Alex Murdaugh says he lied about his dogs causing housekeeper Gloria Satterfield's 2018 death

ByEva Pilgrim ABCNews logo
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Alex Murdaugh claims he lied about death of housekeeper in 2018
The disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh is serving life in prison for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. -- There is a new twist Wednesday involving convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh, who has now claimed he lied about the 2018 death of his housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.

The disgraced South Carolina attorney is serving life in prison for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

Murdaugh previously told first responders Satterfield died at his home in a trip and fall accident involving his dogs.

But now, in a new legal filing obtained by ABC News, Murdaugh claimed he invented that story.

The documents stated, "No dogs were involved... After Ms. Saterfield's death, Defendant invented Ms. Satterfield's purported statement that dogs caused her fall to force insurers to make a settlement payment."

See also: Stephen Smith exhumed, examined almost 2 years after Murdaugh case prompts renewed scrutiny

This is not the first time Murdaugh has changed his story. During his trial, he was pressed on the stand over his history of lying.

"I remember lying to Tony Satterfield and looking him in the eye on many occasions," Murdaugh said during a Feb. 28 trial. "I lied to his family."

Satterfield's sons said Murdaugh told them to sue him for insurance money, but he didn't tell them when the case had been settled. Murdaugh instead pocketed the money himself.

Murdaugh has admitted to taking millions of dollars from the Satterfield's settlement.

Nautilus Insurance Company has sued Murdaugh to try to recover the money he took. However, Murdaugh's legal team claimed the lawsuit is now illegitimate because Murdaugh lied about how Satterfield died.