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Alex Murdaugh trial: Paralegal testifies, data presented from Alex's Suburban

Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife, Maggie, and adult son, Paul, at the family's large estate in Colleton County in June of 2021.

WALTERBORO, S.C. — The Alex Murdaugh double murder has resumed after being interrupted following an evacuation. 

Jurors returned to court just after 3 p.m. Wednesday and testimony immediately began again. 

Around 12:25 p.m., a witness was giving testimony when Judge Clifton Newman interrupted. He first excused the jury, then announced to the court that they were evacuating the building. 

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) later confirmed it was a bomb threat and after doing security checks cleared the building, allowing the trial to continue. 

Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife, Maggie, and adult son, Paul, at the family's large estate in Colleton County in June of 2021. Murdaugh is also facing charges of taking millions from his law firm and clients over several years. 

The defense is arguing that investigators and the prosecution rushed to judgment in the case. The prosecution says Murdaugh acted alone in killing his family members.

You can find trial updates here every day.  Live streaming coverage can be on wltx.com, on the WLTX+ streaming app on Amazon Fire and Roku TV, and on the News19 WLTX YouTube page.

Tuesday Recap

Tuesday’s highlights included testimony from Jeanne Seckinger, Ronnie Crosby, and SLED forensic scientist Megan Fletcher.

Seckinger and Crosby were partners in PMPED law firm with Alex Murdaugh. Seckinger was the Chief Financial Officer that uncovered Murdaugh’s financial misdeeds and introduced evidence of his false annuity’s account that he used to steal millions of dollars from clients and the firm.

Crosby was a close family friend, as well as a partner in the firm, and identified Alex’s voice on the video taken by Paul Murdaugh at the kennels at Moselle the night of the murders. It is the defense’s contention that Alex was no where near the kennels moments before Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were brutally murdered.

Fletcher was the scientist who conducted gunshot residue tests on the clothing Alex was wearing the night of the murders and on a blue poncho (or raincoat) that Murdaugh caretaker Murshelle Smith said Alex had with him when he came to his mother’s home at Almeda. Fletcher testified GSR was found on the t-shirt, cargo shorts, Alex’s hands, and the blue poncho.

Wednesday Alex Murdaugh trial updates

Wednesday began with the cross examination of Fletcher by Jim Griffin

GSR is not biodegradable? No

So, if GSR is on the surface it will stay on the surface for hundreds of years? It is possible

If you have a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun, GSR will follow the discharge of the shot? Studies show up to 60 feet

GSR will accumulate on the firearm and stay until wipe off? yes

Transfer GRS? If you touch a gun that had been fired at any point, it will transfer to your hand

The jury has seen witnesses hold up guns and items in this courtroom. Is it possible that where you are sitting, there is GSR? That is a possibility

You work in forensic services lab at SLED? Correct

And there is a GSR manual that you follow? Yes

You obtained clothing from Alex Murdaugh – shirt, shorts, shoes, and someone under your supervision did the particle lifts so you could test them? Yes

Tests were done on June 8? Yes

Were you aware the clothes were collected June 8? Yes

Were you aware the clothes were wet when they were collected? No

Some hours afterward when you were testing the items, and you smell laundry detergent. Were you aware it was raining that night at Moselle? No

You tested and found particles on the shirt and shorts, none from shoes, one particle from Alex’ hands.

That amount of GSR on this person was consistent with GSR transfer? Fletcher testifies she did not know Alex had handled a firearm, but results were consistent for GSR transfer

On the seatbelt -- you did particle lifts on the latch, buckle, and belt? Yes

From the entire webbing (of the belt)? Yes

Results from the tests were 1 particle on the latch, 0 on buckle, 0 on belt? Yes

Can’t say how or when the particle deposited on the belt? Correct

Hypothetically, after shooting a gun, if a person got in a vehicle could that person have deposited GSR particles in the truck at any time? Could have happened at any time

On the blue rain jacket – there’s no way to know when GSR was deposited on jacket? Correct. Any time after the consumer takes possession of jacket.

Unless washed off it could stay there for years?

Can you tell me when the GSR got there or how it got there? Fletcher testifies she cannot tell how it got there.

Were you aware the rain jacket was found in September at Randolph Murdaugh’s home and that he died in June? I heard about (the death)

If Randolph had the blue jacket and was shooting and threw the jacket over his seat, it is likely there was transfer? Yes

38 particles was a significant amount? Yes

One particle on hand is insignificant? I can’t say it’s insignificant, only it’s there.

