Murdaugh wants Idaho murders DNA dream team behind Kohberger case to help rewrite second murder trial

Alex Murdaugh’s attorneys privation a Texas forensic DNA laboratory known for helping ace immoderate of the nation’s astir notorious execution cases to trial chartless antheral DNA recovered beneath Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails arsenic the disgraced South Carolina lawyer heads toward a caller double-murder trial.

Murdaugh, erstwhile a almighty idiosyncratic wounded lawyer successful South Carolina’s Lowcountry, was convicted successful 2023 of sidesplitting his wife, Maggie, 52, and their younger son, Paul, 22, astatine the family’s hunting property successful June 2021. His convictions were aboriginal overturned, and a caller proceedings has been tentatively acceptable for April 2027.

His attorneys person pointed to DNA recovered beneath Maggie's fingernails that they accidental belonged to an unknown, unrelated male. They person asked for autarkic investigating by Othram Inc., a Houston-area forensic familial genealogy institution whose exertion has been utilized successful high-profile execution investigations and decades-old acold cases.

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Alex Murdaugh, left, and Bryan Kohberger, right. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital; Zach Wilkinson-Pool/Getty Images)

Prosecutors disputed the value of further DNA testing, arguing that the grounds has already been tested by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and produced lone a substance of Maggie’s DNA and what the authorities described arsenic a "very partial and incomplete" illustration from different contributor. The chartless profile, prosecutors said, did not incorporate capable identifying accusation to beryllium submitted to CODIS, the nationalist DNA database.

Alex Murdaugh arrives for a judicial proceeding connected Monday, June 29, 2026, astatine the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center successful Lexington, South Carolina. Murdaugh volition beryllium retried successful the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his woman and son, aft his archetypal condemnation was overturned owed to assemblage tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)

Othram, based successful The Woodlands, Texas, specializes successful precocious DNA investigating and forensic familial genealogy, a method that tin assistance investigators place suspects oregon chartless victims erstwhile accepted instrumentality enforcement databases bash not nutrient a match.

Here are immoderate of the high-profile cases Othram has helped crack.

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1. The University of Idaho murders

Othram’s enactment came nether nationalist scrutiny successful the probe into the 2022 murders of 4 University of Idaho students: Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Investigators recovered DNA from a weapon sheath recovered adjacent 1 of the victims wrong the off-campus Moscow, Idaho, location wherever the students were killed. Othram has said Idaho State Police Forensic Services, Moscow constabulary and the FBI teamed with the institution to assistance place Bryan Kohberger arsenic the suspect.

Bryan Kohberger appears astatine the Ada County Courthouse successful Boise, Idaho, connected July 23, 2025, for sentencing successful the University of Idaho murders case, wherever prosecutors relied heavy connected cellphone determination information and integer evidence. (Photo by Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Images)

Kohberger aboriginal pleaded blameworthy to 4 counts of execution and was sentenced to beingness successful situation without parole.

COLD CASE CRACKED AS ILLINOIS SUSPECT CHARGED IN BRUTAL 1993 KILLING OF MOTHER FOUND SLAIN IN FIELD

2. Rachel Morin murder

Othram besides played a relation successful the probe into the sidesplitting of Rachel Morin, a Maryland parent of 5 whose assemblage was recovered adjacent the Ma & Pa Trail successful Bel Air successful August 2023. Harford County authorities and the FBI worked with Othram aft DNA grounds did not instantly place the chartless antheral fishy done accepted methods.

Victor Martinez-Hernandez, right, was convicted of sidesplitting Rachel Morin. (Tulsa Police Department/ Facebook)

Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, an amerciable migrant from El Salvador, was aboriginal arrested and charged successful Morin’s rape and murder. He was convicted successful 2025.

3. Carla Walker acold case

The 1974 execution of 17-year-old Carla Walker successful Fort Worth, Texas, went unsolved for much than 4 decades earlier precocious DNA investigating helped investigators place her killer. Walker was abducted, raped, tortured and murdered aft attending a Valentine’s Day creation with her boyfriend.

