The Alex Murdaugh trial ended with a guilty verdict and life sentence on Thursday night. After crime and animosity filled the coastal town of Wortham, South Carolina for nearly a year, the Murdaugh family found closure in a case that stunned the entire community.

Alex Murdaugh, an opioid addict, was found guilty of the murders of his wife and son, Maggie and Paul (“Pau Pau”). The Murdaugh family legacy, a long-standing history within Wortham, fueled a heightened sense of tension amongst the community during the trial.

The Murdaugh trial generated an abundance of media attention, especially due to the darkly mysterious nature of the murders. From double first names and alcohol to missing guns and plenty of dogs, the trial was anything but ordinary. Consisting of mostly circumstantial evidence, the court moved quickly in rendering a guilty verdict.

The Murdaugh trial has drawn comparisons to