John Marvin Murdaugh, Brother of Alex, Testifies

Amy Jacobson February 27, 2023

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WALTERBORO, SC – The brother of the defendant, John Marvin Murdaugh, took the stand today; the last witness before defense rested. He gave emotional testimony, that came across as credible.

John Marvin started by talking about his relationship with Paul, who he called “Little Rooster”. Paul would work summer for him at his business and they had a “special relationship”. He was the one that cleaned the kennels the day after the murders after seeing brain matter left behind. He did it “for Paul”. “I couldn’t stop. I had to do it for Paul,” he told the jury.

He then went on to talk about Alex’s relationship with his family. Calling Alex’s relationship with his sons, Alex and Paul, a “great relationship”. Giving an example of how Alex would never go hunting without him; he hadn’t since they were old enough to hunt. Alex and his wife, Maggie, also had a “good marriage”.

The night of the murders, he received a phone call from a “hysterical” Alex telling him about Paul and Maggie. John Marvin arrived at Moselle around 11 p.m. and found a “broken” and “distraught” Alex. “We didn’t talk. We just cried.

John Marvin was around during the days after the murders, assisting law enforcement when he could. He was able to give further insight on the botched investigation. He was the one that found Maggie’s phone, after SLED dismissed him when trying to get them to look at the phone tracking app on Buster’s phone. Law enforcement also never asked for consent, which he would have given them, to search Almeda.

During one interview, he is lied to by SLED about blood being found on Alex’s t-shirt. He spoke of being told that they had body cam footage showing that “Alex wiped his face on it” and that’s how they knew he was the one.

And, what did John Marvin hear on that now infamous kennels video? “They did him so bad.”

The most poignant of all the emotional testimony given by John Marvin was the promise made by the grieving uncle to his nephew, Paul, while cleaning the scene of the crime. He told Paul that he loved him, and he would find out who did this to him. That’s when defense asked, “Have you found out?” He replied, “I have not.”