
Buster Murdaugh: Life, Lawsuit, and Family Ties in 2025
For anyone following the Murdaugh family saga, the spotlight has shifted from the courtroom to something quieter: Buster Murdaugh’s attempt to build a normal life after his father’s conviction. In 2025, the 32-year-old married his longtime girlfriend, had a son, and is suing Netflix for defamation — all while maintaining public support for his imprisoned father.
Age: 32 (as of 2025) ·
Marital status: Married to Brooklynn (2025) ·
Children: One son, named after Alex Murdaugh ·
Residence: Hilton Head, South Carolina ·
Net worth (estimated): Unknown, but inherited assets under legal dispute ·
Legal status: Plaintiff in libel lawsuit against Netflix and others
Quick snapshot
- Buster Murdaugh married Brooklynn in 2025 (Realtor.com (real estate news))
- He and Brooklynn had a son named after Alex Murdaugh (Realtor.com) (Realtor.com (real estate news))
- He lives in a $445,000 home in Hilton Head, South Carolina (Realtor.com) (Realtor.com (real estate news))
- Exact net worth of Buster Murdaugh (Realtor.com (real estate news))
- Full details of inheritance received (The State (South Carolina news))
- Whether Buster believes his father is innocent (only inferred from actions) (Fox News (national news))
- June 7, 2021: Maggie and Paul Murdaugh murdered (Wikipedia (general reference))
- March 2023: Alex Murdaugh convicted (Wikipedia (general reference))
- 2024: Buster files libel lawsuit against Netflix (Fox News (national news))
- Libel lawsuit trial set for Hampton County, date not yet set (Realtor.com (real estate news))
- Inheritance tied up in legal proceedings (The State (South Carolina news))
- Buster continues to support father publicly (Fox News (national news))
Here are the key facts about Buster Murdaugh’s background and current status.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Alexander Murdaugh Jr. |
| Born | 1993 (age 32) |
| Spouse | Brooklynn (married 2025) |
| Children | 1 son |
| Residence | Hilton Head, South Carolina |
| Education | University of South Carolina (law school dropout) |
| Known for | Son of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh |
What is Buster Murdaugh doing today?
Marriage and fatherhood
- Buster Murdaugh married his longtime girlfriend Brooklynn in 2025, according to a report from Realtor.com (real estate news).
- He and Brooklynn have a son, whom they named after his father, Alex Murdaugh (Realtor.com).
By naming his son after his incarcerated father, Buster sends a public signal of loyalty that carries emotional weight but also legal risk: it could be used as evidence in civil proceedings to argue that Buster stands to benefit from his father’s potential inheritance.
The implication is that Buster’s family choices are never purely private—they carry legal and public consequences.
Residence and lifestyle
Buster lives in a three-bedroom home in Hilton Head, South Carolina, which he bought in 2023 for $445,000 (Realtor.com). The purchase occurred before his marriage, suggesting he established a quiet life away from the Moselle crime scene.
The pattern: Buster’s attempt at normalcy is constantly shadowed by the legal and financial fallout from his father’s crimes.
Did Buster Murdaugh get any inheritance?
Inheritance from the Murdaugh estate
- In January 2023, a report from The State (South Carolina news) stated that Buster would receive $530,000 from his mother Maggie Murdaugh’s estate after the Moselle property was sold.
- The same report explained that the settlement was designed to avoid litigation over whether Alex Murdaugh fraudulently transferred property to Maggie in 2016.
Legal disputes over assets
A January 2023 report from WLOS (local news) said Buster and the estate of Maggie Murdaugh were dropped from the Mallory Beach wrongful-death lawsuit after a settlement. The Beach family’s lawsuit then left Alex Murdaugh and Parker’s Kitchen as the remaining named defendants.
What this means: Buster’s financial future is uncertain, with court battles likely to consume whatever assets remain.
Does Buster Murdaugh still believe his dad is innocent?
Public statements of support
- Buster Murdaugh has publicly supported his father’s innocence, including in statements reported by Fox News (national news).
- In May 2025, Realtor.com reported that Buster continues to insist his father is not guilty.
Naming his son after Alex Murdaugh
Naming his son after Alex Murdaugh is widely interpreted as a continuing expression of loyalty. As noted by Fox News, Buster’s attorney Jim Harpootlian said the naming shows Buster “loves his father and believes in his innocence.”
For a jury in the defamation case, Buster’s unwavering support cuts both ways: it reinforces his credibility as a grieving son, but also opens the door for defense attorneys to argue that his father’s conviction was fair and Buster is deluded.
