Alex Murdaugh has settled a wrongful-death lawsuit related to the tragic 2019 boat crash that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. This incident is also tied to Murdaugh’s later conviction for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
The settlement includes a $500,000 payment from the boat’s insurance policy, closing the chapter on a legal battle that shed light on Murdaugh’s financial misconduct, including attempts to defraud clients and his law firm.
Beach’s family filed the lawsuit after Paul Murdaugh crashed the boat into a Beaufort County bridge while intoxicated. His blood-alcohol level was recorded at over 0.28 percent, well above the legal limit, resulting in Mallory’s death and injuries to other passengers.
Chris Carlson/AP Photo
The Beach family has already settled for over $15 million with various parties, including the convenience store that sold alcohol to Paul and the family hosting the oyster roast.
Initially, settlement negotiations faced delays due to a dispute with the boat’s insurer, Progressive, which required Alex Murdaugh to be removed as a defendant before processing the claim. The Beach family ultimately agreed to resolve the case after receiving assurances regarding the accounting of Murdaugh assets, leading to Judge Daniel Hall’s confirmation of the insurer’s payment.
Other passengers injured in the crash have also reached settlements against Murdaugh and other involved parties.
As it stands, Alex Murdaugh, now 56, is serving a life sentence for the murders he maintains he did not commit. He is also appealing his convictions. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, Murdaugh remains in prison due to a separate 40-year federal sentence for stealing around $12 million from clients, including funds designated for a paralyzed accident survivor.
Prosecutors have argued that the murders were a desperate attempt by Murdaugh to stave off financial ruin as he faced scrutiny from the Beach lawsuit. The case, often referred to as the “Boat Case,” revealed the Murdaugh family’s considerable influence in the Hampton County justice system and showed attempts to manipulate the narrative surrounding the incident.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press