As we approach the final chapter of Alex Murdaugh in Murdaugh Murders: The Movie – Part 2, the truth finally prevails. In the first part, we have seen how Alex Murdaugh used to tamper with his clients’ insurance and fund his own expenses through that. Nothing else mattered to him more than his personal goals and lavish lifestyle. This practice leads to the ultimate tragedy that befalls the legacy of the Murdaugh family. Alex’s wife and son are brutally killed. But who is the killer? Let’s delve into the plot to find out. Spoilers Ahead!
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie – Part 2 (2023) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
In the climax of Part 1, we see Alex calling 911 as he reports the killings of Margaret and Paul. The police arrive, and the investigating officer becomes suspicious upon seeing a 12-gauge rifle with Alex. When he asks Alex about it, he says that seeing his wife and son in such a condition forced him to bring the weapon. The detectives arrive at the spot and start questioning Alex about what has happened. Alex repeatedly mentions the threats Paul was getting. Since Alex has somehow managed to keep Paul out of jail for a while on the charge of killing Mallory, the people in the town do not like that. They mocked Paul every chance they got, even punching him in the face occasionally. Alex mentioned this before the detectives, and they start their investigation.
What does Agent Carter find odd about Alex?
When Agent Carter first interacts with Alex, she finds out that there isn’t enough mud or blood. According to Alex, he was at the crime scene for a long period, and the crime scene was flooded with mud and blood. He also said that he touched their bodies. However, his shoes and hands tell a completely different story. Agent Carter sees that his hands don’t have much blood, and his shoes are clean as well. She suspects that Alex is trying to cover up something.
Since they do not have enough evidence to file a case against Alex, they have to let him go. Carter also informs her superior that Alex has been crying for a long time, but there are no shades of tears. It was all empty grief, as it seemed to her. Even her superior suspects that maybe Alex changed his clothes; however, between the time he called 911 and the first deputy arrived, it seemed a bit of an impossible task. But anyway, since Alex is not a suspect, the police let him go.
How do things start to fall apart for Alex?
As time progresses, Alex faces multiple catastrophes. His father dies soon after the death of his wife and son. Later, the FBI start investigating the insurance fraud case. Even his mother’s caretaker, Shelly Smith, suspects Alex. Why? Well, one day, Alex comes to his mother’s home with a blue raincoat, the same raincoat that the shooter wore at the time of killing Paul and Margaret. Shelly doesn’t know about it, though. But Alex asks her to lie about something. He tells her that if anybody asks, she should say that Alex was with his mother for more than 40 minutes on the night of June 7, the night when Paul and Margaret were killed.
Shelly hesitates about the proposition. However, the very next moment, Alex shows his interest in funding Shelly’s marriage – a bribe Alex often offers to people to get what he wants. The hard times do not seem to end for Alex as the dealer punches him for not paying the due. Alex goes to Lindsey Edwards, his secret lover. The last time Alex met Lindsey, he was on opioids and could not control himself from being violent with her. She remembers that, so this time, Alex was not welcomed. Frustrated, Alex calls Curtis Edward Smith and tasks him with a job.
How does Alex plan to escape from the facade?
Alex waits across the highway, and a car arrives. Alex waves his hand, and the car doesn’t seem to drop its speed. Suddenly, when the car comes near him, the driver, Curtis Edward Smith, pulls out a revolver and shoots him. The bullet just misses Alex’s head, injuring a portion of his skull. Alex struggles on the road as he calls for help by dialing 911. The FBI agent comes to the hospital and sees the bruises on Alex’s belly. He gets suspicious about it and starts investigating Alex’s background. Later, Alex arranges a press conference and admits he has had some medically approved drug issues. He had to tamper with his clients’ insurance money to overcome the issues. He apologizes to everyone and says that he will be spending his time in a rehabilitation center.
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie – Part 2 (2023) Ending Explained:
Who is the culprit behind the Murdaugh Murders?
A still from Murdaugh Murders: The Movie – Part 2The detectives begin to gather more and more information about Alex. They find out about his drug usage and financial fraud and even get hold of Curtis Edward Smith. He tells the detectives that Alex calls him, and when he arrives at the spot, he finds out that Alex is about to shoot himself with a revolver. He tried to stop him, and a bullet went off in that situation, leaving Alex injured. Curtis gets confused about the magnitude of the situation, so he leaves with the gun, throwing it away.
The detectives now have enough evidence to put Alex behind bars, at least on the charge of tampering with insurance money. Soon, they have Lindsey Edwards’ statement as well about domestic violence. The detectives start showing the record of the million dollars that has been transferred to his own account rather than the victims’ families. The detectives now open up Gloria’s case as well since they think the death was mysterious, as even her insurance money was sent to Alex’s account, not to her son’s.
What is Alex’s excuse?
Alex repeatedly tells his lawyer that SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Department) has somehow manipulated the evidence and is trying to portray him as the killer. He explains to the judge that he was with his mother at the time of the killing as he received an urgent call about her illness. He thinks he has the perfect alibi, and once he talks to the jury, they can understand the truth behind this mess.
Alex’s lawyer points out the fact that he has done nothing but protect Paul from the time of the boat incident. He has exhausted all of his resources just to save Paul from going to jail. If he was to kill Paul, why would he go to such an extent in the first place? Also, Alex’s love for his wife is expressed through the emotional establishment, which leads the jury to believe in his innocence for a while. But, the upcoming testimonies and evidence are going to put the final nail in the coffin for Alex. There is no escape after this.
What is the final evidence that goes against Alex Murdaugh?
The raincoat collected from Alex’s mother’s house is one of the most crucial pieces of evidence that the SLED is able to collect. The forensics have presented the report that shows the raincoat contains gun residue. Agent Carter also clarifies to the court that the night Alex said he checked Margaret and Paul’s pulses, which is a lie since there should have been a lot of blood on his hands.
But when the detectives found him, he looked very neat to them, considering the situation he was in. Even Shelly testifies against Alex, saying that she saw him with the raincoat. She also says that Alex asked her to lie about staying with his mother longer than he originally stayed. However, all of this would have been circumstantial until the final piece of evidence was shown by the SLED. It’s as if the dead themselves come up with the answer and point out the killer in front of the judge.
The SLED recovers Paul’s phone, and they find a video of that night. That video has Alex’s voice in it, and it is shot moments before Paul is murdered. The only alibi that Alex has as of now is that he says he is not near the area where Margaret and Paul were found dead. But this video contains proof that he was there that night, at the same place where his son and wife were murdered.
Other acquaintances confirm that the voice heard in the video is Alex’s. Alex has no way to escape from the situation he is in. The verdict is passed, and the jury finds Alex guilty of murdering Margaret and Paul Murdaugh. The judge shares his grief while passing the lifetime imprisonment sentence to Alex, saying that it is a very shameful event, as Alex, being a lawyer of such lineage, put himself in such a position.
Alex Murdaugh still says he is not responsible for the killings of his son and wife, but there is no doubt that he is the culprit behind the Murdaugh Murders. But why? Well, it may be for the insurance money or for the fall he faces after the boat incident. If Alex Murdaugh had stopped his addiction, things could have been different for him, for Margaret, and for Paul. Whatever it is, the truth prevails in the end.
![The Occupant [2020] Netflix Review – A convoluted yet sinister thriller about greed and perfection](https://www.highonfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/The-Occupant-Hogar-Highonfilms-768x321.jpg)