Alex Murdaugh Murder Retrial Moved; Case Dismissal Decision Deferred
A judge has decided to move Alex Murdaugh's murder retrial out of Colleton County, South Carolina, where the killings occurred and the first trial drew significant public attention. However, the judge deferred a decision on the defense's motion to dismiss…
Fort Myers Naples, FL, August 14, 2026 —
A judge has ordered that the murder retrial of Alex Murdaugh will not take place in Colleton County, South Carolina, the location where the double homicides occurred and his initial trial garnered significant public attention.
The decision to relocate the retrial comes after Murdaugh’s conviction for the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh, was overturned in May. The original trial, which took place in Colleton County, drew considerable media and public interest.
However, a ruling on the defense’s request to dismiss the case entirely has been deferred. This motion is based on allegations of investigator misconduct. The judge did not provide a timeline for when a decision on this motion will be made.
Alex Murdaugh was convicted in 2023 for the slayings of his wife and son. The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned this conviction in May, leading to the upcoming retrial.
The retrial is currently scheduled to commence on April 5. The specific new venue for the trial has not yet been determined.
Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.
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