New DNA Clue Could Rewrite Murdaugh Murder Retrial

Lawyers for Alex Murdaugh say they’ll introduce previously undisclosed DNA evidence at his retrial—specifically male DNA found under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails that doesn’t match Alex or any family member and wasn’t added to CODIS—to argue his innocence and suggest other possible suspects. The defense follows the South Carolina Supreme Court’s overturning of his 2023 double-murder conviction for the killings of Maggie and Paul at the family estate, while Murdaugh remains jailed for financial crimes. Prosecutors argued the motive was to cover up financial crimes, but the defense is pushing multiple alternative theories and noting unexamined evidence, such as tire-track leads, that weren’t pursued. The retrial context centers on the 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul and the broader questions surrounding the case and timing.