True Sunlight

Investigative journalist Mandy Matney looks back at the Murdaugh family's involvement in the 2019 boat crash on Archers Creek near Parris Island that killed Mallory Beach and the subsequent investigation. She shares the challenges she faced while investigating the Mallory Beach case, expresses suspicion over missing evidence, and emphasizes the importance of persistence and listening to sources in...

In the month after Maggie and Paul’s murders, there was very little information available about the double homicide investigation. Mandy's sources in law enforcement were extremely careful and tightlipped — so it took months to get enough information about the double homicide that would fill up a podcast episode. On June 7, 2021, Alex Murdaugh called 911 at 10:07 PM, reporting his wife and son wer...

From 2019 to the publication of this episode in July of 2021, journalist Mandy Matney was dedicated to uncovering the truth behind one of South Carolina’s most complex and far-reaching cases. In this 5th chapter, Mandy dives back into the tragic events surrounding the death of Mallory Beach, exploring the investigation, the confusion that followed, and the far-reaching influence of the Murdaugh fa...

In this remastered episode of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, Journalist Mandy Matney takes listeners deep into the perplexing and unsolved case of Stephen Smith—a 19-year-old nursing student whose suspicious death in 2015 continues to baffle both investigators and the community of Hampton County, South Carolina. Matney begins by recalling her first encounter with Sandy Smith, Stephen’s dedicated mo...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell have a lot to cover before the release of Murdaugh: Death in the Family, which premieres Oct. 15 on Hulu and  Disney+. And we’re equally excited for the launch of our Official Podcast, also premiering on Hulu and Disney+, with extended audio episodes on all audio platforms! Last week, (4:30) Houston’s alleged wife and baby murderer Lee Gilley...

In February 2019, Mallory Beach was killed in Beaufort County, South Carolina as a result of a horrific boat crash on Archers Creek near Parris Island. Paul Murdaugh was indicted for Boating Under The Influence Resulting In Death among other charges and awaiting trial. Investigative journalist Mandy Matney guides you through details of events leading up to the crash, including Paul Murdaugh's into...

Stephen Smith was killed in Hampton County, South Carolina in July of 2015 and his homicide remains open and unsolved... On this second installment of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, Investigative Journalist Mandy Matney discusses the Stephen Smith case, highlighting the 2180 days his family has waited for justice at the time of this episodes original release... now 3,744 days for all who are counti...

As Hulu prepares to premiere its original series “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” on October 15th, investigative journalist Mandy Matney and the LUNASHARK team revisit the pivotal cases that have gripped the Lowcountry and the nation. This special release is part of a curated collection of 40 episodes, remastered and re-released over the next eight weeks, offering listeners a fresh perspective on t...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell shine a light on the viral incident now known as Squires-Gate where kids were held at gunpoint by a cop on Hilton Head Island When off-duty Beaufort County Sheriff’s Deputy Billy Squires pulled a gun on a group of teens and dragged them across the street, uproar led to silence from officials. Sheriff P.J. Tanner has not addressed the misconduc...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell dissect newly uncovered evidence in the Scott Spivey case—a disturbing “celebration call” between Weldon Boyd and his co-shooter Bradley Williams that raises serious questions about the investigation and South Carolina’s justice system.  Mandy and Liz expose the shocking phone call that reveals just how far Boyd—and the good ol' boys—will go t...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell have seen some dumb litigators in their day, but the person representing former South Carolina Rep. RJ May is by far the biggest idiot. RJ May — who is representing himself in court after being charged with 10 federal counts of distributing child sexual abuse material this past June — filed his very first motion last week after firing his publ...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell weren’t surprised to learn last week that former South Carolina Rep. RJ May has asked to be his own lawyer. May — who faces 10 federal charges of distributing child sexual abuse materials — is that kind of guy. Just ask his father, whose post-arrest advice to May was “Humility, Robert John. You’ve got to have humility in all this.”  But is RJ...

It’s a surreal week for us at True Sunlight and LUNASHARK. On October 15th, the story that began here as the Murdaugh Murders Podcast will premiere worldwide as Murdaugh: Death in the Family on Hulu and Disney+. Seeing Mallory, Gloria,, Stephen, Maggie and Paul’s stories honored on screen is bittersweet — a reminder of the victims at the heart of all of this. While that project brings global atten...

Accused pedophile and former SC lawmaker RJ May is facing ten federal charges of distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) — but instead of mounting a serious defense, his lawyer leaned on arguments involving Wi-Fi passwords, multitasking excuses, and even LEGOLAND trips. Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell dig into May’s detention hearing, exposing the bizarre legal trick...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell share the horrifying details contained in the 105-page federal court transcript from the June 12 detention hearing of the now-former South Carolina House of Representatives legislator — and now-former state Freedom Caucus leader — Robert J. May III. RJ May. Though the tip about RJ’s alleged activity was delivered on March 31, it would take nea...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell were pleasantly surprised last week to find out how much power the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office’s packed with its punch back to Alex Murdaugh and his increasingly embarrassing attempts at getting his murder conviction overturned.  Six attorneys at the AG’s office — including Creighton “BCE” Waters himself — compiled a nearly flawle...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell continue to connect the dots in the Scott Spivey shooting case as they impatiently wait for South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to appoint a special prosecutor to revisit what has turned out to be one of the most corrupt police investigations in state history.  On this week’s episode: Did shooter Weldon Boyd’s months-long obsession over his...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell share part three of their look into how the family of Scott Spivey was treated by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. In April 2024, Prosecutor Heather Weiss  tried to explain why she felt there was “insufficient evidence” to charge North Myrtle Beach man Weldon Boyd and his friend Bradley Williams in Scott’s shooting death.  Why wou...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell can’t wrap their heads around the patchwork logic behind the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office’s decision not to file charges against North Myrtle Beach businessman Weldon Boyd and his friend, Bradley Williams — the two men responsible for killing 33-year-old Scott Spivey in September 2023. And there’s a reason why Mandy and Liz can’t g...

Why Did It Take So Long to Arrest An SC Lawmaker Charged With Distributing Videos of Men Raping Babies?   Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell are accustomed to being disgusted by politicians who happily take part in the Good Ole Boy system when it comes to protecting bad actors from taking accountability. But this latest case has them screaming with anger.  Last month, South Car...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell continue their in-depth, real-time reporting on the Scott Spivey shooting case (aka the Horry County Police Department public corruption case).  On this week’s episode: Was Heather Weisz from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office working as a prosecutor or Weldon Boyd and Bradley William’s free defense attorney?  Also on the sho...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell have had enough with mainstream media. After a South Carolina judge dismissed Michael Colucci’s murder charge last week in the strangulation death of his wife in 2015, Mandy and Liz noticed a trend … members of the media seemed to be deviating from the facts of the case in favor of carefully coddling Michael by pushing his narrative for him. ...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell have spent the past year preparing for Charleston-area good ole boy Michael Colucci to be tried again for the 2015 murder of his wife, Sara-Lynn Moore Colucci.  Twice a retrial was scheduled. And twice it didn’t happen. On Tuesday, after the jury had been seated, South Carolina Judge Roger M. Young quashed the indictment of Colucci and dismiss...

Is Michael Colucci finally going to trial for allegedly murdering Sara Lynn Colucci in 2015? Why does Weldon Boyd claim witnesses back up his story in the Scott Spivey shooting? Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell discuss two separate but related cases in South Carolina that highlight obvious systemic failures within the justice system.  First, we focus on the upcoming retrial o...

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell encountered something new on the JP Miller beat over the past week and it might just be his villain origin story. Myrtle Beach churchy-business bro “Pastor” John-Paul Miller — who stands accused of stalking and harassing his estranged wife Mica Francis and allegedly contributing to her death in April 2024 — got married this past weekend to his...