Satterfield attorneys blast suggestion family be added to Murdaugh lawsuit

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Attorneys representing the family of Alex Murdaugh’s former housekeeper say Murdaugh, in a recent filing, is suggesting the insurance company suing him for nearly $4 million should look at the housekeeper’s family.

Gloria Satterfield worked as Alex Murdaugh’s housekeeper and died in 2018 after a fall at Murdaugh’s home.

Attorneys Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter say, just because Satterfield’s family has finally earned some of the money they are owed through other lawsuits against Murduagh, they don’t owe the insurance company anything in this case and it’s disrespectful that Murdaugh would suggest it.

“Now, as if he has not caused enough damage to the Satterfield family, Murdaugh took the additional step in the lawsuit, although he didn’t have to, of suggesting by way of defense that because he successfully stole the money and because that money is gone, but also because the Satterfields were successful in obtaining money from other sources,” Richter said. “That Nautilus should look to the Satterfields to get back the money that Alex stole.”

Following Satterfield’s death, Murdaugh initially claimed he worked with her family to help them get settlement money from his policy with Nautilus. However, Satterfield’s family claimed they never received any settlement and Murdaugh admitted that he owed them millions.

“You know what isn’t in Alex Murdaugh’s pleading? A confession of judgment to say you’re right, Nautilus insurance company, I stole $3.8 million dollars from you,” Bland said. “Here’s where it is. Here’s where you can find it. What he says is, I get to keep the 3.8 million and you can look to the Satterfields. This is completely not founded in law. It’s not founded in facts.”

Murdaugh responded to the lawsuit on May 1, admitting he lied about his dogs causing Satterfield’s fall to force his insurers to make a settlement payment.

However, investigation documents released by Bland and Richter on Monday detail interviews conducted with Murdaugh, his wife Maggie and son, Paul after Satterfield’s fall.

In the documents, each of the Murdaughs said they heard Satterfield mention something about the dogs contributing to the fall.

“And it’s very convenient that the three people who could support or contradict Alex are all dead,” Bland said.

Nautilus is seeking to recover the $3.8 million it paid in the settlement stating the money was paid based on false claims made by Murdaugh.

What’s left in Murdaugh’s wallet is of interest to a lot of people. Since his conviction, his accounts are now in the hands of officials in charge of paying back victims of financial crimes. And just last week, Murdaugh’s lawyers asked for more money from that pool to pay them for working on his murder appeal.

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