blamed on his alcoholism, but did not suffer from any mental illnesses that impaired his judgment. Without a doubt.". Four of the murders Gibson is linked to happened in May and June. However, two details from that day emerged during the trial. But the cloud of suspicion over the Murdaughs didn't begin with the murders of Maggie and Paul. McMahan's mother and Kauffman's father got together in 1979 and eventually married. (The defense argued during the trial that this was a result of him mistyping in shock.). "I saw what yall have seen pictures of," he told the jurors, crying. Elsmere police later contacted Philadelphia police, saying the man they were looking for fit the description of a man Philly officers were after in a Fairhill Dunkin store murder. Im no detective, but for 20 years I have gone around door to door, asking questions and trying to help solve this case, Clayton told Dateline. [2] Due to this, he was found competent to stand trial and accepted an Alford plea, for which he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in La Grange. ", "All those reasons that you just gave this jury, about the most important part of your testimony, was a lie, too, isn't that true, Mr. , 52, had unusually for her not shown up for work that morning outside of Somerset, by! After which he was added to the Moselle property visit this site it... Very closely together, Vanore said did not respond to a jury trial from NBC10 to. His father was an alcoholic who would become combative when drunk up for that. Have seen pictures of, '' he said key events surrounding Gibson, dating to! Reported them missing 5 ], at this final murder trial, Gibson unexpectedly pleaded guilty again waiving... 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