Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson — Direct/Proffer/Cross/Redirect/Recross
1,328 linesMR. MEADORS: Your Honor, at this time the State of South Carolina calls Ms. Blanca Simpson.
The witness, BLANCA TURRIBIATE-SIMPSON, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Take a seat in the witness stand. State your name again for the record and spell your last name.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: My name is Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson. T-u-r-r-u-b-i-a-t-e S-i-m-p-s-o-n.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Good morning.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Good morning.
MR. MEADORS: Is this difficult for you to be here today?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, it is.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Pull the microphone just a little bit. There you go.
MR. MEADORS: Will you please tell the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, Ms. Simpson, about yourself, where you're from, your family if you want to, and just kind of what you've been doing in life leading up to today generally, please?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. I'm originally from Brownsville, Texas. I joined the military at the age of seventeen. I was in Norfolk, Virginia, for almost nine and a half years. I was stationed on a USS Peterson, USS Shenandoah, Naval Air Station Oceana right before I left.
MR. MEADORS: And what did you do there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Heavy equipment operator.
MR. MEADORS: Okay.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: And my husband was also heavy equipment operator. We were both in the same field. We decided that the military was just not going to be a good environment for raising children, so we made a decision. Instead of moving to Texas, we moved to South Carolina where he was from. And we have five children: thirty-four, thirty-one, twenty- three, twenty-one, and a seventeen year old. They've all been raised down here in South Carolina.
MR. MEADORS: Any of them still at home?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, the seventeen year old.
MR. MEADORS: All right. Where was your husband from? You said he moved back home. Where was he from?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: My husband is originally from Gifford, South Carolina.
MR. MEADORS: Say that again.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Gifford, South Carolina.
MR. MEADORS: Gifford, and what does he do?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He's a police officer for Hampton.
MR. MEADORS: When you came to South Carolina, you'd never been here, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: What did you do when you got here besides the hardest job in the world, being a mom and raising kids? What else did you do?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: When we moved here, we had enough leave built that we didn't have to work for almost two months. So, I went to -- after about a week, I kind of got bored because I'm used to have hands on doing something. So, I went to the local Piggly Wiggly store in town and I asked the -- I didn't know he was the owner at the time. I realized he was the owner after, if I could get a job because I was bored and --
MR. MEADORS: How many kids do you have?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I have five, but I only had the two oldest ones at that time. And so he said the only job he had was a stocker, and I actually had no idea what that meant because I had just graduated high school and went in the military, so I didn't know. But I told him I would take it as long as he would get me out of the house for a little bit. So I took that job, and then within a week I got a call from another job that I had put in where it was brazing or welding at Scottsman, which is in Allendale County. And I figured, well, it offers benefits and it would be a better transition for the kids, dental, you know, that sort of thing, so I went there. After about two weeks another job called me and had better dental, medical benefits for my kids. So, that was the first time I ever -- well, I went to work for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. I opened up Ridgeland Correctional Institution. I was the first class to graduate from Ridgeland Correctional Institution.
I worked my way up from correctional officer to Sergeant. I managed the outside details and the road crew on the interstate, also a crew that would go out to Hunting Island for maintenance to assist with the park rangers. In 2001 I was offered a job at the Federal Bureau Prisons, and I accepted the job. So, I left Ridgeland Correctional Institution and went to work for FCIS at a federal correctional institution in Ashland, South Carolina, where I stayed until 2007. My job basically had started back from the bottom as a correctional officer, and before my year is up I got promoted to the Special Investigative Support Tech Office, where I was responsible for managing -- well, producing reports, weekly reports, and also profiling the Hispanic gangs because there was not a lot of staff members that were bilingual. So, my job basically became profiling, interviewing, and associating members -- the inmate population with gangs.
MR. MEADORS: And how long did you do that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: From 2001 to 2007.
MR. MEADORS: Not that anybody cares, but is that when I first met you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you help me arrange a meeting with a prisoner I needed to interview?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Why did you leave that job?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Just -- when you're the only -- one of the only ones in the office that's bilingual and you're constantly getting called out for different incidents dealing with the Hispanic population that had grown up quite a bit from the time I got there, and still having to do your daily duties in the office and nobody is helping you, you tend to burn out pretty quick, so --
MR. MEADORS: So, if an incident --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: -- I made a decision to leave.
MR. MEADORS: So, if an incident happened when they needed a translator, your phone --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I was -- I had to stop what I was doing and respond to whatever incident with the Hispanic inmates.
MR. MEADORS: What did you do after that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I went into real estate for a little bit, which was not so good because that's when the market crashed.
MR. MEADORS: And again from -- well, for the jury's edification, what year is this when you quit the prison and --
MR. MEADORS: And you're living where?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In Brunson.
MR. MEADORS: I'm sorry?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Brunson.
MR. MEADORS: So, how long did you stay in real estate?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Maybe about a year and a half.
MR. MEADORS: Your family is grown at this point, I presume?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And did there come a point that you met the defendant, Alex Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Can you tell them how that happened, tell the ladies and gentlemen how that transpired?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: When I first moved to Gifford with my husband, like I said, I was bored, so I went to work at the grocery store. At the grocery store -- and during the time that I moved, there was not a lot of Hispanic families living in that area. It has since grown in the years. I met a lady who I befriended. You know, she was Hispanic, and we started talking because she was the only other Hispanic person that I had actually seen in the area. So, we started talking back and forth, and it was nice to speak in your native tongue with somebody. And her son had an accident at the school, on his way after school walking to the car, and he had gotten hurt. One of the ladies that worked at the school had recommended that she use an attorney from Walterboro, and a couple months had gone by and I noticed that there was -- she was under a lot of stress, and as she -- as I talked to her, she said I just have to get all of these documents I don't understand. She still -- she spoke English but it was very broken English, so she was having a difficult time explaining what she needed for the attorney. So, I told her. I said, well, I'm going to find you an attorney. I'll look around, I said, and we'll go ahead and fire that attorney, hire you a new one. And -- because we didn't want the statute of limitations to run out on her case. So, at that point I started looking around, and I happened to walk into the law firm, and it was the old offices, where I met Alex.
MR. MEADORS: Just walked in and that's where I met the defendant, Alex Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And you were trying to assist this individual who was having -- communicating with her prior attorney, don't mention whoever that attorney was, but you helped her get a new attorney?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you help with that case, that particular case with this friend?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. He told me he would take the case --
MR. MEADORS: Who is he? Who's telling --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Alex told me he would take the case as long as I translated and helped them with the details because he didn't have anybody in the office that was bilingual, and I agreed.
MR. MEADORS: You were a hot commodity, weren't you? And there was a need for translators.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So, you helped with that case.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you assist in other cases with Alex Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I did. At times Alex would call me and ask if I could assist in translating, or when there were accidents and the folks were injured and if they were not -- if they did not speak the English language, he would ask me to translate.
MR. MEADORS: And were you getting paid for this service?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, and he would -- it wasn't a set fee. It was just depending on the case, you know, whatever I did. Whether it was to get them signed up with the law firm, basically, you know, or if I had any type of -- in the Hispanic community when you're in trouble or you're in need of something, and a lot of times those accidents, when they happen in the area, they are not from here, the language barrier is a big thing for them. So, my instinct was more to make sure they were well accommodated in whatever they needed. So, sometimes he would reimburse me for my out of pocket whenever I helped the individuals, you know, who are in the accident.
MR. MEADORS: And that went on for a period of time when you were assisting either Alex Murdaugh or the law firm. Is that correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did that change into a caregiver, if you will, or -- respectfully, I don't mean housekeeper or whatever term you would like to use for Maggie Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. Alex had called me and said Maggie was looking for a person to help her in the home. And at that point, real estate wasn't really doing much for me, and so told him I couldn't find anybody. I had asked around. And at that point I told him, I said, well, I'll help her. And he was, like, are you sure? I was, like, yeah, I'll help her. I said it's no big deal to me. It's honest work, so I said that I would help her.
MR. MEADORS: You were clearly qualified.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So, what did you start doing either for the Murdaughs or Maggie Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I started helping the other ladies in the house with the cleaning, with running errands, running to the bank for her, whatever she needed me to do.
MR. MEADORS: When did that start, Ms. Blanca?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In 2007.
MR. MEADORS: And were the two young children, or the two children, Paul and Buster Murdaugh, were they younger at -- obviously they're younger when you --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, they were young.
MR. MEADORS: And would you have interaction with them and/or Alex Murdaugh during this time period?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: How often were you working for the Murdaughs?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: At that point it was maybe every other day depending on how often she needed me.
MR. MEADORS: And where was that? Where specifically were you working? Where was her house?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: At the house on Holly Street in Hampton.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. How long did that go on before you stopped? Tell them why you stopped.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I worked there with them on and off like I -- not on and off, I shouldn't say that. Every two to three days, you know. It wasn't a day thing at that point. Then I did go probably about maybe -- I can't recall whether it was a few months later or a couple of -- or a couple weeks later, there was an incident at the house and somebody had tried to burn the house, so that's when I actually went and started helping her more full-time. Because she had to go through a lot of the damages and all that, I helped her document a lot of whatever damages were done from the diesel oil and stuff that was spilled all throughout the house by the individual.
MR. MEADORS: And maybe I wasn't clear in my question. Did there come a point where you had some health issues?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. At one point I suffered a stroke, and I had to stop working and go through rehab for awhile.
MR. MEADORS: What year was that? '17 and '18 maybe?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So, prior to your stroke and you had to go to rehab, how long had you worked for the Murdaughs?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was a few years by then.
MR. MEADORS: How long were you out after you had your stroke, Blanca?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Maybe almost four years.
MR. MEADORS: Did there come a point where you went back and started working with Alex -- with the Murdaugh family?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And tell these folks when that was.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Shortly after the boating accident, I reached out to Alex and Maggie and I told them if they needed anything, that they could call on me, and at that point Maggie said that she would like for me to come back if I was able to, so I told her I would. At that point I was feeling better, so I told her that I would go back. And once I went back, it was like I actually never left.
MR. MEADORS: I was just informed your stroke was in 2015, not 2017, I apologize.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So after your recovery, you started working and actually called them, the Murdaugh family, and said if y'all need anything --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: If y'all need anything, you know, I'm here.
