The true story behind the Murdaugh family housekeeper’s death

Murdaugh remains at the center of a widely covered true-crime saga. At the heart of it sits the death of Gloria Satterfield, the longtime housekeeper who worked in the family’s homes for years and died in 2018 after an alleged fall at the Moselle property. What happened next became part of a larger web of claims, lawsuits, and criminal cases.

The account of that day changed over time. Early reports referred to a trip-and-fall, with some accounts reportedly claiming family dogs caused the fall.

Later, in 2023 court filings, Alex Murdaugh’s own legal team stated he “invented” the story that dogs caused Satterfield to fall, tied to an insurance payout scheme. Those filings reshaped how the case is understood; investigators had already reopened the matter in 2021.

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Case background and the 2018 incident

Gloria Satterfield, 57, reportedly fell at the family’s Moselle home on February 2, 2018, and died weeks later. Conflicting details about how she fell surfaced soon after. In 2023, filings said no dogs were involved, and the dog claim was fabricated to trigger insurer payments, per NBC News.

Scene from Death in the Family (Image via YouTube/@Hulu)

State agents later opened a criminal probe into Satterfield’s death, and in 2022, the remains were exhumed during the broader inquiry into the Murdaugh cases. The death certificate listed the manner of death as ‘Natural,’ which officials said was inconsistent with injuries from a reported trip-and-fall and prompted a closer look.

Family members have described Satterfield as devoted to work and faith; they also said settlement money tied to her death was allegedly taken and not sent to her sons.

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Insurance scheme, civil fallout, and reported admissions

According to filings, Alex allegedly steered the Satterfield estate to pursue claims, then diverted proceeds. Lawyers for the Satterfield family later announced recoveries from multiple parties in civil actions. ABC News reported the same 2023 filing where Murdaugh’s side said the dog story was made up to force insurer payments.

CNN’s timeline shows that in late 2021, a judge approved a $4.3 million resolution tied to the Satterfield estate’s claims against associated parties, while separate criminal and civil matters continued. People.com reported on how the family learned of hidden settlements and pursued restitution.

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Criminal exposure and sentences that frame the Satterfield case

Beyond the murders of Maggie and Paul, Alex Murdaugh pleaded guilty to dozens of financial crimes in state and federal court. In April 2024, a federal judge imposed a 40-year sentence for fraud schemes, including the insurance plan linked to Satterfield, the LA Times reported. That federal term runs alongside state time for financial crimes and his two life sentences in the murder case.

The Satterfield strand is one part of a larger pattern that prosecutors described as long-running theft and deceit.

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Where to watch Murdaugh: Death in the Family

Interest in the case has renewed with the premiere of Murdaugh: Death in the Family on Hulu. The series is based on the Murdaugh Murders Podcast and stars Jason Clarke and Patricia Arquette.

Patricia Arquette as Maggie (Image via YouTube/@Hulu)

Episodes cover the family’s rise and collapse, the boat crash, and the homicide trial. Satterfield’s death and the insurance scheme are part of that arc.

Murdaugh: Death in the Family streams on Hulu and Disney+.

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