The chief of the state law enforcement agency that played a role in the investigation of the Murdaugh family murders spoke outside the courthouse shortly after Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison Friday, saying he understood the immense scrutiny the case had placed on his organization.
Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said he rarely holds news conferences, but it was "important for me to speak out ... because Maggie and Paul (Murdaugh) cannot."
Keel said his team worked "under constant scrutiny, constant pressure" in the case.
During the trial, Murdaugh's defense attacked the work of SLED agents in an effort to prove his innocence, claiming the agency had "failed miserably" in their investigation, and going as far as to accuse investigators of fabricating evidence against Murdaugh because his known financial and drug issues made him an "easy target."
Keel said he chose not to speak publicly about the investigation until the trial concluded, because he believed in the criminal justice system and in "the rights of an accused to have a fair trial."
Now that the trial is over, he voiced pride for the investigators' work. Keel said his staff works "day in and day out for days just like today — to bring justice for victims."
"And today is not the end, just the next step in a long road to justice for every person who has been victimized by...
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