MR. MEADORS: And I don't think anybody will dispute that was in February of 2019?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: That time period?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, when you went back to work with the family after the boating accident, tell these folks, what were your duties then? What was your job?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I started right back at the same thing. I was helping with the cleaning, I was helping running errands, I would cash checks. I would -- and when I say by cashing checks for Maggie, sometimes she didn't have time or she was busy doing others things, so she would send me to the bank to cash checks to pay them -- people that she had working around the house. The --
MR. MEADORS: And what -- go ahead, I'm sorry.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The maintenance, you know, that sort of thing, whatever she was doing around the house.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and where were they living, the Murdaugh family, at this point in 2019?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Both places.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Tell the folks where both places --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Moselle and Hampton.
MR. MEADORS: So, you're working at both residences?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, both.
MR. MEADORS: And did there come a time where they moved exclusively for the primary residence to -- where was their primary residence?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Their primary residence was Holly Street, and once they sold the house, they moved straight into Moselle full-time.
MR. MEADORS: We haven't heard much about Maggie, and I'm limited to what I can say in a murder case, but did y'all get fairly close?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And when you had quit working for her and you had your stroke, did you ever see her during that time period when you weren't working for her?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. Maggie would -- I would see her in town and she would often signal me to pull over, so we just used to stop sometimes and just talk and see how things were going at the local CVS.
MR. MEADORS: Just to catch up?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Just to catch up and see how everything was doing.
MR. MEADORS: And prior when you were working and after, would you -- I'm not asking you to say what, but y'all got close and would talk personal things.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: I would like for you to go back in your mind now and take this jury back to June 7, 2021.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: You were working there for the Murdaughs then?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: That's a Monday, we all know that, June 7th?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: When had you worked prior to that at the Moselle property for them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Friday.
MR. MEADORS: Friday. Okay, and at that point had you seen -- what family members did you see at Moselle on Friday, which would have been the June 4th of 2021? Do you remember?
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and what was your interaction with Paul that day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Paul walked through the door, his usual self. I was walking out of the laundry room coming into the kitchen, and Paul came in the front door and he was holding a laundry basket full of clothes, and as he was approaching me, he saw me and he said what's up, Ms. B? And I just looked at him and I said boy, I said, if you got all them dirty clothes and you want me to take care of that, I said, I'm getting ready to leave. He's, like, oh, come on, Ms. B. You can help me out. He said I need them for the weekend. I said, well, just pull a couple of them out, what, you need and I'll take care of it. And I ended up staying late to make sure that he had his clothing ready for the weekend.
MR. MEADORS: So, did you wash the clothes for the entire family? Was that part of your --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And did Paul leave that Friday?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I saw him leave. I don't know whether he was gone for the weekend or if he was still --
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and did you ever see him again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you have regular hours in June of 2021 that you worked at Moselle for the Murdaugh family?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: There weren't set hours. Maggie was pretty -- she was just easy going. If I had stuff to do, if I had stuff to take care of, she wasn't really too keen on any specific hours. So, you know, if I had a doctor's appointment or if I had anything she would be, like, okay. Her main thing was -- her main comment to me always was no worries.
MR. MEADORS: No worries?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No worries.
MR. MEADORS: Well, June 7th specifically, were you scheduled to work at Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And did you have contact with Ms. Maggie Murdaugh sometime prior to getting to Moselle that morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And I think it's in evidence, but tell these folks what contact you had with her.
MR. MEADORS: What type of contact, I'm sorry.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She texted me and asked me if I could stop at the grocery store on my way to Moselle because Alex wanted some Capri Suns.
MR. MEADORS: Wanted some what?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Capri Suns. He didn't -- she said apple -- I believe she said pineapple first and then she came back with another text and said no, he wants orange. I believe that's what he said. That's what the text said.
MR. MEADORS: And did you try to get some orange Capri Suns?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Where did you go?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I went to the Food Lion.
MR. MEADORS: Were you successful in your search for orange Capri Suns?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: I'm going to show you what's marked as State's 54, Ms. Blanca -- excuse me, Defendant's 54 for the record. Did you have any other texts with Ms. Maggie before you got to Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes. Maggie told me she had to go to a doctor's appointment, and she said that -- in the text Maggie said Alex wants me to come home. And she said -- and in the phone conversation she told me, she said I left some food in the refrigerator. Is there any way that you can cook? Paul likes the way you cook. And so -- she said because I don't think I'll be back in time. I said yeah, sure. I said I'll do it. So, it was nothing -- I'd finished what I was doing. Then I started cooking, making sure the meal was ready for when Paul and -- they arrived at home that afternoon. And we had another conversation on the phone where she told me, she said, Alex wants me to come home. And she kind of sounded like she didn't want to come home, and she -- because she really liked being at Edisto, and they had a lot of work that was going on, and she was trying to make sure everything was ready for the 4th of July gathering that they -- she was planning. So, she wanted -- she was very detailed oriented, and so she wanted everything perfect. So, she was kind of -- she sounded like she was a little disappointed, and then she said, well, Alex asked Paul to come home, too, because he's got to fix the mess up out there that the -- that C.B. had done.
MR. MEADORS: Is that C.B. Rowe?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, and he said Alex had told Paul to come and fix it because they were planning on having a hunt that weekend, so he wanted everything ready and good to go.
MR. MEADORS: So, he had asked Maggie to come, and then he had asked Alex to come -- excuse me, Paul to come?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Paul. That's what Maggie told me over the phone.
MR. MEADORS: In looking at State's -- excuse me, Defendant's 54, can you read that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She said: Thank you. I'm waiting at doctor. Alex wants me to come home. I had to leave door open at Edisto but trust Mexicans to shut and lock for me. His dad is back in the hospital. The last doctor claims not cancer, pneumonia. And then she's got some emojis. She said: "Alex is about to die. I hope he doesn't go down there to sleep, needs to take care himself as well.
MR. MEADORS: And when she said I trust the Mexicans to leave the door open, that didn't bother you.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. When she said -- I guess my question is you didn't think she wanted to --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Mr. Meadors, you're standing in front of some jurors.
MR. MEADORS: I'm sorry. I apologize.
MR. MEADORS: When you -- you just testified you didn't think she wanted to come home. Was she getting -- was work being done at Edisto?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and did she like being at Edisto?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, she did.
MR. MEADORS: And when would she stay at Edisto?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Any chance she had.
MR. MEADORS: Well, was there a time of the year that she liked being there more than other times?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. Come around spring/summer she preferred to be in Edisto.
MR. MEADORS: And, I guess, was she at Edisto the night -- Sunday night, or do you know? Where was she Sunday night?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I'm not sure --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor. Calls for speculation, what she knows.
JUDGE NEWMAN: She can answer if she knows.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I'm not sure.
MR. MEADORS: Were you on schedule June 7th time wise? Were you running late? Were you -- what time were you supposed to be there at Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I didn't have a set time to be there.
MR. MEADORS: After you and Maggie talked and texted, did you go to Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And when you got there, was Maggie there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. She had just left.
MR. MEADORS: Was Paul there?
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Was the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, he was.
MR. MEADORS: When you walked in the house, was he up?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. He was in bed.
MR. MEADORS: He was in bed. Based on the time you spent there and your experience with the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, was he a morning person?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So, how long were you there working before you saw Alex Murdaugh that morning on June 7th of '21?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Probably a couple of hours.
MR. MEADORS: And can you tell these folks, did there come a point that morning where he left the house, Alex Murdaugh? Did he leave and go to work or wherever?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, he did.
MR. MEADORS: And can you tell them what he was wearing, Alex Murdaugh, the best of your memory when he left Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He had a pair of khaki pants, a greenish -- I call it sea foam color polo shirt, and he put a sports coat, a blue sports coat over it. And he put his shoes on, which were usually right there next to a dresser that they had right there in the living room area. That's where his shoes used to go right there. So, he just used to kind of slide his shoes on on his way out the door.
MR. MEADORS: Do you remember what type shoes he had on June 7th of 2021 when he left?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: His regular work shoes, the brown -- it was a pair of brown leather shoes.
MR. MEADORS: Was it a long sleeve shirt or a short sleeve shirt that he left on?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The polo is a short sleeved shirt.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and staying out of everybody's view, do you remember anything specifically about that shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: As he put his coat on -- he was putting his shoes on and he was trying to -- putting his coat on, and he was getting ready to walk out, he turned around and I said Alex, I said, hold on a minute. I said your collar is sticking up. So, I -- he turned around and I fixed his collar inside his jacket because one collar was sticking up.
MR. MEADORS: So, you actually helped -- did you, did you help move his shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And you said it was a long or short sleeved? I'm sorry.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That polo was a short sleeve.
MR. MEADORS: And did it have buttons on part of it, or do you know?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Just from here to here.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and was it a blue blazer he put on top of it?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was dark colored.
MR. MEADORS: Did he put a tie on? He didn't have a tie with that on?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Now, Ms. Maggie had asked you to fix dinner for the family. Did you do that?
MR. MEADORS: Can you tell them what you made?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She called it steak burger, but's cubed steak and gravy, some white rise, and some green beans.
MR. MEADORS: You're a good cook, aren't you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you see or talk to Maggie ever again after those texts or those phone calls?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Before I left Moselle, I texted her and I said the dinner was on -- I believe I texted to the effect that I left dinner on the stove for them. And -- I can't really remember the text, but I did text her and let her know that dinner was ready and that I was leaving.
MR. MEADORS: And you said one of her phrases she used is no worries. Had she said that to you that day?
MR. MEADORS: When was that? It doesn't matter.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I can't remember.
MR. MEADORS: You've got a family of your own, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you -- when you left Moselle, what did you do?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Picked up my son at school.
MR. MEADORS: All right, and your husband is working?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Law enforcement?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and when you got home that night, did anybody call you that night?
MR. MEADORS: Okay. When did you hear about the murder at Moselle of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The next morning when I was getting ready to go out there.
MR. MEADORS: The next morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. How did you hear?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Alex called me.
MR. MEADORS: And what did he tell you? He called you the next morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He called me early the next morning.
