♪ this is "nightline." >> tonight, breaking news. >> the state versus richard alexander murdaugh, defendant, indictment for murder, guilty verdict. signed by the forelady. >> disgraced south carolina attorney alex murdaugh found guilty for the murders of his wife and son. how much time is he facing behind bars? easter island under threat. majestic and pristine. >> unbelievable. >> known for these towering statues. >> it's a small island with big monuments, and that's a mystery in and of itself. >> michael strahan takes a journey to this remote tropical paradise that's under siege by ocean garbage. >> all the plastics.

they're not from here, nethey'r from all around the world. >> how islanders are taking control in the fight to save their home. and model behavior. >> hello, ladies! >> "america's next top model." >> i was rooting for you, we were all rooting for you, how dare you! >> once must-see tv -- >> i cannot believe the things that came out of those people's mouths. >> facing new scrutiny under the critical gaze of a new generation. >> culturally insensitive photo shoots and challenges. >> hear what they're saying now. when a cold comes on strong, knock it out with vicks dayquil severe. just one dose starts to relieve 9 of your worst cold and flu symptoms. to help take you from 9 to none. power through with vicks dayquil severe. my most important kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose neuriva plus. unlike some others, neuriva plus is a multitasker supporting 6 key indicators of brain health.

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good evening. thank you for joining us. we begin tonight with a verdict in the trial that has captivated much of the nation. disgraced south carolina attorney alex murdaugh found guilty of murdering his wife and son after six weeks of testimony. >> the state versus richard alexander murdaugh, defendant, indictment for murder, guilty verdict. verdict, guilty. verdict, guilty. verdict, guilty. >> it doesn't matter who your family is. it doesn't matter how much money you have or people think you have. it doesn't matter how prominent you are. if you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder, then

justice will be done in south carolina. >> abc's eva pilgrim is at the courthouse and has covered this case from the beginning. eva? >> reporter: byron, in less than three hours this jury came back with a guilty verdict. and the key piece of evidence in this case is likely that kennel video that paul took on his phone that he intended to text to his friend that investigators found many months after these murders. on that video, you could hear alex murdaugh calling one of the family's dogs. >> bubba! >> when they played it in court, they had multiple people identify alex's voice on the video. at one point alex murdaugh himself got on the stand and he admitted that it was, in fact, him at the kennels just minutes before those murders toops took. the guilty verdict. the sentencing for alex murdaugh is friday morning at 9:30 a.m.

>> our thanks to eva. murdaugh faces 30 years to life in prison without parole. we'll have much more on "gma" in the morning. turning now to the majestic easter island known for those giant stone statues. this tiny remote paradise 2,000 miles west of the coast of chile is inundated plastic trash floating in aand from around th world. that's not the only threat to the island. here's abc's michael industry han. >> reporter: one of the most isolated inhabited islands on the planet in the middle of the pacific ocean. easter island was formed by the hardened lava of three now-dormant volcanos. ♪ >> reporter: getting to easter island is no easy feat. more than ten hours flying to south america. we're here at the airport heading to lima, then once we

get to lima we xach a connecting flight to santiago. this is the beginning of our journey. it's another five-hour flight from chile. with its deep blue waters and palm tree-lined beaches, easter island is the very definition of tropical paradise. >> hi, michael, how are you? >> thank you. >> how are you? >> i'm fantastic. >> reporter: my guy, gina, is a native. a central member of this tight-knit community of around 8,000 residents. look how beautiful that is. >> and one, two, three -- open your eyes. >> holy -- wow. one of the most unbelievable things i have ever seen. the island is most famous for these giant statues carved from the volcanic rock. the moai as they are called created by the rapanui people can stand up to 33 feet tall.

there are nearly 1,000 cataloged statues on this small island of 63 square miles. it's estimated 100,000 people travel to this island every year. terry hunt, an archaeologist, has been studying them over 20 years. >> the average weight of these is about 40 tons. 40 tons. how did they move these? >> you're talking about, you know, tons and tons. >> yeah, yeah. >> you don't have the modern equipment we have now. >> that's right. let's go back to what islanders say. they walked. >> reporter: terry devises this experiment which shows an average group of people using ropes have enough strength to rock the statue back and forth, moving it as if it were walking, and confirmed their beliefs. >> wow. >> reporter: standing beside these statues in person is truly awe-inspiring. >> unbelievable. >> reporter: to the people here, these massive monolithic carvings are much more than statues. how important are the moai to the rapanui?

