Alex Murdaugh remains in prison in South Carolina, but the legal situation is no longer as simple as “convicted murderer serving two life sentences.” On May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his murder convictions and ordered a new trial after finding that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill improperly influenced jurors.
The ruling did not declare Murdaugh innocent, and it did not release him. He remains incarcerated because of separate state and federal financial-crime convictions. His retrial is currently scheduled to begin with jury selection on April 5, 2027.
Where is Alex Murdaugh now?
Murdaugh is still incarcerated in South Carolina. The current South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate record lists him under his full name, Richard Alexander Murdaugh, with SCDC ID 00390394. However, the record identifies his prison location as “UNDISCLOSED.” His dorm, room and bunk are also not made public.
That means reports placing him at McCormick Correctional Institution should not be treated as confirmed current information. The corrections database also still displays the murder convictions as active, even though the state Supreme Court has since vacated them and ordered a new trial. The database may not yet reflect the appellate ruling.
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The record generated August 9, 2026, lists Murdaugh as serving an adult straight sentence and says that he is not eligible for parole or a projected release date.
Why is he still in prison after the murder convictions were overturned?
Murdaugh’s murder case was only one part of his criminal record. He separately pleaded guilty to a large collection of financial crimes involving clients, his former law firm and other victims.
South Carolina imposed a 27-year state sentence for those financial offenses. In federal court, Murdaugh received a 40-year sentence for 22 crimes, including wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. The federal sentence was ordered to run concurrently with his active state sentences.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Murdaugh admitted stealing approximately $12 million. The federal court also ordered him to pay:
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- $8,762,731.88 in restitution
- $10,034,377.95 under a forfeiture order
So the reversal of his murder convictions did not create a path to immediate freedom. He remains behind bars on the financial-crime sentences while South Carolina prepares to retry him for the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.
What happened to his murder convictions?
A jury convicted Murdaugh on March 2, 2023, of murdering his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh. The court imposed two consecutive life sentences the following day.
Murdaugh appealed and sought a new trial, arguing in part that Becky Hill’s conduct affected the jury. On May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the denial of that motion. The court concluded that Hill made improper comments that attacked Murdaugh’s credibility and suggested jurors should not trust his testimony.
The decision was a ruling about the fairness of the trial—not a finding that Murdaugh was innocent. It also did not identify another person as the killer. The state’s murder prosecution remains pending, and Murdaugh continues to deny killing Maggie and Paul.
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The Supreme Court’s remittitur returned the case to the trial court on May 29, 2026. South Carolina assigned Judge Debra R. McCaslin exclusive jurisdiction over the retrial and related proceedings.
When is the retrial?
At a June 29, 2026, status conference, Judge McCaslin set jury selection for April 5, 2027. The final location had not yet been determined. A further pretrial hearing was scheduled for August 14, 2026.
The defense has requested additional discovery and testing. One issue involves DNA recovered beneath Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails, which defense lawyers want to examine for possible genetic-genealogy analysis. On August 5, 2026, the defense also filed a supplemental motion requesting updated searches for potentially favorable evidence, including material involving witness credibility, disciplinary records and forensic findings.
Until the retrial takes place, Murdaugh’s legal status is best described this way: his 2023 murder convictions have been vacated, but the murder charges have not disappeared. He is awaiting a new trial while serving separate sentences for financial crimes.
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What is known about his life in prison?
Reliable public information about Murdaugh’s daily routine is limited, partly because his current facility and housing assignment are undisclosed. The corrections record does provide a few details:
| Publicly listed detail | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| Prison location | Undisclosed |
| Prison job | Wardkeeper assistant, beginning August 31, 2025 |
| Parole status | Not eligible for parole |
| Disciplinary sanctions | Losses of telephone and canteen privileges in 2023 |
| Recorded violations | Abuse of privileges and unauthorized use of another inmate’s PIN |
At a June 2026 court appearance, Murdaugh arrived wearing a prison jumpsuit and chains. His lawyers argued that presenting him that way could prejudice jurors and asked that he be allowed to wear civilian clothing at the retrial. The judge had not issued a final ruling on that request at the time of the hearing.
What happened to Murdaugh’s lawsuit against Becky Hill?
Murdaugh filed a federal civil lawsuit against Hill in May 2026. He alleged that her conduct during the 2023 trial violated his civil rights and sought damages, including reimbursement for roughly $600,000 in legal fees from the first murder trial.
On August 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel dismissed the lawsuit. The judge ruled that Murdaugh had not shown the required causal connection between Hill’s misconduct and the legal fees he incurred. Hill did not initiate the criminal charges, the court reasoned, so Murdaugh could not use the civil case to recover those defense costs.
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The dismissal means Murdaugh was not awarded the requested legal fees. It is separate from the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision ordering a new murder trial.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the current record does—and does not—show
Several commonly repeated descriptions of Murdaugh’s situation are now outdated or inaccurate:
- He is not free. The murder-conviction reversal did not cancel his financial-crime sentences.
- He has not been exonerated. The Supreme Court ordered a new trial because of jury interference; it did not determine that he was innocent.
- His current prison is not confirmed. The latest SCDC record lists his location as undisclosed.
- He is not currently serving valid life sentences for the murders. Those convictions were overturned, although the corrections database may still display them as active.
- The retrial is not scheduled for 2026. Jury selection is currently set for April 5, 2027.
FAQ
Is Alex Murdaugh still in prison?
Yes. He remains incarcerated in South Carolina on separate state and federal financial-crime convictions. The current SCDC record lists his location as undisclosed and says he is not eligible for parole.
Were Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions overturned?
Yes. On May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court ordered a new trial after finding that former clerk Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors. The ruling did not declare Murdaugh innocent.
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When is Alex Murdaugh’s retrial?
Jury selection is currently scheduled to begin on April 5, 2027. The location of the retrial had not been finalized as of the latest reported status conference.
What other crimes is Alex Murdaugh serving time for?
He pleaded guilty to extensive state and federal financial crimes, including wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He received a 27-year South Carolina sentence and a concurrent 40-year federal sentence.
The Bottom Line
Alex Murdaugh remains imprisoned, although not under the two murder life sentences imposed in 2023. Those convictions were overturned because of misconduct involving the trial clerk, and a new trial is scheduled for 2027. His separate financial-crime convictions, including the theft of approximately $12 million, keep him in custody while the state prepares to retry him.
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