The release of the Netflix true crime series, Murdaugh Murders, on February 22, 2023, has left many viewers intrigued about the case of Alex Murdaugh. The very next day, on February 23, Alex Murdaugh testified that he lied to investigators about his involvement and details in various different cases.

But amidst all of the attention on Alex Murdaugh’s actions, the identity of his shooter, Curtis Edward Smith, has also come into the spotlight. Smith was arrested on September 15, 2021, and charged with assisted suicide, assault, and battery of a high and aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.

Smith’s arrest came after Murdaugh was found on September 4, 2021, with a gunshot wound to the head on a rural road in South Carolina. Initially, Murdaugh claimed that he had been the victim of a roadside shooting, but later admitted to hiring Smith to kill him in an attempt to have his son collect on a $10 million life insurance policy. Murdaugh survived the shooting and has since been arrested on charges related to the botched scheme.

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According to court documents, Smith allegedly followed Murdaugh to a remote area and shot him in the head with a low-caliber firearm. After the shooting, Smith called Murdaugh’s son and reported the incident, leading to an investigation and Smith’s eventual arrest.

While Smith has been charged in connection with the shooting, his motives for carrying out the act remain unclear. Smith, who is from the nearby town of Walterboro, has no known connection to the Murdaugh family and has not publicly commented on the case.

The investigation into the shooting and the larger scandal involving the Murdaugh family has captivated South Carolina and beyond. For decades, the Murdaugh family has been a prominent and well-connected legal dynasty in the state, with multiple members serving as top prosecutors in the region.

But the family’s reputation has been tarnished by a series of scandals and criminal allegations in recent years. In addition to the 2019 boat accident and the botched insurance scheme, a separate case involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from a local wildlife charity has also been tied to the Murdaugh family.

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As for Smith, he remains in custody awaiting trial. His attorney has declined to comment on the case, and it is unclear when Smith’s trial will take place. But with the release of “Murdaugh Murders” and the ongoing investigation into the shooting, it is clear that the story of Curtis Edward Smith and the Murdaugh family is far from over.