Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh found an unlikely mentor behind bars: a lifelong criminal. This surprising relationship is explored in John Glatt's new book, "Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege and the Murdaugh Family Murders." Glatt, a bestselling true-crime author, delves into the Murdaugh family's ascent to power, the double homicide that shocked the nation, and how the former attorney adapted to life in prison.
 
 “We really hit it off, and I liked him,” Murdaugh was quoted as saying to his sister-in-law in 2022. “He was always in trouble with guns but laid-back and very jail-smart. He taught me a lot about being in here that helped me.”
 
 This unusual mentorship forms a key aspect of Glatt's narrative. According to Glatt, the patriarch befriended a "hardened" criminal who had spent most of his life in prison. This unnamed lawbreaker became "a mentor for the former attorney and assistant solicitor."
 
 Glatt reveals that the jailhouse calls he obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request made by another reporter were crucial to understanding Murdaugh's life behind bars.
 
 “I listened to every one of those 200 calls,” Glatt explained. “... He didn’t talk a lot about what happened, but he would talk about his life in prison. And it was amazing how he’d settled in. He was a gambler. He loved all the basketball games, especially the Gamecocks. He was a sports enthusiast. And that didn’t change behind bars.”
 
 Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and son, a crime allegedly committed to cover up his financial wrongdoings. Despite this, he seemed to adapt remarkably well to prison life, a transformation Glatt attributes to the guidance of his new mentor.
 
 "He assimilated very easily into the jail system," he explained. "… He was a master manipulator, which you could hear from the jailhouse calls."
 
 The mentor's influence is palpable in Murdaugh's activities behind bars. He made friends over poker and chess, but remained cautious "against a possible snitch." He also described befriending a confidante who did him favors in exchange for small bribes.
 
 “It would amaze you, the trade system in here,” Murdaugh told his brother. “And how innovative these folks are and resourceful with so little. I’ll have to tell you about it later and not on the phone because I know they listen to every single phone call I make.”
 
 Murdaugh's jailhouse activities and the financial trades he engineered, Glatt notes, highlight his continued manipulation and cunning, traits that were likely honed under the guidance of his prison mentor.
 
 Interestingly, despite the hundreds of recorded calls, Murdaugh never mentioned his late wife or son during his conversations, instead, he instructed his other son, Buster, to always put flowers on their graves.
 
 Ultimately, Glatt's book offers a comprehensive and detailed account of the Murdaugh family saga, shedding light on new aspects of the story, including the surprising mentorship that Alex Murdaugh found behind bars.
 
 "In summary, while the Murdaugh family may have appeared close and loving on paper, a hidden demon tore them apart," Glatt reflects. “I don’t think there is any remorse at all,” he said. “During the trial, he always had a handkerchief totally at the ready to wipe his eyes when something gruesome or emotional came out. It was like he was playing to the jurors… He knows how to play the game in closing arguments and civil cases… He [thought] he could do that with this jury. And it rebounded on him... Of course, Alex has never admitted to killing them, and I’m sure he never will."
 
 This riveting narrative, detailed in "Tangled Vines," showcases the Murdaugh family's journey from power to downfall, highlighting the unlikely relationship that helped Alex Murdaugh adapt to life behind bars.
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