As Alex Murdaugh awaits a retrial related to the tragic murders of his wife and son, the fallen attorney is also grappling with a complex financial quandary.
Murdaugh is currently in debt to the tune of over $1.6 million in unpaid taxes, as well as related penalties and interest, in South Carolina. This unwelcome status places him among some of the state’s largest individual tax delinquents, as revealed by recently released records.
According to the South Carolina Department of Revenue’s (SCDOR) latest quarterly update, which was published on July 16, “Murdaugh, Richard” owes a staggering $1,630,201.02. This amount represents the fourth-largest individual tax debt currently listed by the state.
The department noted that it discloses the identities and debts of delinquent taxpayers in a bid to enhance “transparency, fairness and compliance” within the system.
On Monday, June 29, 2026, Alex Murdaugh appeared at the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center in Lexington, South Carolina, for a legal proceeding. His retrial for the June 7, 2021, shootings of his wife and son comes after his initial conviction was overturned due to claims of jury tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)
Before anyone lands on the public list, revenue officials said they repeatedly attempt to resolve the debt through letters, phone calls or personal contact. A state tax lien has also been filed against everyone named, making each debt a matter of public record.
“We’ve sent letters, made calls, or attempted personal contact multiple times with no resolution,” the department states in its online frequently asked questions.
Alex Murdaugh arrives for a judicial hearing on Monday, June 29, 2026, at the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center in Lexington, South Carolina. Murdaugh will be retried in the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his wife and son, after his original conviction was overturned due to jury tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)
Murdaugh’s seven-figure tax debt comes as his attorneys prepare to defend him in a second murder trial. Dick Harpootlian previously told News Media that the lawyers received a substantial flat fee upfront roughly five years ago and would remain on the case through its conclusion.
“We got paid a fee up front, you know, five years ago. It was a big fee,” he said. “So we’re in the case until it’s over.”
Harpootlian conceded that the yearslong legal battle could prove costly for his firm but said that risk is inherent in his work.
“Sometimes you take cases that turn out to be economically losers, but that’s the nature of the game,” he said. “We take flat fees.”
Prosecuting attorney Creighton Waters participates in a judicial hearing on Monday, June 29, 2026, at the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center in Lexington, South Carolina. Alex Murdaugh will be retried in the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his wife and son, after his original conviction was overturned due to jury tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)
Murdaugh, once a powerful Lowcountry lawyer from a prominent legal dynasty, was convicted in March 2023 of gunning down his wife and son, Maggie and Paul. Prosecutors argued at trial that Murdaugh killed them to gain sympathy and distract from a collapsing web of financial crimes, stolen client money and lies.
The case was thrown back into turmoil after allegations surfaced that court clerk Rebecca Hill made improper comments to jurors during the trial. Murdaugh’s defense argued she tampered with the jury to secure a guilty verdict and boost publicity for a book.
The court found that Hill was drawn by the “siren call of celebrity” and allowed public attention to overcome her duty. The state has maintained that Murdaugh received a fair trial, but the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the murder and weapons convictions and remanded the case for new proceedings.
Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian represents his client, Alex Murdaugh, on Monday, June 29, 2026, at a status hearing at the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center in Lexington, South Carolina. Murdaugh will be retried in the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his wife and son, after his original conviction was overturned due to jury tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)
Murdaugh’s attorneys have already previewed some of the issues they want to raise before any retrial, including a motion to test unknown male DNA reportedly found under Maggie’s fingernails.
News Media has reached out to Murdaugh’s attorneys and state prosecutors for comment.