WALTERBORO, S.C. — The saga of disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh and the killing of his wife and son--a case that gripped the nation and put the state in the national spotlight-- will now be dramatized in a made for TV movie.
Lifetime Network announced Wednesday that "Murdaugh Murders: The Movie" will air as a two-part, four hour film on October 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern. The film is the 500th original movie for the network that's become known for stories about real-life murders and families in peril.
Actor Bill Pullman, known for playing the President in "Independence Day" and starring in TV shows such as "The Sinner," was cast as Alex Murdaugh. Actress Lauren Robek will play his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, while Curtis Tweedle will portray son Paul Murdaugh.
Alex Murdaugh was convicted in March of killing Maggie and Paul in June of 2021 at their sprawling Colleton County estate. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors said Murdaugh killed his family because of ongoing pressure over money that he allegedly stole from his law firm and a pending civil lawsuit over a deadly boat crashing involving Paul. Alex Murdaugh also admitted on the stand that he abused opioids during that time period.
The film appears to dramatize most of the leadup to the killings.
"For over 100 years, the wealthy and powerful Murdaugh Family were a local dynasty in the South Carolina low country, where they oversaw the prosecution of all criminal cases in the state's 14th circuit district," Lifetime said in a news release. "But behind all the power, black ties, and fancy dresses Alex had many secrets."
Alex Murdaugh is currently serving his sentence at an undisclosed South Carolina prison but is appealing his conviction. On Tuesday, his lawyers announced they believe there was jury tampering by the Colleton County Clerk of Court during the trial and are asking the state appeals court to throw out his conviction and set a new trial.
Murdaugh also continues to make headlines even while behind bars.
Murdaugh is set to plead guilty later this month on a slew of financial crimes related to his law career. He's accused of stealing millions of dollars from clients.
Last week, it was announced by the South Carolina Department of Corrections that they took away his phone and computer tablet privileges because he made a telephone interview that was released to a media outlet. Corrections policy does not allow inmates to do media interviews.