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by WILL FOLKS
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As we await word on convicted killer Alex Murdaugh‘s high-profile appeal of the guilty verdicts entered against him for the June 2021 murders of his wife and younger son, unverified claims regarding the timing of the impending ruling from the South Carolina supreme court have begun circulating.
Podcaster Mandy Matney, formerly of FITSNews, informed her listeners Thursday morning (April 30, 2026) that a “reliable source” told her the court’s five justices had already reached a unanimous decision in the case.
“A reliable source has confirmed to us that the South Carolina supreme court voted unanimously in favor of Alex Murdaugh getting a new trial, and that their opinion should be official any day now,” Matney claimed.
“We certainly don’t want to believe that it’s true,” Matney said by way of prefacing her announcement, adding that she was merely trying to “warn” her audience to be prepared.
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By way of clarifying, the supreme court cannot order a new trial for Murdaugh. What its five justices can do – and what many expect they will do – is reverse a controversial January 2024 decision by former S.C. chief justice Jean Toal which denied Murdaugh’s request for new proceedings.
Such a reversal would remand the entire matter back to the circuit court level.
In other words, the case would start from scratch…
Were that to happen, it would be entirely up to S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson – whose grand jury division oversaw the initial Murdaugh prosecution – to determine whether the notorious defendant would be tried a second time.
(Click to view)
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Justices heard oral arguments in Murdaugh’s appeal on the morning of February 11, 2026. During that hearing, lead prosecutor Creighton Waters was subjected to a withering barrage of questions related to documented jury tampering – and alleged jury rigging – at Murdaugh’s internationally watched double homicide trial in early 2023.
As we noted at the time, the eleventh hour dismissal of juror Myra Crosby was decisive in securing the unanimous guilty verdicts against Murdaugh – leading to growing speculation about the circumstances which led to her ouster (and who may have had a hand in engineering those circumstances).
Given the nature (and tenor) of the justices’ questioning back in February, it is widely believed Murdaugh’s convictions – and the two life sentences he subsequently received – will be vacated. Even if the state doesn’t grant his motion, he would appear to have a slam dunk case before the U.S. fourth circuit court of appeals.
Speculation regarding the supreme court’s decision shifted into overdrive this week when its advance sheet — a preview of coming decisions typically published every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. ET — was not released as expected.
The court has offered no explanation for the delay, although it is not immediately believed to have any connection to the pending Murdaugh decision.
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HOW WE GOT HERE…
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Murdaugh, a once-prominent attorney from Hampton County, was convicted in March 2023 of murdering his wife, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, and younger son, 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh, at the family’s Colleton County hunting property on the evening of June 7, 2021.
The case drew national attention not only for the sheer savagery of the killings, but for the unraveling of Murdaugh’s broader financial crimes — a web of fraud, theft and deception that prosecutors insist supplied the motive for the murders. Murdaugh’s proximity to various alleged criminal enterprises and institutional corruption also elevated the significance of the case.
In the aftermath of his murder convictions, Murdaugh pleaded guilty to numerous financial crimes at the state and federal level – and was sentenced to decades in prison on those charges. Those lengthy sentences could be revisited, however, if he is ultimately cleared in connection with the murders of his family members.
At the center of Murdaugh’s appeal of his murder convictions are allegations that former Colleton County clerk of court Rebecca “Becky” Hill improperly influenced jurors during the trial. Murdaugh’s attorneys have argued Hill’s conduct — including alleged comments to jurors about his testimony — compromised his right to a fair and impartial trial as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Prosecutors have pushed back, maintaining that even if Hill acted inappropriately, there is no evidence her conduct affected the jury’s verdict.
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A reversal by the high court would reset one of the most complex and resource-intensive cases in South Carolina history – although the underlying facts, attendant uncertainties and lingering controversies of the case would remain very much intact.
Is that really the direction in which the justices are leaning?
Matney’s credibility issues (.pdf) notwithstanding, we wouldn’t be indulging in such “unverified” speculation if our sources weren’t telling us pretty much the same thing.
One thing is abundantly clear: when the ruling does come down, it is expected to carry far-reaching implications — not only for Alex Murdaugh, but for how South Carolina courts address allegations of juror misconduct in high-profile cases moving forward.
Keep it tuned to FITSNews as we continue keeping a close eye on all of these developments…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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