The catch: every public act of loyalty becomes evidence in ongoing litigation.
Why is Buster suing Netflix?
Details of the libel lawsuit
- Buster Murdaugh filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix and other media companies in state court, later moved to federal court (The State).
- The lawsuit targets comments in the documentary Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal that allegedly imply Buster was responsible for the 2015 death of Stephen Smith (Fox News).
Defendants named in the suit
According to The State, the defendants include Netflix, Warner Bros., Blackfin, and one South Carolina reporter. In February 2025, a federal judge ordered that some defendants be tried in Hampton County, South Carolina.
The implication: the defamation case is now one of the highest-stakes elements of Buster’s public life.
Do Buster and Alec Murdaugh still talk?
Prison visits and communication
- Buster Murdaugh has visited his father in prison, according to reports from Fox News.
- He maintains a relationship with Alex, publicly supporting him after the conviction (Realtor.com).
Family dynamics post-conviction
The dynamic is strained: Buster is now the sole living son of Alex Murdaugh, and the inheritance disputes have created legal friction. But as of 2025, Buster’s public stance remains supportive.
Buster remains the most visible symbol of family loyalty — yet every act of support also deepens the legal and financial entanglements that keep the Murdaugh name in the headlines.
The pattern: Buster’s relationship with his father is both a personal commitment and a legal liability.
Timeline of key events
- June 7, 2021: Maggie and Paul Murdaugh murdered; Buster’s mother and brother killed (Wikipedia).
- March 2023: Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder; Buster supports father publicly (Wikipedia).
- 2023: Buster purchases home in Hilton Head for $445,000 (Realtor.com).
- 2024: Buster files libel lawsuit against Netflix and others (The State).
- 2025: Buster marries Brooklynn; they have a son named after Alex Murdaugh (Realtor.com).
- May 2026: CourtTV reports Buster’s continued support for father; libel lawsuit ordered to proceed (Fox News).
What this timeline shows: every major life event is interwoven with legal action and public scrutiny.
Confirmed facts
- Buster Murdaugh married Brooklynn in 2025 (Realtor.com)
- He and Brooklynn had a son named after Alex Murdaugh (Realtor.com)
- He filed a libel lawsuit against Netflix (The State)
- He lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina (Realtor.com)
- He has visited his father in prison (Fox News)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth of Buster Murdaugh
- Full details of inheritance received
- Whether Buster Murdaugh believes his father is innocent (only inferred from actions)
- Status of libel lawsuit (ongoing as of 2026)
- Whether Buster Murdaugh will inherit from his father’s estate due to the slayer statute (The State)
“Buster loves his father and believes in his innocence. Naming his son after Alex is a deeply personal family decision.”
— Jim Harpootlian, Buster Murdaugh’s attorney (as quoted by Fox News)
“Buster has moved on with his life — he’s married, he’s a father, but the shadow of Moselle and the lawsuits won’t let him go.”
— Report from Realtor.com, May 2025
For Buster Murdaugh, the road ahead is tangled: a defamation trial that could drag on for years, inheritance claims that may be swallowed by legal fees, and the constant public scrutiny that comes with being the surviving son of a convicted killer. For anyone watching the Murdaugh saga, the question is whether Buster can ever truly step out of that shadow — or whether his own choices keep him firmly inside it.
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The ongoing legal saga surrounding the Murdaugh family has only deepened with the retrial of Buster’s father, Alex, whose Alex Murdaughs ongoing legal battles have gripped the public for years.
Frequently asked questions
What is Buster Murdaugh’s net worth?
His exact net worth is unknown. He inherited assets from his mother and brother, but much of that is tied up in legal disputes related to the murders.
Did Buster Murdaugh inherit money from his mother?
Yes. In January 2023, a settlement report said he would receive $530,000 from Maggie Murdaugh’s estate after the Moselle property was sold (The State).
Is Buster Murdaugh still in contact with his father?
Yes. He has visited Alex Murdaugh in prison and publicly supports his father’s innocence (Fox News).
Why did Buster Murdaugh sue Netflix?
He filed a libel lawsuit alleging that the documentary Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal falsely linked him to the death of Stephen Smith (The State).
Who is Buster Murdaugh’s wife?
He married his longtime girlfriend Brooklynn in 2025. Her professional background is not publicly known.
Does Buster Murdaugh have children?
Yes, he and Brooklynn have one son, born in 2025, named after his father Alex Murdaugh (Realtor.com).
Where does Buster Murdaugh live now?
He lives in a three-bedroom home in Hilton Head, South Carolina, purchased in 2023 (Realtor.com).