Murdaugh: Death in the Family on Disney+: The Story Behind Alex Murdaugh
The finale 'The Man in the Glass' depicts the trial and the fateful murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh
What is the series about?
Murdaugh: Death in the Family (2025) is a dramatized true crime series on Disney+ and Hulu that follows the spectacular downfall of one of South Carolina's most influential legal families. The series culminates in episode 8, titled 'The Man in the Glass', which focuses on the brutal murders of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh on June 7, 2021. The role of Alex Murdaugh is played by Jason Clarke, while Patricia Arquette portrays Maggie Murdaugh. The finale weaves actual courtroom evidence together with a reconstruction of the events that led to the family's obliteration at their hunting property, Moselle, in Colleton County.
The real case
The real case of Alex Murdaugh shocked the USA when it emerged that the prominent lawyer had deceived the police and the public for months. At the core of the prosecution's case was a video found on Paul Murdaugh's phone, recorded just minutes before the murders took place. The video placed Alex Murdaugh directly at the dog kennels, contradicting his original alibi that he had not been on the property at that time. In the series, we see how this technical evidence shatters the defense's strategy and reveals the lies that Alex Murdaugh had built his explanation on to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division .
Timeline of the case
The case against Alex Murdaugh is marked by a series of financial crimes that formed the motive for the murders. Prosecutors argued that Alex Murdaugh killed his family to buy time and create sympathy while his extensive embezzlement of client funds was being uncovered. After an intense trial in 2023, where Alex Murdaugh himself chose to testify, he was found guilty. The series details this process, including the discovery of a blue raincoat with gunshot residue, which became a key piece of physical evidence in the case. The trial ended with Judge Clifton Newman sentencing him to two consecutive life sentences.
Watch the series
Murdaugh: Death in the Family can be streamed in its entirety on Disney+ in Denmark. The series is created by Michael D. Fuller and Gabrielle Costa, and it manages to bring new perspectives to a case that has otherwise been extensively covered in the media. For viewers looking to understand the psychological mechanisms behind a man who chooses to eliminate his own family to cover up financial crime, the series offers a grim and factually grounded overview of the tragedy in South Carolina.