MR. MEADORS: And what did he say to you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He -- he sounded shaky on the phone. You could tell he was -- his voice sounded really shaky, and he said B, they're gone, they're gone. And my initial thought was did she go back to Edisto? I -- that thought didn't cross my mind that he meant that they were dead at that time.
MR. MEADORS: You just didn't comprehend what was going on.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, I did not. So, he told me again. He said, he said no, B. They're dead. And at that point I don't remember because I believe I dropped the phone. My husband grabbed the phone and I don't remember after that.
MR. MEADORS: You literally dropped the phone.
MR. MEADORS: And did your husband get on the phone?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't remember.
MR. MEADORS: Okay.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't remember. I don't remember. I -- all I remember is when he said that they were dead, I dropped the phone. And I believe I said "I'll be right over, I'll be right over, but --
MR. MEADORS: Did he, the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, tell you which way to go when you got to the house?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He said him and Buster were at Almeda, so I told him he was going to Almeda. You know, I wanted to make sure they were okay, so I went from my house to Almeda. And then when I got ready to leave Almeda, he said, well, when you go to the house, go in the front because there's a lot of SLED agents by the kennels. You can't go in that way. And he said just try to straighten up the way Maggie liked everything, you know, in the house. He said you knew her the best, so you know how she liked stuff. So, I did. I went to the house.
MR. MEADORS: So, you went to --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I went to Moselle.
MR. MEADORS: You went to Almeda to start with?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, I did, to check on Buster and Alex.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. To comfort them.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and at his request, you went to Moselle to start cleaning up and getting the house in order?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. He said there was going to be people probably stopping by and bringing food and stuff. He said I just want the house to look the way Maggie would like for it to look. So I said okay, and I went to the house and then --
MR. MEADORS: Did you have a usual way that you went into Moselle entrance wise?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: From the house I would -- if I was coming from my house, I would come in on the -- I called it the Mylie's side. So, I would actually enter the property through the kennels, and if I was coming from Hampton or if I -- you know, the other direction, then I would use the front entrance. But normally I used the kennel entrance coming from my house.
MR. MEADORS: When you got to Moselle -- we're now in the morning of June 8th, right, of 2021?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did you see anybody in the property before you got to the main house?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And when you got to the main house, take us right there, Blanca. Right now as you're walking right in the house, what were your observations?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was hard because I know she wasn't going to be coming back. And I didn't want to move -- I didn't want to move her stuff. It was just a weird feeling going through when I unlocked the front door to get in. It felt cold.
MR. MEADORS: You really cared for her, didn't you?
MR. MEADORS: What did you do when you got inside?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: When I got inside, I didn't turn on any lights; I didn't do anything. I walked -- I walked through the front door and I went in the kitchen, and I was kind of -- I was kind of -- when I looked in the kitchen, I kind of just stopped in my tracks and I looked at the stove, and then I was kind of -- I don't know what the word is. When I looked and I noticed the stove, that there was no pots on the stove, it was kind of unusual because usually when they ate dinner -- when they ate dinner the night before, the pots usually stayed on the stove. Very, very seldom would she put, you know, certain meals in the refrigerator. A lot times it was just left on the stove until the next day. And the pots were not -- they were not in the sink and they were not on the stove. And then as I walked through, I walked -- if you walked through the kitchen like you're going to -- from the kitchen -- if you walked through the kitchen, if you go to the left there's two -- a freezer and a refrigerator, and the laundry room sat right there to the -- there's a backdoor to the back porch, and then there's a -- the laundry room door. They're both right there. And as I turned to go to the laundry room, I noticed that there was -- her pajamas were in the middle of the doorway right in the middle, laid neatly in the middle of doorway going into the laundry room. It was her pajama pants, a pair of underwear, and her pajama top.
MR. MEADORS: Was that unusual?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That was very unusual.
MR. MEADORS: Why?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Because she would -- she wouldn't lay her clothes out like that, not in the middle of the door like that. It just didn't look right to me.
MR. MEADORS: And you took care of the house?
MR. MEADORS: And you took care of the clothes?
MR. MEADORS: And not to get too personal but sometime you can't help it. Were the underwear there with the pajamas unusual?
MR. MEADORS: Why?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She didn't wear underwear with her pajamas.
MR. MEADORS: No underwear with the pajamas, but that struck --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No underclothes with the pajamas.
MR. MEADORS: But that struck you as unusual they were there with the pajamas?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, because the underwear appeared to be clean, not dirty. They still had, like, fold marks.
MR. MEADORS: And the pots, and I may have just missed it. You said -- where would the pots end up when you found them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: After I looked at the pajamas on the floor the way that they were set, I turned around and I said, well, I wonder where the pots are. So, I happened to -- I opened the refrigerator door, and the pots were sitting inside the refrigerator with lids on them, and I was, like, you know, who did this? I don't know at that point, but that was not normal for the pots -- the whole pot to be sitting in the fridge.
MR. MEADORS: Did you make any other observations in the house, the bathroom, or anywhere else?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In the master bathroom was -- her clothes were sitting next to the tub. It was a small pile of clothes right there next to the tub. And by the shower -- if you walk in the master bedroom, there is a big garden tub, spa type tub, and then right here is the shower, and there's a window. On the floor next to the shower was a slight puddle of water, a towel, and a pair of khaki pants. And then as I went to the left to see if there was anything else that was out, I looked in the closet, and in the closet was a white, damp towel on the floor, and there was a -- I'm pretty sure the t-shirt was white at one time, but, you know, they get kind of dingy after a few years. But it appeared that a t-shirt had fallen off a stack of t-shirts that were on top of the shelf right there in the closet. It was laying on the floor next to the tub.
MR. MEADORS: When you took care of the home, was that -- tell us how the clothes were laid out, the shirts, the shorts. Were you saying up on a shelf, were the shirts -- how were they?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In the closet there was a shelf, there was some shelves, smaller shelves right here. Then there was some long ones. Maggie used to keep her clothes on these. And then there was a shorter one kind of like a little box looking thing. Alex used to keep his clothes, his belts and stuff in that. And then on top there was also an area where he kept t-shirts. They were folded and they were kept on the shelf.
MR. MEADORS: And when you say t-shirts, I know what a t-shirt is, but, I mean, were they t-shirts like I'm wearing right now or were they t-shirts with pockets? What was it?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Usually there would be t-shirts like when if they would go -- like when you go to a restaurant and they have the logo, those type of t-shirts. He had a big collection of those.
MR. MEADORS: And would you put them on the shelf?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: Did you iron t-shirts?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And you washed all the clothes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, I did.
MR. MEADORS: Did he have a certain place that he kept shorts versus long pants?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. When you walked in the master bedroom -- when you enter the master bedroom, the bed was right here at the foot of the bed. You had a dresser here and a dresser here. The right dresser, in the top drawers were usually his underwear, his socks. The next drawer was his t-shirts. On the bottom drawer were the pajama pants that he would wear or his shorts that he would wear to sleep in. In the left drawer -- and one sits on this side of the door going into the bathroom, and the other one is right here. On the left dresser he kept his white t-shirts that he would wear under -- when he wore a suit he would wear, the t-shirts were in one of those drawers, and then the other two drawers were shorts, the dressier shorts, and then the not-so-dressier shorts.
MR. MEADORS: So, you testified a shirt looked like it had fallen when you saw it this morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: June 8th of 2021. Okay. Was it still clean?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you put it back?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. My boss, Don Zelenka, just reminded me that the food that you cooked, did you look and see how much was eaten in the pots?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, I did not.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, you said there was a damp towel. Where was that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In the closet on the floor.
MR. MEADORS: And I know what damp means, but when you touched it, did it feel --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was damp.
MR. MEADORS: What did you do with it?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Took it to the laundry room.
MR. MEADORS: And you said there was some pants there.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. There was a pair of khakis by the shower.
MR. MEADORS: And what did you do with those?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Took them to the laundry room.
MR. MEADORS: Did you wash them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, let's stand for a moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, you may go to your jury room.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: We'll take about 10 minutes.
(A break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may proceed.
MR. MEADORS: May it please Your Honor?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Mr. Harpootlian and Mr. Waters, if you all would be seated.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I apologize, Your Honor.
MR. WATERS: Yes, sir, Your Honor.
CONTINUED DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Ms. Simpson --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: -- I think where we left off -- well, let me kind of try to refocus myself. Let me show you what is entered as State's 7. Just -- can you see those pants in State's 7?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Do you recognize those pants --
JUDGE NEWMAN: I can't hear your response, ma'am.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Do you recognize those pants in State's 7?
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and how do you know those -- how do you recognize them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I took care of the laundry.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Have you cleaned them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Where were these pants kept in State's 7?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The left dresser in the third drawer -- third or fourth drawer.
MR. MEADORS: Do you know if that --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: They weren't in the ones where -- he had one drawer with shorts that he would usually wear on the weekends, you know, the dressier ones. Those were kept in the drawer underneath that specific drawer.
MR. MEADORS: So, you know what drawers these were in?
MR. MEADORS: If you know from being there and taking care of the clothes and taking care of the family, were these shorts he liked to wear a lot or not? Did you see him in these shorts much?
MR. MEADORS: And were these shorts clean the last time you saw them?
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, this shirt that's also in State's 7, had you seen that shirt before?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Where was this shirt kept in the closet at Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The top shelf above where his clothes hang, the top shelf. There was a shelf up there.
MR. MEADORS: And you've testified it looked like a shirt had fallen from that shelf when you got there on the morning of June 8th, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Was this shirt kept in this same place as the shirt that had fallen?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And the shirt that had fallen, what did you do with it after you picked it up?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I folded it back up and I placed it back on the shelf.
MR. MEADORS: Was it clean?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ma'am, I understand that you all are apparently having a personal conversation, but you need to speak into the mic.
MR. MEADORS: Sorry, Judge.
MR. MEADORS: Look at me this way. I'm sorry. Had you cleaned this shirt that's in State's 7 prior to June 7th of 2021?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I probably did.
MR. MEADORS: And where would it have been placed after you cleaned it? Where would you have put it?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Up in the closet if there was no more room in the drawer.
