and this week we are tackling the murdaugh murders. murdaugh is, of course, the high profile attorney from a powerful southern family who shot and killed his wife, margaret, and their son paul. at the time of his murder, paul was awaiting trial for boating under the influence in a crash that killed a friend. >> every crime alec is accused of and convicted of has an echo in the past. every single one. >> this week on true crime news, the podcast i talk with valerie bauerlein, a wall street journal reporter and the author of the devil at his elbow, a new book about the murdaughs which chronicles a dark family history of dishonesty and corruption. >> the family fortune was created by an act of insurance fraud in 1940. >> valerie says murdaughs great grandfather was broke and so he parked his car in front of a speeding train and was killed, leading to the family winning a massive wrongful death lawsuit. >> and that was the genesis of the family fortune. >> alex, a personal injury attorney, was also convicted of several financial crimes, bi