The verdict against Alex Murdaugh
The 1,700-acre South Carolina hunting lodge where Alex Murdaugh, once a prominent lawyer in the state, killed his wife and younger son has sold for $3.9 million, according to a sale deed.
Murdaugh was convicted earlier this month of killing his wife Maggie Murdaugh and son Paul at the rural estate. The buyers are James A. Ayer and Jeffrey L. Godley, according to the court document, which was filed on March 22 in South Carolina and seen by CBS MoneyWatch.
The proceeds of the sale will go to the Murdaugh family's surviving son, Buster, and victims of a 2019 boat crash involving Paul, the Greenville News reported, citing a settlement approved in January by a South Carolina judge.
The boat crash killed a 19-year-old woman, Mallory Beach. The bulk of the proceeds, about $2.7 million, will go to Beach's family, as well as two survivors of the crash, the newspaper said. Another boat crash survivor will receive $100,000, while Buster Murdaugh will receive $530,000. Almost $300,000 in additional funds will go to a settlement fund for creditors and financial victims of Alex Murdaugh, among other payments to creditors and to cover legal fees.
An estimated 3,000 people showed up for an auction of items from the Moselle estate on Thursday — three times the normal crowd, Emily McGarry, who works for the auction house, told CBS News.
A Yeti cup, which typically sell for about $35, was bought for $400. Other bidders bought a sofa set for $30,000, while a pair of longhorns that had hung on a wall sold for $10,000, she said.
The proceeds from the auction will go into the Moselle estate and will be paid out according to the settlement agreement, the Greenville News said.
The purchaser of the sofa set told the Island Packet that he didn't believe buying the furniture was "morbid" or "cold-hearted."
"That money is going to help the victims of these people who went through a very dark time in their life and were wronged," the buyer, Phillip Jennings of Soperton, Georgia, told the publication.
5,275-square foot home
The Moselle estate includes a "well-appointed" 5,275-square foot house that was custom-built in 2011, which could be converted into a "weekend hunting lodge with the capability to sleep 15," according to the real estate listing.
"Complete with commercial-grade appliances and a large game room, [the house] is perfectly suited for entertaining large groups," the real estate listing noted.
The estate comes with a 1,140-square foot guest cottage, as well as 2.5 miles of river frontage that provides freshwater fishing, kayaking and other sports, it noted.
The listing also notes that Moselle includes "12 run dog kennels" on the property. On June 7, 2021, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were found dead at dog kennels on the Murdaugh family property. The real estate listing doesn't mention the murders or the location of the crime scene.
Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.