Lawyer accused of trying to set up his own murder turns himself in on insurance fraud charges

• A lawyer accused of attempting to plan his own murder turned himself in on insurance fraud charges.
• Prosecutors allege Alex Murdaugh, 53, hired a hitman to kill him so his son could receive $10 million from life insurance claims.
• Murdaugh's attorney told NBC that Murdaugh is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

Alex Murdaugh, the lawyer from South Carolina authorities say hired a hitman to kill him so his son could get the insurance money, turned himself in on charges related to insurance fraud Thursday, CNN reported.

Murdaugh, 53, appeared in bond court Thursday afternoon. His bond was set at $20,000 on three charges, according to WCSC news.

The lawyer was shot in the head on September 4 but survived. He is accused of arranging for his own killing so his son could get a $10 million insurance payout.

The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is now investigating Alex Murdaugh and has charged Curtis Edward Smith, the man accused of shooting Alex Murdaugh, with assisted suicide, insurance fraud, and other counts, Insider previously reported.

Smith appeared in court Thursday morning where a judge set his bond for $55,000, according to WCSC news.

Murdaugh's lawyer, Richard Harpootlian, told NBC that his client was depressed and addicted to opioids following the death of his other son and wife.

The two were discovered dead in what appeared to be a double homicide at their home in June. Three days after their death, Murdaugh's father also "died peacefully" at his residence.

It's "clear Alex believed that ending his life was his only option," Harpootlian told NBC. "Today, he knows that's not true."

The attorney further said Murdaugh is "totally cooperating" as he didn't want police to waste time "on this fake crime instead of on Maggie and Paul," his late wife and son.