A South Carolina judge has selected Sumter County as the location for Alex Murdaugh's retrial on charges of murdering his wife and son. The decision moves the proceedings approximately 80 miles from Colleton County, where the original trial took place.
Judge Debra McCaslin ruled last month that Murdaugh could not receive a fair and impartial trial in Colleton County, part of the 14th Judicial Circuit. On Tuesday, she ordered that the retrial proceed in Sumter County, stating it is "best suited to accommodate the needs of this case" and will ensure Murdaugh receives a fair trial.
Sumter County was chosen for its "security measures, courtroom facilities, technological capabilities, and supporting infrastructure necessary to conduct these proceedings safely and efficiently," according to McCaslin's order.
The retrial is scheduled to begin on April 5, 2027. The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Murdaugh's 2023 murder convictions earlier this year, citing "shocking jury interference" by the court clerk during the Colleton County trial.
Murdaugh, a disgraced attorney, remains incarcerated following guilty pleas to separate financial crimes. He received a 27-year sentence for state charges and a 40-year sentence for federal charges related to stealing from clients. He has maintained his innocence in the 2021 deaths of his wife, Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, 52, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh, 22, who were found deceased at the family's hunting estate from multiple gunshot wounds.