The South Carolina Supreme Court said interference by the former county clerk was grounds for appealing Alex Murdaugh’s double-murder conviction.

Murdaugh, 57, was convicted in 2023 of fatally shooting his wife, Maggie, and 22-year-old son, Paul, at the family’s 1,770-acre hunting property in Islandton, S.C., two years earlier. Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before delivering the guilty verdicts. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Now, the former attorney —who has long maintained his innocence — may possibly head to trial again after justices unanimously agreed that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill improperly influenced jurors.

Since his conviction, Murdaugh’s attorneys have argued that “he was denied his constitutional right to a fair trial by an impartial jury free from outside influences,” per the appeal.

A post-trial hearing revealed more details about Hill’s comments to jurors, which Murdaugh’s attorneys argued portrayed him as guilty.

Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh.

Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook

One juror, identified as Juror X, testified in 2024 that before Murdaugh took the stand, Hill told jurors it was an “important” or “epic” day and noted it was rare for defendants to testify. Juror X said the remarks did not affect the verdict.

The appeal also alleges Hill told jurors “not to be fooled” by the defense’s case and urged them to watch Murdaugh closely during his testimony, including his “actions” and “movements.”

Another juror, Juror Z, testified Hill said as deliberations began, “This shouldn’t take us long.” Juror Z also said she had doubts about Murdaugh’s guilt but voted to convict because she felt pressured by other jurors.

Alex Murdaugh in court.

Joshua Boucher/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty

During the hearing, Hill denied most of the jurors’ claims but acknowledged telling the bailiff, within earshot of jurors, about Murdaugh’s decision to testify. She also admitted giving jurors a brief talk, calling it a “big day” and urging them to pay attention, while denying any attempt to influence the jury, per the appeal.

Hill was also questioned about “favors she granted the media.” In court, she denied letting the press view sealed exhibits but pleaded guilty in December 2025 to perjury and other charges tied to that denial. She subsequently received three years probation, CNN reported.

The hearing also focused on Hill’s 2023 book about the trial, Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders. Hill denied wanting a guilty verdict to boost book sales and said the trial’s outcome did not matter to her. Still, the appeal notes she acknowledged writing that she believed Murdaugh was guilty and worried he could be acquitted because of his family’s “goodwill in the community.”

Murdaugh’s appeal was initially rejected by Judge Jean Toal after this hearing.

However, on Wednesday, May 13, the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned his murder convictions and life sentence, paving the way for a new trial.

Regardless of the decision, Murdaugh will remain in prison, where he is serving concurrent federal and state sentences totaling decades for financial crimes committed around the time of the killings.

South Carolina’s Attorney General, Alan Wilson, said in a statement that his office will “aggressively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders of Maggie and Paul as soon as possible.”