Alex Murdaugh’s lawyer has attempted to explain his client’s bizarre plot to hire a hitman to kill him to secure a $10 million insurance payout. In a shocking twist to an already convoluted case, a South Carolina man was charged Tuesday with shooting Murdaugh—a highly regarded local attorney—in an assisted-suicide plot three months after Murdaugh’s wife and son were murdered. Murdaugh attorney Dick Harpootlian appeared on the Today show to explain the events. “The murder of his son and wife 90 days ago took a tremendous toll on him... He got through it with the use of opioids,” said the lawyer, explaining that Murdaugh misdirected law firm money to buy the drugs. “He was in a massive depression, realized that things were going to get very bad, and he decided to end his life.” Believing his life policy had a suicide exclusion, Murdaugh hired a hitman to kill him, Harpootlian claimed. The attorney added that Murdaugh intended that the millions would go to his sole surviving son, Buster.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741