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Alex Murdaugh— Case Archive
2023 Murder Trialtrial-daytrial-dayCreighton Watersclosing_argumentDay 25 - March 1, 2023Creighton Waters presented the State's closing argument, emphasizing motive, the kennel video, digital timelines, recorded interviews, and disputed forensic theories before requesting guilty verdicts. A later in-camera hearing remained sealed.
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Day 25 - March 1, 2023

State Delivers Closing Argument; In-Camera Hearing Remains Sealed

Judge Clifton B. Newman
1Proceedings
1Pages
0Witnesses
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Day 25 of 27
Appearing:
Creighton Waters

Creighton Waters presented the State's closing argument, emphasizing motive, the kennel video, digital timelines, recorded interviews, and disputed forensic theories before requesting guilty verdicts. A later in-camera hearing remained sealed.

Full day summary

Creighton Waters delivered the State's closing argument after the judge told jurors that the testimony and evidence were complete. Waters argued that financial, professional, family, and addiction-related pressures supplied a motive and that family weapons, the kennel video, phone and vehicle data, recorded interviews, and Murdaugh's later conduct established means, opportunity, and identity. He contended that the kennel video disproved Murdaugh's earlier account, characterized subsequent calls and travel as parts of a manufactured alibi, and disputed defense theories concerning the wounds, shooter height, and the possibility of two shooters. Waters acknowledged that the case was circumstantial and asked for guilty verdicts on the murder and firearm-possession charges. An in-camera hearing followed, but its transcript was withheld under seal; the available record discloses no arguments, statements, or ruling from that hearing.

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2. Closing Arguments - Prosecution

The jury returned for the start of closing arguments after the judge announced that the evidence and scene visit were complete. Creighton Waters presented the State's case against Alex Murdaugh and requested guilty verdicts before a sealed in-camera hearing followed.

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Procedural
Opening Court Proceedings

The jury returned, and the judge marked the close of the evidence before calling on the State to begin closing arguments.

Closing
Closing Argument - Creighton WatersCreighton Waters
90 lines

Waters tied the State's financial-motive theory to the kennel video, digital timeline, family firearms, forensic evidence, and Alex Murdaugh's changing accounts, then asked the jury to return guilty verdicts.

Procedural
In-camera Hearing

The transcript of an in-camera hearing was withheld under seal, leaving its substance unavailable in the public record.

Highlights

Closing Argument - Creighton WatersotherWaters opened with the State's theory that mounting financial, professional, family, and addiction-related pressures supplied motive, while the timeline, family weapons, opportunity, and later conduct identified Alex Murdaugh as the killer.Closing Argument - Creighton Waters“The defendant was the one person who was living a lie.”— Creighton WatersThis phrase framed the State's motive and credibility theory: Waters argued that Alex Murdaugh's outward status concealed financial misconduct and pressures that were converging in June 2021.Closing Argument - Creighton Watersevidence eventUsing the kennel video and compiled phone-and-vehicle timeline, Waters argued that Alex was with Maggie and Paul shortly before their phones ceased meaningful activity and then began making calls and traveling as part of a manufactured alibi.Closing Argument - Creighton Waters“And why did it change everything? Opportunity. Being at the scene of the crime when the murders occurred.”— Creighton WatersWaters identified the kennel video as the central evidence placing Alex with Maggie and Paul shortly before the State's asserted time of the killings.Closing Argument - Creighton Watersevidence eventWaters played portions of Alex Murdaugh's recorded interviews and contrasted them with his trial admission that he had been at the kennels, arguing that the recordings showed repeated and readily delivered false accounts.Closing Argument - Creighton WatersotherWaters compared the State and defense forensic reconstructions, relying on Ellen Riemer's and Kenneth Kinsey's testimony while disputing the defense theories concerning a contact wound, shooter height, and two shooters.Closing Argument - Creighton Watersemotional momentWaters closed by tying motive, means, opportunity, and asserted guilty conduct together, invoking Maggie and Paul as victims unable to speak and asking for guilty verdicts on the murder and firearm-possession charges.In-camera Hearingprocedural actionThe public record notes that the in-camera hearing transcript was withheld under seal from reporter page 5669:4 through 5737:13.
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