>> translator: it's like a photo of a person. when he die, they make a life representing that person. when you have your photo of your grandfather, it's very important. >> reporter: the moai, which have stood here proudly for so long, are facing a threat bigger than them. they're under threat now, climate change. >> they are. with climate change, the storms are stronger which means stronger storm surge. with more storminess, more intense rainfall, even more droughts and exposure to the elements in general, the statues will weather faster. >> reporter: the people here are vulnerable too. their water, under threat. >> with sea level rise and increased storminess, you can get saltwater inundation in the groundwater sources that people depend on for drinking water. >> reporter: while this tiny island in the vast pacific ocean may seem isolated from the rest of the world, for the rapinui people, the island, its history, and the moai statues are the

world to them. do you feel the connection to your ancestors through the statues? >> translator: yes, she feel that one, she's from the ancestral people. we have a big connection with them all the time. >> reporter: despite its stunning beauty, this tiny remote island has a big problem. literally tons of garbage washing up on their shores each year. mostly plastic from all over the world. look closely at this once-pristine cove. it's not shell fragments or sea glass in the sand, it's plastic. and it's inundating the island. it seems overwhelming. >> yes. yes. >> reporter: rapanui native lou tuki burns organizes regular cleanups here at the beach. he shows me how it's done. >> i'm going to take what i can take, like this.

so now we are going to put there. what's happened, you see the sand is going. and what happened? >> wow. wow. >> so now there is something that belonged to this beach. for example, the rock belonged to this beach. the shell belonged to this beach. but the plastic, no. >> yeah, lots of plastic. >> a lot. >> reporter: but the fact is, no matter how much plastic we remove from the beach, it's only a drop in the bucket. ivan inahosa is a marine biologist studying plastic pollution on easter island. he estimates one ton of plastic washes ashore each month. >> we're going to look for the micro plastic which is floating here in the island. >> reporter: beneath the surface, he is hunting for micro plastics. strong currents carrying plastic trash to these waters from all over the world. as plastic degrades in the ocean, it releases greenhouse

gases that can interfere with the ocean's ability to store carbon and keep it out of our environment. and it's estimated to release 76 metric tons of methane per year, contributing to climate change. >> i can distinguish at least five different types of plastic here. that's with my eye. in the microscope, we're going to find more. and you can see that there is a piece of rope there. >> reporter: he described the ocean here like a soup filled with these tiny particles that are then eaten by fish and other sea life. one study showing 80% of bait fish used to catch tuna have micro plastics in their stomachs. as it makes its way up the food chain, the potential consequences are concerning. how does eating plastic affect animals, sea life? >> yeah, for example the plastic attract all the chemicals that are in the water. so you have higher concentrations of toxins on the plastics. so that when the animals eat them, they take in also plastic

and also chemicals. >> then we take in the animals? >> we take in the animals. >> reporter: the health effect of this plastic in humans still needs to beudd, but the almpact community is determined to fight back on behalf of future generations. >> all the plastics washing up on shore here, they're not from here, they're from all around the world. for those out there in the world who think, oh, it's not a big deal if i don't recycle, what is your message to them? >> well, my message is that we are here in the middle of the pacific, and we receive all the things that you think doesn't matter. we receive it. but i believe that we can make a change. small change. >> you know what, one step at a time. >> just like they say. >> exactly. >> our thanks to michael. coming up, model behavior. the critical lens now focused on "america's next top model."

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♪ > "america's next top model" was once a mega popular reality show with millions of devoted fans. nearly 20 years later, it's coming under fire for not so model behavior from a new and much more critical generation. here's abc's janai norman. ♪ >> hi! >> hi!

