Charleston Based Author Does a Deep Dive Into the Onetime Legal Dynasty That Was the Murdaugh Family

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer

While most of South Carolina and America became aware of Alex Murdaugh during his high profile murder case that played out on national television in 2023, the disgraced lawyer was apparently a chip off the old block. His family name has long been linked to numerous scandals dating back more than a century in the rural SC counties the Murdaugh's presided over.

For years, running just a step ahead of those investigating his misdeeds, Alex's world came crashing down in 2021 when law enforcement accused him of killing his wife and son, a narrative Murdaugh tried to spin in another direction. After a lengthy trial he would be convicted of murder in 2023 and is currently serving time in South Carolina.

In his latest book 'Swamp Kings' writer Jason Ryan unveils how Alex Murdaugh and generations before him used the legal system to their advantage, including fraud, theft, and human trafficking, as well as drug and booze smuggling. Ryan reveals the Murdaugh name became so feared in Hampton County, major corporations dreaded setting up business locally due to expected high payout lawsuits. 

Much like his ancestors, Alex was driven by greed and power, to the point he had little or no remorse for his numerous sins. However, Alex's reign came crashing down over the past several years no doubt fueled by an ongoing drug addiction that was fed by a 'rob from Peter to pay Paul' scenario, whereby he cheated his clients out of most if not all of the money he won representing their cases.

According to Ryan, Murdaugh's tunnel vision was so consuming, those living in the same household could not convince him to recognize a need for accountability, which resulted in his ultimate fall from grace.

Since Alex further besmirched the family name and brought their reign to an end, countless books have been offered up on the Murdaugh's. Several of the books uncover the generational passing of the dishonorable baton, however Ryan's encompassing 400 plus pages is easily the most comprehensive.

Given the use of the word 'swamp' in the title, which Ryan refers to as the backwoods area of the low country in his latest book, he is unapologetic in describing in detail the multitude of dirty deeds carried out over decades by the Murdaugh clan, often in cahoots with law enforcement officials. While Alex's crimes seem atrocious, extracting a line from the book's jacket cover declares 'there were some crimes committed by Alex's kin that even he would not dare mimic'.

Lawsuits upon lawsuits, divorce, deception, theft, fraud, bootlegging, money laundering, libel, slander, and murder are all woven in the fabric of Ryan's narrative. Even though their list of wrongdoings were unforgivable, their biggest offense often resulted from conceit. The Murdaugh's thrived on power, control, and money, whereas they couldn't care less who they hurt or cheated, even close friends and clients.

Although most of 'Swamp Kings' portrays the Murdaugh's in a bad light, Alex's father Randy seemed the more likeable of the four generations trying cases in county courthouses. Ryan departs from the norm describing some of the good natured acts the Murdaugh's did, and Ryan equally does a nice job of providing a historical time-line of the overall growth of the rural counties and towns known as the low country of South Carolina.

'Swamp King's may be a lengthy read, but for those interested in looking further behind the curtain that shielded the Murdaugh family, Ryan's book is an elaborate eye opener. He's not afraid to peel back the onion, revealing countless unethical behaviors the Murdaugh's carried out for more than a century.

The Coda aka 'concluding passage' offers up six pages of Alex's second trial, mostly covering his millions of dollars in theft, and brief final words from Alex that apparently fell on deaf ears. 'Swamp Kings' is a gripping, larger than life, notorious account of how one family ruled over rural communities with little regard until Alex brought it all crumbling down a few short years ago. Available through Amazon, online and retail book stores. For more visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swamp-Kings/Jason-Ryan/9781639365678