Gunshot residue testimony to resume in Alex Murdaugh murder trial

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COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The jury in the Alex Murdaugh murder trial is expected to hear from witnesses connected to Murdaugh’s financial crimes Tuesday.

Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife Margaret and youngest son Paul at their family property in June of 2021.

ALEX MURDAUGH MURDER TRIAL: DAY 12 RECAP

Get caught up on the Alex Murdaugh investigations

Colleagues from Murdaugh’s former law firm PMPED (now Parker’s Law Group) gave emotional testimony about their personal and professional relationships with Murdaugh.

PMPED CFO Jeanne Seckinger described how she uncovered Murdaugh’s decades-long scheme of stealing millions of dollars from the firm and his clients. She confronted Murdaugh about missing funds on June 7, 2021, just hours before the murders. Prosecutors say that conversation pushed Murdaugh over the edge, but the defense claims it was far less dramatic than the prosecution would like jurors to believe.

Following Seckinger, PMPED attorney and longtime friend of Murdaugh, Ronnie Crosby, took the stand. He grew emotional testifying about his relationship with Paul, who called him “Uncle Ronnie.” The two were so close that Crosby gave the eulogy at Paul’s funeral. He went to Moselle the night of the murders and described the grisly scene. He also said Murdaugh told him in no uncertain terms that he was not at the kennels with Paul and Maggie that night, a claim that has been debunked by video Paul took that night at 8:44 p.m. Crosby identified the voices of Paul, Maggie, and Alex Murdaugh with 100% confidence.

The final witness was a gunshot residue expert who testified that a significant amount of presumptive residue was found on the controversial blue raincoat seized from Murdaugh’s parent’s home.

Defense is expected to pick up cross-examination of the GSR expert Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

ALEX MURDAUGH MURDER TRIAL LIVE BLOG:

10:04 a.m. – Annette Griswold, Murdaugh’s former paralegal, takes the stand.

10:00 a.m. – Prosecution follows up with Fletcher. She is asked if finding 38 particles on the inside of a garment is unusual. She says yes.

Prosecution asks if 38 particles being found inside the jacket is consistent with a recently-fired firearm being carried inside the jacket. Fletcher says it is consistent with the inside of the garment coming into contact with a recently fired firearm.

9:35 a.m. – Court is in session. Attorney Jim Griffin picks up cross-examination of Megan Fletcher, a gunshot residue analysis expert.

Griffin asks about how gunshot primer residue is transferred. Fletcher says on inanimate objects, it can last until it is wiped off by something else. Griffin points out that many firearms have been presented into evidence and asks if its possible particles are in the seat Fletcher is sitting in. She says its possible.

Griffin asks about Murdaugh’s clothes Fletcher analyzed the day after the murders. He asks if she was aware they were wet. She says she wasn’t aware until they opened the box and found out. He goes through the particles found on his clothes and hands,

Griffin asks if there is any way to know when the residue got on the blue jacket. Fletcher says no. He asks if she can tell how it got there. She says no.

Griffin points out the jacket could’ve belonged to Murdaugh’s father. He presents a scenario in which Murdaugh’s father takes off the jacket and throws it in the back of his truck, on top of an old shotgun. Fletcher says its possible 38 particles could’ve transferred from the shotgun if it hadn’t been cleaned.

He asks if one particle on a hand or three particles on a shirt are insignificant. Fletcher says she can’t say they’re insignificant, but the 38 is significant because the number is so large.

Griffin asks if Fletcher also received a blue tarp and decided with a SLED agent not to process the tarp. Fletcher says yes, based on what was relayed to them by Smith. She says it was based on the raincoat being balled up in a closet vs the tarp, which was laid out on a chair.

Griffin asks if Fletcher documented that a firearm was in contact with the rain jacket. Fletcher says it was a possibility based on her analysis.

Griffin asks about notes Fletcher took about the rain jacket. She listed it as a size large.

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