What is SLED? Alex Murdaugh admits lying to investigators about his whereabouts 

Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina scion on trial for the death of his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, admitted to lying to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) about his whereabouts on the night of the murder.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is an investigative agency tasked with providing manpower and technical assistance to the local law enforcement agency in investigating crimes.

In a murder trial that captivated the nation, on Thursday, February 23, 2023, Alex Murdaugh took the stand and revealed for the first time that he had lied to the SLED agents leading the investigation into the deaths of his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, who were shot multiple times in the family's hunting estate in June 2021.

After emphatically denying that he was present at the crime scene minutes before the double homicide, Murdaugh finally admitted that he lied about not being with his wife and son before they were killed, adding that he, however, did not kill them.

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SLED agent's role in investigating Alex Murdaugh explored as the suspect admits he lied about his whereabouts

During their investigation into the double homicide, SLED agents discovered that Alex Murdaugh was at the crime scene five minutes before they were shot multiple times near the family's dog kennel. This was revealed by a Snapchat video filmed by Murdaugh's 22-year-old son Paul. However, Murdaugh lied to the investigators on multiple occasions and said he was at the house taking a nap before leaving the premises to visit his ailing mother.

Earlier this month, prosecutors at Alex Murdaugh's murder trial played a snap chat video deemed a critical piece of evidence. The footage shot minutes before the killing revealed three voices that prosecutors alleged belonged to the two victims and Alex Murdaugh. The assertion was corroborated by Paul's friends, who testified that they were positive that they heard the suspect in the background of the clip recorded by Paul at 8.44 pm on June 7, 2021.

Following the damning testimony incriminating Murdaugh on Thursday, he admitted that he had lied to SLED agents multiple times about his whereabouts on the night of the murder. During the trial, defense attorney Jim Griffin asked Murdaugh:

“Mr Murdaugh, is that you on the kennel video at 8:44 p.m. on June 7, the night Maggie and Paul were murdered?”

Murdaugh responded that it was him in the video and when the Defense asked him if he had lied to the SLED agents while he was interviewed in connection to the murders, he said:

“I did lie to them.”

He added:

"I wasn’t thinking clearly. I don’t think I was capable of reason, and I lied about being down there, and I’m so sorry that I did.”

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Alex Murdaugh blames substance abuse for lying to the agents

Alex Murdaugh told jurors that he lied about his whereabouts on the night of the murder due to his paranoia stemming from years of substance abuse.

Murdaugh, who has been addicted to painkillers for years, said that he was rattled after law enforcement began questioning him about the deaths of his family and chose to lie as he was paranoid.

However, prosecutors maintain that Murdaugh killed his family to gain sympathy to avoid being exposed in the community for his alleged financial crimes.

Shortly before the double homicide, Murdaugh, a partner at a law firm founded by his ancestors, was fired after the other partners discovered that he stole millions from his clients over the years to sustain his lifestyle as he was drowning in debt. If convicted, Murdaugh faces 30 years in prison.