Alex Murdaugh's attorneys have asked a judge to allow Othram, a Texas forensic genealogy lab, to perform advanced testing on DNA recovered from under Maggie Murdaugh's left-hand fingernails. SLED previously reported the sample contained DNA from an "unknown, unrelated male," but did not pursue further analysis. The defense also requests preservation of SLED's reserve samples to prevent depletion of the limited material. A hearing on the motion is set for Aug. 14; the retrial is scheduled for April 2027 after the South Carolina Supreme Court vacated the 2023 convictions.
Murdaugh Asks Judge to Let Texas Lab Test DNA Under Wife's Fingernails, Citing Possible New Suspect
Alex Murdaugh in court on June 29, 2026Credit: COURT TV/Youtube
Attorneys for Alex Murdaugh have filed a formal motion asking a South Carolina judge to allow an independent Texas lab to perform advanced testing on DNA recovered from beneath the fingernails of his late wife, Maggie Murdaugh. The defense says the result could identify an unknown male contributor and potentially point to someone other than Alex.
What the motion seeks
In a July 30 filing, defense lawyers Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin told the court that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) originally reported DNA under Maggie's left-hand fingernails that "belongs to an unknown, unrelated male." According to the motion, SLED did not pursue further genetic genealogy or advanced sequencing to try to identify the source.
The defense asks the court to permit Othram, a private forensic genetic genealogy laboratory in Texas, to conduct additional, modern testing. The filing also requests an order requiring preservation of SLED's reserve samples so that an independent review remains possible. Defense attorneys warn that if SLED consumes the limited sample during its own retesting, little or nothing may remain for the independent analysis.
Why the testing matters
Defense attorneys say advanced analysis of fingernail DNA could reveal evidence inconsistent with the state's theory of the case and potentially identify another person connected to the June 7, 2021, double homicide at the Murdaugh family hunting property in Islandton, S.C. The motion states the defense will cover the cost of the independent testing.
Case background
Alex Murdaugh, once a prominent South Carolina lawyer, was convicted in March 2023 of fatally shooting his wife, Maggie, 52, and their son, Paul, 22. He received life sentences for the murders. In May 2024 the South Carolina Supreme Court vacated those convictions and ordered a new trial after finding that a court clerk had improperly influenced jurors during the 2023 proceedings. The retrial is scheduled for April 2027.
Murdaugh remains incarcerated on lengthy state and federal sentences for admitted financial crimes. A court hearing on the defense motion to test and preserve the fingernail DNA evidence is scheduled for August 14.
Key dates: Murders: June 7, 2021 | Motion Filed: July 30 | Hearing: Aug. 14 | Retrial: April 2027
This motion does not change the status of the convictions; it requests the court’s permission to pursue independent forensic investigation that defense counsel says could be material to the retrial strategy.
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