MR. MEADORS: Now, could we please play State's 306, please?
MR. MEADORS: Can you see -- would you look right there at your monitor? As they're fixing that, when Mr. --
MR. MEADORS: Okay. You can freeze it right there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, this -- who's in the picture?
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and can you tell what kind of pants he's got on?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Khaki pants.
MR. MEADORS: Can you tell what kind of shoes he's got on from that, Ms. Simpson?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It appears to be a pair of loafers.
MR. MEADORS: Loafers?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Uh-huh, house shoes, loafers.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Well, tell me what you mean by house shoes.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Just his shoes that he would usually wear around the house if he was wearing shoes.
MR. MEADORS: So, would you usually just wear them inside?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, but these appeared to be those shoes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It appears to be, yes.
MR. MEADORS: And this shirt that Alex Murdaugh is wearing on June 7th depicted in State's 306, had you seen that shirt prior to June 7th?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was in the closet.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and what type of shirt is that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: A Columbia shirt.
MR. MEADORS: A Columbia shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And how many of those type shirts did he have?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He had a few in the closet.
MR. MEADORS: And what color is that shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It's like a greenish/aqua/sea foam color.
MR. MEADORS: Why do you keep using the term sea foam? I'm not fussing. I'm just asking.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The term sea foam, when Maggie was looking at different color pallets to paint, that color came up in one of the color pallets, so we would refer to it as a sea foam. But that's the term that was used for the color in one of color pallets that she had.
MR. MEADORS: After June 7th of 2021, did you ever see that shirt again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. There was, like, a pink one, a white one, a baby blue in the closet. I do not remember that shirt being in there.
MR. MEADORS: And on June 8th of 2021, in the morning hours when you came back over there, was that shirt there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Were these shoes that you called house slippers, were those there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you ever see those house shoes again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And where did he usually keep them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In the closet.
MR. MEADORS: Did he have any other type shoes, canvas, or any kind of boat shoes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He had a lot of shoes in the closet.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Do you remember any shoes that were canvas type shoes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The boat shoes, the Sperry's.
MR. MEADORS: Sperry shoes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And do you remember those?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. They used to sit in the closet.
MR. MEADORS: They used to sit in the closet?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Uh-huh.
MR. MEADORS: After June 7th of 2021, did you ever see those Sperry boat shoes again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. I do not recall seeing them in the closet.
MR. MEADORS: Never ever?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you stay on and work for a period of time for Alex Murdaugh at Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And did your day-to-day functions change after June 7th as far as Moselle itself?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, it did.
MR. MEADORS: Well, tell them how that happened and what the change was.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: After Alex -- after Alex -- after Maggie and Paul were killed, Alex did not stay on the property. On the 10th, when I believe his father passed away after --
MR. MEADORS: Solicitor Murdaugh?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes. I believe after the service that we had for him at the cemetery, Alex called and asked if my husband and I would stay on the property because him and Buster were not going to be able to stay there. So, we agreed to take care of the property and maintain it while -- he said until he decides what he's going to do with it.
MR. MEADORS: And did, in fact, you and your husband start residing there for a period of time?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: We did.
MR. MEADORS: And were you paid for that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Well, do you mind telling them how much?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He would give me 1500 a week to make sure that anything needed for the farm was taken care of. And my husband and I would maintain cutting the grass on that property, which is a lot of grass out there, and it would take in excess of two days to cut it.
MR. MEADORS: Would you cut it?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. My -- I would help my husband.
MR. MEADORS: Were you also taking care of the dogs?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Tell these folks. What were the dogs' names?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Grady and Bubba.
MR. MEADORS: Grady and Bubba.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: You fed them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Took care of them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Where is Bubba -- what's today? Whatever today is, where is Bubba today?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He's with me.
MR. MEADORS: So, you have Bubba in your home?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. MEADORS: Did Bubba have his own pen?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, he did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I don't know if you've seen, but could -- at some point -- and I'll keep going -- there's a video of --
MR. MEADORS: Well, could we play that now, please? Can we got to the video, the kennel video, please? Creighton, before we get there --
MR. MEADORS: -- and I'm sorry. I'm going back to this real quick. Is that the shirt he left for the office in that day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Had you ever seen Bubba with an animal in his mouth?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Tell them about that, please, these ladies and gentlemen.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: When Bubba was running around, if I would -- if I or anybody -- if the chickens were running out of the coup, he would chase the chickens, and he would just go after the chickens, or the guineas, whatever was out there.
MR. MEADORS: And would he ever catch them?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, he would.
MR. MEADORS: And how would Bubba -- the chicken get out of Bubba's mouth and --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: You would have to make several attempts to get the chicken out of his mouth, and at points he would growl at you. You would try to take his toy. Basically that's what --
MR. MEADORS: In your experience in being there, was it easier for a family member or somebody Bubba knew to get the chicken out?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: If he -- he's stubborn.
MR. MEADORS: You're talking about Bubba?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: But would it take a period of time to get the chicken out of Bubba's mouth?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, it would.
MR. MEADORS: In August of 2021, Ms. Blanca --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: -- did you have a conversation with Alex Murdaugh about a shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And let's go back. Where did this take place?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: At the little house.
MR. MEADORS: All right. What do you mean the little house?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: After Paul and Maggie were killed, Alex was not staying at Moselle. My husband and I were, and he would often stay in different places, but all of his clothes and toiletries and everything were placed in the house that sits between Mr. Johnny Parker and his brother Randy. There's a small two-bedroom house right there, and that's where all of his belongings at the time went.
MR. MEADORS: And where is that located?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In Hampton.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, in Hampton, and who furnished the little house with clothes and toiletries and made sure stuff was there?
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and who was Alex Murdaugh staying there with when he stayed there, if anybody?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He never stayed there. He would just go get his clothing and eat whatever -- you know, if he would have a snack or something. He wasn't really eating.
MR. MEADORS: Well, during the month of August, do you remember him having a conversation with you about a shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you find that to be unusual?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Tell them what the conversation was and why you found it unusual, please.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He walked into the little house and I was almost -- I was getting ready to leave, and he said, B, I need to talk to you. And he said come here. Sit down. So, I went in the living room and I sat down, and he was pacing back and forth in the living room, and he said I've got a bad feeling. He said I've got a bad feeling. He said something is not right. And then he said, well, you know, there's a video -- there was a video that was out -- I hadn't seen a video. And he said you remember the shirt I was wearing, that Vinny Vines shirt? That's what he said to me. And in my mind I was saying I don't know remember a Vinny Vines shirt. It was the polo shirt, but I didn't mention it. He said, well, you know that I was wearing that shirt, you know, in the -- that day. And still I was just -- I didn't say anything, but I was kind of thrown back because I don't remember that. I don't remember him wearing that shirt that day when I left. I know what shirt he was wearing because I fixed the collar, and the collar is different material.
MR. MEADORS: And I don't know what a Vinny Vines shirt is. But when he left that day, was he wearing a Vinny Vines shirt, or was he wearing the collar that you have described?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was a polo shirt.
MR. MEADORS: A polo shirt. Just using your common sense, did it appear to you he was trying to tell you to say I was wearing this shirt?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor. Speculation.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained as to the form of the question.
MR. MEADORS: How did you take that conversation?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I felt like he was -- I felt like -- I felt confused at first, and then -- I know what he was wearing the day he left the house, and I was basically confused. I didn't really know whether he was trying to get me to say that that shirt, if I was to be asked, if that was the shirt he was wearing the day.
MR. MEADORS: Now, Ms. Blanca, I'm going to show you what's marked 455 and 457 for ID only. Do you recognize these, and do they relate to your testimony? Without saying what they are.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. On September 4th of 2021, did you have a conversation with the defendant, Alex Murdaugh?
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and what had he asked you to do?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He asked me to send him copies -- send him a photo of the insurance cards.
MR. MEADORS: And do you know what day of the week that was? And I'll go back here so you can talk, and I'm sorry.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't remember the day. All I know is it's on my phone.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. He asked you to send him a copy of his medical card?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Oh, it was on a Saturday morning because the next day was my daughter's birthday. Early that morning when he called me, he asked me -- when I sent him the picture of the plastic insurance card he said no, I need the cardboard one. Well, the cardboard one was in Maggie's purse. It wasn't in the area where he usually kept the cards in the cabinet. So, I told him, I said it's in Maggie's purse. He said, well, go ahead and get the cards. Send me a picture of them. And I asked him if he was okay, and he said, well, I'm just getting some routine exams done, he said, and I need the numbers so I can go ahead and schedule these appointments. It was a Saturday because I was thinking where is he going to go to get appointments done on a Saturday? But I didn't say anything, I made -- I went and I took pictures and I sent them all of the copies of the cards that I found.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, we would offer State's 455 and 457.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, first of all, he obviously consulted with me about this as he walked up to me a moment ago, and I just don't quite understand the relevance of why him asking for -- I'm sorry. I thought he would consult with me and tell me what the relevance is but he hasn't told me.
MR. MEADORS: With your permission?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. No objection. Sorry, Your Honor, we were just sort of surprised.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, I think with that, that's 455 and 457 without objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Reserving our previous objection, I apologize.
JUDGE NEWMAN: What previous objection?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry, Your Honor?
JUDGE NEWMAN: What previous objection? You said reserving a previous objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I apologize. I'm so used to saying that, I apologize. I have no previous made objection to this document concerning this issue. I apologize.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Admitted without objection.
(PHOTO OF INSURANCE CARD/TEXT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 455 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO OF INSURANCE CARD/TEXT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 457 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. MEADORS: 455 -- I'll stand right here. Okay, were you texting with Alex Murdaugh about sending these cards?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, I was.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and that's the text, and is that his medical card you sent him a picture of?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: One of the medical cards I sent him a picture of, yes.
MR. MEADORS: Please listen to me carefully. Don't go any farther than my answer I ask. Okay?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: After this date, September 4th of 2021, did you and your husband quit living at Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: We did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. A couple of other questions and I know everybody will be glad I'm sitting down. In addition to cleaning the house, did you ever look at Maggie's Mercedes to try to clean it afterwards?
