The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the murder convictions and life sentence of disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh in the shooting deaths of his wife and younger son. In a unanimous ruling, the justices cited court clerk Becky Hill ‘egregiously attacked Murdaugh’s credibility’ by suggesting to jurors his testimony could not be trusted. They also said the trial judge went too far in allowing evidence of Murdaugh’s financial crimes into his murder trial
But Murdaugh won’t be getting out of prison. The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing around $12 million from his clients and currently is serving a 40-year federal sentence.
The Becky Hill link
The court said that court clerk Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors during the high-profile South Carolina case. “Although we are aware of the time, money, and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial due to Hill’s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial,” the judges said.
Murdaugh had previously been convicted of fatally shooting his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and youngest son, Paul Murdaugh, at the family’s estate in June 2021.
Who is Becky Hill?
Hill served as Colleton County Clerk of Court during the murder trial. Prosecutors and defense attorneys later accused her of using the case to build personal fame and financial opportunities. She eventually pleaded guilty to four state charges tied to obstruction of justice, perjury and misconduct in office.
Authorities said Hill improperly shared sealed evidence photographs with members of the media while also leveraging her position as she worked on a book centered around the Murdaugh murders.
Her book, Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders, was released just five months after Murdaugh’s conviction.
Hill resigned from her role on March 25, 2024, as multiple state investigations into her behavior intensified.
In December 2025, she received a sentence of three years probation and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.
Defense accused Hill of influencing jurors
Murdaugh’s defense team argued throughout appeals proceedings that Hill improperly attempted to steer jurors toward a guilty verdict.
Attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin claimed Hill maintained inappropriate communication with members of the jury, including repeated interactions with the jury foreperson.
They alleged Hill had ‘frequent private conversations with the jury foreperson’.
“Ms Hill did these things to secure for herself a book deal and media appearances that would not happen in the event of a mistrial,” the attorneys argued. “Hill betrayed her oath of office for money and fame.”
Jurors reveal what happened during trial
During post-conviction hearings, all 12 jurors from the original murder trial were questioned about Hill’s alleged comments and conduct. One juror admitted Hill’s remarks influenced her decision-making process. Two others testified they heard Hill discuss the trial while Murdaugh himself was testifying, though both said the statements ultimately did not affect their verdict.
The remaining nine jurors denied hearing any inappropriate comments from Hill.
The ruling now throws one of America’s most closely watched murder cases back into legal uncertainty, with a retrial date still unclear.
Murdaugh remains behind bars
Despite the overturned conviction, Murdaugh will not be released from prison.
The disgraced former attorney is currently serving a separate 40-year sentence connected to numerous financial crimes tied to fraud and theft allegations involving clients and associates.
The retrial will determine whether prosecutors can again secure a conviction in the killings of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh without the controversy surrounding Hill overshadowing proceedings.
