Content warning: This article contains references to murder some may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised.
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, a Netflix true crime docuseries, recounts the string of deaths associated with the once-prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh and his family, and the fatal boating accident that triggered the unraveling of their reputation.
On February 23, 2019, Paul Murdaugh, the family’s youngest son, allegedly drove a boat with five others on board — Mallory Beach, Anthony Cook, Morgan Doughty, Miley Altman, and Connor Cook — on the Beaufort River in South Carolina. The six friends were at an oyster roast together and were headed home around 2:00 AM on Sunday morning when the boat crashed into Archer’s Creek Bridge near Parris Island. Mallory, 19, was thrown overboard and killed in the tragic accident.
In the first episode of the three-part series, Anthony says that Paul was “outta-his-mind drunk” when they left the roast. Miley adds that she and the others asked Paul to let Anthony or Connor drive the boat back home, but allegedly Paul refused. “...He wouldn’t listen to anybody,” she says. Morgan describes the trip as “terrifying.” According to some of the others on the boat, Paul would allegedly leave the wheel unattended, and while the five passengers reportedly tried to convince him to let someone else drive, the boat hit a bridge piling. When Paul was brought into the hospital following the accident, his blood alcohol level (BAC) registered at .24 — three times the legal limit, according to CBS News.
Was Mallory Beach ever found?
It took law enforcement over a week to locate Mallory. On March 3, 2019, eight days after the accident, two volunteers found Mallory’s body about five miles from the crash scene, according to CBS News. The coroner’s office said that Mallory died from blunt force trauma and drowning, Fox Carolina reports. She was the only person to die from the accident.
On April 18, 2019, Paul was charged with three felony counts, including one count of boating under the influence causing death and two counts of boating under the influence causing bodily injury, according to Greenville News. He pleaded not guilty and was later released on bail. But on June 7, 2021, while awaiting trial, Paul was shot and killed alongside his mother, Maggie Murdaugh, according to CBS News. Paul’s father, Alex Murdaugh, was charged for the double homicide, and on March 2, 2023, a jury found the disgraced ex-lawyer guilty of killing his wife and son. Per NBC News, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
On July 17, 2023, four years after Mallory’s death, PEOPLE confirmed that the Beach family reached a $15 million settlement with the convenience store chain, Parker’s, that sold alcohol to an underage Paul that night. According to the outlet, Paul allegedly used his mother’s credit card and the ID of his older brother, Buster, to purchase alcohol at the store. Paul was 19 at the time.
“All of the cases were settled with Parker’s,” Beach family attorney Mark Tinsley told NPR. He confirmed that the family will receive $15 million in the wrongful death lawsuit, and that additional amounts will be given to the four crash survivors, Connor, Morgan, Anthony, and Miley.
How did Mallory Beach know Paul Murdaugh?
There were six friends — three couples — who were involved in the fatal boating accident. Mallory dated Anthony Cook, whose first cousin, Connor Cook, dated Miley Altman. Mallory and Miley were best friends since Pre-K, and later became close with Morgan Doughty, who dated Paul.
Following Mallory’s death, friends and family created a charitable organization in her memory, Mal’s Palz. The nonprofit is dedicated to helping rescue animals and supporting shelters in Hampton County, South Carolina.
Leah Campano is an Associate Editor at Seventeen, where she covers pop culture, entertainment news, health, and politics. On the weekends, you can probably find her watching marathons of vintage Real Housewives episodes or searching for New York City’s best almond croissants.
