Alex Murdaugh murder trial: Everything you need to know before Friday's proceedings.

The Greenville News and USA Today Network-South Carolina will be in the courtroom to give you the latest updates until a final verdict is reached in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh. The video feed at the top of the story provides a live and replay stream of the trial.

Day four of the Murdaugh murder trial continued with an examination of the 911 call from Alex Murdaugh, and rounds of questioning from the prosecution and defense for the first officers to arrive at the scene that night.

The lines of questioning and exhibits of evidence indicated that water near Paul Murdaugh's body, as well as tire tracks and footprint impressions, may hold important clues as to who killed the Murdaughs.

The first witnesses of the day were Tinish Bryson-Smith of Hampton County 911 Dispatch and Angela Stallings of Colleton County Dispatch/Colleton County Sheriff's Office. Both witnesses testified about receiving the 911 call from Murdaugh on the night of June 7, 2021, and prosecutors played the unredacted 911 tape publicly for the first time.

For the first time, the public could hear the unredacted 911 call, which is frantic and graphic at times. When the 911 Dispatcher asked Murdaugh if Maggie and Paul shot themselves, he replied "Oh no, hell no!" Murdaugh also tells the dispatcher that both victims were shot in the head, there's "blood everywhere," and "I can see his brains."

During the playing of the 911 audio, Murdaugh sat and rocked in his seat, head down, and appeared to be getting emotional.

Later, without being asked again, he tells the dispatcher a second time that they didn't shoot themselves.

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Perhaps the most telling information on the 911 call was when Murdaugh told the dispatcher that the last time he had talked to his wife was roughly two hours before and that he wasn't at the crime scene at the time of the killings. Prosecutors said at the beginning of the trial that they had cell phone video evidence that puts Murdaugh at the scene with the victims much closer than the two-hour period he told dispatchers.

While SC Attorney General chief prosecutor Creighton Waters did not address the contradiction in the times during Thursday's session, his body language at that moment in the 911 audio indicated an "I gotcha!" moment for the prosecution that jurors will likely hear about later.

First responders, arriving officers questioned about night of murders

Prosecutors also called witnesses Barry McRoy of Colleton County Fire Rescue and Colleton County Sheriff's Office Captain Jason Chapman, who were among the local officers securing the scene until SLED could arrive to assume command of the investigation.

While Murdaugh had told dispatchers that he had touched the bodies to see if there was a pulse, Chapman testified that the two most common pulse checkpoints were the wrists and the neck. Paul Murdaugh's hands were underneath his blood-covered body, and his neck was covered in blood, yet Murdaugh had no visible blood on his hands or clothing, testified Chapman.

Chapman also testified that Murdaugh exhibited behavior that night that he thought was "odd," and at times his reactions and facial expressions changed when they searched different areas of the crime scene, or asked him specific questions.

How did victims arrive at scene, and who moved Paul Murdaugh's truck after the murders?

New testimony came to light that raises some interesting questions that prosecutors may elaborate on later in the trial.

Alex Murdaugh murder trialCatch up on everything from the beginning

Chapman testified that the distance from the main residence and the dog kennels, where the bodies were found, was roughly 1,000 yards. The only family vehicle at the scene when officers responded to the 911 call was the SUV Murdaugh was driving, and Chapman doubted that the pair would have walked that far on a hot, humid night with a rain storm coming in.

The officer later testified that Paul's Ford F-250 had been reportedly been moved from the estate and was found just inside Hampton County, on Highway 63, but neither the officer nor the prosecution elaborated on who may have moved the vehicle, where exactly it was found, or any other details.

What other evidence comes into play?

Officers spent a great deal of time discussing tire marks and footprint impressions at the scene, and Murdaugh's defense attorney Richard Harpootlian spent most of his cross examination asking why much of this evidence wasn't preserved in the event it could aid Murdaugh's case by providing clues to other possible killers.

Harpootlian, just as he did early in the day, devoted much of his cross examination to questioning the integrity of the crime scene and the investigation.

Drone video and footage was entered for the first time, showing the Murdaugh estate from an aerial view, and there was a good deal of questioning about water found at the dog kennels and near Paul's body. While neither side spent much time elaborating, the prosecution gave clues that this detail might be relevant later, such as if Murdaugh attempted to wash away evidence, while the defense indicated this was normal water from washing out dog kennels.

Things got a little testy between Harpootlian and Judge Clifton Newman at one point in the questioning. When Judge Newman sustained one of Harpootlian's objections, and Harpootlian thanked him, Newman snapped, "I don't need to be thanked for any ruling."

Testimony is set to resume at 9:30 a.m. Friday, and one of the first witnesses expected to testify is Colleton County Sheriff's Office Detective Laura Rutland, who also assisted with the investigation before it was turned over to SLED.

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Thursday a.m. updates from Colleton County court

The first testimony and evidence was offered Thursday in the Murdaugh murders trial, and the morning session was focused on two Colleton County Sheriff's Office officers who responded to the murder scene at Moselle.

Sgt. Daniel Greene and Corp. Chad McDowell took the stand Thursday morning. Greene was the first person on the scene after the 911 was made by Murdaugh, and found Murdaugh and the bodies when he arrived.

The key highlights of both Greene's and McDowell's testimony offered some insight into Murdaugh's behavior and laid the groundwork for the state's case - that Murdaugh killed his wife and child with "malice aforethought."

Wednesday's updates: Alex Murdaugh murder trial opens with strong statements.

Greene testified that Murdaugh, within moments of officers arrived, began telling police that the killings were related to a fatal 2019 boat crash and wrongful lawsuit involving his son, Paul, who had been receiving threats. He also quickly volunteered the times in which he had come and gone at the crime scene, and his alibi - that he was visiting his sick mother - without even being questioned by law enforcement.

Both officers testified that Murdaugh had a loaded shotgun at the scene when they arrived, and both testified that multiple 300 Blackout rifle casings were found at the scene near the body of Maggie Murdaugh.

In cross examination, Murdaugh's defense attorneys primarily focused on questioning the integrity of the crime scene and the police investigation. That focus centered on whether or not officers did enough to preserve forensic evidence like tire tracks and footprints - evidence that might have lead police to another suspect.

Other testimony and evidence offered more information about the killings. Paul and Maggie were both found face down in a pool of blood, surrounded by nearby shell casings. As graphic testimony and video was presented, Murdaugh rocked back and forth, looking down, and appeared to be distraught. For the second day in a row, his son, Buster, and several siblings were in the courtroom.

The morning became tense at times, with numerous objections from counsel. At times, Murdaugh attorney Richard Harpootlian appeared unorganized and unprepared, while prosecutor Creighton Waters briskly offered his line of questioning in an orderly, efficient fashion.

Wednesday's opening statements

Watch video below of Wednesday's opening statements by S.C. Attorney General's Office chief prosecutor Creighton Waters and Richard "Alex" Murdaugh defense attorney Richard Harpootlian.

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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Alex Murdaugh murder trial: First testimony, evidence presented.