3 on a shirt insignificant? I can’t say

3 is a small amount? It’s about average

In addition to the rain jacket, you were provided a blue tarp. After discussing scenario, it was decided there was no need to process the blue tarp? Correct

Are you aware of witness Shelly Smith? Now I am, not at the time

After your conversation with SLED agent Ryan Neal, you decided not to test the tarp? Because the raincoat was balled up in a closet and tarp folded. The jacket was haphazardly placed in the closet.

Have you seen photos on how tarp was found? One photo

Were you informed the supposition was there was a firearm in contact with raincoat? Fletcher testifies she tried to determine if raincoat in contact and that’s what she tested for. She was not involved with blue tarp

The rain jacket, do you know if fingerprints were taken from jacket? Don’t know what was done after she handled the jacket. The trace lab gets items first, so no other analysis is done before her lab.

You heard DNA was to be done on jacket, so you were wearing gloves and masks? Because DNA was to be taken, we added masks

Do you know results of DNA testing? I do not

Fletcher identifies paper out of case file regarding a picture of the packaging of rain jacket in an evidence bag, with information dated 10/08/2021 – which is when she documented the items

The jacket is a size large, Fletcher is not familiar with brand

REDIRECT

Griffin asked you about 38 particles on parka/jacket/poncho? How many particles were found on jacket in total? 52 total -- inside and out of the jacket -- 38 inside, 14 outside

When you wear a jacket, you wear the inside on the inside? Yes

Is there a possibility a firearm came in contact with the jacket -- the number of particles is unusual for inside of jacket? Yes. If you wear the jacket, and discharge a firearm, particles should be on the outside.

Griffin asked you about a hypothetical about Alex Murdaugh’s father’s gun in a truck, with 38 particless inside. Is that consistent with a recently fired arm carried inside the jacket? Yes

Hypothetically, if you had a gun and carried it inside the jacket to hide or dispose of the gun, that would account for the high number of particles? Yes, because it is a large number

RE-REDIRECT

There are a whole lot of possibilities, I can’t tell when GSR got there

Rim shot produces GSR? Yes

Annette Griswold

Griswold worked at PMPED as a paralegal for Alex Murdaugh, starting in July 2012. She handled the larger cases – medical malpractice, trucking cases, personal injury, etc.

She testifies Alex didn’t keep regular hours, and she nicknamed him “Tasmanian Devil” due to his animated character when he was in the office, yelling out for the paralegals and generally being in a constant state of motion.

Griswold testifies after a case is over, she begins collecting information to prepare disbursement sheets – fees, recovery, and lien information. She drafts the sheets that go to Alex for approval or changes, and then she then sends to accounts payable department.

Griswold is asked if she was familiar with the boat case from 2019 – was she aware Alex had been sued civilly in case? Notice a change of demeanor? Yes, he was always hard to pin down before, but after the boat case, he was rarely in the office. When he was there, his door was closed and couldn’t get to him. He was always on phone. He was not his normal self, very tense, don’t know how to describe it. You knew the boat case weighed heavy and consumed him. He didn’t treat people the same way.

Did Alex ask you to put a disbursement on Forge? Yes. He said it should be Forge, not Forge Consulting. He said Forge Consulting is the big name and Forge is more like a savings account.

He had you change the name on the checks from Forge Consulting to Forge? Griswold testifies, yes. She said she had to reach out to accounts payable to make the changes on checks.

Alex would personally pick up the checks? Yes. He always said he would hand deliver the checks, so Griswold testifies, she started making notes when he would pick up checks to hand deliver rather than mailed to Michael Gunn.

You said he would see Gunn? Who is Michael Gunn? He was out contact at Forge Consulting

The real Forge? Yes

In 2020, was there a disbursement from Forge that caught your attention? Yes, Griswold testifies. She was working at home on Dec 15, 2020, and received a phone call from PMPED accounts informing her the department had just gotten a disbursement sheet from one of her cases and she wondered why Alex didn’t get the sheet from her. She thought it odd another paralegal was drafting a disbursement sheet from her files. She had the sheet emailed to her. A line on the sheet said attorney fees were going to Forge, so she called the office and talked to Alex. He asked why Nicole (in accounts payable) called her. Griswold testifies Alex said he would call Nicole and take care of it. Nicole later told Griswold Alex was structuring fees and Griswold said that made sense to her (disbursement sheet was for the Hershberger case).

Griswold recognizes disbursement in 2020 she referred to.

