COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Alex Murdaugh’s double murder convictions and ordered a new trial, citing improper external influences on the jury by former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill.
In a unanimous 5-0 ruling issued Wednesday, the court determined that Hill’s conduct during Murdaugh’s 2023 trial denied the defendant his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury. The justices stated that Hill “placed her fingers on the scales of justice.”
“Although we are aware of the time, money, and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial due to Hill’s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial,” the court wrote.
Murdaugh, a former prominent South Carolina attorney, was convicted in March 2023 of murdering his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh, at the family’s Moselle estate in June 2021. He has maintained his innocence. He remains incarcerated while serving sentences on separate financial crimes convictions.
Murdaugh’s appeal centered on allegations that Hill made inappropriate comments to jurors, including remarks urging them not to be misled by Murdaugh’s testimony and to watch his body language as he prepared to take the stand. The defense argued these statements compromised the trial’s integrity. Hill, who read the guilty verdict in open court, has denied improperly influencing the jury.
Hill later faced separate criminal charges related to her conduct during and after the trial. In December 2025, she pleaded guilty in Calhoun County to charges including misconduct in office, obstruction of justice and perjury. Those charges stemmed in part from allegations she allowed media access to sealed court materials and used her office for personal financial gain, including promotion of a book she wrote about the case. She received probation and was not sentenced to jail time.
The Supreme Court’s decision reverses a January 2024 ruling by a lower court that had denied Murdaugh a new trial. Oral arguments in the appeal were held in February 2026.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office, which prosecuted the case, acknowledged the court’s ruling focused on Hill’s actions. Officials have not detailed immediate next steps for a retrial.
Murdaugh’s attorneys described the decision as necessary to uphold constitutional protections. The ruling returns the murder case to trial court proceedings. Details on timing for any new trial remain unclear.
