Becky Hill, the Colleton County clerk of court whose actions led to the overturning of Alex Murdaugh's double murder convictions, has broken her silence, stating she has "no regrets" but is "so sorry" that the state must retry the case. Murdaugh was convicted in March 2023 of murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, on June 7, 2021, at the family's hunting estate. The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his convictions in May, ruling that Hill had interfered with the jury's deliberations.
The court found that Hill made comments to jurors, such as calling the day Murdaugh testified "epic" and urging them not to be "fooled" or "confused" by him, and suggested she attempted to influence the jury because she was writing a book about the case, titled "Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders." The state's highest court determined these actions denied Murdaugh his right to a fair trial.
Murdaugh, who maintains his innocence, is scheduled for a retrial on April 5, 2027. His legal team has requested the trial be moved from Colleton County and that new DNA testing be conducted on evidence found under Maggie Murdaugh's fingernails. Murdaugh is currently serving concurrent 27-year and 40-year sentences for unrelated financial crimes.
Hill, who has remained largely out of public view since the ruling, told the Daily Mail that she has received significant support from her local community. "I have had so much support from people that know me, and truly know me," she said, adding that she does not engage with social media and dismisses online criticism from those who do not know her personally.
Locals in Walterboro, a small town of 5,000 residents, have expressed sympathy for Hill, with some describing her as a family woman who may have made an "innocent mistake." Others acknowledged she "should have known better" but suggested the intense nature of the trial might have contributed to her conduct.
Despite local support, Hill faced consequences. She resigned in 2024 amid allegations of jury tampering and was later charged. In December, she pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, perjury, and two counts of misconduct in office, receiving three years of probation. Her guilty plea included admitting to showing sealed court exhibits, such as crime scene photos, to a reporter and lying about it, as well as accepting bonuses and promoting her book through her public office.
The attorney for "egg juror" Myra Crosby, who was dismissed from the panel, has filed to release records related to the jury tampering investigation. Crosby's attorney expressed bewilderment at the decision not to pursue jury tampering charges, given the state Supreme Court's findings. He suggested Crosby may have been intentionally removed because she was not convinced of Murdaugh's guilt.
Murdaugh himself filed a federal lawsuit against Hill seeking $600,000 to cover his legal fees from the first trial, arguing she should be held accountable for her conduct. Hill's attorneys have moved to dismiss this lawsuit, citing immunity and arguing Murdaugh cannot seek damages for defense fees.
Hill's book, "Behind the Doors of Justice," was reportedly pulled from shelves four months after its release due to allegations of plagiarism.