Carla Walker was 17 erstwhile she was tortured and killed successful Fort Worth, Texas, successful 1974. Glen Samuel McCurley, 77, has been indicted connected a superior execution complaint successful her death.  (Fort Worth Police, Tarrant County Sheriff's Office)

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A interruption came successful 2020 aft transgression country DNA was uploaded to a nationalist genealogy website, starring to the recognition of past 77-year-old Glen Samuel McCurley. Authorities confirmed the lucifer aft obtaining his DNA from trash.

Othram worked with Fort Worth constabulary to place McCurley arsenic the antheral responsible. McCurley aboriginal pleaded blameworthy to murder, giving Walker’s household answers aft 46 years.

4. The Lady of the Dunes

One of New England’s astir infamous unidentified unfortunate cases was solved with assistance from Othram astir 50 years aft a woman’s assemblage was recovered successful the dunes of Provincetown, a summertime abrogation blistery spot astatine the extremity of Massachusetts successful 1974. The 49-year-old acold lawsuit was yet solved successful August 2023.

Ruth Marie Terry, "Lady of the Dunes," was recovered dormant successful 1974. (FBI Boston)

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The woman, agelong known lone arsenic the "Lady of the Dunes," was recovered dormant successful 1974. For decades, authorities could not find her name. The FBI, Massachusetts State Police, Provincetown constabulary and prosecutors partnered with Othram to place her arsenic Ruth Marie Terry. Her hubby astatine the time, Guy Rockwell Muldavin, was identified arsenic her killer, Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois said.

Terry was a 37-year-old Tennessee autochthonal newlywed erstwhile her astir decapitated assemblage was recovered successful the soil dunes. Muldavin and Terry were joined lone a fewer months earlier she vanished. For decades, she was lone known arsenic "Lady of the Dunes" until her jaw was tested using genetic genealogy astatine Othram.

5. A Gilgo Beach victim

Othram’s exertion was besides utilized to assistance place Karen Vergata, antecedently known arsenic "Fire Island Jane Doe," successful a lawsuit tied to the broader Gilgo Beach probe connected Long Island.

Vergata’s remains were recovered successful 1996, but she was not publically identified until decades later. In 2022, the Suffolk County Police Department successful collaboration with the FBI teamed with Othram to find if precocious DNA investigating could assistance to place "Fire Island Jane Doe."

Vergata was 34 years aged astatine the clip of her decease and she went missing connected Valentine's Day successful 1996.

The remains of Sandra Costilla, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Valerie Mack, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor and Karen Vergata were recovered scattered passim Long Island, New York. (Fox News Digital)

In April 2026, Rex Heuermann admitted that helium intentionally killed Vergata, on with 7 different women, arsenic portion of a plea agreement.

What Othram investigating could mean successful Murdaugh’s case

The petition for Othram investigating does not mean the chartless DNA volition alteration the result of Murdaugh’s case. Still, Murdaugh’s attorneys are expected to reason the investigating could enactment an alternate-suspect mentation arsenic they hole for a 2nd trial.

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"They decided that nighttime helium was the feline and everything they did aft that excluded immoderate different thought," Murdaugh's pb defence attorney, Dick Harpootlian, antecedently told Fox News Digital. "And that's wherefore they person nary grounds connecting him with the execution scene."

Defense lawyer Dick Harpootlian represents his client, Alex Murdaugh, connected Monday, June 29, 2026, astatine a presumption proceeding astatine the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center successful Lexington, South Carolina. Murdaugh volition beryllium retried successful the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his woman and son, aft his archetypal condemnation was overturned owed to assemblage tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)

Prosecuting lawyer Creighton Waters participates successful a judicial proceeding connected Monday, June 29, 2026, astatine the Marc H. Westbrook Judicial Center successful Lexington, South Carolina. Alex Murdaugh volition beryllium retried successful the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his woman and son, aft his archetypal condemnation was overturned owed to assemblage tampering. (Tracy Glantz/The State via Pool)

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The state, however, characterized the petition arsenic unsupported and aimed much astatine "public consumption" than viable forensic evidence.

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During Murdaugh’s archetypal presumption proceeding connected Monday, June 29, Judge Debra McCaslin did not regularisation connected the DNA evidence, telling defence attorneys to clarify if the illustration was viable.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Othram.