CHICAGO (NewsNation) — The family of a South Carolina woman who was killed in a 2019 boat crash received a $15 million out-of-court settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit against convenience store Parker’s, which sold alcohol to Alex Murdaugh’s underage son just before the ride.
Mallory Beach, 19, was killed the night of Feb. 24, 2019, when the boat she and five others were riding in hit a piling in Archer’s Creek, and the impact threw her into the water. It took rescue crews seven days to locate her body.
Paul Murdaugh, who drove the boat at the time of the crash, was caught on camera buying alcohol from a Parker’s store in Beaufort earlier that day before heading out to the docks. Underage at the time, Paul used his brother Buster‘s ID to purchase the liquor.
The settlement was reached on Sunday, dropping all civil cases involving the boat passengers and the Beach family, two lawyers familiar with the negotiations said.
The settlement will give the bulk of the money, about $15 million, to the Beach family.
In addition to the Beach family, the others involved in the settlement include Connor Cook, Miley Altman, Morgan Doughty and Anthony Cook. All of those were teenage passengers on the boat that night.
“We are pleased we were able to get some resolution on this case and keep the Beach family from having to go through the pain and suffering of a trial and hear testimony, and have to relive their daughters’ death,” Mark Tinsley, the Beach family attorney, said in a statement Sunday. “We are happy the settlement agreement is not confidential as well so that the public sees that you will be held responsible no matter who you are or how much money you have.”
The civil trial involving the Beach family and Parker’s was supposed to start Aug. 14 in Hampton County court.
WSAV contributed to this report.