Gun Cartridges Found Near Maggie’s Body Matched Others on Murdaugh Property: Expert
IT’S A MATCH
A state firearms investigator testified Friday that the shell casings found near Maggie Murdaugh's body had identical marks to older gun shells found around the family's main house—indicating that all the bullets were fired from the same weapon. “[The cartridges] were loaded into, extracted, and ejected from the same firearm as those at the crime scene around Margaret Murdaugh’s body,” Paul Greer told jurors, adding that shell casings were also found near the Murdaugh family’s house and the firing range. The analysis of the .300 Blackout shell casing supports the prosecution's argument that Alex Murdaugh killed his wife with a family-owned weapon on June 7, 2021—even though that gun has never been recovered. Prosecutors also allege that Murdaugh shot his son, Paul, that night with a shotgun that has also not been found. Greer said Friday that Paul was fatally shot twice in the feed room near the dog kennels of their estate before his mom was shot nearby. During cross-examination, defense attorney Jim Griffin asked Greer whether the .300 Blackout rifle or the shotgun were the murder weapons, to which Greer said he could not 100 percent say because his test results were inconclusive.