WALTERBORO, S.C. — A bomb threat was called in Wednesday to the South Carolina courthouse hosting the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh while proceedings were taking place, court officials said.
The threat prompted Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman to announce just before 12:30 p.m. that “we have to evacuate the building at this time. We’ll be in recess until we discover what’s going on.”
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Colleton County Courthouse personnel received the threat, and that the agency is investigating along with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.
Murdaugh, 54, is accused of fatally shooting his wife, Margaret, 52, and their youngest son, Paul, 22, on the evening of June 7, 2021, in a case that has captured national attention. The trial began three weeks ago.