The Murdaugh mysteries: Five deaths with a connection to disgraced S.C. attorney, family, under investigation

One story has practically dominated the news cycle in South Carolina's Lowcountry this year. 911 DISPATCHER: 911, where's your emergency? ALEX MURDAUGH [911 call]: When I turned my back, they tried to shoot me … they shot me. 911 CALL: [Yelling and screaming in background] CONNOR COOK [to 911]: There's six of us and one is missing.   MILEY ALTMAN [police interview]: He just was very persistent about going up to Luther's and getting a shot. MILEY ALTMAN [police interview]: It's just kinda like, he just is a whole other person when he's drunk. MILEY ALTMAN [police interview]: Paul was just driving, doing donuts. MILEY ALTMAN [police interview]: And, so, Conner starts driving a little bit and then Paul, he like stops Conner and he's like, "No this is my boat", like, "let me drive …" OFFICER: Alright, where's everybody else at? ANTHONY COOK [to Domino] Get that m----------- there away from me. ANTHONY COOK [to Paul Murdaugh]: Why are you f------ smiling like it's f------ funny? My f------ girlfriend's gone, bro. POLICE DASH CAM VIDEO: OFFICER [dash cam video]: How you doing sir? ALEX MURDAUGH: Maggie and Paul. ALEX MURDAUGH [to 911]: This is Alex Murdaugh at 4147 Moselle Road. 911 DISPATCHER: Is he moving at all? Your son? I know you said that she was shot. But what about your son? 911 DISPATCH: Hampton County 911, where's your emergency? TROOPER DAVID.B. ROWELL | S.C. Highway Patrol: Nothin' at the scene appeared that it was a vehicular accident.   SANDY SMITH: The only damage to his body was his head. From his right eye socket to the back of his head. His right shoulder was dislocated. TROOPER TODD PROCTER: You're the ninth person that I've talked to so far about this.  STEPHANIE NICOLE SMITH | Stephen's twin sister  [to S.C. Highway Patrol]: I went into the store and a bunch of people kept coming up to me and said, "hey do you know the Murdaugh boys are behind it." TODD PROCTOR [to Fox News]: It looked like it was more staged. Like possibly the body had been placed in the roadway. NORAH O'DONNELL | CBS Evening News, October 14, 2021: Another twist in the Alex Murdaugh case. The new criminal charges the disgraced lawyer is facing.

It's a series of cases that the locals have dubbed "The Murdaugh Mysteries" — all somehow with a connection to a prominent and powerful local attorney: No plea. ALEX MURDAUGH: This is Alex Murdaugh. … My wife and child have been shot badly … 911 DISPATCHER: 911, what's your emergency? 911 DISPATCHER: Who's missing? MILEY ALTMAN: I saw the bridge coming … UNIDENTIFIED: At the bridge, at the bottom of the bridge. ANTHONY COOK: Do y'all know Alex Murdaugh? PAUL MURDAUGH: Good, sir. 911 OPERATOR: Maggie is her name? ALEX MURDAUGH: Nobody — they're not — neither one of them's moving. CALLER: I see somebody laying out. TROOPER DAVID.B. ROWELL:  … walked both shoulders of the highway, east and west, looking for any evidence … didn't see anything that appeared to be vehicular involved.  CLASSMATE: OK. 

CONNOR COOK: We're in a boat crash on Arthur's Creek. CONNOR COOK:  A female, Mallory Beach is missing. … She's in the water. OFFICER:  Alright, we're still missing one? What's her name? STEPHEN DOMINO: Yeah, I know that name. About a year later, Paul got a speeding ticket while towing a boat. ALEX MURDAUGH: Yes, ma'am. And please hurry. 911 DISPATCH: ... and is it in the road or on the side of the road? TROOPER TODD PROCTER: So, so, hopefully some people are gonna start talking.