Ex-Clerk Hill Pleads Guilty in Murdaugh Trial Misconduct

In Colleton County Circuit Court in St. Matthews, South Carolina, former Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca "Becky" Hill pleaded guilty on Monday to six criminal charges stemming from her conduct during Alex Murdaugh's high-profile murder trial. The charges included two counts each of obstruction of justice, perjury, and misconduct in office. Judge Heath Taylor sentenced Hill to three years of probation, noting that the punishment would have been significantly harsher had evidence emerged of jury tampering.

Hill, who oversaw the jury, managed court exhibits, and assisted the judge during Murdaugh's six-week trial in early 2023, admitted to showing sealed graphic crime scene photographs from the case to a reporter. The images, depicting details of the 2021 murders of Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, were stored in a locked courthouse room. According to court testimony, a journalist informed investigators that Hill had displayed the photos to several media members. The pictures later appeared online, and metadata from the files aligned with access records from Hill's courthouse key card, placing her in the secure area at the relevant time.