Credit: Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool
Prosecutor Creighton Waters questions Annette Griswold, Alex Murdaugh’s former paralegal, in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro on day 13 of Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

After Alex gave explanation, everything was fine? Griswold answers she thought it valid but wondered about the paperwork. Griswold says in January 2021, the same scenario happened again. Nicole called and said she had another sheet from the Moore case, and it had the same wording from the Hershberger case. Griswold said she reached out to Alex, he then reached out to Nicole, and a $98K check was written to Forge. The second Hershberger disbursement had the attorneys’ fees of $83K routed to Forge.

All the funds $125K were routed, attorney fees and recovery in Moore case were sent to forge

She was out of the office both times, around 5 p.m. on a Friday.

The money was to remain in the account until all liens were settled in personal injury cases.

Was the defendant using the fact she was out of the office to move funds? Looking back, yes. It would get done quickly and no questions asked

Ever ask Alex why funds disbursed? Griswold testifies Alex told her it was because the fund was sitting for a year, he would send the money to Forge to draw interest for the firm and client.

The Thomas Moore disbursement check was signed by Alex Murdaugh and Alex forged Thomas Moore’s signature -- Griswold recognizes Alex’s handwriting.

Did the defendant have a case involving Mack Truck? Yes, we called it the Ferris case. There were two co-councils on the case, Alex was third attorney on case. The bench trial rendered a nice settlement for the client.

Chris Wilson was to handle disbursement on the case.

Griswold testifies she put the expenses sheet in an email to Alex, who sent it to Wilson. She expected copies of the distribution sheets, two fee checks, and two reimbursement checks (1 for the injured husband, 1 for his wife).

Griswold testifies when she got the settlement file, it only had copies of the expense checks and she emailed Wilson’s office and asked about fees checks. She was told the attorneys got the money at disbursement. Griswold asked for the disbursement ledger and asked PMPED’s accounts receivable if they had record of the fee check. She continues, she thought Alex had lost checks and asked Wilson’s assistant why give the checks directly to Alex rather that send them to her so she can make sure they were correctly entered into the books.

Did you have a conversation with Alex about the checks? He happened to be in office, Griswold testifies, so she went in, and Alex told her he didn’t get checks. She said she called Wilson’s office again and asked for copies. Wilson’s office said the checks were written to Alex personally, not PMPED. Griswold knew it wasn’t right, the funds should have gone to the firm.

Griswold testifies Alex told her Chris Wilson was holding the money in trust and Vicky, Wilson’s paralegal, is wrong, before shooing her out of his office.

Griswold asked Vicky if she was sure, and made Vicky repeat what she had said -- that checks were made out to Alex. Griswold testified she tried to question Alex over next few days, hoping for explanation and this was a mistake.

Griswold eventually emailed Jeanne Seckinger, PMPED’s CFO, and met with Seckinger with the printouts in hand and told Seckinger of her concerns. Both women were still hoping it was a mistake, a one-off.

Griswold testifies she sent Vicky an email asking for copies of everything, and she forwarded the email to Seckinger on May 27, 2021. Griswold knew Vicky was on vacation and sent the email anyway and followed up on June 2. The response email from Vicky Lymon was forwarded to Chris Wilson.

Griswold identifies a text strand on June 2 and 3 between herself and Vicky. In it, Griswold expresses concern about the situation and that it’s stressing her out.

Recall June 7, 2021? Yes.

Did Alex come into the office that day? He came in sometime around lunch

Did you see Jeanne Seckinger that day? Yes. Griswold testifies Jeanne said she was going to talk to Alex that day and wanted Griswold to let her know when Alex came in.

Did you discuss the Ferris fees that day? I don’t recall. Jeanne had everything and it was in her hands

When you left office at 5:15 was Alex still there? Yes

Did that change? Griswold testifies she slept through text messages and calls when she woke up, the texts didn’t make any sense. There was a call from Randy Murdaugh so she called him in the middle of the night and Randy told her “it was bad, real bad.” Paul and Maggie had been shot and murdered. She asked about Alex and Buster and was concerned if the family was safe. She had gotten to know entire family working at the firm.

Griswold testified there were two reactions at the office after the murders – scared, please lock doors, is there a client retaliating for Alex or the firm, they were protective of Alex and Randy, in complete momma bear mode, scared for them. Firm rallied to defendant.

