The first three episodes of Murdaugh: Death in the Family arrived on Hulu this week, and there are five still to come in the ripped-from-the-headlines drama.
The series opens with a disclaimer that while the story is based on the factual case of the Murdaugh family in South Carolina, there are elements that have been dramatized or fictionalized for cinematic effect.
So if you’re looking to decipher what really happened (and what didn’t) in Murdaugh: Death in the Family, we’re here to help.
Did Randolph really receive a major award that brought the whole family together?
True
The family photo of Randolph surrounded by his family after he received the award was very real and accurately recreated. He was awarded the prestigious Order of the Palmetto from Governor Henry McMaster in 2018 for his service as the 14th Circuit’s solicitor.
Disney / Daniel Delgado Jr.
Did they really have The Man in the Glass poem?
True
The poem was framed and hung in the Murdaughs’ home. It was later sold at an estate auction.
Did Alex really use the governor to get out of trouble with DHEC?
Probably false
While the Murdaugh-associated jellyball operation was shut down by DHEC over environmental and other public concerns, this is an example of the show combining concepts and flubbing the timeline for thematic purposes (likely to show that they were reputed to use their strong public official connections for personal gain). McMaster was in the Murdaugh orbit in more ways than one. He was a recipient of campaign donations from the Murdaughs and presented the award that inspired the party in the show. However, that award was given to him in 2018, while the jellyfish operation was shut down several years before that, around 2015, when Nikki Haley was still the governor.
Did Alex and Randolph Murdaugh really storm the hospital after the crash?
True
On the night of the boat wreck, multiple eyewitnesses confirmed seeing Alex Murdaugh at the hospital, attempting to find the rooms of the other kids. Randolph was also present. Later, surveillance footage of the two with Paul Murdaugh was revealed in the HBO docuseries, Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty. Alex was reportedly investigated by a grand jury for potential obstruction over the incident, but no charges were announced.
Disney / Daniel Delgado Jr.
Did Gloria Satterfield really comfort Paul after the boat wreck?
False
Gloria Satterfield was not alive at the time of the boat wreck. The Murdaughs’ housekeeper died after a slip and fall at their property in February 2018. The boat crash took place in February 2019. However, Gloria was reportedly very close to Paul and the family and helped to raise the Murdaugh boys.
Did the Murdaughs really try to frame Connor Cook as the boat driver?
Probably true
In a 2019 lawsuit, Connor Cook alleged that the Murdaughs and associates conspired to frame him for the boat wreck incident to transfer civil and criminal liability from Paul to him.
Did Alex and Mandy Matney really come face-to-face?
Partially true
Matney told TV Insider that she did have a “stare-off” with Alex on two occasions, both of which took place at the courthouse (see more on that here). However, it did not happen as depicted in the show, since that took place outside of the boat crash site.
Did Alex Murdaugh really avoid getting into trouble in college thanks to his family name?
Maybe
Alex was known to have dressed up in Confederate soldier gear for a fraternity event while at the University of South Carolina in 1989, like what was shown in the show. Also, those who knew him at the time said he was often drunk and boasted about his family’s influence.
Disney / Daniel Delgado Jr.
Did the Murdaughs really go on vacation after the boat wreck?
False
Episode 3 shows the family heading off to Kokomo for a lavish and expensive vacation after the boat wreck. Though the family did have a vacation in the Bahamas, where Paul was recorded partying with strangers from the U.K., as seen in the series, that trip actually took place in 2017, before the boat crash. There was no indication that he engaged in a physical altercation with them, either.
Did Alex Murdaugh really steal the settlement of his client, Alvarez?
Somewhat true
Though there wasn’t a client named Alvarez specifically, Murdaugh was convicted of stealing settlement money from several of his clients by diverting their funds to his own account with the name of Forge, which was similar to a reputable annuity provider.
Murdaugh: Death in the Family, Wednesdays, Hulu