Renee Beach has agreed to settle a wrongful death case alleging that Greg Parker, CEO of Parker’s Kitchen convenience stores, was responsible for her daughter’s death following a February 2019 boat crash in Beaufort County.
Liz Farrell was the first to confirm the $15 million settlement with the Beach’s attorney, Mark Tinsley, on Sunday afternoon. The other victims — Morgan Doughty, Miley Altman, Anthony Cook, and Connor Cook — will receive a substantial amount of money in addition to what the Beach family is getting.
"Frankly, it’s a resolution that should have occurred long before now. Reason prevailed over posturing," said Joe McCulloch, the attorney who represents Connor Cook.
Tinsley could not be reached for further comment, though he did tweet a photo of himself wearing a ball cap that said “FUGP” with an image of a gas pump on it.
After several pre-trial losses, Parker’s Kitchen was out of moves, and his insurance company appeared to sense the danger ahead. The increasing reality of a Hampton County jury deciding on an outsized award for the Beaches and other boat crash victims was far too big a risk for the lawyers representing Parker’s policies. While talks of mediation began to circulate prior to Friday’s hearing in the case, it wasn’t until Saturday that it appeared to be a sure thing.
Beach was a passenger on a boat allegedly driven by Paul Murdaugh when it crashed into a bridge pylon on Archers Creek in Beaufort County. Beach was thrown from the boat and drowned after the accident. The suit against Parker’s Kitchen was filed in March 2019 because a store clerk allegedly sold alcohol to an underage Murdaugh, who allegedly presented his older brother’s ID.
Parker’s Kitchen admitted no wrongdoing as part of the settlement, but Greg Parker is still named in a separate civil conspiracy case filed by the Beach family. Convicted killer and accused swindler Alex Murdaugh, another defendant in the case, also agreed to the settlement terms, which completely resolves the wrongful death matter.
We’ll have more details this week on True Sunlight.
Contact Liz Farrell
Liz Farrell
Liz Farrell is an award-winning investigative journalist and writer, best known today as co-host of the True Sunlight® Podcast and Cup of Justice Podcast, produced in collaboration with LUNASHARK®. With more than two decades of newsroom experience, Liz has built her reputation on fearless reporting, sharp analysis, and an irreverent writing style that never shies away from calling things as she sees them.
She spent much of her career as a print news journalist and opinion columnist. Her hard-hitting columns and investigative work earned her numerous honors, including the South Carolina Press Association’s recognition as 2018 Columnist of the Year. Her reporting has long been defined by a deep commitment to accountability and transparency in public institutions.
Liz has been investigating the Murdaugh family saga alongside Mandy Matney for more than 6 years — long before the story captured national headlines. Although she briefly stepped away from journalism to work in the public sector, Liz returned to her true calling in 2021, joining Mandy in launching what was then the Murdaugh Murders Podcast. She has also been part of the Cup of Justice Podcast team since its inception, bringing a journalist’s lens to conversations about law, accountability, and reform.
Beyond her investigative work, Liz is deeply passionate about writing as a way to connect people and communities. Her career reflects a lifelong dedication to storytelling that matters — whether through journalism, podcasting, or her essays. Liz’s incisive writing and unflinching commentary help expose corruption, lift up victims’ voices and challenge systems that enable abuse of power.
Liz now resides in Maryland, where she continues to write, podcast, and champion the pursuit of truth.
Contact Beth Braden
Beth Braden
Beth Braden is an award-winning investigative journalist who cut her reporting teeth in the hills and hollows of East Tennessee. She joined the LUNASHARK® Media team in 2023 as a researcher and journalist who handles FOIA requests, wading through and analyzing public records, and connecting with sources. She also provides a monthly update for premium members called Soundbites, which is a monthly review of everything happening at LUNASHARK®, and she occasionally writes and records for True Sunlight. Beth has her own solo podcast called Time of Death, which explores the 1992 homicide of Tommy Griffin and Connie Branam in East Tennessee.
Prior to joining the team, Beth’s newspaper work had taken her into deep-dive stories about faith-based serpent handling and Appalachian coal mining, as well as data journalism work to analyze euthanasia drug irregularities at an animal shelter, uncover the most dangerous intersections on her beat, and see whether or not the local judge’s rulings passed muster when cases were appealed to the state appellate court. And of course, she’s been to her fair share of court hearings, city council meetings, and board of education work sessions.
In addition to her newspaper experience, her byline appears on HGTV.com, nytimes.com, and other internationally known websites.
In her spare time, she enjoys quilting, rock climbing, strange museums, and good cups of coffee.
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