South Carolina prosecutors are pushing back against Alex Murdaugh's defense team's recent motions, which include a request for independent DNA testing of evidence recovered from Maggie Murdaugh's fingernails and a plea for electronic access to case materials while he is incarcerated. The filings come as Murdaugh prepares for a retrial after his convictions in the 2021 murders of his wife and son were overturned in May by the South Carolina Supreme Court due to alleged misconduct by the former Colleton County Clerk of Court.
Murdaugh's attorneys are seeking to have a sample identified as SLED Item No. 70, consisting of fingernail clippings from Maggie Murdaugh, tested by Othram Inc., a forensic genealogy company. The defense contends this sample contains DNA from an unknown, unrelated male and believes new testing methods could uncover previously unavailable evidence. Othram Inc. has previously assisted in identifying suspects in high-profile cases, including the University of Idaho student murders.
Prosecutors argue that the DNA evidence has already been analyzed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), yielding only a mixture of Maggie Murdaugh's DNA and a partial, incomplete profile from another contributor. The state asserts that this unknown profile lacks sufficient identifying information for national database submission. The prosecution also countered the defense's theory of an unknown assailant, stating that trace DNA under fingernails does not automatically indicate a struggle. They noted that such "touch DNA" can be transferred through casual contact or environmental exposure, and that Maggie Murdaugh had her nails done on the day she and her son, Paul, were killed.
In court filings, the state questioned the defense's ability to demonstrate the sample's suitability for further testing, what an outside lab could achieve that SLED could not, or how such testing would produce useful evidence. Prosecutors characterized the request as lacking support and potentially aimed more at public perception than forensic value.
During a status hearing on Monday, Judge Debra McCaslin deferred a ruling on the DNA evidence, directing the defense to clarify the viability of the sample. A decision is expected at the next pretrial hearing on August 14.
Murdaugh's legal team is also seeking to allow him to review case materials electronically via a secure laptop in prison. The proposed setup would involve an encrypted hard drive with no internet or cellular access. Prosecutors oppose this, citing Murdaugh's past disciplinary issues in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, including misuse of a prison tablet and unauthorized use of another inmate's PIN. They also referred to a previous contraband incident involving a book found in his cell.
Judge McCaslin indicated that the prison warden would not permit a laptop in Murdaugh's cell due to safety concerns. She suggested that defense attorneys could bring a laptop for review within a conference room, but Murdaugh would need to be supervised. The judge is expected to rule on this matter at the August 14 hearing.