It is the Southern true crime story that has captivated audiences around the country, and become the subject of a top-rated podcast series, a bestselling book, both helmed by journalist Mandy Matney. If you have been following everything and anything to do with the Murdaugh Murders, you already know who Mandy is and are familiar with her work.
For the uninitiated, here’s your chance to get familiar on the same day that a new Hollywood scripted series about the true crime saga premieres on HULU, starring Patricia Arquette, Brittany Snow, and Jason Clarke.
Mandy Matney is an independent journalist, best-selling author and celebrated #1 Podcaster originally from Shawnee, Kansas who has worked for newspapers in Missouri, Illinois, and South Carolina before launching Luna Shark Productions and multiuple chart-topping podcasts, including “Murdaugh Murders” (#1), now known as “True Sunlight,”. Mandy is also now proud to join Hulu as an Executive Producer of ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’, a dramatic limited series based on her podcast.
By shining a spotlight on the Murdaugh Murders, ‘True Sunlight’ sparked a global analysis of the “Good Old Boy System” in South Carolina, the different set of rules for the privileged, laid bare. Mandy’s approach exposed a system that illuminates the substantially different applications of justice for families without connections to the highest reaches of power.
Mandy is the CEO of Luna Shark Productions and Luna Shark Media with millions of listeners, viewers and members across the globe. Because of her breakout work, she speaks regularly around the country to university students about the impact of independent media, and a recognized voice for victims’ rights.
We had the chance to turn the tables on the journalist and ask Mandy some questions about covering such a high profile true crime story, what it was like to have Hollywood execs get in touch to make a series about her investigative work, and why so many female audiences are fascinated with the true crime genre.
What first drew you to this true crime story, and what do you think fascinates audiences so much about it?
On the morning of the boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach in February 2019, I was a local reporter covering breaking news and we got several tips from sources saying that the driver of the boat was from a powerful family of attorneys and “if we don’t stay on this story, they will cover it up like they cover everything else up.”
Something inside me clicked when I heard that. So I’ve been investigating the Murdaugh family and their accomplices for over 6 years now.
I think at the heart of this story, there is a lot that people can relate to. So many small towns in America have families like the Murdaughs. So many women can relate to Maggie who was trapped in a marriage with a man spinning out of control. Most political systems have a “good ole boy network” that people are tired of.
I think people love this story because it shows that Goliath can be taken down if enough people speak up and stand up for what’s right.
The exposure and unearthing of the “good old boy system” relates to so many issues that Americans are focused on today. As a journalist, podcaster and author, why is it important to unearth systemic injustice?
Unearthing systemic injustice matters because corruption doesn’t just live in courtrooms or backrooms — it trickles down into families, schools, and communities. When the system fails, victims are denied justice, predators remain protected, and cycles of abuse continue. That’s not just a South Carolina problem — that’s an American problem.
Through the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, True Sunlight, Cup of Justice and with my book Blood on Their Hands, my goal has been to expose how these systems actually work — not in theory, but in practice. By telling these stories, we empower people to recognize patterns of abuse, demand accountability, and push for reform.
Ultimately, journalism should shine a light where people in power don’t want it. And if my work can help even one family feel less alone in their fight, or push one community to stand up and say, ‘We deserve better,’ then I know I’m doing my job.
In a political landscape that is targeting certain forms of media, can you speak to the value and role of independent media and voices such as yourself who create projects that educate and enlighten people?
When I first started working on this story, I was a journalist for McClatchy (one of the largest newspaper chains in the country). At that point, I had nearly a decade of experience as a reporter and an editor at newspapers around the country.
Yet, the Murdaugh story was the only story that made me clearly see the direction mainstream media was heading was not one I wanted to be a part of. I’m so grateful that the series explores this part of my storyline — how mainstream media’s toxic work culture makes it impossible for good journalists to go after the risky stories that matter the most.
I now own and lead my own company, Luna Shark Productions and the Luna Shark Media network with my husband and fully understand the financial risks and rewards with investigative journalism. I hope my storyline, and the millions of listeners we reach, encourages other reporters to become independent journalists because the rewards of free press far outweigh the risks.
Most press is no longer free — journalists are silenced by layers of corporations that benefit when the truth is stifled. Independent journalism is the only way forward… and each week on Cup of Justice and True Sunlight Podcasts we continue our mission of giving voice to victims, exposing the truth wherever it leads by getting the story straight.
The Murdaugh Murder podcast is now being turned into a HULU series, where you are also executive producing! Can you tell us the trajectory of turning a hit podcast series into a major Hollywood production like this?
Funny you say that, because my company Luna Shark Media is producing the ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family Official Podcast’ on Hulu as a companion to launch with the series —where I take the audience through the crazy journey of going from a small town reporter with a hunch to an executive producer of a major Hulu series in less than 5 years. It’s been an absolutely wild and life changing experience and I am grateful that I made it here.
The short answer is that I met Michael D. Fuller and Erin Lee Carr in 2021 when the Murdaugh Murders Podcast was soaring in popularity and we received dozens of inquiries to license or outright sell our intellectual property. Most of the people wanting to make this story into a documentary, show, or movie just honestly gave me the ick — they didn’t seem to care about the real humans involved and were very clear about the potential dollar signs at stake.
Michael and Erin were always so different. Michael is from South Carolina and immediately felt like a person I could trust. Erin Lee Carr — the queen of true crime docs — has an entire portfolio of work showcasing her unique ability to tell complicated true crime stories with a victim-centered and empathetic approach.
