• Becky Hill serves as the elected Clerk of Court for Colleton County during Alex Murdaugh’s six-week double-murder trial. During this time, she interacts extensively with the jury.

• Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial begins

• Alex Murdaugh is convicted of murdering his wife and son.
• Becky Hill, serving as Clerk of Court, reads the guilty verdict aloud in court.

June 2, 2023

• Michael Dewitt promoted, sold, and signed copies of his book Wicked Hampton County inside the Colleton County Courthouse during business hours. Promotional materials advertised appearances from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., inviting visitors to purchase books, discuss local crime history, and meet Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill and courthouse staff. Source
• Becky Hill participated in the courthouse event and interacted with visitors during the book promotion. The event was held inside the courthouse while normal court operations were ongoing.
• The courthouse was used as a venue for public book signings and promotional activities. The event later became part of ethics allegations concerning the use of courthouse facilities and public resources for private commercial purposes.
• During courthouse tours around this period, Hill was also promoting her planned book on the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, which she had been developing after the case concluded.

June 14, 2023

• A post appeared in the Facebook group “Murdaugh Murders-Case Discussion” featuring an image of Alex Murdaugh lying on a bed, holding a book. The image was posted by Melissa Gordon, a photographer associated with Behind the Doors of Justice. The post stated the photograph had been taken from a courthouse security camera monitor during jury deliberations and shortly before Murdaugh’s conviction.
• Melissa Gordon publicly discussed photographing the Murdaugh trial and later became the photographer for Becky Hill’s book project, Behind the Doors of Justice. Hill later acknowledged that she had begun planning a book after learning the Murdaugh trial would be held in Colleton County and that she had met Gordon early in the proceedings.

June 26, 2023

• A formal ethics complaint was submitted to the South Carolina State Ethics Commission against Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill. The complaint alleged Hill used her public office and courthouse resources for personal financial gain connected to the Alex Murdaugh murder trial and her planned book project. Source
• The complaint stated that Hill publicly discussed plans to write a book about the Murdaugh trial shortly after learning the case would be tried in Colleton County and allegedly used her position to develop contacts and opportunities related to that project. The filing claimed these admissions appeared in media interviews and social media posts.
• The complainant alleged that Hill improperly obtained and released confidential information and digital images connected to the Murdaugh case, including by allowing media access to materials not available to the general public. The complaint specifically referenced the release of courtroom and body-camera footage and alleged access provided to individuals associated with media projects covering the trial.
• The complaint further alleged Hill conducted paid courthouse tours during business hours, accepted donations connected to those tours, and allowed courthouse facilities to be used for promotional events unrelated to official court business. It also claimed she permitted author Michael Dewitt to sell and promote books inside the Colleton County Courthouse while court operations were ongoing.
• According to the complaint, Hill allowed media personnel and Netflix production staff special access to courthouse areas during and after the trial, including access to locations and evidence-related materials not available to ordinary members of the public. The filing alleged these actions were connected to her efforts to promote her own book and media opportunities.
• The complaint concluded by alleging Hill had unethically and potentially unlawfully used her elected office to obtain and disclose confidential information, misallocate public resources, promote private commercial ventures, and advance her personal financial interests. The complainant asserted that these actions demonstrated she was unfit to continue serving as Clerk of Court.

• Becky Hill released her book, Behind the Doors of Justice, which focused on the Alex Murdaugh murder trial. Hill later testified she earned approximately $100,000 from the book before it was withdrawn from publication.

• Murdaugh’s defense files a motion for a new trial, alleging that Hill tampered with the jury by making comments suggesting Murdaugh’s guilt and interacting improperly with jurors.

• The South Carolina Court of Appeals grants Murdaugh’s motion to suspend his conviction appeal and remands the case to the circuit court to consider the jury tampering allegations.

• Colleton County technology director Jeffrey Hill, son of Becky Hill, is arrested and charged with wiretapping.
• The case is taken up by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
• Following his arrest, Jeffrey Hill is fired from his county position.

• Hill’s co-author accuses her of plagiarizing portions of their book.
• Hill admits to plagiarism, attributes it to deadline pressure, and halts sales of the book.

• An evidentiary hearing is held to examine the claims of jury tampering.
• Judge Jean Toal finds Hill’s testimony not entirely credible but rules that her actions do not warrant a new trial.

• Hill resigns from her position as Clerk of Court amid ongoing investigations.
• She states that her resignation is to allow new leadership and to focus on her family, while denying that it is related to the investigations.

• The South Carolina Ethics Commission charges Hill with 76 ethics violations.
• The allegations include using her position for personal financial gain, misusing public funds, and disclosing confidential information.
• The allegations include diverting child support incentive funds to issue herself bonus checks, reimbursing herself for personal expenses, and sharing a confidential image of Alex Murdaugh in a courthouse holding cell to promote her book.

• The South Carolina Supreme Court agrees to hear Murdaugh’s appeal regarding the alleged jury tampering.

• Murdaugh’s attorneys file a 132-page appeal with the South Carolina Supreme Court outlining arguments for a retrial.

• The state requests an extension to respond to Murdaugh’s appeal, citing the need to review extensive trial transcripts and related documents.
• The court grants a 120-day extension.

• Hill’s ethics hearing is postponed due to a pending criminal investigation by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
• The ethics case remains on hold until the criminal investigation concludes.

• 7:30 AM: Becky Hill, 57, of Walterboro, South Carolina, voluntarily surrenders to agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
  • Hill is booked into the Colleton County Detention Center, the same facility where Alex Murdaugh was held during his 2023 murder trial.
  • Hill faces one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of misconduct in office in Colleton County.
  • At a bond hearing, Hill is granted a $10,000 personal recognizance bond per charge, for a total of $30,000.
  • The judge finds she is not a flight risk, noting that she has lived in Colleton County for 25 years.

• Hill is scheduled to make her initial court appearance on the charges in Colleton County.

• Mary Rebecca “Becky” Hill pleads guilty in Colleton County Circuit Court to obstruction of justice, perjury, and misconduct in office charges.
• The plea involves showing a reporter photographs that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it.
• The misconduct charges involve taking bonuses and promoting, through her public office, a book she wrote about the trial.
• A prosecutor states that a journalist told investigators that Hill showed graphic crime scene photos to several media members.
• Metadata from the images reportedly matched a time when Hill’s courthouse key card showed she was inside the locked room where the photos were kept.
• Hill admits taking money from her office and brings a check to court to repay nearly $10,000 in child support incentive funds and about $2,000 from the Clerk of Court’s office.
• Judge Heath Taylor sentences Hill, 58, to three years of probation.
• Hill reads a statement asking for a chance to do better and says there is no excuse for the mistakes she made.