Alex Murdaugh’s high-profile murder trial was dramatically evacuated over a bomb threat received at the courthouse.
The bomb threat came in to staff at Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, just before 12.30pm ET on Wednesday, prompting a sudden evacuation of the entire building.
SLED released a statement confirming that the “threat” was under investigation.
“A bomb threat was received by Colleton County courthouse personnel. The building has been evacuated and SLED along with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the threat,” the statement read.
“No additional information is available from SLED at this time.”
Mr Murdaugh was seen being whisked off to an unknown location in a car – as he remained in police custody charged with the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
By 2.30pm the threat was marked all-clear, as security began allowing people back into the courthouse for testimony to resume.
It remains unclear who called in the threat, which is now believed to have been a hoax. Local reports said the threat placed the purported bomb in the most secure part of the building: the judge’s chambers.
It also remains unclear if the threat was specifically related to the trial of the once-powerful heir to a South Carolina legal dynasty – a high-profile case that was captured attention across the globe.
The sudden evacuation came just moments after a new witness took the stand to testify.
Brian Hudak, SLED computer crimes special agent, had only just sat down on the stand and begun introducing himself, when Judge Newman interjected saying he was calling a recess.
Seconds later, he clarified that the entire building needed to be evacuated.
“We have to evacuate the building at this time. We’ll be in recess until we discover what’s going on,” he said.
The judge gave no details as to what was causing the urgent need, but then calmly added: “We’ll couple this with a lunch break until 2.30pm.”
Minutes later, Mr Murdaugh’s attorney Dick Harpootlian told ABCNews4 that there had been a “bomb threat”.
Footage posted online showed court staff, journalists and members of the public being rushed out of the building and its grounds, while jurors were transported away in vans.
A Walterboro fire truck pulled up to the courthouse minutes after the evacuation and dozens of emergency vehicles soon arrived on the scene. A bomb squad has been called in and the public is being urged to take different traffic routes around the courthouse.
The bomb threat came on day 13 of the murder trial after jurors heard testimony about Mr Murdaugh’s alleged financial crimes.
Michael Gunn, principal of Forge Consulting, told jurors how Mr Murdaugh set up a fake account called “Forge” and impersonated his company so that he could steal money from law firm clients.
Annette Griswold, who worked as a paralegal at Mr Murdaugh’s former law firm PMPED, also revealed how she learned that he had been stealing money from the firm.
Days after his fraud scheme came to light and he was ousted from PMPED, Mr Murdaugh checked into rehab.
Ms Griswold testified that she received a text from Mr Murdaugh in late September 2021 apologising for what he had done. He also sent the text to another colleague.
“Hey, it’s Alex. I’m finally feeling a little bit better each day,” the text message said.
“I’m over the worst but still feel like i have the flu. Real weak. I’m have been worried about y’all and I’m sorry I didn’t get to tell y’all myself. I know both of you have been hurt badly by me. I know it sounds hollow, but I am truly sorry.
“The better I get, the more guilt I have. I have an awful lot to try to make right when I get out of here. The worst part is knowing I did the most damage to those I love the most. I’m not sure how I let myself get where I did. I am committed to getting better and hope to mend as many relationships as I can.
“You both are special people and important to me. Please know how sorry I am to have made you part of my misdeeds. I hope you are doing as well as possible. I love you very much.”
Separate to the murders, Mr Murdaugh is currently facing around 100 charges for stealing almost $8.5m from law firm clients dating back to 2011.
On Monday, the judge ruled that jurors can hear evidence of his alleged financial crimes – as the state seeks to show a motive for the murders.
Maggie and Paul were shot dead on the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre estate in Islandton back on 7 June 2021.
Their murders brought to light a series of scandals surrounding the Murdaughs including unexplained deaths, the multi-million-dollar fraud scheme and a botched hitman plot.
In September 2021 – three months on from the murders – Mr Murdaugh was shot in the head in what turned out to be a botched hitman plot which he had orchestrated with alleged accomplice, distant cousin and drug dealer Curtis Eddie Smith.
Investigations have also been reopened into two other mystery deaths connected to the Murdaugh family after the double murders brought to light a sprawling saga surrounding the once-powerful legal dynasty.
Days on from the shootings on 22 June 2021 an investigtion was reopened into the 2015 death of Stephen Smith, who was found dead in the middle of the road in Hampton County.
The openly gay teenager, 19, had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and his death was officially ruled a hit-and-run. But the victim’s family have long doubted this version of events, with the Murdaugh name cropping up in several police tips and community rumours.
Months later, an investigation was reopened into the death of the Murdaugh’s longtime housekeeper Gloria Satterfield.
She died in 2018 in a mystery trip and fall accident at the family home. Mr Murdaugh then allegedly stole around $4m in a wrongful death settlement from her sons.
Mr Murdaugh, 54, is facing life in prison for the murders. He has pleaded not guilty.
