2015 demise of Murdaugh-linked teen Stephen Smith now thought of a murder

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The 2015 demise of Murdaugh-linked Stephen Smith is now thought of to be a homicide, South Carolina authorities revealed — forward of the deliberate exhumation of the homosexual teen’s physique.

The state legislation enforcement division had been ready to drop the bombshell improvement till after the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial wrapped up and the following drama quieted down, Bland Richter Regulation Agency introduced Tuesday.

“SLED officers have revealed that they didn’t have to exhume Stephen Smith’s physique to persuade them that his demise was a murder,” stated Charleston attorneys Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter, who have been retained by Smith’s mom.

The legislation enforcement company was holding out on the announcement “out of concern that witnesses wouldn’t be as forthcoming underneath the Murdaugh sphere of affect.”

SLED revisited Smith’s case — initially investigated as a hit-and-run — following the 2021 murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, for which father and husband Alex was convicted on March 3.

Officers stated “new proof” connecting the established legal family to Smith’s demise was found in the course of the double homicide investigation, however haven’t elaborated additional.


Smith was discovered useless on the facet of the highway close to the Murdaugh property in 2015.
Courtesy of Sandy Smith

Smith — an openly gay teen who was romantically linked to Buster Murdaugh — was discovered useless three miles away from his automotive on a highway close to the Murdaugh’s huge property in July 2015.

He was discovered with a big wound to the appropriate facet of his brow, a dislocated shoulder and cuts to his left hand.

Police initially acknowledged the demise “gave the impression to be a murder,” however an post-mortem carried out the identical day he was discovered useless dominated he had been the sufferer of a hit-and-run.


Police at the scene of Smith's murder.
Police dominated Smith was a sufferer of a hit-and-run.
TODAY Present

“I actually don’t know why they did what they did,” Smith’s mom, Sandy, told News Nation Tuesday in regards to the demise ruling.

“I simply knew in my coronary heart that what they have been telling me wasn’t true … I imagine he was crushed to demise.”

Sandy has lengthy disputed the official recorded explanation for demise and has raised over $80,000 to exhume her son’s body.


Stephen Smith with his mother, Sandy
Sandy Smith has lengthy rejected the hit-and-run ruling and believes her son Stephen was crushed to demise.
Couresty of Household

Sandy has indirectly tied the Murdaughs to her son’s homicide, however loads of web sleuths and true crime journalists tied the mysterious demise to the authorized large household.

On Monday, Buster Murdaugh “unequivocally” denied “vicious rumors” that he was concerned within the Smith’s homicide.

A Netflix particular detailing the double murders — and different suspicious deaths associated to the household — detailed speculations that Buster and Smith secretly dated in highschool regardless of his household’s homophobic historical past.


Buster Murdaugh, second from right, son of defendant Alex Murdaugh, looks to his father.
Buster Murdaugh rejected “rumors” he or his household was concerned in Smith’s demise.
AP

“These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his demise are false,” Buster stated in a press release.

SLED officers have agreed to take part within the exhumation to collect extra proof as a part of the homicide investigation.

“We’ve got an opportunity to proper eight years of wrongs, and we intend to do exactly that,” Bland stated.



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