Death of teen found near Murdaugh home now a homicide case, authorities say

Death of Stephen Smith, teen linked to Alex Murdaugh family, now a homicide case - The Washington Post
The 2015 death of a South Carolina teen is now being investigated as a homicide after the Murdaugh family murders led his case to be reopened, authorities and attorneys for the teen’s family announced Tuesday. As the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, the agency said in 2021 that it was opening a probe into Smith’s death based on new information found during the Murdaugh inquiry. Authorities have not shared details on what was found and have not said whether there is a connection between Smith’s death and the Murdaugh family. Earlier this month, Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, and sentenced to life in prison. While Smith was a classmate of Buster Murdaugh, the family’s oldest son, attorneys for Smith’s family told reporters this week that Buster Murdaugh “has nothing to do” with the investigation. Murdaugh also vehemently denied this week what he described as “vicious rumors about my involvement in Stephen Smith’s tragic death.” SLED spokesman Ryan Alphin confirmed the status of the investigation to The Washington Post in a short statement Wednesday. “The Stephen Smith case is being investigated as a homicide,” Alphin said. The agency added that the investigation has already shown there were no indications that Smith’s death was due to a hit-and-run. Eric S. Bland and Ronnie Richter, the attorneys for Smith’s family, said in a news release Tuesday night that SLED Chief Mark Keel called them to share the news as the state moves forward with exhuming Smith’s body. Smith’s family believes that their son was murdered, and has raised nearly $100,000 on GoFundMe to exhume his body. “We have a chance to right eight years of wrongs, and we intend to do just that,” said Bland, who also represents the family of Gloria Satterfield, the housekeeper who died at Murdaugh’s property. The development in Smith’s death comes nearly three weeks after Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison in a story of money, power and politics that captured worldwide attention. Murdaugh, 54, who is expected to serve consecutive life sentences for four counts of murder without the possibility of parole for the killings, has appealed his convictions. The case drew massive attention, aided by not only traditional local and national media but also podcasts and docuseries from streaming giants such as Netflix. Coverage of the Murdaugh murder trial also helped shed light on other fatal cases that were directly or indirectly tied to the family. In the early-morning hours of July 8, 2015, investigators responded to a 911 call reporting that a dead body was lying in the middle of Sandy Run Road. Authorities discovered a deep hole in Smith’s head and a “defensive wound” on his hand that led authorities to believe they were standing at the scene of a homicide, according to an investigator’s report obtained by the Island Packet. But that changed just hours into the investigation after an autopsy classified Smith’s cause of death as “blunt head trauma sustained in a motor vehicle crash.” Smith’s family did not believe their son, a nursing student, was killed in a hit-and-run, and officials soon began to echo their concerns. Then on June 23, 2021, SLED announced it was opening an investigation into Smith’s death “based upon information gathered during the course of the double murder investigation of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh.” The Murdaugh family name is allegedly mentioned several times in reports about the teen’s 2015 death. As Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial prompted a wave of news coverage this year, Smith’s family launched a GoFundMe for an independent exhumation and autopsy. The fundraiser, which set a goal of $15,000, has raised more than $87,000 as of early Wednesday. On Monday, Buster Murdaugh spoke out for the first time about Smith’s death. A Netflix docuseries on the Murdaugh family speculated about the nature of Smith’s relationship with Buster Murdaugh. Alex Murdaugh’s eldest son denied the “baseless rumors” in a statement released through his attorney, Jim Griffin. “I have tried my best to ignore the vicious rumors about my involvement in Stephen Smith’s tragic death that continue to be published in the media as I grieve over the brutal murders of my mother and brother,” Buster Murdaugh said. He added, “I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.” Attorneys for the Smith family emphasized this week that Buster Murdaugh is not involved in the homicide case. “Our involvement in, our participation in this case, has nothing to do with Buster Murdaugh,” Richter told NewsNation on Tuesday night. “It does have everything to do with finding the ultimate truth and seeking the truth without regard to who’s involved.” Sandy Smith, the teen’s mother, told the Hampton County Guardian that she had “been waiting on this news for almost 8 years!” “I’m in shock, I’m elated,” she said, “I’m waiting for the next chapter!” Bland reiterated her excitement, saying it was time for the Smith family to get clarity eight years after their son’s death. “It is Sandy and Stephen’s turn for justice, and to finally get answers,” he said. María Luisa Paúl contributed to this report.