Former home of Alex Murdaugh listed for sale in South Carolina at $1 9 million The Virginian-Pilot

Table Of Content

• Inside the 1,700-acre Murdaugh family murder farm now on sale for $3.9M
• Who is the Murdaugh family and what is their legal background?
• Beach house Alex Murdaugh quietly sold after arrest sells again months later
• Hearing set on fate of Murdaugh's Moselle property with $3.9M sale offer on the table
• Los Angeles 'Domestead' listed for $2.3M with 'whimsical' gardens: Take a look inside

Showings of the estate, which the realtors describe as the “quintessential Southern vision” of a classic home, require appointments. After Paul and Maggie Murdaugh’s brutal deaths, which Alex Murdaugh was convicted of on March 3, family members testified the property fell out of use. Alex Murdaugh’s surviving son, Buster Murdaugh, received around $500,000 from the property sale. In order to make sure none of the potential sale proceeds are accessed by anyone in the Murdaugh family, Lay and McCoy want a formal ruling placing the receivership in control of the Moselle property instead of John Marvin Murdaugh.

Inside the 1,700-acre Murdaugh family murder farm now on sale for $3.9M

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Alex Murdaugh (sometimes referred to as "Alec") is a former lawyer whose family built a legal dynasty in South Carolina. To give you a sense of just how far back their power goes, Alex's great-great-grandfather Randolph Murdaugh Sr. founded a law firm and was elected solicitor for the 14th Judicial Circuit (which includes a staggering five counties) in 1920. Subsequent generations have served as solicitors and joined the family firm ever since. Utsey was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster in June to fill the unexpired term of Ashley Amundson. Prior to becoming probate judge, Utsey worked seven years as a state prosecutor for the 14th Judicial Circuit in Colleton County.

Who is the Murdaugh family and what is their legal background?

Lay and McCoy argue the sale of Moselle was fraudulent because Murdaugh had no legitimate ability in the law's eye to sell it at the time. He was already deep into his criminal exploits and deeply in debt to people he stole millions of dollars from. In November 2021, Judge Daniel Hall issued an injunction essentially freezing the assets of Alex Murdaugh and his surviving son, Buster, to a great extent. Hall then gave attorneys John T. Lay and Peter McCoy broad authority to restrict what happens with the Murdaughs' money and property in what's known as a receivership. It was June 7, 2021 when prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh, on the property. The house also features a sizable recreational room on the main level, “perfect for billiards,” which contains custom gun cabinets.

Beach house Alex Murdaugh quietly sold after arrest sells again months later

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This property is also the site where the Murdaugh’s longtime housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, 57, died on Feb. 26, 2018, in what was described as a slip-and-fall accident. “We have had offers, but of course we are working at [the] discretion of the courts and [it is] not sold yet,” Todd Crosby, who holds the listing with Crosby Land Company, told The Post. "This is definitely the exact kind of house where you would dream," Gambino said in an interview with USA TODAY. "It's a very special house where people immediately get, you know, emotionally connected when they're there."

What to Know About the South Carolina Property Where the Murdaugh Murders Took Place

Roughly $2.86 million went to the Beach family (who also received a $15 million settlement) and other individuals who were involved in the boat crash and had filed civil suits. The Greenville News broke down the rest of the payments, which mainly cover Alex's legal fees and expenses along with a payment to his younger brother. On June 7, 2021, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were found dead at dog kennels on the Murdaugh family property. The real estate listing doesn't mention the murders or the location of the crime scene. The Moselle estate includes a "well-appointed" 5,275-square foot house that was custom-built in 2011, which could be converted into a "weekend hunting lodge with the capability to sleep 15," according to the real estate listing.

The Moselle property features 1,772 acres of prime recreational and agricultural land stretching over 2.5 miles along the Salkehatchie River. On it lies a 5,275 square-foot main house, a 1,440 square-foot guest house, several other improvements and valuable timber, collectively appraised by Colleton County tax assessors at a value north of $1.8 million. Real estate records filed March 22 show that the nearly 1,800-acre property known as Moselle sold for $3.9 million in a deal that took more than nine months to close. "The Moselle Estate House listing consists of the 5,275 square-foot estate house and 21 acres of land," Crosby Land Company said in a Monday statement sent to CBS MoneyWatch. The kennels, where Alex Murdaugh, once a prominent lawyer in South Carolina, killed his wife and younger son, aren't included in the new sale, according to listing agent Crosby Land Company. Also on the main level, a recreation room suitable for billiards — which also has recessed lighting, custom built-ins and custom gun cabinets.

