On the rare occasions that I’ve pondered Bill Murray’s private life, I’ve assumed that he’s the type of guy who gets drunk and tries to drive to 711 in a golf cart. He seems like a goofy fun-loving guy, and maybe someone who would cheat on his wife, but not someone with an abusive temper or a mean streak. His second wife of over ten years claims otherwise and has filed for divorce along with a restraining order against Murray, 57.
Jennifer Butler Murray filed for divorce in Charleston counrty, South Carolina on May 12. Her reasons include adultery, drug addiction, alcoholism, and abuse. She details an incident in which he hit her in the face and said she was “lucky he didn’t kill her.” Under the provisions of their prenuptial agreement, Jennifer would get $7 million with no alimony or child support:
Jennifer Butler Murray cites the allegations as grounds for divorce, according to the complaint filed May 12 in family court. Records in the case were sealed Friday by a court order…
Jennifer Murray also seeks a restraining order barring Bill Murray from her Sullivan’s Island home and asks the court to determine if the couple’s premarital agreement is valid and enforceable…
According to the complaint, Jennifer Murray moved into a Sullivan’s Island home in 2006 with the couple’s four children due to her husband’s “adultery, addiction to marijuana and alcohol, abusive behavior, physical abuse, sexual addictions and frequent abandonment.”
Jennifer Murray purchased the Sullivan’s Island beach house in 2006 for $3.65 million, according to county property records.
It was at the Sullivan’s Island home, according to the complaint, that Murray allegedly abused his wife in November 2007. The six-page court filing says Murray “hit his wife in the face and then told her she was ‘lucky he didn’t kill her.’ ”
The complaint alleges that Murray physically abused his wife on more than one occasion during the marriage.
[From Charleston.net via TMZ]
The couple have four sons together, Caleb, 15, Jackson, 13, Cooper, 12, and Lincoln, 7. Murray also has two sons with his first wife, Margaret Kelly: Homer, 26, and Luke, 23.
Maybe Murray’s wife is emphasizing certain aspects of her husband’s character to try and get out of her prenuptial agreement, but if those claims are true that’s awful and she deserves a hefty settlement along with substantial child support. Bill Murray has three movies coming out this year: Get Smart, City of Ember, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. He is also a co-owner of minor league baseball team The Charleston Riverdogs.
Bill Murray and Jennifer Murray are shown at the 2004 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, thanks to PRPhotos.
Ohhh, I hope this isn’t true…Bill Murray’s been one of my favourite celebrities. I’m not sure I’d want to see any of his movies again if he really is abusive and an ass in real life.
Mine too! I live in Charleston & this was splashed across the front page of the paper this morning. 🙄
He is a part owner of our local non-pro baseball team, the Riverdogs, & he goes to their games all the time.
Women married to actors often make tons of allegations and accusations when it comes to divorcing their husbands. Usually it is done in order to procure more from the divorce settlement. If what she says is true, I am sad, Bill Murray has always seemed like a pretty laid back, funny type of guy. Loved him in Lost in Translation! I wouldn’t be shocked to find out that he likes the sauce, but the other stuff would. Often those that abuse alcohol are prone to physical violence, so maybe…….. 🙁 😥
Alcoholism is progressive and yes, often times goes hand in hand with DV. I love Bill Murray – sad to hear this. Hope he gets some help….
Also, I was married to an alcoholic who was abusive and everyone loved him because on the “outside” he was so fun, nice, etc. You have no idea what goes on behind closed doors. And, Bill’s an actor!
Celebitchy do you know what the complaint in his first divorce was? ❓ If it was along the same allegations then this is more likely to be true.
What’s that they always say about the sad clown? Meaning that someone who makes his living being amusing is often dour and angry behind closed doors.
Isn’t this similar to the Robin Williams situation?
On wikipedia it says that he divorced his first wife in 1994. He married his second wife in 1997, and they have 4 sons together, born in 1993, 1995, 1996, and 2001. There’s an overlap there, so his second wife had their baby before he had even divorced his first wife. At least the adultry stuff shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to her!
This is really sad. I hate finding out unpleasant stuff about people I admire and like, particularly those who keep their lives private. I’d love to believe it’s bullshit but… 🙁
Hope they all manage to come through this ok and he gets himself sorted.
I’m inclined to believe it given the propensity for huge lawsuits against papers and publications who print the allegations if there was no truth to them…where there is smoke there is most often fire…
SHAME. I hop ethis isn’t true. I LOVE Bill Murray! But, those comedians DO tend to be crazy.
I really like Bill but I have a feeling most of this is true.
If he was so abusive for so long, how is it that this woman had 4 children with him in those years? Didn’t she catch on early – or is his abusiveness just a convenience to break the prenup. She worked wardrobe – isn’t $8 million a bit of a step up from that?