Alex Murdaugh’s 911 call

Paul, 22, Maggie, 52, and Alex Murdaugh

On June 7, 2021, around 10 p.m., R. Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh, a high-profile attorney of one of South Carolina’s most influential legal dynasties, called 911 to report that his “wife and son were just shot badly”. On July 2022, Alex Murdaugh, 54, has been charged with the murder of his wife and son, both were shot multiple times.

Alex Murdaugh: (sobbing)

911 operator: (inaudible) 911, where is your emergency?

Note that the operator asks for the location of the emergency.

Alex Murdaugh: (sobbing) This is Alex Murdaugh at 4147 Moselle Road. I need the police and an ambulance immediately. My wife and son were just shot badly.

Note that Murdaugh, before answering the operator, before giving the address of the emergency, introduces himself. This is his priority and is unexpected. His self introduction is expecially unexpected in the light of his own word “immediately”. Why is he losing precious seconds introducing himself? R. Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh comes from a South Caroline prominent family, is he spending his last name to ingratiate himself with the 911 operator? Why?

Note that he didn’t ask for help for his wife and son.

Note “just”, how does he know they “were just shot”? Was he there?

911 operator: Okay, you said “4147 Moselle Road in Islandton”?

Alex Murdaugh: Sir?

911 operator: You said “4147 Moselle Road in Islandton”?

Alex Murdaugh: Yes, sir, 4147 Moselle Road, please, help me, hurry.

Note “sir” and “please”. This is unexpected politeness. Does he need to ingratiate himself with the operator?

Note “help me, hurry”. He is asking for help for himself not for his wife and son nor for himself to help them.

911 operator: Yes, sir, stay on the line with me, okay?

Alex Murdaugh: (sobbing) Hello?

911 operator: I’m still here, sir, stay on the line, I’m still here, okay?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: County of Colleton communication for?

911 operator: Colleton, I have Alex Murdaugh on the line calling from 4147 Moselle Road. He’s advising us that his wife and child was shot. Mr Murdaugh go ahead and talk to Colleton.

Note the 911 operator’s words “He’s advising us that his wife and child was shot”, the operator is right, Murdaugh is advising them, he is not asking for help for his wife and son.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, and, sir, give me the address again.

Alex Murdaugh: Please, 4147 Moselle Road, I’ve been up to it now, it’s bad.

Note that Murdaugh is not even close to the victims. Usually, when people call 911 they stay very close to the victims to give the operator information about their condition and to be able to help following the suggestions the operator may give them, like how to perform CPR.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay… Okay, and are they breathing?

Alex Murdaugh: No, ma’am.

Note “ma’am”, is he trying to ingratiate himself with the operator?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, and you said it’s your wife and your son?

Alex Murdaugh: It’s my wife and my son.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Are they in a vehicle?

Alex Murdaugh: No, ma’am, they’re on the ground out at my kennels (inaudible).

Note his second “ma’am”. Note also “at my kennels” not “at the kennels”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, did you see anyone? Okay, is he breathing at all?

Alex Murdaugh: No, no, (inaudible).

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Is she? Okay, did you see anything? Do you see anyone in the area?

Alex Murdaugh: No, ma’am. No, ma’am.

Note his third and fourth “ma’am”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: What colour is your house on the outside? What colour is your house on the outside?

Alex Murdaugh: Uh, it’s white, you can see it from the road.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, is it a house or a mobile home?

Alex Murdaugh: It’s a house.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, and what is your name?

Alex Murdaugh: My name is Alex… Murdaugh.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, did you hear anything or did you come home and find them?

Alex Murdaugh: No, ma’am, I have been gone, I… I just came back (inaudible).

Note his fifth “ma’am”.

Note the stuttering “I” of anxiety.

Remember his first words: “My wife and son were just shot badly”, how does he know they were “just” shot if he just came back and didn’t hear anything?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: And was anyone else supposed to be at your house?

Alex Murdaugh: No, ma’am…. please, hurry.

Note his sixth “ma’am” and note also “please, hurry”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: We’re getting somebody out there to you.

Alex Murdaugh: (sobbing)

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, what is her name?

Alex Murdaugh: … Mag… Maggie and Paul.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Maggie is her name?

Alex Murdaugh: (clearing his trhoat) Yes, ma’am.

Note his seventh “ma’am”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay.

Alex Murdaugh: And please, hurry up.

Note “please”, does he has the need to ingratiate himself with the operator?

Note that he hasn’t yet asked for help for his wife and son but he used words as “immediately”, “hurry”, “hurry up”, does he has the need to align himself with the “good guys”?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: We’re getting somebody out there to you me asking you these questions don’t slow them down, okay? And are you sure they are not breathing? Is he moving at all, your son? I know you said that she was shot but what about your son?

Alex Murdaugh: (coughing) Nobody, there are not, neither one of them is moving.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: What’s your phone number? And does anything look out of place?

Alex Murdaugh: … Ma’am, (inaudible) not… not particularly, really, no, ma’am.

Note his eight and ninth “ma’am”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay… Okay.

Alex Murdaugh: I’m going back down there…

Alex Murdaugh: Are they close, ma’am?

Note his tenth “ma’am”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Yeah, they’re. They’ve been around with you ever since you’ve got on the phone with me, I have multiple people coming out there to you.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, can you do me a favor Mr Murdaugh and turn on the flashers on your car so that they can see where the kennels are?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Do you have your flashes on for me? Mr Murdaugh?

Alex Murdaugh: Yeah.

Please note “Yeah” not “Yes.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay. I don’t want you to touch them at all, okay? I don’t… I don’t know if you’ve already touched them but I… I don’t want you to touch them just in case they can get any kind of evidence, okay?

Alex Murdaugh: I… I… I already touched them trying to get… uhm to see if they were breathing.

The question is sensitive. Note the stuttering “I” of anxiety, the self censoring and the pause to think. What was he “trying to get”?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, well, I… I just don’t want you to move anything just in case they can get any kind of evidence, okay?

Alex Murdaugh: : (inaudible)

Alex Murdaugh: : (sobbing)

Alex Murdaugh: Ma’am, I wanna call, I need to call some of my family (inaudible).

Note his eleventh “ma’am”.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, well, you would do a favour for me when you see the officer or the medic because there are all coming to you.

Alex Murdaugh: Absolutely.

Note “Absolutely” not “Yes”. Is he trying to ingratiate himself with the operator?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, but we have them coming, turn on the flash on on your vehicle so they can see you, okay?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: You got the flashers on for me?

Alex Murdaugh: I do.

Note “I do” not “I did”. This is unexpected as few exchanges before to the following question of  the Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser “Do you have your flashes on for me? Mr Murdaugh?”, he answered “Yeah”. Was he falsifying?

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, all right, listen, whenever you see them.

Alex Murdaugh: Okay.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: How old is your son?

Alex Murdaugh: Twentytwo.

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: Okay, all right, we’re getting them out there to you, okay?

Alex Murdaugh: (Inaudible)

Colleton County dispatcher Angel Fraser: All right.

ANALYSIS CONCLUSION

Deception Indicated.

Murdaugh never asked for help for his wife and son, he showed a need to ingratiate himself with the operator and to be seen on the side of the “good guys”.