THE case against Alex Murdaugh took another surprising turn after a court clerk admitted to meddling in the trial.
The stunning admission capped off the long saga of deceit, theft, and shocking twists that have come to define the once-powerful Murdaugh family.
Former Colleton County, South Carolina, court clerk Mary Rebecca “Becky” Hill pleaded guilty to four counts and was sentenced to a year of probation after being accused of utilizing privileged information for her own personal gain.
Hill was convicted of obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter sealed court photographs and lying about it, as well as two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting the book she wrote about the trial through her public office.
“There is no excuse for the mistakes I made,” Hill said before the court on Monday, according to AP News.
“I’m ashamed of them.”
Judge Heath Taylor said Hill’s sentence would be harsher if there was proof she had tampered with the jury in the Murdaugh trial.
Alex Murdaugh was convicted to life in prison without parole in 2023 for the murder of his wife and son, as well as embezzling money from his family’s law firm.
Judge Jean Toal said Hill was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity” and was unsure that Hill was entirely truthful about her dealings with the jury.
As a court clerk, Hill was responsible for taking care of the jury, helping the judge, and overseeing exhibits.
Murdaugh’s lawyers claimed Hill tried to influence the jurors to convict him and said she was biased against him in her book.
Though Murdaugh asked for a retrial in 2024 when Hill’s dealings were uncovered, the request was denied after jury members testified that Hill’s comments did not change their minds on the verdict.
The judge said she would not grant a retrial “on the strength of some fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-seeking clerk of court.”
Solicitor Rick Hubbard said a journalist shared with investigators that Hill showed graphic crime scene photos to members of the media, but Hubbard declined to name them.
When asked about the incident in court last year, Hill lied about sharing the photographs.
Officials said Hill also used a photo of Murdaugh in a holding cell to promote her book about the trial on social media.
Along with accusations of misconduct during the Murdaugh trial, investigators discovered that Hill took thousands of dollars from the government.
They say this includes nearly $10,000 allocated for bonuses, money meant to improve child care collections, and $2,000 taken directly from the Clerk of Court’s office.
She also used county money to dozens of lunches for her staff, prosecutors, and a vendor.
Hill resigned from her post in 2024, citing the pressure from Murdaugh’s trial and wanting to spend more time with her grandchildren.
Alex Murdaugh’s Conviction and Sentencing
Murdaugh, who is already serving two life terms plus an additional 27 years, was handed an additional 40-year sentence in April 2024 for defrauding his previous clients.
Murder of Maggie Murdaugh: Life sentence without parole
Murder of Paul Murdaugh: Life sentence without parole
Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, two counts: 5 years
State financial crimes: 27 years
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution: 30 years
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud: 20 years
Fourteen counts of money laundering: 10 years