MR. MEADORS: What, if anything, did you find?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: As I was cleaning the vehicle, removing her --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I would object unless she can give us a date, or at least a range of dates.
MR. MEADORS: Do you remember when that was?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That was about a week after.
MR. MEADORS: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: After?
MR. MEADORS: After the murders? When did you -- do you remember when you cleaned her car?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I cleaned the car when they asked me to pick it up from the sheriff's -- the impound, sheriff's department.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and who asked you to pick it up?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Randy and his wife had dropped off Paul's truck, and they were getting ready to leave to go out of town, so he asked if my husband and I could go pick up the Mercedes from the impound and bring it back to the house.
MR. MEADORS: And did you clean it after that?
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and what did you find, if anything?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Well, she still had paint for the Edisto house, that she was trying to touch up some areas at the house in Edisto. She had some pillows that she was going to return. And as I moved the seat to clean -- to vacuum underneath the driver's seat, I found her ring.
MR. MEADORS: Her what?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Her ring. Her wedding band.
MR. MEADORS: Now, did Maggie, based on your time with her and experience, like being at Moselle by herself?
MR. MEADORS: And in leading up to the murders, was she anxious about anything?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She had a conversation with me -- she had a conversation with me a few months prior. I walked in the house and Maggie said hey, Blanca. She said I've got to talk to you. I've got something to tell you. And so she said let me make some coffee, and she went, made a pot of coffee. She made me a cup, she made herself a cup, and we went -- she said let's go talk. We went into the hunting room and she closed the door, because Alex was sleeping in the bedroom, which is on the other side of the house, but she closed the door. When Maggie closed the door --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, I would object. Hearsay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Response?
MR. MEADORS: Judge, I think --
MR. MEADORS: Was she anxious about money issues?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Just, a moment --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, I object to --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, I know you objected and --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But he is testifying.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I understand your objection.
MR. MEADORS: Judge, I'm not offering --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, I'm not sure what you're doing. There's an objection to the previous question. The objection is sustained. While entertaining the objection, you cannot pose another question. The objection is sustained.
MR. MEADORS: And I apologize.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir. You may proceed.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, and I hesitate, but there's a matter that needs to be put on the record.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we'll have you go to the jury room. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Please the Court?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir. If everyone will be seated. Yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I objected as to a conversation. We're aware of that conversation, but I objected, knowing where he was going, which was -- and in that same interview, by the way, she gave about the statement where Maggie said she was concerned about money, she also indicated that Maggie was never concerned about money. Either way it's hearsay. He said, before Your Honor ruled, was she concerned about money, or wasn't she concerned about money. He testified, which is to hearsay. I would move for a mistrial. I think it's unduly prejudicial based on the last three weeks we've heard of financial misconduct on the part of the defendant, and I would move for a mistrial. I would move that it's -- for mistrial because I don't think -- even if you give this jury an instruction, you can't un-ring the bell. You can't correct that, and now I've had to draw attention to it even more so by objecting to it. He knew that was wrong. Thank you, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. Mr. Meadors?
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, and for the record, I apologize for that question. I don't even have to say it. I'm sorry.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, we're not here about the apologies.
MR. MEADORS: Judge, under 803 -- and what I should have brought to the Court's attention first, 803.3, we think this would be admissible hearsay exception, then existing mental emotional or physical condition. The statement of the declarant to then exiting state of mind, emotion, sensation, or physical condition. We think it fits under that rule, how she was, and that's all I was going to elicit, that's it. I wasn't -- and hearsay was coming out a little bit. A lot of hearsay has come out in this trial that wasn't objected to, and it just was rolling and I wasn't trying to plan that far away ahead. But I do think, respectfully, it comes in under -- we would like for you to consider under 803.3, Judge. And that's what I should have said before I asked the question, and again for the record say I'm sorry.
JUDGE NEWMAN: 803.3: The following are not excluded by the hearsay rule even though the declarant is available as a witness. A statement of the declarant's then exiting state of mind, emotion, sensation or physical condition, such as intent, plan, motive, design, mental feeling, pain, and bodily health, but not including a statement of memory or belief to prove the fact remembered or believed unless it relates to the execution, revocation, identification, or terms of the declarant's will. Mr. Harpootlian?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Obviously, Your Honor, I don't think that's covered by 803.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Why not?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Well, because it's the declarant's -- maybe we need to ask her exactly what she said before you rule on that. The only testimony we've heard on that point is his.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. We heard a question, then an objection, and then another question while the Court was listening to your objection, so we'll have a proffer of this testimony and see where it's going.
PROFFERED EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Was Maggie Murdaugh anxious, if anything, in the days leading up to the murder that she expressed to you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Please tell the Judge what it was.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She was worried because a lawsuit had been presented stating that they wanted $30 million. Maggie was crying. Maggie said I -- we don't have that kind of money, Blan, and that's what she used to call me. She said we don't have that. She said if I could give them everything that I got and make this go away, she said, I would do it in a heartbeat. I'm not -- she said I'll start over. We'll start over. She said I just want it gone.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Just a moment, we are listening to a proffer. Go ahead.
MR. MEADORS: Would that be the extent -- instead of that long -- would that be, like, money issues that she was worried about?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The money issues dealing with the lawsuit.
END OF PROFFER
MR. MEADORS: And, Your Honor, that's all I was going to offer or ask of the money issues. I wasn't looking to even go into detail of what she said there, that long colloquy.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I don't quite understand how this fits into, first, what you've allowed in under 403, 404, and res gestae.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's not a prior bad act obviously.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. It is her perception, her perception to the lawsuit, you know, for $30 million putting financial stress on her. There's not any -- she's not relating that Alex has any stress on him. He's the one on trial. Her perception that the $30 million would make her -- was concerning her, I mean, she's not accused. That is Maggie Murdaugh is not the defendant here. There's no connecting it to the defendant. I don't understand what -- I mean, not only is it hearsay, it's not relevant to the issues being litigated here. Her state of mind? Her state of mind on financial issues? I don't know how that relates.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything further?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: No, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: We've had testimony elicited by the defense throughout the trial and witnesses portraying the family as loving, a loving and happy marriage. The question posed to Mr. Gibson, I believe it was, and to the other friend of Paul's and Buster's as to whether the family was anxious or seemed to have any concerns or issues going on at the time, and I find that this testimony properly responds to that testimony and the objection is overruled. Anything else?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. Let's take a one minute stretch before the jury comes back.
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: In connection to denying the objection, the motion for a mistrial is also denied. You can bring the jury back.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. The last objection was overruled, and you may proceed.
MR. MEADORS: May it please Your Honor?
CONTINUED DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Ms. Simpson, in the days leading up to the murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, based on your time with her, was Maggie Murdaugh anxious about anything?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She was concerned about the amount of money that they were requesting in the lawsuit. 30 million is what she told me.
MR. MEADORS: Now, we're going to show you what's marked 29 --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Just a moment. You posed a question, there was an objection, the Court overruled the objection. Do you want the witness to answer the question that you posed?
MR. MEADORS: Yes, sir, she had --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, you posed a separate question.
MR. MEADORS: Yes, sir, and I thought she had answered.
MR. MEADORS: You said she was worried about 30 million? Can you explain that more?
JUDGE NEWMAN: No, sir. That wasn't your question --
MR. MEADORS: What was she anxious --
JUDGE NEWMAN: -- that there was an objection to. Do you withdraw the question that you posed --
MR. MEADORS: No, sir --
JUDGE NEWMAN: -- prior to the Court's ruling on the objection?
MR. MEADORS: No, sir, I don't.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Or you forgot the question?
MR. MEADORS: To the world, yes, sir, I'm sorry.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Proceed.
MR. MEADORS: She was -- what was she anxious about?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She said she knew the amount of money that they were asking, but she felt that Alex was not being truthful to her with regard to what exactly was going on with that lawsuit. She said he doesn't tell me everything.
MR. MEADORS: I'm going to now show you what's marked State's 297. Excuse me, entered as 297.
(At this time a video was played.)
MR. MEADORS: Ms. Blanca, had you seen that before?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I think maybe in prior statements or something had you said -- do you remember -- recognize the voices on there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Who do you recognize?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It's Paul, Maggie, Alex.
MR. MEADORS: And previously have you said in a memo or a memorandum or interview that you thought you may have heard another voice?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I did, at a distance.
MR. MEADORS: But having listened to it again -- have you listened to it this week? I mean, it's not -- on TV have you seen it?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I have. There's only three voices: Alex, Maggie, and Paul.
MR. MEADORS: So after hearing it several times, is that your conclusion?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Just a few more questions.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Would Ms. Maggie Murdaugh -- did she go down to the kennels at night by herself?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and you say that emphatically. Why do you know that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She was scared. It got dark out there.
MR. MEADORS: So, would she go down there by herself?
MR. MEADORS: Did she like to go down there when it wasn't dark?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She did.
MR. MEADORS: And did she like playing with the dogs?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She always took the dogs with her.
MR. MEADORS: Which dogs were hers?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Grady and Bubba were always with her.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, when she was at Edisto, where would Grady and Bubba be?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She would -- sometimes she would take both of them, but the majority of the time in the last few months she was alternating. She would take one or not the other.
MR. MEADORS: Can you tell us about the defendant's -- did you ever see him with his cell phone? Alex Murdaugh, did you ever see him use his cell phone?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Can you tell the jury his habits with the cell phone? Would he have it a lot? Did he use it a lot?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, he did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He was always on his phone.
MR. MEADORS: Say that again.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He was always on his phone.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Paul, were you familiar with his habits regarding cell phones?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Not -- the times that he was there at the house, he was always on his phone. If he's go in the shower or whatever, he would play his country music on the phone, but that's the extent that I know from what I observed being there in the house.
MR. MEADORS: When you were -- on June 8th, and you've talked about it and I'm not trying to rehash that, but on June 8th of 2021, when you went to clean up the house, is that pretty much what you saw in the bathroom, the pants and the damp towel?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. There was a rug right as you step out of the shower, and there was, like, a slight puddle of water, a towel, a white towel, and then a pair of khaki pants.
