Alex Murdaugh's story is one of those dark American true crime tales that unravel slowly, a saga of power, privilege, legacy, and the complete collapse of an empire. The once-respected lawyer of South Carolina, Murdaugh, was linked to a series of harrowing events involving boat crashes, murders, and fraud. During the last few years of his trial, documentary filmmakers started to line up to reveal the mess, creating unparalleled cinematic investigations of his crimes. 

Some of the most interesting true-crime films and series tell the story of the Murdaugh murders from different perspectives, promising to keep true crime enthusiasts hooked till the very end. 

Viewers looking for a quick, informative, and engaging docu-series on the Murdaugh murders, this three-part series is a one-stop solution. It scratches the surface of the fatal boat crash that led to the collapse of a powerful dynasty, as well as Stephen Smith’s death in 2015, and Gloria Satterfield’s fall in 2018. 

Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty plunges into the dark and murky domain of the Murdaugh family, suddenly beset by violence. The series reveals the roots of the scandal that go way back to family privilege, a historical pattern of quietly burying crimes, and a legal system influenced by the Murdaughs over generations. 

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Though it illustrates how a horrifying accident led to a flow of suspicion through ominous narration and reenactment, it lacks a more in-depth investigation of the case. 

Lifetime's Murdaugh Murders: The Movie stars Bill Pullman as Alex Murdaugh, Lauren K. Robek as Maggie Murdaugh, Curtis Tweedie as Paul Murdaugh, and Tanja Dixon-Warren as Gloria Satterfield. The story of Alex Murdaugh's double homicide is dramatized in this docu-drama comprising two episodes.

Even though it is a revamped version of the incident, Murdaugh Murders: The Movie allows the non-documentary-friendly audience to comprehend the magnitude of the scandal and the price of human life. From Mallory Beach’s fatal boat crash and Alex Murdaugh’s fake suicide attempt to his incarceration, the series builds up like a suspenseful thriller featuring key events leading up to the homicide.

NBC's two-hour special presents the peak point of the Murdaugh case: the double murders of Maggie and Paul, along with the fall of the financial empire. It ties together interviews with legal experts, journalists, and the family’s connections. 

Though it provides a consistent story behind the murders that shocked the nation, it lacks police or legal statements. Balancing a dramatization of the case with unsolved facts, this 2021 movie from Emmy-winner Dick Wolf arrived a bit too early, as the case was still in development at the time.

The Murdaugh family is presented through this 2022 three-episode series, where their three-generation judicial influence in South Carolina is examined under the lens of their dubious deeds. It takes a wider approach to the lawyer powerhouse family's accusations of old fraudulence, deception, and murder. 

The series exposes the filth of privilege through a decades-old murder case and shows how it can protect the wrongdoer until the truth is out. Rife with interviews of journalists and attorneys, it analyzes a systemic failure that buried decades of crimes. 

In this 11th episode of Season 44 of Fall of the House of Murdaugh, ABC goes deep into the downfall of the Murdaugh family, showing exclusive interviews such as from Mallory Beach’s family, legal proceedings, and the family's grip on the Low Country's justice system. It became one of the earliest coverages of the complete story of murders to be broadcast nationally.

The documentary forges a connection to the social issues to be pointed out: the rise and fall of this one family reflecting the regional power, influence, and legal systemic problems. In 2 hours, this documentary offers razor-sharp reporting on the Murdaugh family's case.

In two episodes, American Greed: The Decline of a Dynasty & A Legacy of Fraud focus on the Murdaughs’ financial crimes, such as embezzlement, fraud, theft from clients, fake lawsuits, insurance fraud, and other criminal charges. 

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The narrative mainly highlights the millions of dollars of financial fraud, greed, and corrupt infrastructure that eventually led up to the murders. Though it does not dive deep into the homicide, it gives a detailed overview of the Murdaughs' criminal history.

Netflix has undoubtedly mastered the art of true crime documentaries, as this original series remains the most popular investigation of the Murdaugh murders. It tells the whole narrative of the boat crash, murders, and the fraud in a multi-episode format.

Directed by Julia Willoughby Nason and Jenner Furst, the show provides a new emotional perspective to the tale through the previously quiet witnesses’ testimonies. It comprises interviews with local journalists, Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, their housekeeper, as well as the jurors for Alex Murdaugh’s trial in two crisp seasons.

This Dateline special episode offers one of the earliest and a detailed look at the Murdaugh case and the family's decades of criminal privilege served up as a platform for the murders.

With Keith Morrison's narration, it revisits several key moments like the boat crash and probes into accountability and influence.  It remains one of the first efforts to examine the murder case's timeline, despite lacking courtroom coverage and later revelations made in the trial.

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Which one of these Murdaugh murders documentaries do you like the best? Comment your thoughts below.