Alex Murdaugh's attorney made a desperate attempt to clear his name on Friday in a bizarre interview where he said his client knows he is going to prison for financial crimes, did 'stupid, illegal things' because he is a drug addict - but insisted he is not behind his wife and son's murders. Murdaugh, the 53-year-old patriarch of a South Carolina dynasty family, was arrested in Florida earlier this week after being released from rehab. He has been charged with stealing $4.3million from the kids of his housekeeper - Gloria Satterfield, 57, who died after a mysterious fall at their home in 2018. He is also being considered a person of interest in the June murders of his wife Maggie and 22-year-old son Paul, who were found shot dead in an 'execution' style killing at the family property, but he has not been charged in their deaths. On Friday, his attorney Dick Harpootlan appeared on Good Morning America in an effort to dispel what he called 'hysterical theories' about his client and paint him as a desperate, drug addict - but not a murderer. Harpootlan said Murdaugh does not deny financial crimes, would 'address them' at a bond hearing next week, and that he is 'reconciled' with the fact that he is going to prison for them. He however strongly denied that his client is a murderer and said he had no 'knowledge or involvement' in the murders of his wife and son. 'He has a long-term, OxyContin addiction which put him in a position where he did these stupid illegal things. Scroll down for video On Friday, his attorney Dick Harpootlan appeared on Good Morning America in an effort to dispel what he called 'hysterical theories' about his client and paint him as a desperate, drug addict - but not a murderer. Alex Murdaugh, 53, was arrested on Thursday for stealing $3million from a settlement awarded to the sons of his housekeeper who died in a mysterious fall at his home in 2018 'They keep trying to pound that square peg in a round hole someone out there is responsible for the horrible, almost execution style deaths of Maggie and Paul. 'It is not Alex.' Asked what his client regrets and admits, Harpootlan said: 'Obviously the financial issue is something he regrets. 'He is going to try to right every wrong, financial wrong... he is reconciled to the fact he is going to prison. 'He understands that. He is a lawyer - he gets it,' he said. Harpootlan says he is being wrongly suspected because he is who found Maggie and Paul dead . 'When the police show up and they find a dead wife and a dead son and a husband finds them, you know, most times, it's going to turn out to be the husband is involved. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh (left) were found shot dead at the family's home in June. No one has been arrested for their killings and Murdaugh's attorney insists he had nothing to do with them 'That unfortunately the assumption SLED [South Carolina Law Enforcement Division] made that night.' Gloria Satterfield, 57, had been the Murdaugh housekeeper for around 25 years when she died following a mystery 'trip and fall' inside the Murdaugh family in 201 Harpootlan added that when he represented Paul in a 2019 case where he was accused of being responsible for the death of teenager Mallory Beach, all he saw was a happy family. 'All I saw was domestic tranquility, love and affection,' he said. The attorney added that Alex wants to 'set the record straight' and clear up 'lies' that had been told in the media, including that Maggie consulted a divorce attorney before she was murdered. 'The reason I am on this show this morning is just the thirst for knowledge for this case has driven a number of outlets that are false.' He also sough to undermine comments made by Eddie Smith - the hitman Alex asked to shoot him in June - in a botched suicide by hitman. Smith - who was arrested for the botched shooting - claimed earlier this week that the gun went off as Alex was trying to kill himself. He denied pulling the trigger. But Harpootlan says he is lying to get himself out of trouble. 'According to Alex, he met with Smith - Smith was his long-time drug dealer. He met with Smith on the side of the road, gave him the gun, said "I'm going to look like I broke down, drive by and shoot me" which is exactly what Smith did. 