>> we're going to keep it civilized, and we're going to stay focused. because each you had such a unique experience. >> any time "america's top model" was brought up, personally for me, it brings a smile to my face. >> they took everything from me. my title, the winnings, they decrowned me. >> reporter: angelie preston, kima hill, lisa demottau, tiffany richardson. they're four of the most well-known women to compete to become "america's next top model." >> hello, ladies! >> reporter: more than 300 contestants in all across 24 seasons. the hit reality show helped define the early era of reality tv before ending in 2018. >> we've grown up loving and watching one of our favorite shows of all-time. >> reporter: but viewers are still not done with it. ever since the start of the pandemic, when people started bingeing old tv shows, "top model" has been having another moment in the spotlight.

some viewers are turning to tiktok, youtube, and podcasts, sharing how some of those throwback shows suddenly feel different. >> i'll be watching "america's top model" season one, i can't believe what's coming out of those people's mouths. >> reporter: it's become a poster child for how quickly society' views can shift. >> welcome to another episode of "why america's top model is the most toxic show of the decade." >> reporter: and what's viewed as appropriate can completely change. >> this show is literally why i experienced eating disorders growing up. >> child, the people on social media were talking heavy about "top model," okay? they're letting tire ra have it. >> reporter: in 2005, a modeling photo shoot was race swapping. >> there's a twist. we are actually going to switch your ethnicities. we're making you into a

traditionally african woman with a headwrap and everything. >> what in the cultural appropria appropriation? >> dangerous runways and challenges and photo shoots and stuff like that. >> in hindsight, it was incredibly problematic, but at the time was just a kooky challenge from tyra banks. >> it really is incredible how different things were 20 years ago. >> i didn't think too much of it. >> i didn't think anything either. >> now i'm like -- >> reporter: with "top model" finding a new audience, abc news assembled a group of four former contestants to discuss the show's legacy and cultural impact. >> we're not worthy! >> you must hear that all the time. >> i was rooting for you! we were all rooting for you! >> reporter: "america's next top model" was a cultural phenomenon. >> so the winner of this challenge -- >> reporter: spawning catch phrases and memes year after year. >> can you smize? without going like this?

>> reporter: the show is the brainchild of show runner and supermodel tyra banks. ♪ it's tough judging ♪ wherever you are, mariah, don't hate. >> the judging panel frequently had recurring judges including janice dickinson, she is the quote, unquote first supermodel. she was a really sort of brassy force of the panel. >> you know why i coined the term supermodel? >> why? >> becaus i can. >> janice dickerson, how can i -- janice dickinson! >> zip it, you're dead. >> the next american top model is not a plus-sized model, i'm sorry. >> i wasn't cruel. >> you don't think so? >> i don't think i was cruel at all. 100%. i was correct. >> so you stand by everything you said? >> i do. if i hurt anyone's feelings, and even the viewers' feelings, for watching something like this take place, then i apologize for

that. because i'm not in the business to hurt anyone or make enemies or make people feel bad. that's not who i am as a person. >> you look back at "america's next top model," and it's easy to say, oh, it was problematic, it's not woke. in 2003, we did not have the word "woke." we didn't really have that language. so we weren't able to sort of pinpoint the problems inherent in the series in the way that we are now. >> reporter: in a statement to "impact," ken michele bachmann in part told us, "when tyra and i created america's next top model in 2001, we wanted to use the series as a tool for positive change. tyra and i had one goal in mind, to change the definition of beauty. back then, the fashion industry lacked any sort of real diversity." >> how are you? >> i am great now that you're here. >> reporter: tyra talked about the recent backlash in 2020 on "tamron hall." >> i was trying to push boundaries but was also torn to

make sure that these girls could work. you know? so it was a balance. it was like, oh, break beauty barriers, but yeah, i can break them all i want on the show, they'll graduate from the show, and they won't work. i wouldn't say it's necessarily a regret. i think it was just wrong. so maybe even stronger than regret. >> winning "america's next top model" was sold as a golden ticket into the fashion industry, into the modeling world. that didn't always pan out. >> it's a reality show! hello! do i say anything of meaning on this show here today this interview, it's a reality show! >> really, so that's the bottom line? it was not about making the next top model? >> no, it's a reality show. they had to come up with snappy episodics to fill in the time. >> our thanks to janai. you can watch more of "model behavior" on "impact on nightline" now streaming on

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♪ finally tonight, an honor 60 years overdue. retired army colonel paris davis will be awarded the medal of honor tomorrow. the nation's highest combat decoration. the 83-year-old was one of the first black officers in the special forces. his here woeism, risk is his life to save some of his men, overlooked for decades.

his paperwork mysteriously vanishing twice. despite the long wait, tonight he says he's grateful and proud. >> i'm extremely excited pleased and thankful that i'm going to get the medal of honor. >> congratulations, sir. well deserved. that's "nightline" for this evening. catch our full episodes on hulu. we'll see you right back here same time tomorrow. thanks for the company, america. good night.