‘I felt my son was murdered’: Stephen Smith’s mother feels ‘peace’ from murder probe
The grieving mother of Stephen Smith stated she lastly feels “some peace” after investigators reopened the case into the mysterious demise of her son – whom she believes was overwhelmed to demise in a “hate crime” as a result of he was homosexual.
“That is what I’ve been preventing for, and I’m lastly getting it,” Sandy Smith told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Wednesday evening of her almost eight-year battle to reexamine her son’s demise.
Smith stated she has all the time questioned the circumstances surrounding the July 8, 2015 demise of her son, whose physique was discovered on a highway not removed from the 1,700-acre Moselle property the place disgraced South Carolina legal professional Alex Murdaugh later gunned down his spouse, Maggie, and son, Paul.
Whereas authorities initially dominated the nursing pupil’s demise a hit-and-run accident, Sandy believed that foul play was concerned – and that the highly effective Murdaugh household performed a job.
“The one dispute I had was that it was not a hit-and-run. And that’s what I’ve been saying from the start. And I felt my son was murdered, he was overwhelmed to demise, and I believe it was a hate crime [because Stephen was openly gay],” Sandy instructed Cooper.
The South Carolina Regulation Enforcement Division (SLED) reopened the investigation into Stephens’ demise on June 23, 2021 primarily based on data gleaned in the course of the preliminary probe into the murders of Maggie and Paul earlier that month.
On Tuesday, SLED stated the demise was officially being looked at as a homicide.
“I’m simply overwhelmed,” Sandy stated of the replace.
“And I don’t know how you can clarify it, however I’ve somewhat little bit of peace in my coronary heart.”
Sandy additionally shared reminiscences of her “mischievous” son.
“He was my life. He was my world,” she instructed Cooper.
Sandy Smith beforehand wrote in a 2016 letter to the FBI that different teenagers approached Stephen’s twin Stephanie inside days of her brother’s demise to say they believed Paul Murdaugh and his older brother, Buster, have been concerned.
One other classmate additionally reportedly instructed Stephen’s brother, Christopher, that Buster, now 26, killed the teenager with a baseball bat.
“He claimed it was as a result of Stephen was homosexual,” Sandy wrote within the emotional letter.
Sandy additionally alleged that Buster, who was Stephen’s classmate, was concerned in a secret relationship together with her son, which can have motivated the alleged assault.
Stephen had hinted at relationship “somebody from a outstanding household within the county who was hiding his sexuality,” however by no means revealed their identify, Sandy stated.
In one other weird twist, Alex Murdaugh’s brother, Randolph, allegedly contacted the Smiths inside hours of Stephen’s demise and provided to research the incident professional bono.
However Randy, who was current at Alex’s homicide trial earlier this 12 months, by no means adopted via on his pledge.
On Monday, Buster Murdaugh issued an announcement denying the “vicious rumors” about his involvement with Stephen.
“These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his demise are false,” he stated.
“I unequivocally deny any involvement in his demise, and my coronary heart goes out to the Smith household,” he added.
Alex Murdaugh, 54, was sentenced to 2 consecutive life sentences earlier this month for killing Maggie and Paul. Buster testified in his father’s protection in the course of the six-week trial.
“They seen via the lies and a Murdaugh is lastly introduced down,” Sandy Smith told The Post of the decision.
“Now that this case is again over, they’ll get on Stephen’s case full-time.”
As of Thursday, the Smith household’s GoFundMe had raised nearly $100,000 – almost 7 instances its authentic objective – to exhume Stephen’s body for an impartial post-mortem.
“From the start, I’ve all the time stated that the pathologist is a voice for the lifeless. And the one who finalized his demise certificates, I don’t imagine that she gave justice to my son. She didn’t converse his voice – for his voice,” Sandy instructed Cooper of the unique examination.