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The sons of a 57-year-old housekeeper who died after a mysterious fall at the home of prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh four years ago are “in shock,” their lawyer told Fox News, after that Murdaugh was released from jail on a personal bond of $ 20,000 and allowed to attend an out-of-state rehab facility without GPS monitoring.
The Murdaugh family’s influence on South Carolina Low Country pursuits dates back three generations and at least 111 years. Because of this, it took courage for Gloria Satterfield’s sons to come forward and take legal action against Alex Murdaugh and others for allegedly plotting to keep an insurance payment of $ 505,000 tied to the death. of the housekeeper a secret from them, Ronnie Richter, an attorney representing Michael “Tony” Satterfield and Brian Harriott, told Fox News.
“They are in shock. They are happy that an investigation is finally open, but they learned about the investigation the same time you did,” Richter said Friday.
On Wednesday, the same day the sons’ civil lawsuit was filed in Hampton County, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) opened a criminal investigation into Gloria’s death. Satterfield in February 2018 and the management of his estate at the behest of the Hampton County Coroner.
On Thursday, Murdaugh, 53, was guilty of an alleged conspiracy to kill himself so that his surviving son, Buster, 26, could cash a $ 10 million life insurance policy.
Murdaugh had been fired from the personal injury law firm his great-grandfather had founded in Hampton, South Carolina, for allegedly embezzling money from the firm. His wife Maggie and their 22-year-old son Paul were also murdered in June and no one has been arrested in the case.
SC LAWYER ALEX MURDAUGH AT THE BOND HEARING AFTER A COVERED SUICIDE PLOT
“Their mother passed away in 2018, and Alex, through Corey, assured them they were taken care of. They didn’t even learn of the $ 500,000 settlement until it was reported in the press. earlier this year, “Richter told Fox. News from the sons of Satterfield. “So since that time it’s been a whirlwind for them. They’re not the kind of people who are going to wave, and the Murdaugh family are not the kind of people you wave against in the county. from Hampton. They were scared, betrayed. I think enough daylight finally hit that for them to find their resolve to fight for the answers. “
Gloria Satterfield fell at Alex Murdaugh’s home and died in hospital weeks later on February 26, 2018, never regaining consciousness. After his funeral, Murdaugh introduced Satterfield’s grieving sons to his good friend Corey Fleming, so Fleming could help the sons bring a lawsuit against Murdaugh for their mother’s wrongful death, according to their lawsuit filed in court. Common Hampton County plaids. The sons did not know at the time that Fleming was Murdaugh’s roommate in college and the godfather of his youngest son Paul.
Alex Murdaugh shows up for his bail hearing on Thursday, September 16, 2021 in Varnville, SC Murdaugh visited Thursday to face insurance fraud and other charges after state police said that he arranged to be shot in the head so that his son would receive $ 10 million in life insurance.
((AP Photo / Mic Smith))
With the help of a banker friend, Chad Westendorf, claims were reportedly brought against Murdaugh, who “claimed he was responsible for the death of Gloria Satterfield”, and his insurance company paid $ 505,000 for settle claims, according to the lawsuit.
But to date, Satterfield’s sons “have not received the first dollar,” according to the lawsuit.
Richter told Fox News that Murdaugh, Fleming and Westendorf, who is vice chairman of Palmetto State Bank, may have cashed in even more than the original $ 505,000 after Satterfield’s death. A copy of the lawsuit obtained by Fox News indicates that Murdaugh’s residence “was insured by one or more
carriers, including Lloyds of London. ”
“This settlement created the right to pursue other settlements from other insurance policies,” Richter said. “And we have good information that there have been other recoveries that have been done for which they haven’t received any money either. So we think $ 500,000 is the tip of the iceberg.”
The Beaufort-based firm of Fleming, Moss, Kuhn & Fleming did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hampton County Coroner Angie Topper has asked SLED Chief Mark Keel to open an inquest because Satterfield’s death certificate ruled the death “natural”, which is inconsistent with the injuries sustained during of a tripping accident. The death was also not reported to the coroner at that time and an autopsy was never performed.
Gloria Satterfield has been a housekeeper and nanny for the Murdaugh family for decades.
(Brice Herndon Funeral Home)
“What is part of our case is the ignorance part. That the only person who reported what happened is Alex Murdaugh, and obviously he turned out to be less than a source of ‘reliable information,’ Richter said. “Then thereafter there was no investigation – his death was described as being of natural cause, and falling to death in someone is not exactly what I would call a natural cause. .
“I don’t know how or why a death resulting from a fall in a house was considered a natural cause and was not investigated at all.”
Murdaugh surrendered Thursday to fraud and other charges related to his alleged botched suicide plot. Hampton County investigating judge Tonja Alexander set his bail at $ 20,000 and he was released on his own recognizance.
During the hearing, defense attorney Dick Harpootlian argued that Murdaugh’s long-standing opioid addiction worsened following the murders of his wife and son. The two were found shot on multiple occasions on the family’s land in Colleton County, near Islandton, and Alex Murdaugh was the one who found the bodies and called 911.
Murdaugh was fired from the law firm PMPED, where he was a partner. State investigators say Murdaugh gave Curtis Edward Smith, 61, his former legal client and long-time drug dealer, a gun and they headed for Old Salkehatchie Road. Smith fired once, only grazing Murdaugh’s head.
Smith’s bail was set earlier Thursday at $ 55,000, and he was later released.
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Harpootlian has denied that Alex Murdaugh was responsible for the murders of his wife and son, and told reporters outside the Hampton County Detention Center on Thursday that Murdaugh had not received any insurance payments related to Maggie and Paul.
At the time of his murder, Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial after being charged with boating under the influence causing the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach in February 2019. Based on information gathered during the investigation into the double murder of Paul. and Maggie, SLED has opened an investigation into the death of 19-year-old Stephen King, whose body was found in the middle of a rural road in Hampton County in 2015.
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