There’s been a surprising new development in the high-profile Alex Murdaugh murder case.
Becky Hill, the former court clerk who managed the trial proceedings, has recently been hit with several felony charges across two counties in South Carolina.
This shake-up has cast fresh doubts on Murdaugh’s 2023 murder conviction and stirred up debate over whether these charges could impact his fight for a retrial.
What Exactly Is Becky Hill Accused Of
Becky Hill, 57, served as the court clerk for Colleton County and stepped down earlier this year amid mounting controversy.
On Wednesday, she was formally charged with multiple serious offenses including obstruction of justice and misconduct in Colleton County, plus a perjury charge in Richland County.
According to reports, Hill allegedly lied during a January 2024 hearing when questioned by South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Toal.
Specifically, she claimed that no members of the press had been allowed to view sealed exhibits from Murdaugh’s trial — a statement authorities say conflicts with evidence they uncovered.
Could These Charges Affect Murdaugh’s Case
Opinions are split on what Hill’s legal troubles mean for Murdaugh, who is serving two life sentences without parole for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul on their family estate in 2021.
Eric Bland, an attorney representing some jurors from the murder trial and victims of Murdaugh’s financial crimes, believes the charges could be beneficial to Murdaugh’s case.
He told Fox News that while most of Hill’s charges relate to actions outside the trial, the perjury allegation could be significant since it stems from the hearing that denied Murdaugh a new trial.
However, South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon disagrees.
He argues that none of the charges include jury tampering — a major focus of Murdaugh’s defense appeal.
Condon believes the absence of jury tampering charges actually weakens Murdaugh’s chances of a retrial, suggesting authorities found insufficient evidence of any jury interference by Hill.
What Jurors Say About Hill’s Influence
Adding more context, Bland said he personally represented six jurors and that the majority were clear the clerk’s actions didn’t affect their verdict.
Eleven out of twelve jurors who found Murdaugh guilty stated Hill did not influence their decision, and the one juror who did hear her comments said they made no difference to the final verdict.
Still, Bland notes that whether Murdaugh gets a retrial will ultimately come down to legal interpretations of how much official interference must be proven to affect a verdict.
Additional Allegations Against Hill
Aside from trial-related accusations, Hill faces claims of financial misconduct.
Reports say she used her position to promote a book she wrote about the Murdaugh trial and allegedly sent herself nearly $10,000 in federal child support payments disguised as bonuses.
Despite the charges, officials described Hill as professional and suggested she may have been trying to help reporters, not acting with malicious intent.
Condon said Hill was likely trying to be accommodating, though he emphasized the importance of strict rule-following in such a sensitive case.
Murdaugh’s Defense Calls for Fairness
Murdaugh’s legal team, however, sees Hill’s arrest as confirmation of their long-standing concerns about the trial’s integrity.
They argue that these developments highlight the need to protect defendants’ rights to a fair and impartial trial.
One of Murdaugh’s attorneys, Dick Harpootlian, told Fox News he believes the charges against Hill will pave the way for a new trial for his client.
What Happened to Becky Hill
Hill held her court clerk position for about four years before resigning in March 2025.
At the time, she said she was stepping down to “focus on being a wife, a mother, and a grandmother.”
The felony charges and ongoing investigations have since cast a shadow over her departure.