A new chapter has begun for the notorious South Carolina hunting lodge once owned by disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh, who’s now serving two life terms for the murder of his wife and son on the sprawling property in 2021.
The Moselle Estate House, in rural Islandton, South Carolina, has found a new owner through a winning bid of $1 million in a recent auction, as reported by Realtor.com.
Despite falling just short of the initial minimum bid set at $1.1 million, the four-bedroom, 4.5-bath home — along with 21 acres of land — attracted the interest of a South Carolina businessperson, whose identity remains undisclosed. The newly minted owner plans to transform the property into a horse farm.
“They’re a prominent South Carolina businessperson that has several offices throughout South Carolina,” Craig King, the senior marketing consultant at J.P. King Auction Co., the firm overseeing the sale, told Realtor.com.
The estate, located approximately 70 miles southeast of Charleston and some 70 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, was originally part of a larger 1,772-acre parcel sold in March 2023 for $2.66 million.
Local farmers James Ayer and Jeffrey Godley acquired the bulk of the property for timber, hunting and agribusiness purposes, subsequently putting the house and 21 acres up for sale for $1.95 million late last year before resorting to the auction.
Despite its dark history and the lingering aura of the tragic events that transpired there, the property garnered significant interest, with more than two dozen serious inquiries, according to King.
The estate features a picturesque oak tree-lined driveway leading to a home boasting front and back porches, a grand staircase with a mezzanine balcony, vaulted ceilings, and a primary bedroom with a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub.
While homes associated with high-profile crimes often sell at a discount due to potential buyer hesitation, this sale marks a turning point for the property’s future. The discount, typically ranging from 10% to 15%, did not deter the new owner’s vision for the estate.
The saga of the Murdaugh family, marred by tragedy and scandal, has captivated audiences through various media portrayals.
From Netflix’s “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” to HBO Max’s “Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty,” the family’s story has garnered widespread attention.
Murdaugh’s story, meticulously documented by prosecutors, revealed a chilling motive to divert attention from his financial fraud scheme. Last year, he pleaded guilty to 22 counts of financial fraud and money laundering, financing his drug addiction with stolen funds.
Meanwhile, allegations surfaced of Murdaugh attempting to orchestrate his own demise to secure a hefty life insurance payout for his surviving son, Richard “Buster” Murdaugh.
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