MR. MEADORS: But you didn't see any bloody clothes or anything like that, did you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Beg the Court's indulgence just a few seconds, Judge.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: If I did this, I'm sorry, Judge.
MR. MEADORS: Is the individual in State's 306, is that individual in the courtroom?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And would you please -- is it Alex Murdaugh sitting between Mr. Harpootlian and Mr. Griffin?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Sitting right -- yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And the record is reflecting. Thank you, Judge.
MR. MEADORS: Have you ever, ever, ever seen that blue -- that shirt again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, not to my knowledge.
MR. MEADORS: Have you ever seen these shoes again that he's wearing here?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And you said the Sperry cloth -- you say the Sperry shoes, have you ever seen those again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: That's all. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Cross-examination?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Please the Court, Your Honor?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. HARPOOTLIAN:
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Ma'am, my name is Dick Harpootlian and I represent the man you know as Alex, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I've met you before.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I don't think we've ever met before, have we?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, we have.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: We've met?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, at the house, Maggie's funeral.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Oh, at Maggie's funeral, yes, I apologize. There was a lot of people there that day.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Alex has always referred to you, when people ask who you are, as his friend, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Never called you his housekeeper, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He always, when he introduced you, as his friend.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, you've also, I think in multiple interviews with SLED and other folks, described -- I think that the words were Maggie was his all. Isn't that what you told SLED?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What does that mean, Maggie was his all?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He adored her. He loved her; he adored her.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Worshiped her. I mean, just treated her as somebody he adored, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Exactly, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, I think they also asked you if you ever saw them have any arguments --
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, I did not ask -- objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Restate the question, please.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: SLED asked you if you had ever seen them have any arguments.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I don't quite understand the basis for the objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You restated the question. You may respond.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: What was the question again, sir?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you ever see them have any arguments?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I never saw them have arguments. It was just some minor disagreement because of the remodeling.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And I think you cite specifically they had -- when you said they had arguments about the paint colors, for instance?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: One of them was Maggie was set on getting a certain white and Alex was saying just get whatever white. Basically, you know, he didn't care. She wanted a specific white and he just didn't --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry, but you never saw them have any violent arguments or argue about money or argue about relationships. It was all the minor things that most couples go through, picking paint colors and those kind of things. Is that correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, to some -- they would disagree on -- it wasn't that they disagreed. The only thing that I remember Maggie saying was that she just wanted him to sit still and listen to her for at least 10 minutes at a time because he was always on the go.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Is that an uncommon complaint between husbands and wives or wives to husbands, I want you to just listen to me? Is that right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She just was -- she would get frustrated because of that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. Did you ever tell your husband that, just listen to me? Sit, please?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: All of the time.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, let me talk a little bit about the morning of the 7th --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- and then the morning of the 8th because I understand you left before Paul, Maggie, or -- Alex was on the Moselle property on the 7th, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. We're going to talk about those texts in just a minute between you and Maggie, but you fixed some dinner for them.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And did you set a table or did they have to go get their own plates and put them out?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No. I left the food on the stove.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, and normally the next day, the pots would still be on the stove, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Would they clean up their plates or leave those in the sink, or how would that go?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Sometimes the plates would be in the living room. There was no plates in the living room; they were in the sink.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. When you got there on the morning of the 8th, they were in the sink?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The plates were in the sink. They were not in the living room.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, are you aware of how many people were in there, how many friends, law partners, his sister, who was in the Moselle house on the night of the 7th?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. If I told you there were twelve to fifteen of them, would that surprise you? I mean, Maggie and Paul had just been killed. Was he very close to his law partners?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. His sister, Lynn, do you know Lynn?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I met her at Maggie's -- when Maggie passed.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and would it surprise you to know that --
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, I am going to object.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I was just going to ask her if she knows, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, the objection is sustained. You cannot testify.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'll make it more general than this. Do you know if any one that evening of those people moved the food from the stove top to the refrigerator?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't know.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, let's talk a little bit about the -- the room, the bedroom and -- well, let me ask you this. Let's back off just a little bit. You drove over from his mother and father's house, correct --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- that morning, the 8th, to Moselle, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And instead of coming in your normal way, which would have been the entrance by the kennels where there -- did you see all of the police down there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, I did not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. You drove up to the main entrance that would go straight up to the house where, if you took a right on that road, you could end up back down at the kennels, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: When you came up that, were there police around the house up there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Not around the house.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Did anyone question whether you should go into the house or not?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Was there anybody in the house other than you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, it was me.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, did you find it strange that this was a crime scene --
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I need to hear the question.
MR. MEADORS: I'm sorry.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: The question would be did you find it strange there was no law enforcement present at the house that morning?
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, you may answer the question.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Go ahead.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It wasn't strange because there was law enforcement all over on the kennels side. It wasn't strange that they allowed me to go into the house.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Let me ask you this. Did anybody from SLED show up while you were there that morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I believe there was an officer. I do not recall the officer's --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you remember somebody coming in to search the house while you were there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: There were several agents that came through.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, but -- Okay, but you had been there for awhile before they got there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did they ask you about clothes that you found, or did they ask you about anything that you found out of the ordinary, anything like that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I didn't ask any questions. They didn't ask me. They just went about doing what they were doing.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And where they going from room to room? Were they looking for things under the bed? Do you remember?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: If appeared that that's what they were doing, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, but that was after you got there and picked up the bathroom, picked up the towels?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. I hadn't picked up anything at that point because I was still in shock, and I was still trying to process what had just happened to my friend.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, they would have seen the khaki pants on the floor?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did they go into the bathroom?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I couldn't tell you, sir. The laundry room sits on the other side of the house, and I had to take some time to process what had happened to Maggie and Paul. I didn't -- I know I saw agents that went upstairs to Paul's room. I saw them walking through the house, sir, but I don't know what they took, what they didn't took. All I can tell you is what I saw when I got there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. While they're there or after they left, is that when you went into the bathroom and saw the khaki pants, somebody taking a shower, there was a towel on the floor, and khaki pants on the floor? Was that before or after they left?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So, all of those items would have been -- they would have been there for those folks to see as far as you know?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, let me ask you a couple things and about what you saw. They keep showing you this picture by the tree of Alex, and he appears to have on a khaki pair of pants in that picture, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And, I mean, I'm sure he had a number of different pairs of khaki pants, but were those khaki pants similar to the ones he has on in the picture? Could they be the same ones?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: They could be, but he had several.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, and in terms of somebody had taken a shower, it looked like there was water on the floor?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, did Alex take a number of showers every day? Was he a prolific shower taker?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Not that I'm aware. He would get up in the morning, take a shower, and go to work.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But did he take showers at other times during the day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I wasn't there in the evening hours, so I don't know.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So, it wasn't unusual for, when you got there, to find a towel on the floor and water on the floor for him having taken a shower?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That wasn't unusual.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and I think that when you were asked about a shirt -- and we can pull this if you want to go back to it -- whether there was a shirt there. Also, you said you couldn't remember. Is that correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: With regard to?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Whether there was a shirt with the khakis on the floor, you said I couldn't remember.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I could not remember whether there was a shirt with the khaki pants. All I remember was a white, damp towel sitting there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and the khaki pants?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But you don't remember what -- and I think you told the grand jury I don't remember whether there was a shirt or wasn't a shirt, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And as today you can't tell this jury there wasn't a shirt on the floor, you just can't -- you can tell them you don't remember, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: What was your question?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You can't tell this jury there wasn't a shirt on the floor because you can't remember whether there was a shirt on the floor or not. Isn't that what you told the grand jury?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So, we know there's a pair of khaki pants. There may have been a shirt and those shoes -- well, let me ask you this. You know on the night of the 7th --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- Alex had left, correct? He wasn't there when you got there the next morning.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, he wasn't there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Matter of fact, he never spent another night at Moselle that you --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, he did not.
MR. MEADORS: Objection, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: She knows, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You can answer it if you know whether or not he's ever spent another night at Moselle.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: After the murders, did he ever spend another night at Moselle to your knowledge?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He did not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, when he left that night on the night of the 7th and went to his mother and father's house, you don't know what clothes he took with him, what shoes he was wearing. You have no idea, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And were you aware that SLED had confiscated the clothes that he had on?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: At that moment, I didn't.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Well, you are now.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I do know now.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. A white t-shirt, a pair of shorts that he showed you, and whatever shoes he had on, some sneakers, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I didn't see the sneakers but I saw the clothing items.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and so he had to put on, if they did that, other clothes to go over to his mother's house, correct?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Would it stand to reason he would have to put on other clothes or go in his underwear?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I would assume so, yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Do you know what he wore over to his mother's house?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you know whether he wore those shoes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You don't know. So, did ---
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, objection to -- objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Basis for the objection? To which question?
MR. MEADORS: To that last one, shoes. I don't know what specificity. He says to those shoes. I don't know what he's --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry. The shoes that you say you saw in the Snapchat photo you say you never saw again, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. You don't know whether he wore those shoes the night of the 7th over to his mama's house, do you?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't know that. I wasn't there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You don't know what he wore over there, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That's correct. I wasn't there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He may have even worn that shirt that you saw you never saw again, correct?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Objection is overruled.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, if somebody alleged that those khaki pants was what Alex was wearing the night of --
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, I'm going to object.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I need to hear the question.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I can't finish the question. I'm sorry, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Let me state this. If somebody were to say that Alex Murdaugh, as ridiculous as it sounds, was wearing those khaki pants when he --
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Let me put it this way. Did you see any blood on those khaki pants?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You washed them, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you put anything on them to get blood stains out of them? Would there --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Are you -- did I remove blood stains off of khaki pants?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm asking you rhetorically. I'm asking you. Did you see, see any blood stains?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: There appeared to be no blood stains on those pants.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And in the bathroom, did you see any bloody footprints?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I did not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you see any blood on that towel?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you see anything indicating to you there had been anybody wearing bloody shoes or washing off after, washing blood off, or anything that would indicate that somebody after a murder had gone back to that room, changed clothes, covered in blood, took a shower and changed clothes?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you see anything that would indicate that?
