Alex Murdaugh settles lawsuit over 2019 boat crash that killed Mallory Beach

Defendant Alex Murdaugh prepares for jury selection to resume during his murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C. on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023.( Joshua Boucher/The State via AP, Pool)

(WCIV) — Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has settled a lawsuit related to a 2019 boat crash involving his son, which resulted in the death of University of South Carolina student Mallory Beach and eventually led to the now-disbarred lawyer’s downfall.

Court documents indicate Judge Daniel D. Hall signed an order on Oct. 10 ending the civil case. Murdaugh’s insurer, Progressive, agreed to pay out $500,000 to Beach’s family.

Murdaugh’s son Paul Murdaugh allegedly crashed that boat into a Beaufort County bridge after a night of drinking in February 2019. The crash killed Beach and injured several others. Beach was tossed from the vessel and her body was found eight days later in the river.She had died from drowning and blunt force trauma.

Beach’s family, along with other victims in the crash, filed a lawsuit againstPaul, Buster Murdaugh, Alex, Maggie andParker’s Kitchen. A settlement was reached in July 2023, however, the claims against Alex Murdaugh were unknown at the time.

What held up the settlement was Alex Murdaugh’s insurance wouldn’t pay the $500,000 required until he was released as a defendant in the lawsuit, according to court documents.

Murdaugh’s assets have since been liquidated and Progressive agreed to pay the settlement amount, according to court documents.

Murdaugh is serving a life sentence without parole for the June 2021 killings of his wife, Maggie, and Paul. Prosecutors argued that he feared a wrongful death lawsuit from a boat crash would reveal the millions of dollars he had stolen from his clients and law firm.

Murdaugh was also sentenced in state and federal court for stealing from clients and his law firm.

Click here to view the court documents.