Hampton, South Carolina — On the surface, the lives of Alex Murdau and his brother Randy seemed to follow the same path. They were born two years apart from him, both went to college and law school at the University of South Carolina, and then both grew out of his 100-year-old law firm founded by his great-grandfather, a family-run business. I worked as a partner in a law firm.
But even in college, it was clear they were different: Alex Murdau was on the soccer team temporarily and was a regular at college parties. Randy Murdau, a self-professed “hometown boy,” would return to the Hamptons every weekend to hunt and fish. In recent years, their offices were close enough that Randy Murdau could hear his brother’s incessant phone calls, but they rarely spent time alone together.
“There weren’t necessarily problems with our relationship,” Randy Murdau said. “We weren’t really alike, so we didn’t do anything together.”
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Then, in July 2022, Alex Murdau was arrested for murdering his wife and son. Amid growing suspicions that he stole millions of dollars from his clients and law firms, Randy Murdow couldn’t help but wonder if he really knew his brother.
A jury concluded last week that Alex Murdoh was guilty of murder after deliberating in less than three hours, but there was no such certainty for Randy Murdau. He has spent nearly every day for the past 20 months trying to figure out what happened the night Paul Murdow was shot.
In the first interview conducted by his family since the trial, Randy Murdau said there was no doubt that his brother was a serial liar and thief. I believe I was not telling the complete truth about what happened.
But when I asked him directly if he thought his brother had committed the murder, he said he didn’t know yet. I find it impossible to imagine a man I’ve known for decades as a protective husband and father — pulling the trigger and causing a carnage that prosecutors called a crime.Cold of calculation.
“He knows more than he says,” said Randy Murdau. “In my opinion, he’s not telling the truth about everything there.”
He said it was one of the toughest problems facing his entire family.
Randy Murdau once said, “Not knowing is the worst.”
Randy Murdau shared a two-hour conversation on Sunday while stacking timber on his hunting grounds outside the town of Hampton on Friday, Alex Murdau’s mixed views on the case. It contradicted a definitive statement made by one of the lawyers, the Murdow family.
“After six weeks of trial, they are more convinced that he didn’t do this, and they are very close to his camp and support him,” attorney Jim Griffin said at a press conference. Told. Prison term.
Alex Murdau’s brother, John Marvin Murdoh, and his surviving son, Buster Murdoh, both testified in defense at the trial, saying he looked devastated after the murder.Randy Murdoh stressed that he was speaking for himself and not for any of his relatives. I think it’s possible that they didn’t put him in the stands.
Weeks after the murder, the family was mobilized to support Alex Murdau, suggesting he must have been targeted over his involvement in a fatal boating accident in 2019. I mourned with him when he did. .
According to Randy Murdow, about three months after the killing, other legal partners called Randy Murdau to make sure there was no doubt that Alex Murdoh was stealing from the company. I examined some financial records that appeared to be Randy Murdau and another partner confronted Alex Murdau the next morning, he said, who recalled his brother seemed relieved to come clean.
Alex promised that morning that he would never lie again. It took him about 24 hours to break that promise, Randy Murdau said.In fact, police later said Alex Murdau asked someone to kill him. When that fact came out, Alex Murdau claimed it was a suicide attempt and hoped Buster Murdau would be able to recover his life insurance policy if his death was ruled a homicide. He told police he wanted it.
After Alex Murdau was indicted for stealing more than $8 million from law firms and clients, Randy Murdau said he came to see his brother as a deeply flawed man and a liar. They haven’t spoken for nearly a year.
Randy Murdoh said he began reflecting on Alex Murdoh’s actions in the first few weeks after the murder. I started calling just about anyone I could think of to help, asking if they had heard anything that suggested why they were forced into it. He told the police whatever he heard.
“I spent a good amount of time calling people every day for weeks and weeks,” he said. But Alex Murdau never did, he said. Maggie Murdau’s sister testified to the same effect at the trial, and she said it was strange that Alex Murdau never spoke about who was the killer. rice field.
Before the murders, Randy Murdau was content to live a relatively frugal life, making a good living at his family business, raising two daughters, and spending weekends in the idyllic countryside outside the Hamptons. I was. But much of that life was torn apart as the international attention turned to the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and his family, now much of the Murdow family has lost his entire family to his 26-year-old son. We are committed to supporting Buster.
Randy Murdau continues at the law firm, including taking on some of his brother’s former clients.
“Listen, I’m not him. I always do things the right way,” he tells clients. “I don’t beat around the bush.”
Unlike his brothers John Marvin Murdow and Lynn Murdau Gotte, Randy Murdau did not attend every day of the six-week trial in Walterboro. As he took his seat and his every move was being scrutinized by spectators and people across the country watching on television, Randy Murdau stood before a judge in a nearly empty courtroom a short drive away. was standing
There, in Hampton County Court, he was processing a family settlement that his brother represented long before the embezzlement was discovered. In court, Randy Murdau checked each of the extra steps he took to make sure the client wasn’t among those who stole the money.
“It was overkill, but I have to do it,” said Randy Murdau.
He said he didn’t expect the murder trial to give him the definitive answer he was seeking, but his lawyer’s mind was filled with the possibility of what happened that tragic night. I was hoping I might be able to stop running through all those scenarios. June 2021.
“After the trial, I wanted to stop thinking about this because there’s nothing more I could offer.”
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