Fight over evidence in Alex Murdaugh retrial turns to DNA and missing murder weapons

LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Prosecutors and lawyers for Alex Murdaugh returned to court on Friday amid escalating disputes over evidence for his retrial next year on murder charges.Murdaugh, a once-rich and imposing heir to a Southern legal dynasty, is scheduled to stand trial again in April on two murder charges in the June 2021 shooting deaths of his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul, at their home in Colleton County. Murdaugh, 58, was in court Friday in a suit as he serves a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty to stealing from clients.The killings and his six-week trial in 2023 captivated the true crime world with a mix of treachery, corruption, money, power and Southern accents. While admitting he is a thief, insurance cheat, bad lawyer and longtime opioid addict, Murdaugh has adamantly denied the killings.The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his convictions earlier this year, ruling that a court clerk influenced jurors during his trial. The clerk told jurors to watch