And did anyone ask about the Ferris fees? Griswold: What Ferris fees? That was the farthest thing from her mind. Ferris did not come up again until September 2, when she was looking for file and couldn’t find it. When she found the file, she was looking for on Alex’s desk and when she picked it up, a check fell out. She saw what the check said and what was on it… it was a check from the Ferris case that didn’t exist. It was dated March 2021, and the notation was for attorney’s fees via mobile deposit that went directly to Alex. She took it back to her desk, hurt and angry, and enraged because she had asked Alex about it and it wasn’t supposed to exist.

She took the check to Jeanne Seckinger and told her it was the check that wasn’t supposed to exist. Griswold testifies Seckinger said she ran a report the day before and thought there was more to the issue. The firm was to contact Michael Gunn at Forge Consulting that day.

Alex was fired the next day.

Firm has had months upon months following the numbers and in awe of everything that was happening they had no idea was going on.

Before the murders, did the boat case casue any reactions within your family? Mallory Beach’s father is Griswold’s first cousin, and Griswold testifies some people didn’t like her working at the firm. She didn’t want to know details in the case because she was trying to keep work and family life separate.

A lot of those checks were ones Alex said he’d pick up or hand deliver himself and were made out to Forge.

A text sent to Griswold and Christy (his other paralegal) from Alex while he was allegedly in rehab on September 26, 2021, said in part, “the worst is knowing I did the most damage to the ones I loved the most.”

Griswold testified Alex was always on the cell phone and office phone. It was unusual for Alex to go anywhere without his phone.

The video from Paul Murdaugh’s phone, taken moments before the murders, is played for Griswold and she is asked if she recognizes the voices on the video. She says she does, there are three voices – Paul Murdaugh, Maggie Murdaugh and Alex Murdaugh. Griswold testifies she is 100 percent sure of the voices.

CROSS EXAMINATION by Griffin

Griswold testified she interviewed with Alex and worked with him about 9 years after moving back to Hampton when father became ill. She worked primarily for Alex. If needed time off, she ran it by Alex. Most of the time, Alex put family first.

Was Alex a good person to work for? It was hit or miss. It could be difficult.

People came to him if they needed something? Yes, he didn’t know the word “no”

He would want to schedule appointments around family? Most of time. Sometimes he wouldn’t tell us and appointments would need to be rescheduled, but if there was a game involving the boys, he took off

You went to the Ferris trial in Columbia? Yes

He traveled frequently with Maggie? Yes

Alex is not the type of guy to go on a guy’s trip, without the family? Don’t know. Usually, it was he and Maggie and the boys

Was Alex close to Maggie’s family? Yes

And Maggie’s family contacted Alex often? Yes

If Maggie, Paul, or Buster called during a deposition Alex would take their calls? Alex never put off calls to family

The night you learned Maggie and Paul had been murdered, you thought it was about Mr. Randolph Murdaugh (Alex’s father) because he was in the hospital? Yes

After the murders, the law firm rallied around Alex? Yes, and around each other because we were scared and worried

There was a tidal wave of media around the law firm, and you had to be wary? Yes, we had to lock the doors because they’d come in and overwhelm the front desk

Alex became front and center of the media spotlight? Yes

Cameras were outside office? Yes

At Moselle? Think so

The buzz was about what happened to Maggie and Paul? Yes

What was Alex’s demeanor? Grieving and he changed dramatically. He was more mellow, instead of yelling, he would come to each desk to talk to the paralegals

Alex spent a lot of time with Maggie’s parents? Yes

He stayed in Summerville with Maggie’s parents and Buster? Yes, think so

Were you aware Alex wouldn’t spend another single night at Moselle and was staying elsewhere? Yes

About the Ferris matter – there was nothing else after the murders? Right

You conveyed your concerns to Jeanne? I gave it to her and she handled it

You were in Alex’s office and came across the cancelled check? Yes, i lifted file and it fluttered to the floor.

It put you in a bad spot, and your daughter said needed to dust off your resume? I was hoping I was wrong. If I turn the check in and there’s nothing going on, would I be able to stay at the firm over something that Alex night lose his job over.

REDIRECT

You were worried about losing your job? Yes

The defendant lost his job? Yes

And he was trusted by everybody, people like these people here who were his clients? I trusted him.

Michael Gunn

Gunn is a principal and settlement consultant at Forge Consulting, a settlement planning firm based in Atlanta, representing injured clients to help make money go further. Gunn runs the South Carolina office. Structured settlements involved in personal injury or workers comp case and have lost jobs and have bills to pay. Forge sets up tax free annuity accounts funded by insurance companies paying the claims. The only instance Forge gets money is if insurance company makes check out to company and Forge forwards money to annuity.

