Where Did The Murdaughs Live: Complete Geographic History And Property Timeline In 2026
The inquiry into where the Murdaugh family lived centers primarily on the sprawling Lowcountry properties of Colleton and Hampton counties in South Carolina, most notably Moselle, the hunting estate where the 2021 homicides occurred, alongside their historic primary residences in Varnville and Islandton. Understanding the geography of the Murdaugh dynasty requires examining the specific real estate holdings, legal transfers, and current status of these properties as of 2026. For decades, the family's physical presence anchored the local legal and social landscape of the South Carolina Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, utilizing distinct rural retreats that have since become central fixtures in true crime documentation and real estate records.
The Moselle Property: Location, Layout, and Legacy
The Moselle estate, officially known as the Islandton property, served as the primary modern focal point for Alex Murdaugh and his family before the June 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Situated along Moselle Road in Islandton, South Carolina, within Colleton County, the property spanned approximately 1,772 acres of mixed pine forests, open fields, and flooded agricultural land optimized for hunting white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and doves.
- Geographic Coordinates: Located roughly 60 miles west of Charleston and 70 miles north of Savannah, Georgia.
- Primary Structures: A sprawling main hunting lodge spanning over 5,000 square feet, a secondary caretaker cabin, multiple dog kennels, and various equipment sheds.
- The Kennels: The outdoor dog kennels and feed room adjacent to the main lodge served as the location where final video and audio evidence was captured on Paul Murdaugh's cellphone hours before the homicides.
Following the financial collapse of Alex Murdaugh's estate and subsequent legal judgments, the Moselle property underwent significant shifts in ownership. Receivers appointed by the court listed and sold the property to settle mounting civil debts, wrongful death settlements, and federal financial crimes restitution. By 2026, the land has been subdivided and acquired by private buyers, with the iconic hunting lodge undergoing extensive architectural updates to distance the physical space from its dark history.
Historic Family Headquarters in Varnville and Hampton
Before the widespread acquisition of the Moselle hunting tract, the ancestral and operational hub of the Murdaugh family was firmly rooted in the town of Varnville and the neighboring county seat of Hampton, South Carolina. These properties reflect the generational wealth and political influence accumulated through a century of holding the office of Solicitor for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Generational Roots in Hampton County The Murdaugh family established their domestic footprint close to the historic Hampton County Courthouse. Their traditional homes were classic Southern residential structures characterized by deep wrap-around porches, large plot footprints, and immediate proximity to the local legal infrastructure, allowing family members to walk directly from their domestic quarters to their legal offices.
Key features of their legacy properties in the Hampton area include:
- The Hampton Residence: A traditional multi-bedroom home utilized by Randolph Murdaugh III and his wife prior to his passing in June 2021. This residence acted as the family's social gathering ground for decades.
- The Law Firm Headquarters: Located on Lee Avenue in Hampton, the historic building housing Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED) served as the professional command center where family members spent the vast majority of their waking hours.
- Local Land Holdings: Various timber tracts and small residential parcels scattered throughout Hampton, Varnville, and Early Branch, utilized for tax shelter strategies, investment portfolios, and recreational privacy.
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Property Ownership Comparison and Current Status
To understand the scope of the Murdaugh real estate portfolio, it is helpful to contrast the primary properties through a structured comparative framework detailing their original functions, geographic designations, and current post-trial statuses as of 2026.
| Property Name | Geographic Location | Primary Historic Function | Current Status (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moselle Estate | Islandton, SC (Colleton County) | Private hunting retreat and secondary residence | Subdivided, sold to private buyers, lodge renovated |
| Hampton Home | Hampton, SC (Hampton County) | Primary generational family residence | Transferred and sold via estate liquidation |
| Edisto Beach House | Edisto Island, SC (Colleton County) | Coastal vacation and leisure property | Sold to satisfy civil litigation judgments |
| PMPED Law Offices | Hampton, SC (Hampton County) | Regional legal practice headquarters | Operating under a restructured corporate entity and rebranded name |
The Edisto Beach House and Coastal Holdings
Beyond their inland forestry and rural compounds, the Murdaugh family maintained a prominent coastal footprint on Edisto Island, located in Colleton County, South Carolina. The Edisto beach house, situated on a prime oceanfront lot along with marshland views, acted as a weekend getaway and a symbol of their rising affluence during the late 2010s.
- Acquisition and Use: Purchased in 2016 for approximately $3.9 million, the property featured a raised stilt construction typical of low-lying coastal architectures, complete with expansive multi-level decking designed to capture Atlantic ocean breezes.
- Financial Scrutiny: Investigators later revealed that funds utilized to purchase and maintain the Edisto property derived from embezzled client settlements and fraudulent structured settlements handled through Alex Murdaugh's personal injury law practice.
- Liquidation Process: Following the freezing of assets, the Edisto beach house was put on the real estate market by court-appointed receivers and sold to independent buyers, with the complete proceeds deposited into escrow accounts designated for victims of financial fraud and the families affected by the 2019 boat crash.
Step-by-Step Guide to Touring or Researching Lowcountry Landmarks
For researchers, true crime historians, and journalists analyzing the geography of the Murdaugh saga, understanding how to legally and respectfully navigate these locations requires adherence to local property boundaries and municipal regulations.
- Verify Public vs. Private Property Boundaries: Recognize that Moselle and most surrounding residential tracts are strictly private property. Trespassing laws in South Carolina are heavily enforced, and modern owners maintain aggressive security and surveillance systems.
- Utilize Public Records for Property Transfers: Access the Colleton County GIS mapping tool and the Hampton County Register of Deeds online databases to examine original deeds, plat maps, and recent 2026 deed transfers associated with the disputed parcels.
- Visit Public Legal Landmarks: To understand the cultural context of where the family lived and worked, legal researchers typically visit the historic Hampton County Courthouse square on Bay Street, which remains open to the public during standard business hours.
- Examine Regional Infrastructure: Review regional highway maps focusing on SC-63 and SC-3, which connect Varnville, Islandton, and Walterboro, illustrating the exact transit routes heavily utilized by family members during daily commutes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Murdaugh Residences
Where did Alex and Maggie Murdaugh live primarily?
Alex and Maggie Murdaugh split their time between their historic residence in Hampton, South Carolina, and their sprawling 1,772-acre hunting estate known as Moselle in Islandton, SC. In the years immediately preceding the 2021 murders, Moselle functioned as their main domestic base of operations.
Who currently owns the Moselle property in Islandton?
The Moselle estate was sold by court-appointed receivers following Alex Murdaugh's criminal convictions and civil judgments to compensate victims of financial fraud and wrongful death claims. By 2026, the land has been broken up into smaller tracts and owned by private individuals.
What happened to the Edisto Beach house owned by the family?
The oceanfront Edisto Beach property was seized and sold by receivers to help satisfy multi-million-dollar civil settlements and judgments stemming from the 2021 homicides and financial embezzlement scandals.
Are the Murdaugh properties open for public tours?
No, all former Murdaugh residential properties, including the Moselle hunting lodge and private family homes in Varnville, are strictly private property and not open to tourists. Trespassing on these locations is illegal and strictly monitored by local law enforcement.
How many acres was the Moselle property?
The Moselle property encompassed approximately 1,772 acres of land featuring timberland, open food plots, a main hunting lodge, and subsidiary maintenance structures located in Colleton County.
Why did the family leave Varnville for Islandton?
The shift toward spending more time at Moselle reflected a desire for recreational privacy, massive hunting operations, and the consolidation of personal wealth into a large land investment during the 2010s, though they retained deep ancestral ties to Varnville and Hampton.
