Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh claimed in a federal court filing Monday that he lied when he told his insurance companies that the family dogs caused his late housekeeper Gloria Satterfield to trip and fall.
Satterfield died Feb. 26, 2018, after tumbling on the steps of the family’s main residence at the family's former South Carolina hunting estate known as Moselle.
"No dogs were involved in the fall of Gloria Satterfield," Murdaugh’s lawyers wrote in his reply to Nautilus Insurance Company’s fraud lawsuit against him. "After Ms. Satterfield’s death, defendant invented Ms. Satterfield’s purported statement that dogs caused her fall to force his insurers to make a settlement payment."
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Nautilus sued Murdaugh, his former friend and ex-attorney Cory Fleming, and others for fraud after they allegedly pocketed $3.8 million from Nautilus and $500,000 from Lloyd's of London that should have gone to the Satterfield children.
Nautilus has accused Murdaugh of hatching an insurance fraud scheme by encouraging the Satterfield children to sue him then lining his own pockets.
Murdaugh told the Satterfield boys that a settlement hadn't been reached, as he and his co-conspirators allegedly spent the windfall.
In the reply, Murdaugh's lawyers point out that the Satterfields recovered over $7.5 million based on the allegation that the disbarred attorney had stolen insurance money that should have gone to them.
The Satterfield estate wasn’t entitled to the funds in the first place if Murdaugh lied about the circumstances of the fall, the document contends.
Lawyer Eric Bland, who represents the late housekeeper’s family, alleges that Murdaugh is lying yet again to avoid a judgment against him and to encourage Nautilus to sue the Satterfield estate. The attorney added that none of the $7.5 million settlement came from Nautilus.
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The Satterfield family has a $4.3 million judgment against Murdaugh, which he voluntarily signed.
"He’s not to be believed. He's a convicted murderer and a known liar," said Bland.
Murdaugh was sentenced to two life terms in March for fatally shooting his son, Paul, 22, and his wife, Maggie, 52, in June 2021. He’s appealing the verdict.
On the stand, Murdaugh admitted to lying to his family, best friends and clients for decades.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has said it is investigating Satterfield’s death.
Murdaugh's courtroom battles are far from over. He has been indicted for over 100 counts of financial crimes stemming from the theft of nearly $9 million from his former law firm, clients and the Satterfield children.