'He has a long-term, OxyContin addiction which put him in a position where he did these stupid illegal things 'Unfortunately, or fortunately, Smith's bullet did not penetrate his skull. It did fracture his skull...they had to put him in ICU. He suffered a bullet wound to the head. Eddie Smith is not telling the truth,' he said. The housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, had been the Murdaugh housekeeper for around 25 years when she died following a mystery 'trip and fall' inside the Murdaugh family in 2018. Her sons sued the Murdaughs for wrongful death afterwards and they were awarded $4.3 million. But Alex somehow got his hands on the money, syphoning off $3.5 million of the insurance payout to his own shell company called Forge - which was actually a PO Box in Hampton, South Carolina. Murdaugh in court last month over his botched plot to hire a hitman to kill him for an insurance windfall The check for $2.96 million above was paid to Murdaugh's shell company called Forge the same day a settlement was reached over Satterfield's death, court documents ckaim Curtis Edward Smith, 61, is seen at his bond hearing last month at Hampton County Detention Center where is accused of being the co-conspirator in Murdaugh's botched hitman plot The remainder of the $4.3 million settlement is said to have been spent on legal fees. Alex has also been accused of stealing millions from his law firm. He resigned from the firm in September, just two days before asking Smith to kill him. Harpootlan said that he has known the family for years and that they 'enjoy success and privilege'. Alex's father was a prominent attorney in the area. He died, apparently of natural causes, just days after Maggie and Paul were found dead. 'The family enjoys status and financial success for over 100 years... with that privilege comes responsibility and Alex has forgotten that at some point. Alex said he bought the drugs from Smith, his cousin, turned drug-dealer turned hitman. Family murders, deaths, drug addictions, thefts and arrests: The riddles facing investigators who've now charged Alex Murdaugh 2015: Teenager Stephen Smith dies Smith was found on the side of the road. Cops investigating the double murder have also reopened the case into a 2015 hit-and-run of teen Stephen Smith Police officially rule his death a hit-and-run but he had suffered blunt force trauma to the head His mother has since shared her belief that she thinks he was killed in a hate-crime because he was gay Case notes obtained by DailyMail.com revealed Paul's older brother Buster was named multiple times in the investigation. Police wanted to know more about his relationship with Stephen Stephen's mother said he had been having a 'fling'. In a deposition years later, one of Paul's friends said the family had 'covered' other killings up. He mentioned Smith's death. 2018: Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Satterfield dies Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Sattlerfield dies Gloria died after 'falling' down the stairs in the family house The family gave her family $500.000 in a wrongful death settlement but it's unclear why her death was ruled to be their fault. Alex Murdaugh was listed as the defendant in the lawsuit. Satterfield was only 57 when she died. She left behind a husband and children. Her death was also mentioned in the deposition by Paul Murdaugh's friend. 2019: Mallory Beach dies being thrown from boat driven by Paul Murdaugh Mallory Beach, 19, died in February 2019 Paul was charged afterwards because he'd been drinking and was behaving 'belligerently' that night. He had been released on bond. Other kids were on the boat but were unharmed. One testified that they were scared to speak about the Murdaugh family because they knew how to 'cover things up'. That boy named Stephen Smith and the housekeeper, and claimed Paul pushed her June 7 2021: Paul and Maggie are murdered The mom and son were found shot dead at the family home in Hampton, South Carolina. Alex Murdaugh says he found them at the home. The medical examiner said the pair had been dead for an hour at most when he discovered them. Alex's son Paul, 22, (left) and wife Maggie, 52, (right) were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds on June 7 at the family hunting lodge Alex's father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at home three days after Maggie and Paul were found shot dead June 10 2021: Alex's 81-year-old father Randolph Murdaugh III dies 'naturally' and 'peacefully' at home September 3: Alex resigns from his law firm amid claims he misused funds The firm has hired a forensic investigator to go through the accounts September 4: Alex calls 911 claiming he's been shot in the head in a drive-by. He only had 'surface' wounds and was also able to call his brother September 6: Alex resigns from his law firm The South Carolina legal scion releases a statement confirming his resignation from the firm and announcing he has entered rehab He said: 'I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated these murders.' September 16: Alex turns himself into police over insurance fraud scheme Murdaugh handed himself over to cops in connection to insurance fraud scheme where he arranged his own killing so that his surviving son could collect $10 million payout. He faces charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and filing a false police report. Advertisement All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility