Money, murder, mystery: Former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh's trial begins Jan. 23

Disbarred South Carolina attorney Richard "Alex" Murdaugh will stand trial on Jan. 23 for the double homicide of his wife and son. The state is seeking a life sentence in prison without parole.

Murdaugh was indicted on two counts of murder on July 14 and faces other charges including tax evasion and fraud.

A cascading series of events led to the indictment of the high-profile lawyer in the middle of multiple state investigations and civil lawsuits. Murdaugh was shot in what police now say was a botched insurance fraud scheme months after the murders of his wife and son.

Alex Murdaugh, a member of a well-known legal family in Hampton County that ran a local prosecutor's office for more than 80 years, allegedly had a former client shoot him with hopes that his $10 million life insurance policy would be paid out to his surviving son.

Murdaugh survived the shooting and has been charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and filing a false police report. Curtis Edward Smith, Murdaugh's former client, has since been charged with several felonies in connection with the scheme.