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Go ahead.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: This is the first time that I have ever been in a situation where somebody was murdered.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I didn't know -- as far as what you're asking me, if there was anything bloody in there, no, it did not appear to be anything bloody in there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you clean the shower that day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I rinsed it off.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You rinsed it off. Nobody told you not to rinse off the shower?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And, again, nobody from SLED, as that group went through, asked you, you know did you see bloody footprints? Did you see any evidence that there was blood in that bathroom? Did anybody ask you that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And your testimony is those khaki pants were there after SLED left?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And maybe even a shirt? You can't remember.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. Possibly a t-shirt but I did not see it. I don't remember.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. You don't remember what kind of shirt, if there was a shirt?
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you remember -- and I'm doing like Mr. Meadors now. I forgot the question, but let me see if I can get this back on track. These interruptions are getting me a little askew. So, -- well, I think you've already asked and answered that. Now, let's talk a little bit about -- let me talk a little bit about the cell phone service in Moselle. You had a cell phone?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And the servicer was who? Was it Verizon?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The cell phone carrier was Verizon, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and so did you ever have any trouble getting a signal anywhere on the Moselle property up at the house, down at the dog kennels? Was it sporadic?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, it was.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and sometimes you would be talking to somebody and they would drop off, or you -- the call would end not because you ended it but because the service was bad?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. If you were moving around in the house, in certain areas you could not get a signal.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What about down from the kennels?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It was touch and go at the kennels. You really -- once you got a signal, you better stay where you were at because if you moved, you were going to lose your signal.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So, it was not unusual at the kennels if you did move that if you were having a conversation, or getting texts, or trying to answer a text, you wouldn't be able to do so?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Like I said, it depends on where -- you kind of knew the areas. At least for me, I already knew that if I had to make a call or send a text, I would walk out the kitchen door straight to the edge of the corner right there on the porch and make my call and not move. If not, I would lose a call, or I would not be able to make my call.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What about at the kennels?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: At the kennels, like I said, it depends on the area where you were at. And once -- basically everybody, we all kind of knew that if you moved out of a certain area and went to another, you were going to lose signal.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, if the kennels -- do you know what area you could get a -- keep that -- I mean, was there -- you just talked up at the house was a sweet spot, if you'll pardon my --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Was there a sweet spot down it the kennel, or do you know?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I'm not sure at the kennels, but I do remember Mr. C.B. saying that the signal out there was horrible for making calls or getting calls.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: For sending texts or getting texts?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Exactly, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, let me talk to you a little bit about this conversation in August of '21 after the murders.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Mr. -- Alex came over and was inquiring of you what shirt he had on that day, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: It didn't feel like he was inquiring. It felt more like he was trying to convince me of the shirt that he was wearing.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did he tell you that he'd just finished --
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry, I'm just asking if he told you something.
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's cross-examination.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, I'm objecting to hearsay for the record.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I need to hear the question, number one, and two, it's cross-examination. Go ahead.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did he tell you that he just finished --
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- meeting --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you want me to pose the question, Your Honor, or not?
JUDGE NEWMAN: No. I'm going to send the jury to the jury room. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Everyone will be seated. Okay, what's the question?
MR. WATERS: One second, Your Honor, while I get back on track.
PROFFERED EXAMINATION
BY MR. WATERS:
MR. WATERS: When you were talking with him in the little house in August, as we were talking about a moment ago, and he was talking about the shirt, did he tell you that he had just been interviewed by SLED, who'd shown him the Snapchat photo, and he was attempting to figure out what he was wearing that day? I mean, it's in a photo. Did he tell you that?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Tell you -- what is the specific question?
MR. WATERS: Did he in the -- when he asked you the question about the shirt, did he tell you he'd just come from being interviewed by SLED?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, he didn't tell me that.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Just a moment. And what is the objection?
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, respectfully, it's hearsay. The statement, it's hearsay that -- if he wants to do that, he can take the stand and do it, but he's trying to offer the defendant's statement without him taking the stand. It's offered for the truth of matter asserted. That's my objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, and your response?
MR. MEADORS: My response is if you can't ask witnesses about what the defendant said to them, they're going to have a rough, rough, rough row to hoe going forward because it's a statement by the party. It's a party opponent, if you will. I think they argued earlier on when we objected to one. It is not hearsay. There's an exception to hearsay by a statement by one of the parties. It's Alex.
JUDGE NEWMAN: A statement by the party opponent being the statement by the party opponent, the defendant?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: It would be Mr. Murdaugh's statement to this woman.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir, Mr. Meadors?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, not that this matters. I've been doing this thirty-five years. He's on trial.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, we know that.
MR. MEADORS: But I'm just saying it's not a party opponent. He's trying to get in a statement from the defendant, statements against interest that the State -- there is a difference between the State asking what the defendant said and the defense. And if they hadn't objected to some they thought, that's their prerogative. But they're trying to offer the defendant's statement in evidence without him taking the stand, and I respectfully think that's objectable. It's hearsay. He's the defendant on trial. They're offering it for -- it's self-serving hearsay. They're offering if for the truth of the matter asserted, and I respectfully think he's got to stand -- take the stand to get that information in.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, maybe I can makes sense of it here?
MR. WATERS: What would your answer to that question be, ma'am? Did he tell you about talking to SLED that day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, he did not.
MR. WATERS: Okay.
END OF PROFFER
MR. MEADORS: And, Your Honor, 801(d)(2) allows us to ask the question and not the defense.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I don't understand what the self- serving issue is. She just said he didn't say anything about SLED.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, he can get his whole case through witnesses and he wouldn't have to take the stand, and --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Absolutely.
MR. MEADORS: -- and that's not appropriate.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He's got a Fifth Amendment right to not take the stand.
MR. MEADORS: That's right but you can't --
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. We'll take a break and let you all debate the issue between the two of you --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I apologize.
JUDGE NEWMAN: -- and I'll rule when I get back.
(A break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained. It's hearsay. If you would bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. Thank you. The objection is sustained. Next question.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Please the Court, Your Honor?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
CONTINUED CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. HARPOOTLIAN:
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So this conversation occurred, I think, did you say prior to them going on a golf tournament, going to a golf tournament?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. He said Randy had just dropped him off so that he could get him clothes because they were -- him and Buster and Randy were going golfing.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Him and Buster and who?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Randy, okay, were going to a golf tournament that weekend?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't know if it was a golf tournament or what, but I know he said they were going away. They were going golfing.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and speaking of Buster, can you point Buster out in the audience for me, please?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Buster, are you back there? Yeah, I'm sorry. Stand up, please.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Right there, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Is that Buster?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, that is Buster.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Y'all have always had a great relationship, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. He's a good kid.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He's a good kid.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He's a good kid. Okay. So, one of the other questions I have is did you ever see Paul with any guns?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry, and did he have guns around all the time?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, he did.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Matter of fact, there were guns all over that place, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In the vehicles, on the go-carts, sometimes in the hangar.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, did Paul ever leave guns just where -- if he was, for instance, down at the hangar, would he ever leave guns down there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I have found one occasionally out there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: A pistol or rifle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: A rifle.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you know what kind it was?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And do you know if he ever left any down in the feed room?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Not in the feed room. I'm not sure about the feed room.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You never saw anything in the feed room?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I believe in one of your statements I read that sometimes he would leave them somewhere, and actually there would be rust on the rifle or the shotgun or whatever.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: If he left it on the golf cart outside. He would sometimes leave it laying across, and I would get it in the morning and already the dew would -- it would rust off.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And that would be a golf cart he would drive down to the kennels, for instance?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, whichever one he was in. He preferred the gas -- the gas one is usually where I used to find them.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: The gas golf cart?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Golf cart, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And so that would be a way he would get down to the kennels sometimes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Sometimes. A majority of the time he was either in Dolly or in his own truck.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: In what?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What is Dolly?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The F-250.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I forgot y'all name all of the trucks, or they named all of their trucks, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So, most of the time he would be in a truck, but sometimes he would take the golf cart, if you will, down there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And apparently sometimes he had guns in the golf cart.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, let me touch a couple of other things. Did -- that day you saw the SLED folks in there, did you see them taking any pictures, or do you remember?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I believe some of them were taking pictures, but I'm not positive.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. You were shown a picture of a rain jacket?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, I was.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and have you ever seen that rain jacket at the house?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Not at Moselle, no, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Have you ever -- and what size clothes did Alex wear?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: 2XL, not just a large. Would anything -- a large fit him?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't think he had -- he might have had one or two items that were that size, but most of the clothing was 2XL.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: 2XL.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: How about would you put Exhibit number --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: 87?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes, please. And blow it up for me, please. Okay. How about making that bigger for me, please. No, not the rain jacket, I'm sorry, the Snapchat picture. Wait one second.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you see that rain jacket on there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You've never seen that -- according to your statement, you had never seen that at Moselle.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I have never seen that jacket.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and you knew pretty much everything -- every piece of clothing that was there, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: For the most part, yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes. Okay, and how many rain jackets did Alex have? Do you remember?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Too many to count.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Too many to count. Okay, but none of them looked like that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: How about blow that up for me, please? Can you make it any better? Closer? Yeah, that's good right there.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And that shirt is -- is that the one he was wearing that morning when he left?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir, it was not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: It's not?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. That was not the shirt he was wearing.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And this is at 7 -- you understand this is at 7:40 p.m. that evening when he was out with Paul?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I wasn't there then.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, but that's not the shirt he was wearing when he left that morning.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That's correct. That was not the shirt.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Beg the Court's indulgence one moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You were aware he had clothes at his office, kept clothes at his office?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, among other places.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Where else would he leave -- have the --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He would have them in the car?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Where else?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In Edisto.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In Edisto.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: In Edisto? Okay, but if he was in the Moselle area, if he was going to change his shirt from in the morning, would he have changed at the office or get something out of his car?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You don't know?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't know.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, let me show you Defendant's Exhibit 107.
