The fall from grace for disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, 53, continues to be a winding one riddled with unusual circumstances including a trail of death and opioids. After a bizarre twist in events that resulted in an attempted suicide, Murdaugh was arrested last Thursday in connection to an insurance fraud scheme. This development is the latest twist of curiosity and suspicion surrounding Murdaugh.

Murdaugh was taken into custody last week when he surrendered himself to authorities after hiring a hitman to try and kill him. The botched suicide was an attempt for Murdaugh’s surviving son, Buster, to collect an estimated $10 million in life insurance. Late last week, Murdaugh posted a $20,000 personal recognizance bond and was entered into a rehab facility.

Prior to the botched suicide, Murduah shared a statement through his attorney which explained, "The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret."

Murdaugh also shared that he would be resigning from his family’s law firm, PMPED, and entering rehab to cope with his opioid use. His family’s law firm later revealed through a statement that Murdaugh had “misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies” after allegedly stealing money from the firm’s accounts. The firm adds, “There's no place in our firm for such behavior."

Curtis Edward Smith, 61, the man who attempted to kill Murdaugh, was also charged with a slew of violent crimes including assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and assisting a person with suicide. His bail was set at $55,000.

Following Murdaugh’s arrest, new suspicion has been cast over the unsolved murder of Murdaugh’s wife, Margaret Murdaugh, 52, and their younger son Paul, 22. The pair were shot in their home and suffered multiple gunshot wounds according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Murdaugh has denied any responsibility for their death.

Following Murdaugh’s failed attempted suicide, SLED has moved forward with opening up investigations into other unsolved deaths that are linked to the family.

Multiple Deaths Linked to Murdaugh Family

The Murdaughs are one of South Carolina's most prominent families with deeply seated ties to the county’s judicial system. After the high-profile murders of the mother and son duo, Murdaugh’s name has now been tainted with suspicion as authorities investigate other fatalities linked to the Murdaugh name.

Suspicions have swirled around the family as to whether or not the Murdaugh deaths were connected to a 2019 boat crash that claimed the life of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. Paul Murdaugh, who was 19 at the time, was out with friends on his father’s boat when the boat crashed into a bridge near Parris Island in Beaufort County. The boat flung Beach out into the water, and her body was recovered days later. The junior Murdaugh was behind the boat’s wheel when the crash occurred according to court records. He faced multiple charges including boating under the influence causing great bodily harm and death. The younger Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After Paul Murdaugh was found murdered roughly two years later, he was cleared of the charges. Locals speculate that the dismissal of the charges was another example of the deep-seated influence that the Murdaugh family had through the local judicial system.

SLED acknowledged the public’s suspicion but shared that the public should withhold judgment. "This case is complex, and we will not rush this or any investigation. Investigative decisions we make throughout this case must withstand the scrutiny of the criminal justice process. SLED agents continue to interview possible witnesses, collect and process potential evidence, and investigate every lead with the same diligence we devote to every case," shared SLED Chief Mark Keel.

Another death in Hampton County has raised suspicions about the Murdaughs. Two weeks after the slaying of Murdaugh’s wife and son, authorities announced that they would be reopening an investigation into the suspicious death of teen Stephen Smith. Smith was found dead in the middle of a road in Hampton County in 2015.

Authorities shared that the investigation into his death was reopened after the Hampton County coroner shared there were inconsistencies in Smith’s death. They also cite that additional information collected during authorities’ investigation into Alex Murdaugh led them to reexamine the circumstances of Smith’s death.

Smith was 19 at the time when he was found in the middle of a country road about eight miles away from property owned by the Murdaughs. Authorities speculated his death was a hit and run. However, details including a lack of skid marks associated with a hit and run conflicted with the crime scene. Investigators also shared that Smith’s shoes were loosely tied and that if a hit and run had occurred, his shoes would have likely flown off his feet.

In addition to reopening an investigation into the death of Smith, SLED announced that it would also be opening a criminal probe into the February 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield, 57.

Satterfield had spent over 20 years working for the Murdaughs as their housekeeper. Satterfield's death was described as a “trip and fall accident” that occurred at the Murdaugh household according to her Estate attorney, Eric Bland. Much like Smith's death, SLED explained that it was reopening the investigation following a request from the Hampton County coroner who indicated there were inconsistencies in how her death was ruled. The coroner's request to officials explained, "The decedent's death was not reported to the Coroner at the time, nor was an autopsy performed. On the death certificate, the manner of death was ruled 'Natural,' which is inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident.”

Bland shared that following Satterfield's death, a wrongful death claim totaling $500,000 was filed against the Murdaugh family on behalf of her estate. The money which was supposed to go to Satterfield's surviving sons was never paid out to them.

In an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo, Bland explains that after Satterfield fell, she was airlifted to a hospital where she was unable to communicate because of her traumatic brain injury. “It was Alex Murdaugh who told the story that she had tripped and fell down the stairs over his dogs,” Bland explains.

As suspicions continue to swirl around the Murdaugh family, Alex Murdaugh is expected to remain at the rehab facility until his next court date scheduled on October 25.