Lawyers can set up an annuity to defer taxes, but money cannot come directly to lawyer. If lawyer gets money, taxes would be on all of money.

Are you familiar with Alex Murdaugh? Met him 20 years ago. First impression? A nice man, a generally a nice guy.

You had occasion to work with Alex? Yes. Gunn testified he worked with other lawyers at PMPED more, maybe five times with Alex. Compared to partners, relatively few times. Gunn says he never hung out with Alex unless it was business related.

Did Alex ever meet you in Columbia or halfway between there and Hampton to receive or deliver checks? Never

If you received, saw, or reviewed instrument to Forge it would be returned because Forge cannot accept funds directly – they must go through insurance companies.

Gunn is asked if there were any specific cases where Alex came to him and asked about an annuity? There was one case, Gunn testifies, involving the name Deon Martin. Alex said Martin wanted to aside money in an annuity. An annuity has a time window to purchase because the interest rates are market driven. Gunn said he send emails to Alex and said time to purchase because the window of favorable rates was closing. Gunn said he never back and closed the file.

Gunn says Forge Consulting opens a file for every inquiry -- even if it’s just one phone call, Gunn asks for a name first.

Gunn testified he was aware of boat case and litigation. He said he had a general conversation with Alex about an annuity but Alex never brought fees he wanted structured, and they never had any other conversation on the matter.

Do you remember call from Lee Cope? Gunn says, Yes. Cope called and asked if he could trust the office and gave Gunn a list of 10-12 names to check if there were files on any of them. There were no files. Cope called again, the only name on the second list was Deon Martin. Cope asked Gunn if Forge banked at Bank of America, and Gunn responded not for past four years.

Were you aware of the events of June 7, 2021. Yes, became aware on June 8. Gunn testified he got some missed phone calls. He was stunned after hearing the news and let some other folks know. Gunn says he did reach out to PMPED law partners and waited another day to reach out to Alex. He had met Paul and Maggie but didn’t know Paul well. Gunn said Maggie would text him asking where Buster could find things in Columbia (he was attending University of South Carolina). Gunn said he attended funeral and saw Alex there. He went to wake after and Alex told him how much Maggie loved Gunn and his family.

Gunn said the next time he saw Alex was in Hilton Head at conference in August 2021. The two exchanged pleasantries and went to dinner with Alex and his brother and other PMPED lawyers one evening.

Are there any subsidiaries of Forge? Gunn answers, yes  – Advocacy Trust and Advocacy Wealth Management.

Any just named Forge? No sir, we do not.

Did you ever tell Alex he could use the name Forge for his own purposes? No sir

Any knowledge Alex was using Forge for own purposes? No

Gunn identifies document from Bank of America and asked if it is a Forge Consulting account? No

CROSS EXAMINATION by Griffin

Alex was president of SCAJ at some point and Maggie would travel to Columbia on business? Yes

Alex and Maggie came to your wedding in NY? Yes. It was delayed a day because of the weather? Yes.  Gunn kept in touch with Alex but said they were nothing other than business friendly.

SCAJ was a family event and Alex would bring M, P & B and he was a family man? By all accounts, yes sir

You went to funeral and to Moselle afterwards? Yes

Alex’s demeanor? A broken man, very upset

Afternoon Session

Brian Hudak 

After the building was cleared following a bomb threat, the trial resumed with testimony from SLED agent Brian Hudak

Hudak recovers data from electronic equipment for SLED and examined the infotainment and LG OnStar modules from Alex’s 2021 Suburban truck. For purpose of entering the modules into evidence, he identifies the equipment in court and the property receipts showing chain of evidence to his lab.

Dwight Falkofske, FBI

Falkofske is an FBI electronics engineer in the electronic analysis unit. As an automotive forensic specialist, Falkofske extracts memory from electronic devices and systems in vehicles and connected devices (cell phones, GPS devices, etc.) and puts the extracted data in a human-readable format.

He describes his job – he uses software to extract data from vehicle infotainment systems (the computer brain of the system with music, location data, etc.). In this case, the data on the 2021 Suburban has issues. Data was encrypted on the vehicle. To get the information, the team developed an extraction program to get encryption keys to unlock data. Process took about a year. The information on the infotainment center had cell phone data with call logs and contact lists and some location data.

