Settlement Reached After Murdaugh’s Insurer Pays $500,000 to Beach’s Family Following Fatal Incident

Alex Murdaugh, the convicted murderer currently serving a life sentence for the deaths of his wife and son, has reached a settlement in a civil lawsuit regarding the 2019 boat crash that resulted in the tragic death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. This settlement was finalised on October 10, with Murdaugh’s insurer, Progressive, agreeing to pay $500,000 to Beach’s family.

The incident took place in February 2019, when Mallory Beach was aboard a boat driven by Murdaugh’s son, Paul, who was reportedly intoxicated. The boat collided with a bridge in the Archers Creek area, throwing Beach into the water. Her body was discovered eight days later in a nearby river. Paul Murdaugh, who had been charged with boating under the influence, never faced trial due to his murder by his father two years later.

During his trial for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, prosecutors claimed that Murdaugh’s motive for the killings was to cover up his financial crimes, as he feared the wrongful death suit from Beach’s family would expose his thefts. Murdaugh denied the killings, insisting he was visiting his sick mother at the time.

Murdaugh was convicted in March 2023 of murdering his wife and son. A few months later, he was indicted on 22 additional charges related to financial fraud. He pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to an additional 40 years in prison, alongside a restitution order of $8.7 million.

The wrongful death case had been ongoing for several years and was finally settled in July 2023, with a $15 million agreement, although the payout was delayed until Murdaugh’s name was removed from the lawsuit. With that resolved, Progressive made its payment to the Beach family, bringing an end to the litigation.