Lawyers representing Alex Murdaugh are leveling serious accusations against the lead investigator in his murder trial, claiming he misled the grand jury with false evidence. In light of these claims, they’re urging a judge to throw out the charges.
On August 7, Murdaugh’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss, alleging misconduct by David Owen, the principal agent from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division who handled the case. They claim Owen’s testimony to the grand jury was both inaccurate and misleading, describing his actions as a clear case of prosecutorial misconduct.
The attorneys for Murdaugh have indicated that more details on the alleged misconduct will be provided in upcoming legal filings.
“This motion is based on evidence that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s lead agent in this case, David Owen, presented false physical evidence claiming to directly incriminate the Defendant before the Colleton County Grand Jury. Owen conceded this evidence was fabricated, a fact that the Defendant has since proven,” according to the statement by Murdaugh’s legal team.
Previously respected South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh was found guilty in March for the murder of his wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul, at their hunting property in June 2021. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool, File)
His attorneys also filed a motion to transfer the venue of Murdaugh’s new murder trial to Charleston County, arguing that an impartial jury cannot be found in Colleton County, stating, “this prosecution has generated publicity without precedent in the history of this State.”
Rather, they argued that a change to nearby Charleston County would “preserve the values of a local trial while curing the local prejudice.”
Alex Murdaugh attends 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)
The motions come ahead of a pretrial hearing scheduled for Friday.
Murdaugh, formerly a prominent Lowcountry attorney from an influential legal dynasty, was convicted in March 2023 of fatally shooting his wife and son, Maggie and Paul.
Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, listens to prosecuting attorney Creighton Waters on Monday, June 29, 2026, at a status hearing 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)
The murder case descended into chaos when allegations that court clerk Rebecca Hill made inappropriate comments to jurors while the trial was ongoing.
While prosecutors believe Murdaugh got a fair trial, the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the convictions and ordered a new trial.