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'SUICIDE' TWIST

Alex Murdaugh cops say leading lawyer hired HITMAN to shoot him dead so son could get $10m insurance as suspect arrested

LEGAL dynasty heir Alex Murdaugh allegedly hired a hitman to kill him so that his surviving son could get a $10million insurance policy, it emerged Tuesday. 

Curtis Edward Smith, 61, was arrested in connection to the September 4 shooting of , who was as he changed his tire outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

Alex Murdaugh, right, is pictured with his family
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Alex Murdaugh, right, is pictured with his familyCredit: Facebook Maggie Murdaugh
The suspect has been identified as 61-year-old Curtis Edward Smith, of Colleton County
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The suspect has been identified as 61-year-old Curtis Edward Smith, of Colleton CountyCredit: Colleton County Detention Center

His shooting came a day after Murdaugh, 53, was ousted for allegedly misappropriating millions in funds - and three months after his wife and son were shot dead in an unsolved double-murder.

State authorities said Tuesday that South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) agents had arrested Smith and booked him at the Colleton County Detention Center, ABC-affiliated television station reports.

In the latest staggering twist, officials said Murdaugh allegedly conspired with Smith, of Colleton County, to carry out the assassination of himself to allow his son to get a $10million life insurance policy.

Smith was charged with assisted suicide, assault and battery of a high aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, according to the report.

GAVE HIM GUN

According to investigators, Smith was given a gun from Murdaugh and told to fatally shoot him in the head.

Investigators said Murdaugh provided a statement to SLED on Monday and confessed to the shooting scheme so his son could get a "death benefit beneficiary."

Murdaugh was found shot in the head on the 15000 block of Salkehatchie Rd on September 4.

SLED investigators said the incident report revealed that Smith shot Murdaugh in the roadway and drove to an unknown area to get rid of the gun.

Officials with SLED also noted that additional charges against Smith are expected and will be revealed at a later date.

"Smith has also been charged with distribution of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana," the officials added.

Murdaugh previously told police he had been hit on a road in rural Hampton County, South Carolina while changing a tire.

His lawyer, Jim Griffin, said that he was on his way to Charleston when he ran into car problems.

"The Murdaugh family has suffered through more than any one family could ever imagine. We expect Alex to recover and ask for your privacy while he recovers," the statement said.

REHAB TREATMENT

In a statement on September 6 that did not address the shooting, Murdaugh said: "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. I’m resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders," the statement continued.

";I am immensely sorry to everyone I’ve hurt, including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships."

However, reports later emerged that Murdaugh was pushed out of his law firm over " just before he was shot.

The legal scion worked as a partner at Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED), which was founded by his great-grandfather more than 100 years ago.

came after the discovery "that Alex misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies."

Sources said the sum of misappropriated funds hit the "millions".

FAMILY MURDERED

The  comes exactly three months after he discovered his wife, , shot to death at the family's hunting lodge in Colleton County on June 7.

Their bodies were each found with multiple gunshot wounds yard apart from one another near the family's dog kennel on the 1,700-acre property.

Investigators believe they were murdered with two different firearms.

Paul suffered a series of shotgun blasts to the chest, arm, and head, the early forensic analysis showed.

Meanwhile, 52-year-old Maggie appeared to have been killed with an assault rifle, investigators said.

A law enforcement source told  at the time that Paul was likely the target, while Margaret may have just been killed simply because she was at the home.

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Alexander later discovered the pair dead. In  ... nobody's breathing."

At the time of his death, Paul had been  following a crash in February 2019 which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach.

Alex Murdaugh allegedly conspired with a man to shoot him so his son could get a $10 million life insurance policy
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Alex Murdaugh allegedly conspired with a man to shoot him so his son could get a $10 million life insurance policyCredit: Facebook Maggie Murdaugh
A vehicle sits in the driveway of a home, on June 8, 2021, near where Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her son Paul Murdaugh, 22, were shot several times
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A vehicle sits in the driveway of a home, on June 8, 2021, near where Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her son Paul Murdaugh, 22, were shot several timesCredit: AP
Murdaugh was found shot in the head on the 15000 block of Salkehatchie Rd on September 4
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Murdaugh was found shot in the head on the 15000 block of Salkehatchie Rd on September 4Credit: Facebook Maggie Murdaugh

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