MR. MEADORS: No objection to 107.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Can you tell the jury what that is, please?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The text messages from me and Maggie.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and this is on June 7, 2021, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And the first one -- I'm just going to try and hurry this up a little bit. She asked you --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Pull the mic down. Be sure to speak into the mic.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: She says: Will you stop by -- This is at 7:05 a.m. Stop by the store and get Alex Capri Suns? He likes orange and pineapple flavor, plus Mountain Cooler. Thank you. I'll pay you back. You say: I will. She says: Thank you. Get two boxes. Now after that conversation, there's a text at 3:28 p.m. Blanca: Dinner is on the stove, just left. So, you left there at about 3:30, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes. I sent the text before I actually walked out of the house. I had a habit of sending her the text, make sure of everything, and then locked up before I left.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: But at that time, I had gone upstairs to drop off some clothes, and I noticed that Paul's truck, or a white truck, was sitting at the kennels, so I left the front door unlocked at that time instead of locking it.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But you didn't see Alex anywhere there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. You didn't see his vehicle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and she says at 3:40: Thank you. Right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Then at 3:54 you said: You're welcome. I just made your deposit. Maggie then says -- I guess this is one exchange: Thank you. I'm waiting at the doctor. Alex wants me to come home. I had to leave the door open at Edisto but trust the Mexicans to shut and lock it for me.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And then she says: Alex's dad back at the hospital. The last doctor claims not cancer, pneumonia. Alex is about to die. Hope he doesn't go down there to sleep. Do you know what she meant by that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: What she meant, when she used to -- Maggie used to get frustrated. She said that every time something happened at Almeda with his dad or his mom, that Alex would get called and nobody else, that they always called Alex to go to the house. And she did get upset over that, that the family was basically putting all of that on Alex and he wasn't getting enough rest.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So when she said he's going to die, she's worried about his health?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She was worried about his health, yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and she says: Alex needs to take care of himself as well. And that's consistent with what you just said, correct? She was worried about his health.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And you said: Yes, he does. He told me he was tired when he left. I hope they can treat Mr. Randolph. Maggie says: I'm scared for him and Alex and all of us. What do you mean by that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Alex hadn't had much sleep. They -- that was her main concern was the fact that -- her main frustration was the fact in the middle of the night or whenever, you know, if Mr. Randolph or Ms. Libby were uncomfortable, that they would always -- she seemed to think that they always called Alex and there goes Alex, you know, to take care of it, and she felt that it wasn't fair that he was the only one having to take them.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And your response to that is: I know. Just pray about it and hope he gets a little better. Is that what you said?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and you say: Alex and you really need to relax. Always being on the go with little or no sleep is not healthy. Remember I have a doctor's appointment in the morning in Beaufort. If I get done early, I'll go to Moselle. I'll let you know." And she says: No worries. Right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now -- oh, you've got the exhibit. I'll take that from you and hand it to -- so, she preferred to be in Edisto, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But she was going on that day, based on your -- all of your texts, she was going because Mr. Randolph had been put back in the hospital and she was worried about Alex, right? I mean, she was heading to Moselle. She preferred to be in Edisto, but she was heading to Moselle because Mr. Randolph had been put back in the hospital and she was concerned about Alex. Isn't that what this says?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. She indicated to you that Paul was coming in your telephone conversations, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And did she indicate in your telephone conversations that she needed dinner for her, Paul, and Alex, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, she did.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And did she indicate in any way that she did not want to go to Moselle to have dinner with Alex and Paul that night?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Her conversation with me was that Alex wanted her to go to Moselle that day, and she was concerned about the workers that she had in Edisto, and she would have preferred to be in Edisto taking care of the final details.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But for Mr. Randolph's condition.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: She was concerned about the work being done and leaving the house open in Edisto.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: She wasn't concerned about Mr. Randolph?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I mean, she was, but her concern -- more concern was that her house was open.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, I mean, she preferred to be at Edisto in the summertime as opposed to Moselle at all, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, let me ask you. Did SLED ask you about the -- at any point about the clothes that Alex was wearing on the 7th? At some point, did they ask you that?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Not until recently.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Recently, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And is it clear to you -- I mean, you've been asked recently to recollect something that happened in June of '21, which is almost two years ago. Did they ask you other questions about what happened on June 7th when they asked you about the clothes?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: They asked me where I was. They asked me what I was doing. They asked me when I saw Alex leaving that day, my discussions with Maggie. They requested to see my phone, which I gave them, so they could see the text messages and phone calls that we had had.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. You and Maggie were very close.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: We were.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: You and Alex were close, also, were you not?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And do you feel like a member of the family?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Had you ever heard from anybody about anything -- well, strike that. Did you indicate that Maggie -- one of the things Maggie told you was she was not -- after the boat case, she was not being treated very well by people in Hampton, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: They shunned her, they were rude to her, those kinds of things.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did she also indicate to you that she was concerned about Paul because he'd received a bunch of threats?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did she ever indicate to you she was concerned about Paul because Paul had received threats?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, I apologize. I move 107 into evidence.
MR. MEADORS: Is it up there?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I gave it to the clerk.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any objection?
MR. MEADORS: Oh, I think I've already said no objection. I apologize.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Admitted without objection.
(PHOTOGRAPH OF TEXT MESSAGE MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 107 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE. LATER WITHDRAWN.)
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That same morning of the 8th, did you clean the gun room?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I didn't go in the gun room. I went -- I went in there but I didn't do anything in the gun room.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Didn't pick anything up?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and when you went into the kitchen that morning, was there anything that would indicate to you that other people had been there the night before, like glasses or bottles of water or anything?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any redirect?
MR. MEADORS: May it please the court?
REDIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Ms. Blanca, Mr. Harpootlian -- I've just got a couple of questions. Mr. Harpootlian asked you about the clothes in the closet on June 8, 2021. Do you remember?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And he asked you if there could have been another shirt in the room.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and was your response maybe a t-shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did you see another dress shirt there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and while we're getting to that, did you work at Almeda?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you ever go there?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No. I had been there on one occasion previously, and I don't remember what I had to drop off.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Well, that blue poncho rain jacket Mr. Harpootlian showed you, that was at Almeda, wasn't it? Or do you know?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't know where that came from.
MR. MEADORS: But you never saw that at Moselle, correct?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and State's 7 -- well, first of all, this is State's 306. Have you ever seen that shirt again since you went back the 8th, the 9th until today? Have you ever seen that shirt again?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: No, sir. As I moved all -- a lot of the belongings to the little house, he had packed some of clothes up over the weekends and stuff when they were going from place to place. I noticed that he was purchasing different clothing items: shorts, shirts. So, there was a couple of new ones in there, which still was not that shirt. It was a lot of -- some of the newer ones.
MR. MEADORS: Who was purchasing a lot of shorts and shirts?
MR. MEADORS: After this event? After the murders?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. On the weekends when they were gone with the family and he was going different places, he would come back, like, that Monday or Tuesday, and it was, like, new items within the clothes.
MR. MEADORS: New shirts?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: New shirts.
MR. MEADORS: New shorts?
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Do you know what kind?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Vinny Vines.
MR. MEADORS: After the murders?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. They were, like, polo type Vineyard Vines.
MR. MEADORS: And what shirt had he suggested to you he was wearing in August on this day? What shirt had he suggested to you he was wearing?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Vineyard Vines. Vinny Vines is what he called them.
MR. MEADORS: And State's 7, you said you recognize these shorts and shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Where was this shirt kept on State's 107 in Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: In the closet if there was no room in that drawer.
MR. MEADORS: On the shelves?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, on the shelf.
MR. MEADORS: And looking at 306, is that outfit different from this outfit?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. MEADORS: And I think Mr. Harpootlian showed you 107. Whose idea was it for Maggie Murdaugh to come to Moselle on the evening of June 7th?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You can testify if you know.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, hearsay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You can testify if you know.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Maggie texted me that Alex wanted her to come to Moselle.
MR. MEADORS: And is that on 107 that Mr. Harpootlian just put in?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. MEADORS: That's all. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything further?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Just a couple of questions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
RECROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. HARPOOTLIAN:
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, just a couple of questions. After Maggie's death and Paul's death, did you notice he was losing weight?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, he was.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Dramatic loss of weight, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, the clothes he -- I mean, we can see him in that picture. He's a -- fat is the wrong word, but overweight kind of guy. Big guy, fleshy looking guy right there, okay? Now, the -- so, he needed to buy new clothes because the other clothes are falling off of him, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I assume so, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes. So, it wouldn't be unusual for him to need to buy new clothes because he was losing weight.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I guess.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, this is 306. This is a picture, and you say this is a shirt like a Columbia shirt, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, a Columbia shirt, don't they a logo that says Columbia?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, near the sleeve or --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you see one on here?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: I don't see anything on the shirt. The style of shirt is the Columbia style shirt.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But that's not a -- you're not saying it was a brand name Columbia shirt. You're saying it was a Columbia style shirt?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and your testimony, again, is this is not the shirt he walked out with that morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: He did not walk out with that shirt that morning.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But those could be the khakis he walked out with that morning?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Possibly, yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And when you say you never saw that shirt again, you did see those khakis again, did you not?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir. I washed those khakis. They were in the bathroom. I'm assuming it was the same pair because he only had a few that he wore.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: All right. Okay, and in addition, your testimony would be that the only -- well, I guess you're saying that morning he didn't have that shirt on but he had those pants on.
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Could possibly have those pants. He had several.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Would you scroll down to the footwear, please?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Those are loafers, right?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And what do they seem to be made out of?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Like soft leather.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, your testimony is that he -- those were shoes he only wore around the house. He had, like, house slippers?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Usually when Alex would go outside, he had them Georgia boots that he would wear or the duck boots, and those would be left by the front door when I would walk in the door the next morning.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: In June it was pretty hot down there in Moselle?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir, but those were his go-to shoes when he would go outside or mess around, like he said, with Paul that day.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What kind of shoes was he wearing when he went to work that day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: The dress shoes, a pair of brown leather.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Now, when were you first asked about what he was wearing that day?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: A couple of -- maybe a couple of days, when they interviewed me.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: When they interviewed you the first time --
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- they asked you what had he on?
BLANCA TURRUBIATE-SIMPSON: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may step down.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, we'll break for lunch and resume at 2:15. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
(A lunch break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Are y'all ready for the jury?
MR. WATERS: The State is ready, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes, Your Honor. I'm sorry.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.