The South Carolina case of Alex Murdaugh continues to make headlines, as investigators announce that the body of Gloria Satterfield will be exhumed.
Satterfield, a long-time housekeeper for Murdaugh, died after a trip and fall accident at his home. Her death was listed as natural, and no autopsy was performed at the time.
However, after a string of deaths linked to the Murdaugh family, investigators want to learn more about Satterfield’s death.
Was Gloria Satterfield Exhumed?
Exhumations are not ordered lightly, and when a court orders the uninterment of embalmed human remains, it garners attention. Joseph Scott Morgan describes the investigative process he would undertake prior to the exhumation of Gloria Satterfield. This process includes reviewing vital medical records and test results to determine the cause of death.
The impact of medical intervention, autopsy, and body preparation for burial on the investigation of a trauma-related death is also discussed. In Satterfield’s case, her body was not autopsied, which presents particular challenges to investigators.
During the exhumation, investigators will be looking for specific information on Satterfield’s body. Autopsies of exhumed bodies are performed by professionals with specific expertise, but concerns have been raised about the omission of the South Carolina medical-legal community in the Satterfield case.
This is not the first high-profile exhumation case in the US. Kathleen Savio and Shele Danishefsky Covlin are just two examples of cases where exhumation played a critical role in the investigation.
As the investigation into the Murdaugh case continues, the exhumation of Gloria Satterfield’s body is just one piece of the puzzle. The information gathered from the exhumation will shed light on her cause of death and may help investigators unravel the larger mystery surrounding the Murdaugh family.