Death of teen linked to Murdaugh family now considered a homicide after new details emerge
The death of a teenager who was found killed on the side of a road in 2015 is now being investigated as a homicide after new details emerged during the double murder trial of disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh.
Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old nursing student, was found killed on the side of a South Carolina road in July 2015.
An autopsy determined Smith was killed by blunt force trauma to the head, and an initial investigation determined his death was a hit-and-run.
Smith was a friend of Buster Murdaugh, the eldest son of the then-prominent plaintiff’s attorney Alex Murdaugh.
Investigators said that they interviewed over 40 witnesses that mentioned Buster or the Murdaugh family, who owned a country home just miles from where Smith’s body was found.
However, neither Buster nor any other member of the family was charged or even questioned during the initial investigation.
In June 2021, Alex Murdaugh’s wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh, were found shot to death on the grounds of their estate. Alex was eventually found guilty for their murders earlier this year.
When South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigators were still searching for evidence in that double murder investigation in June 2021, they found ‘new information’ that prompted them to reopen the investigation into Stephen Smith’s death.
Almost two years later, they have now confirmed that they are investigating the teenager’s death as a homicide.
‘We have a chance to right eight years of wrongs, and we intend to do just that,’ Eric Bland, the attorney representing Smith’s family said.
Meanwhile Smith’s mother, Sandy Smith, began a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for an independent exhumation and autopsy of her son. Her fundraiser has already raised over $87,000, far exceeding the goal needed for the private investigation.
‘Our family is so very grateful to all of you who came together to help us in our fight for justice for Stephen,’ Sandy wrote in an update last week. ‘Thank you for not allowing Stephen’s story to be swept under a rug. We will pursue the exhumation immediately and provide updates along the way.’
‘SLED officials have revealed that they did not need to exhume Stephen Smith’s body to convince them that his death was a homicide,’ Bland said on Tuesday. ‘However, they will be present and participate in any exhumation of Stephen’s body to gather more evidence.’
Bland said investigators were waiting until the conclusion of the Murdaugh trial before announcing the homicide investigation. According to the attorney, investigators were worried that ‘witnesses would not be as forthcoming under the Murdaugh sphere of influence.’
Buster Murdaugh denied having anything to do with Smith’s death. ‘These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false,’ he said. ‘I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death and my heart goes out to the Smith family.’
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