Skip to content
Alex Murdaugh— Case Archive
State of South Carolina v. Richard Alexander MurdaughCase Nos. 2022-GS-15-00592–00595

Alex Murdaugh murder retrial

The South Carolina Supreme Court set aside the 2023 murder convictions and ordered a new trial. Trial is scheduled for April 5, 2027, before Judge Debra R. McCaslin in Sumter County. The retrial has not begun, and no retrial transcript exists.

Scheduled start
April 5, 2027
Next hearing
November 13, 2026 · Lexington County Courthouse
Judge
Debra R. McCaslin
Venue
Sumter County

Since the Supreme Court decision

Recent retrial developments

Full case timeline
  1. Ruling

    Court allows defense DNA testing, denies broad ballistics review

    At a pretrial hearing in Lexington County, Judge McCaslin allowed the defense to conduct its own Y-STR testing of the remaining unidentified male DNA from Maggie Murdaugh's fingernails and phone; defense counsel said the testing would take about 90 days. She denied the defense request to compare .300 Blackout casings from shootings in eight surrounding counties, calling it a fishing expedition, and told both sides to resolve discovery disputes without further motions to compel. She said the defense would receive the FARO crime-scene scan by the following Monday and raw ballistics data for its expert, set an October 30 deadline for further motions with responses due November 6, and scheduled a pretrial conference for January 20, 2027 in Sumter County. The April 5, 2027 trial date remains in place.

    Judge allows defense DNA testing and rejects broad ballistics review Judge rules on DNA testing and ballistics, sets next hearing Live courtroom coverage of the October 16 pretrial hearing Transcript of the October 16 pretrial hearing Judge sets limits as defense and prosecutors argue over DNA and ballistics evidence
  2. Motion

    Defense replies on testing and disclosure

    The defense filed four replies seeking permission for further DNA testing, independent microscopic ballistics comparisons, production deadlines for laboratory files and original FARO scans, and disclosure of investigative records concerning the alleged disposal of the murder weapons. It also asked the judge to privately review grand jury testimony before deciding what must be disclosed.

    Defense replies on FARO scans, ballistics, DNA and missing-weapons disclosure Defense replies seek testing and disclosure deadlines
  3. Motion

    State responds to discovery requests

    Prosecutors offered additional DNA analysis files and original FARO crime-scene scans, while opposing the requested .300 Blackout comparisons and seeking further information before DNA testing that could consume remaining samples. FITSNews reported that the State invoked grand jury secrecy in its response to the missing-weapons disclosure motion.

    State response to defense motion to compel DNA evidence State response to defense motion to compel raw FARO data State opposition to defense motion for ballistics comparisons State responses on DNA, ballistics, scans and missing-weapons records
  4. Retrial

    Court schedules urgent evidentiary hearing

    Judge McCaslin scheduled an in-person hearing on urgent evidence issues for October 16 at the Lexington Courthouse and ordered the State to respond by noon October 8. Defense counsel said the hearing would address DNA, cellphone extraction, ballistics and FARO scan data. Other motions remain scheduled for November 13.

    Judge schedules urgent evidentiary hearing and State response deadline
  5. Motion
  6. Motion
  7. Motion
  8. Retrial
  9. Retrial
  10. Ruling
  11. Retrial
  12. Retrial

    Judge McCaslin assigned to the retrial

    The Chief Justice vested Judge Debra R. McCaslin with exclusive jurisdiction over the indictments, including any future retrial and related motions.

    Order assigning Judge Debra R. McCaslin
  13. Appeal

    Remittitur sent to the circuit court

    The appellate docket records the remittitur, returning jurisdiction to the circuit court after the Supreme Court's decision.

    Appellate Case 2023-000392
  14. Appeal

Primary records and reporting

Source documents

Court OpinionOpinion No. 28329, State v. MurdaughSupreme Court of South Carolina · May 13, 2026Court OrderOrder assigning Judge Debra R. McCaslinSupreme Court of South Carolina · June 8, 2026Court DocketAppellate Case 2023-000392South Carolina Judicial Branch · May 29, 2026Prosecutor StatementAttorney General announces intent to retry the murder chargesSouth Carolina Attorney General · May 13, 2026News ReportJudge moves retrial out of Colleton CountyAssociated Press · August 14, 2026News ReportJudge rules on venue, prior testimony, and fingernail DNA testingWTOC · August 14, 2026News ReportMurdaugh defense recommends Richland County for the retrialWIS · August 17, 2026Court OrderOrder granting defendant's motion to transfer venueCourt of General Sessions, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit · September 8, 2026News ReportMurdaugh retrial to take place in Sumter CountyWRDW · September 8, 2026Court FilingDefense motion to compel DNA, ballistics, and FARO scan dataCourt of General Sessions · September 18, 2026News ReportMurdaugh attorneys request further evidence ahead of Sumter retrialWIS · September 18, 2026News ReportDefense requests cellphone files for independent examinationWIS · September 28, 2026News ReportDefense seeks records concerning alleged handling of missing evidenceWIS / WBTV · September 30, 2026News ReportJudge schedules urgent evidentiary hearing and State response deadlineWIS · October 2, 2026Court FilingState response to defense motion to compel DNA evidenceCourt of General Sessions · October 8, 2026Court FilingState response to defense motion to compel raw FARO dataCourt of General Sessions · October 8, 2026Court FilingState opposition to defense motion for ballistics comparisonsCourt of General Sessions · October 8, 2026News ReportState responses on DNA, ballistics, scans and missing-weapons recordsFITSNews · October 8, 2026Court FilingDefense replies on FARO scans, ballistics, DNA and missing-weapons disclosureCourt of General Sessions · October 9, 2026News ReportDefense replies seek testing and disclosure deadlinesFITSNews · October 9, 2026News ReportJudge allows defense DNA testing and rejects broad ballistics reviewAssociated Press · October 16, 2026News ReportJudge rules on DNA testing and ballistics, sets next hearingPeople · October 16, 2026News ReportLive courtroom coverage of the October 16 pretrial hearingFITSNews · October 16, 2026Hearing TranscriptTranscript of the October 16 pretrial hearingRev · October 18, 2026News ReportJudge sets limits as defense and prosecutors argue over DNA and ballistics evidenceWIS · October 16, 2026