Los Angeles 'Domestead' listed for $2.3M with 'whimsical' gardens: Take a look inside

The Moselle estate, custom-built in 2011, includes top-of-the-line appliances, a billiards room and custom gun cabinets, according to the listing. "Complete with commercial-grade appliances and a large game room, [the house] is perfectly suited for entertaining large groups," the real estate listing noted. The South Carolina Court of Appeals stayed Murdaugh's murder convictions and twin life sentences, putting the outcome of that case on hold until a lower court hears Murdaugh's request for a fresh trial. Given its history, the property is bound to attract a lot of curiosity, but the Crosby Land Company explicitly states that all potential buyers must be pre-approved for purchase before visiting the home for a showing.

Real estate broker Todd Crosby, who is representing the sellers, told The Post and Courier that Godley and Ayer bought the property solely for its recreational value. They never intended to keep the four bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home, which he described as well built and well designed. South Carolina's Supreme Court appointed Judge Boan as special probate administrator of Maggie Murdaugh's estate proceedings in late June. The appointment came after Colleton County Probate Judge Arthur Utsey recused himself from all Murdaugh-related matters to avoid any appearance of impartiality. Georgetown County Probate Judge Leigh Powers Boan is set to rule on the various motions and proposals in a September 30 hearing, including the receivers' request to remove the issue to circuit court. Newsome also rejects Lay and McCoy's claims that Murdaugh — who Newsome claims had a net worth north of $5 million at the time — couldn't have paid back all his debts to those he reportedly stole from before he sold Moselle to Maggie.

Quarter-acre property a 'whimsical environment'

Crosby describes the listing as a "unique property" that could serve as a "a family residence or compound" or allow new buyers to engage in "equestrian pursuits, [a] hobby farm, or just a weekend retreat destination." Paul, 22, and his mother, 52, were found gunned down on their hunting estate in the unincorporated community of Islandton last June in a murder that remains unsolved. The home at 2538 Sundown Drive is for sale at $2.3 million, listed by Compass agents Carl Gambino and Ariel Putman, and was recently shared on real estate fan account Zillow Gone Wild. The longtime South Carolina beach getaway of Alex Murdaugh and his late wife, Maggie, is in contract to sell again only months after it was quietly sold last summer, The Post can report. The sale of Moselle Farm went to contract fairly quickly, a fact that Crosby attributed to his experience selling large parcels of land.

Many people who fit the bill have come to see the house, but it has also attracted a wider range of potential buyers like a chef who would use it entertain, and other business people who are interested in the home as a piece of art. The disgraced ex-attorney was then sentenced to two consecutive life terms with no possibility of parole. Pegged as a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” according to the listing, the next owner will get the property fully furnished with designer brands. So far, the new listing is generating a lot of interest, Crosby said, noting that within three hours of the listing the video of the property had already been viewed over 1,000 times. After Paul and Maggie Murdaugh’s brutal deaths, which Alex Murdaugh was convicted of on March 3, family members testified the property fell out of use.

When he received the listing, he already had a handful of clients he thought might be interested, and he started making calls. Crosby noted that Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were found by the dog kennels on the estate, not in the home. Alex also faces a plethora of other charges—99 to be exact—related to money laundering, embezzlement, tax evasion, and beyond that were not part of the murder trial (though some related information was allowed to be entered into evidence). The judge expressed how difficult it has been to watch the defendant evolve from a grieving father to the person indicted and convicted of killing his own child and wife. As he continued, the judge said to Murdaugh, "Certainly, you have no obligation to say anything other than saying 'not guilty.' And obviously, appeals are probably or absolutely expected. I wouldn’t expect a confession of any kind." Then in September 2021, Alex was caught in an assisted suicide insurance fraud scheme.

The sale closed in March in a deal that was complicated by the web of competing claims for the Murdaugh family’s assets. Redubbed "Cross Swamp Farm" by realtor Todd Crosby, the Moselle property was listed for sale in February 2022, and has been under contract to be bought since June 6, 2022. The buyers are a Colleton County farmer whose family owns significant acreage adjacent to the Murdaughs near the town of Islandton, along with a partner from Bamberg County. In July 2022 — more than a year after the double homicide — Alex Murdaugh was charged with the murders of his wife and son. He remains in jail without bond awaiting trial for their killings, along with a litany of other criminal charges.

Alex had previously claimed to be napping at the main home on the property during that time frame, and the video reveals his duplicity. When on the stand, Alex admitted to lying about this, referencing an 1808 quote from Sir Walter Scott, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." The 5,275 square-foot estate boasts 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, and has largely been refurnished. Madison Terry of Crosby Land Company told The Island Packet this new listing is for Moselle’s primary home and 21 surrounding acres, with the previous buyers retaining ownership of the rest of the property. But attorneys gatekeeping Murdaugh's assets for the courts filed motions to block the sale the very same day. They also called into question who actually owned the Moselle property, and if it can be sold without a judge's approval.