Falkofske explains vehicles with Bluetooth capability can access your phone and pulls call logs from the phone and puts them on the vehicle’s saved database. Call data from June 7, 2021, was found via Bluetooth data, and data about state of the vehicle (was the car in Park or out of gear). Falkofske wanted to see if vehicle was moving, if doors were open or closed, if the shift lever was going in and out of Park. A lot of vehicle status data was available.

Falkofske’s team tested the data verification and extraction process by getting a similar Suburban as a test vehicle and drove it and extracted the recorded information and compared the collected data to logs extracted from test vehicle.

When asked if you can use information to know when a car was moved, Falkofske answered that’s what they were looking for and he was found a reliable indicator whether the vehicle was in or out of Park. Falkofske cannot tell if a vehicle is physically moving when out of Park.

Falkofske testified he provided a printout of data results to SLED. A spreadsheet shows research document of various states of the state of the test vehicle to show process used to extract real data from the Suburban.

From the Suburban’s infotainment center, two calls retrieved from June 7, 2021 -- at 22:06:14 (10:06:14 p.m. EST) was a 911 call and 22:06:18 (10:06:18 p.m. EST), again to 911. The calls were downloaded from nearby phone using Bluetooth.

The Suburban’s infotainment system is recorded starting up several ways – opening the door, turning the vehicle on. On certain occasions, there are unexplained times where the system initiates a reboot and Falkofske is not quite sure why.

Log file excerpts from the state of the Suburban’s state on June 7, 2021, shows times where the Suburban is in Park. 12:21:43 (12:21:43 p.m.), car Parked true means shift lever is in Park.

12:33:23 multiple things happening at this time that must be taken as an aggregate to understand what’s going on. In Falkofske’s opinion the infotainment system was powering down

18:23:50 (6:23:50 p.m.) vehicle Parked “false,” means the car shifted was out of Park

18:53 and 19:11 (6:53 pm and 7:11 pm), infotainment boots up

21:03:44 (9:03:44 pm), boot up sequence

21:04:05, 21:04:18 (9:04:05, 9:04:18 pm), a group of messages show vehicle system starts up

21:05:56 -- 21:06:44 (9:05:56 -- 9:06:44 pm), the system is continuing the power up process. [NOTE: at this point in the testimony, prosecutor David Fernandez asks for times to be stated in Eastern Standard Time rather than global/military time.]

9:06:48 -- 9:06:50 pm, shows an engine running event; the car’s been started up and taken out of Park and is continuously used until placed in Park at 9:22:45 – roughly 16 minutes between taken out of Park and placed back into Park.

Vehicle sits in park for approx. 21 minutes until

9:43:05 vehicle goes out of Park; 9:43:59, back into Park

9:44:45 goes out of Park, back into Park at 10:00:36 – about 16 minutes

10:01:17 out of Park, into Park at 10:01:29

10:01:30 out, into at 10:01:43

10:04:44 -- 10:04:47, system powering down

10:04:49 out, into 10:05:55

10:11:00 out, into 10:12:00

10:13:39 out, no log message as to when it goes back into Park.

Falkofske testifies he can only say the data shows when the car was in and out of Park, not if it was being driven or who was driving it. If the car was idling with a foot on the brake, it would show an in-and-out of Park sequence

ON CROSS by Phillip Barber

For clarification: the data on the Suburban was encrypted? Yes

Something the manufacturer did? Yes

You had to reverse engineer how to access the data? Yes. We like to retrieve the data independently

You couldn’t reach out to General Motors for assistance in retrieving data? No

Things happening at 9:03-9:05 range, what does this group mean? In this case it’s showing the system boots up – something woke up the vehicle’s computer – some events that make that happen is opening a door.

Would walking near with a key fob trigger that? Possible

The engine started running after that. Did you retrieve data on the phones connected via Bluetooth? Yes

Credit: Joshua Boucher/The State/Pool
Prosecutor John Conrad shows the infotainment system and OnStar system from a car at the scene of the crime to SLED Special Agent Brian Hudak, who specializes in computer forensics, during Alex Murdaugh’s trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Joshua Boucher/The State/Pool

Do you recognize this printout of Bluetooth connected devices? The format is familiar but would have to go into original HTML document to pull up the original data.

Falkofske asks to retrieve the original document on his computer and Judge Newman says at 4:45 p.m., the testimony will continue Thursday morning and dismisses the jury for the day.

The trial will resume at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. 

Live streaming coverage can be on wltx.com, on the WLTX+ streaming app on Amazon Fire and Roku TV, and on the News19 WLTX YouTube page.

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