It’s been four long years since Buster Murdaugh’s life was turned upside down.
While the world was captivated by his father Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial and shocking downfall, Buster was left to quietly pick up the pieces of a life that had once seemed destined for privilege and prestige.
Now 32, the only surviving member of the Murdaugh nuclear family is still trying to make sense of what’s left.
From Legacy to Isolation
Buster grew up in South Carolina as part of one of the most respected and powerful legal families in the Lowcountry.
The Murdaughs weren’t just wealthy—they were woven into the very fabric of the local justice system.
For nearly a century, his family held the solicitor’s office in the 14th Judicial Circuit.
But all of that came crashing down after the brutal 2021 murders of his mother Maggie and younger brother Paul.
Alex Murdaugh, Buster’s father, is now serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole after being convicted of their murders.
He’s also doing time for over 90 financial crimes, including stealing millions from clients.
For Buster, it’s a legacy he didn’t ask for—and one he can’t seem to shake.
A Son’s Anger and a Bleak Future
Those close to Buster say he still doesn’t believe his father committed the murders. But even so, the bitterness runs deep.
What really eats at him are the massive financial crimes that followed—the theft, the lies, and the endless betrayals.
“He’s angry,” one insider shared. “He’s not doing much right now.
He’s kind of lost. But he’s trying to figure it out.”
Career opportunities have dried up. The family name that once opened doors now seems to slam them shut. He left law school and never returned.
And despite trying to lead a quieter life, he’s constantly reminded of who he is—and who his father is.
The Day Everything Changed
Back in June 2021, the world watched as Alex Murdaugh called 911 to report he’d found Maggie and Paul shot dead near the dog kennels at their Moselle property in rural Colleton County.
At first, Murdaugh claimed innocence, but the investigation quickly revealed a tangled mess of financial fraud, opioid abuse, and deceit.
Three months later, in a bizarre twist, Murdaugh was shot in the head on the side of the road while changing a tire.
But that too was staged—authorities say he hired a distant cousin to shoot him in a failed suicide attempt aimed at securing a $10 million life insurance payout for Buster.
The Fallout That Never Ends
That was a particularly dark moment for Buster.
“It went from bad to worse,” the source added. “Then it just kept getting worse.”
The fallout from the trial has been relentless. Wherever Buster goes, people recognize him.
Some approach him with sympathy, but many with judgment.
He recalled being yelled at in a gas station by a complete stranger.
It’s a level of scrutiny he didn’t sign up for—but one he can’t escape.
A Quiet Life in Bluffton
These days, Buster lives in Bluffton, South Carolina, about an hour from his childhood home.
He shares a modest three-bedroom house with his longtime girlfriend-turned-wife, Brooklynn White, who works as an attorney.
They’re trying to rebuild something resembling a normal life, even if that means keeping a low profile and avoiding public places near the Lowcountry.
Buster rarely speaks to his father anymore. The phone calls, when they happen, are short and always initiated by Alex from McCormick Correctional Institution, where he’s being held in protective custody.
According to the same source, Buster doesn’t have much to say to him anymore.
Still Loyal—But Wounded
Despite all this, Buster hasn’t publicly turned his back on his dad.
In his only interview—part of the Fox Nation documentary The Fall of the House of Murdaugh—he said he doesn’t believe Alex was capable of hurting Maggie and Paul.
“I know the love that I’ve witnessed,” he said, insisting that no one else could understand the dynamics of his family like he did.
Still, it’s clear that the once-close father-son bond has frayed.
With their conversations dwindling and the legal dust mostly settled, Buster is left with the ghosts of the past—and the daunting task of building a future in their shadow.