Diksha Sundriyal
Hulu’s ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’ is a dramatic retelling of the events surrounding the Murdaugh family, particularly focusing on the murders of Alex Murdaugh’s wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul. Before the killings and the subsequent fallout take the family and the community of their South Carolina town by storm, the boat accident involving Paul takes center stage. This is where investigative journalist Mandy Matney comes into the picture. In real life, as well, Mandy was introduced to the Murdaugh family after the boat crash. At the time, she was working for Hilton Head’s local newspaper, The Island Packet, and she became convinced that Paul’s involvement in the case was being covered up by his well-connected family.
Eventually, Paul was indicted in the case on several counts, but Mandy did not drop her investigation into his family. When Paul and Maggie were murdered in June 2021, Mandy used her research into the Murdaughs, their connections, and their alleged cover-ups to report on the case, which ended with Alex being convicted of the murders. Her reporting on the Murdaughs established her as a major voice in investigative journalism, and she continues to carry the torch for the profession and its integrity.
Mandy Matney is Dedicated to Fighting for Truth and Justice Today
Mandy Matney lives in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David Moses. With him, she launched Lunashark Productions, a podcasting company, through which the couple produced ‘Murdaugh Murders Podcast,’ now known as ‘True Sunlight,’ whose success became a breakthrough moment in Mandy’s career. Through her company, of which she is the CEO, she is also the producer of the ‘Cup of Justice’ podcast, which she co-hosts with journalist Liz Farrell and attorney Eric Bland. Apart from being an independent journalist and a podcaster, she is also the author of the best-selling book, ‘Blood on Their Hands: Murder, Corruption, and the Fall of the Murdaugh Dynasty.’ She also serves as the executive producer of the Hulu series and is the creator and host of its companion podcast, ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family Official Podcast.’
Mandy honed her investigative skills at the Waynesville Daily Guide in Waynesville, Missouri, and the Danville Commercial-News in Danville, Illinois, before joining The Island Packet in 2016 and working on the case that changed her life. She still keeps tabs on the case and its developments. With the renewed interest in the Murdaugh family, she is also working on re-releasing some episodes from the original podcast. Through her reporting, Mandy aims to “give a voice to the voiceless, to expose the truth wherever it leads and to get the story straight.” She has used her podcasts and her social media platform to shine a light on cases like the murder of Stephen Smith in 2015 and Scott Spivey’s murder in 2023.
In July 2025, she hosted the Walking with Stephen event with her husband in Hampton, South Carolina. They were joined by over a hundred people and raised around $12,000 for Smith’s scholarship fund and investigation fund. Mandy is deeply invested in reporting cases concerning the local community and South Carolina, especially those involving the “good ole boy system,” which allegedly protects the rich and the corrupt. Her main concern is to focus on the stories of the victims and bring their pain and struggle to light, letting them know that someone is supporting and looking out for them. She is proud that, through her work, she has been “able to highlight and educate people on so many different things within the justice system.”
Mandy Matney Has Braved Online Bullying in Her Reporting Journey
While her success story makes everything seem easy, Mandy Matney also talks about the toll it has taken on her. As the interest in the Murdaugh family’s case increased, Mandy established herself as the, if not the only, reporter to deliver intense ground reporting on the matter. This brought her to the attention of national media, and she was invited to participate in several news channels and other programs focusing on the case. She also received the offer to join Netflix’s 2023 documentary, ‘Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.’ However, she refused to be a part of it because, at the time, she had already been at the center of the case’s reporting and was suffering harassment and bullying online, which she didn’t want to exacerbate.
In a social media post, Mandy shared that the online trolling from the Murdaugh case had gotten so bad that she fell into a depressive spell for a while. In November 2024, she quit X because the hateful comments were affecting her mental health. She was also embroiled in a defamation lawsuit relating to her reporting of David Voros, the art professor at the University of South Carolina, who was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. In July 2023, the lawsuit against Mandy was dismissed, but she continues to be pulled back into it. In August 2025, she had to appear for a deposition in the case.
To keep her peace of mind, Mandy has chosen to focus on her reporting and podcasts. Over the years, she has given interviews about the case, but they remain few and far between. Her more recent appearances in the media are a result of her involvement with the Hulu series. Mandy reserves her public speaking engagements for colleges across the country, where she aims to inspire students’ interest in independent journalism, especially young women, whom she encourages to break norms and “stay pesky.”
Mandy Matney is Deeply Fulfilled in Her Personal Life
At 35 years old, Mandy Matney has learned to push the negativity out of her life and focus on her work and the things and people she loves. A Taylor Swift fan, she is incredibly happy to have found her soulmate in David, whom she married in 2022, and calls marrying him the best decision she has ever made. Apart from their personal relationship, the couple also has a thriving professional equation. They have navigated “the tough and nearly impossible work-life balance” and have finally “found stability.” Their family is complemented by their two dogs, Luna and Joe Pesky. They adopted Joe in 2023, which Mandy describes as the time of a serious spell of depression, and she credits her dogs with getting her through that tough time.
Mandy has continued progress in her mental health, pointing out her participation in the 2024 Tucson Book Festival, where she engaged in public speaking despite her fears of it. She also shared the milestone of flying by herself for the first time in five years in August 2025. She revealed that she had thought about having a baby in 2024, but the year turned out to be beautiful and brilliant in different ways, and it became the time for “healing and figuring out what [she] wanted and needed most in life.” She is also dedicated to helping people by collaborating with charities and NGOs.
In August 2025, Mandy donated her car to Liza’s Lifeline, an organization that supports women escaping abuse. She noted that it was a special car to her because it was with her during the trying years of the Murdaugh investigation. The same car also features in the Hulu show as Brittany Snow takes on the role of Mandy. The real Mandy describes Brittany’s portrayal of her on-screen counterpart as “an honor and the most flattering thing in the universe.” When she takes a break from her work, she enjoys touring the world with her husband and friends. Her travels have taken her from New York City and Los Angeles to Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, among other destinations. When she is not traveling, she loves driving around Hilton Head, whose beauty she deeply appreciates, especially when accompanied by David and their furry babies.
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