We picked Michael and Erin specifically because we weren’t sure on the timeline of when the show would be produced and we needed to be able to trust them implicitly to tell this story.
Can you tell us a bit more about your creative involvement throughout the production process?
I was so fortunate to hand off the creative decisions to Michael D. Fuller, Erin Lee Carr and the team they built because I trusted them to turn the facts I had reported into art. The vast majority of my work on this story took place years ago and this allowed me to actually enjoy the production process.
I mostly just was there to support the team by answering their questions about the true events. I also set up meetings between real people involved and the creators of the show.
As a first-time executive producer, I understood my place and I never wanted to be a collaborator who overstepped. I think the beautiful part of our partnership with the creators was that we all respected each other’s expertise. I’m also a character in the series, played by the amazing Brittany Snow — and I think that was even more of a reason for me to be a couple steps removed from the creative process on this show.
My husband David Moses, who is also an executive producer on the Hulu series, and I spent a lot of time in Atlanta while the show was filming and we would mostly sit silently in awe watching hundreds of people working their tails off to make this show come to life. That was a beautiful thing — just being able to sit back and watch professionals in their element creating meaningful art out of something so dark.
The story itself has a dedicated cult-like following, as true crime is such a popular genre. How do you stay true to the story, your journalistic integrity, while also balancing the responsibility of having such a big following from people who are interested in the story or who might have a certain bias?
I think a big reason why Murdaugh Murders Podcast was successful and attracted tens of millions of dedicated listeners from around the globe was because we sounded completely different from the majority of true crime podcasts on the market.
People appreciated the careful research and reporting that went into each episode. They appreciated the fact that I didn’t focus on the sensational parts of the crimes I was covering and was always careful about citing my sources, not misleading my audience, and triple-checking my facts.
That audience of millions stuck with us for over 90 episodes and because of them, I never felt the need to sensationalize facts in a story or over-hype a new piece of information that wasn’t relevant. I always cared more about our loyal followers and the victims who were listening than I ever cared about making our show more marketable to a bigger audience.
I hope that the success of MMP sends a message to other true crime creators that you don’t have to cater to the lowest common denominator to cultivate a massive audience. In fact, it’s so much better and easier when you stay true to yourself because your work finds listeners and creators whose values align with yours.
Why do you think true crime is such a popular genre, especially among female audiences?
According to FBI data, women are 48 percent of violent crime victims, yet only 18 percent of violent crime perpetrators — meaning women who aren’t involved in crime are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than men.
I think these odds put women in a place where we are forced to learn about the who, what, when, where, where, why, and how of true crime events because it makes us feel more safe. Also, I believe women are just naturally better at solving crimes because they are more interested in preventing them.
That said, I think something that makes this series so different from most others in the “based on a true crime event” genre is the amount of women we had in leadership positions on set. The majority of our directors in the series are women. Women made the podcast that inspired the series. Our co-creator — Erin Lee Carr — is a woman. Women dominated our writer’s room. Patricia Arquette is the star actor of the series. And while our showrunner Michael D. Fuller is a (white) man, he is a man who truly believes in the power of female voices in storytelling and I think all of that shines through on screen.
Can you speak about some of the reactions, thoughts or interesting discussions you’ve had with students about your work when you speak at colleges and universities?
Last year, when I was speaking at the University of Missouri, a young woman approached me afterward to tell me that my podcasts inspired her to become a lawyer and she was going to start law school soon.
She said that my podcast helped her realize how many bad lawyers were in the system and she felt empowered to go to law school to change that.
Those types of interactions are why we have been doing this work at LunaShark Media for four years now — to not only inform our listeners of how corrupt and unfair our justice system is, but also to inspire our listeners to do something about it.
It was immensely important to me to speak at my alma mater, (the University of Kansas) and two other midwestern schools (Indiana University and The University of Missouri) because inspiring the next generation is the most effective way to change systems.
What are you excited to see in the series, and what do you hope audiences will love most about ‘Murdaugh’ when they watch it?
I’m excited for the world to see the level of hustle and care that went into this series. Every single person who worked on this show went above and beyond to bring this story to life in a respectful and emotionally accurate way.
Murdaugh: Death In The Family captures the emotional truths behind the headlines. For years, we’ve been digging into documents, court filings, and corruption — and while those details matter, what really resonates with people are the lives impacted, the victims’ stories, and the human cost of unchecked power.
Seeing actors like Patricia Arquette, Jason Clarke, and Brittany Snow bring these situations to life on screen is surreal, but it’s also powerful. It gives audiences a way to connect on a deeper level — to feel the heartbreak, the betrayal, and the ripple effects of generational privilege in a way that traditional news reporting can’t always convey.
What I hope audiences love most is that this isn’t just another true-crime drama about a family’s downfall. It’s a story that honors victims like Gloria Satterfield, Stephen Smith, Mallory Beach, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, and so many others. It’s about showing their humanity, not just their tragedy.
I want people to come away not only entertained but also thinking critically about the systems of power that allow people like Alex Murdaugh to thrive for so long. If this series sparks conversations about accountability, justice, and the importance of local journalism, then I’ll know we’ve done something meaningful.
You can watch ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’ starting October 15 on HULU. Listen to all episodes of the Murdaugh Murders podcast that started it all – ‘True Sunlight’. Grab a copy of Mandy’s bestselling book ‘Blood On Their Hands’. And follow Mandy on Instagram to keep up with all her incredible work.
