For The Press and Standard
Book Editor’s Note: Two years ago today, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered at Moselle. The one person who has a strong personal family connection and a professional relationship to the Murdaughs is the Colleton County Clerk of Court. Her book, “Behind the Doors of Justice”—The Murdaugh Murders is coming out August 1st. Read an excerpt each week here in the Walterboro Press & Standard.
By Rebecca “Becky” H. Hill Photo by Melissa Gordon Photographer
At first, I prayed that law enforcement would find the heartless killer who could gun down a mother and son on their home estate, within feet of each other. It had to be someone who had been watching this family for quite a while to know their comings and goings; because Alex, the husband and father wasn’t home at the time. He had an alibi. At first. But on the second day after the murders, law enforcement put out a bulletin that said, “No danger to the public.” So that announcement completely conflicted my mind and others’ because if there wasn’t any danger to the public, then what did that mean? It could only mean one thing: that all of the evidence was pointing to Alex Murdaugh himself.
How mind blowing that was to think that Alex could actually kill his wife, Maggie, and his son, Paul. Even harder to believe in a family as well-known and esteemed as the Murdaugh family.
The idea of writing a story about this came from a new friend I had met while vacationing in Chimney Rock, North Carolina. Rose Senehi, a best-selling author, had opened up an Airbnb cottage room adjoining her home and my friend Wanda Rowe and I were staying there for a few days. When I talked with Rose about where I was from, what I did for a living – she stopped in her tracks and said that she had been hearing of this case and this story and how unbelievable it was. That you just could hardly make some of this stuff up. It would make a perfect book and Lifetime movie. Rose and Wanda and I continued our talks in the evenings with a glass of wine and on our last day, she is the one who planted the seeds of authorship into my soul, my heart and mind. Rose said, This trial is happening right in your courtroom. It is going to be worldwide. You possess the talent to write this book and you must. “ The prophetic words of inspiration from Rose that day fueled my belief and got my mind and hands to typing.
Our 42,000 word book covers planning the trial while Judge Newman was grieving over deaths of family members, our chilling visit to the crime scene, interactions with Alex Murdaugh out of the courtroom, our families’ history, attorney tensions, witnesses and jurors.
Visit www.behindthedoorsofjustice.com to pre-order an autographed copy.
