Brian Varnadoe

Brian Varnadoe testified that he responded through the dog-kennel entrance at Moselle and, at Captain Jason Chapman's direction, collected gunshot-residue samples from Alex Murdaugh's hands. He demonstrated the collection method, authenticated the collection and chain-of-custody forms, and placed the sampling at 11:15 p.m. He said the form's reported 10:00 p.m. shooting time came from others at the scene, more likely his supervisor.

Varnadoe recalled that Murdaugh understood the procedure, consented, and cooperated. He observed no apparent alcohol impairment, blood, or debris on Murdaugh's hands and remembered them as clean. He also recalled that Murdaugh appeared shaken and that a white T-shirt did not look dirty or visibly bloody to his naked eye, while qualifying his recollection about other clothing and whether Murdaugh's hands were shaking.

Cross-examination established the limits of Varnadoe's work. He sampled the hands but did not sample other body areas, collect the clothing, or conduct the laboratory testing. After learning that Murdaugh reportedly retrieved a shotgun following the 911 call, Varnadoe agreed only that residue could transfer from a gun to a person's hands. He also did not know when an admitted aerial photograph was taken and acknowledged that it omitted pine trees then present at the property.