Mallory and Paul were part of a group of six teenagers who went out on the boat in 2019. Todd Proctor, former. The late Stephen Smith with his mother . The Murdaugh name was mentioned over 40 times throughout the course of the investigation which went cold less than a year after Smith was killed. Even Dr. Erin Presnell, a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), didnt give much information to police about what led her to decide a motor vehicle killed Stephen. SLED's reopened investigation was first reported by FITSNews Tuesday evening. According to Live 5 News, the Murdaugh family is mentioned several times in the investigative files of Stephen Smith, who died by hit-and-run in July 2015. He was in school for nursing at the time of his death. She said shortly after Stephens death that believes her son was beaten to death and the crime covered up. Officially, Smiths death was classified as a hit and run. She was hoping to hear that they had opened a case in her sons unsolved death. The key located in the victims pocket was used to open the vehicle. For more than two decades, she had served as the family housekeeper and nanny. Stephens relative tells him that she just officially left the house for the first time since Stephens death the day before and went to the store and a bunch of people kept coming up to her saying Did you know the Murdaugh Boys are behind it, saying Buster Murdaugh the, one we went to school with did it, and some of his friends.. The coroners report on Smiths death said he was most likely hit in the head by the mirror of a passing tractor trailer truck as he walked along the dark, two-lane road after he ran out of gas. Names and stories of the Murdaugh family surfaced six years ago regarding the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, a young gay man found dead in the middle of a lonely rural road with several deep gashes in his head, but investigators said they were never able to directly connect anyone in the family to the incident. Whoever did this to Stephen should go to prison. 8:02 p.m. SCHP: Moore talks to Booker and explained the scenario to him. They decide to meet at the funeral home at 9 a.m. the next day and to ask SLED to meet them there. In a recording that features in the documentary, a South Carolina State Trooper tells an unidentified phone tipster that he received at least "nine phone calls" about a rumor connecting the Murdaugh family to Stephen's mysterious roadside death. 3 Stephen Smith's body was found in the middle of a rural road Credit: Facebook 3 Buster, Maggie, Paul and Alex, all members of the prominent Murdaugh family Credit: Facebook Proctor then spoke with Kelly Greene, Hampton County deputy coroner and a SLED agent who both attended the autopsy and said they didnt make any reference to the pathologist about the victim being struck by a vehicle, only that he was found in the road. Stephen Smith, a teenager from Hampton . Moore, of SCHP, gets a call from Cpl. Sandy told Duncan that she heard rumors about the Murdaugh boys had something to do with Stephens death. The vehicle was in park. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The three-part series chronicles the string of deaths that the family is connected to, including a teenager named Mallory Beach who tragically died in a boating accident. All victims have been submitted by law enforcement or the victims' families. Rowell did not make a note of the Murdaugh tip in his written notes. Duncan does not include this in his casenotes. In the letter, she said that they were told that the Murdaugh brothers were involved in her sons death. However, Randy said in the 20/20 documentary that he knew of "no connection whatsoever" between the Murdaugh family and Stephen Smiths death. Moore asks Burke if she can come to the funeral home the next morning., 5:50 a.m. SCHP: Moore calls Rowell and Payne and tells them to go back to the scene to locate and debris or anything out of the ordinary.. They found engine oil in the vehicle but could not get the car to start. In the summer of 2015, 19-year-old Stephen Smith was found dead in the middle of a rural highway in South Carolina. Multi-Action Disciplinary Team case notes obtained by Inside Edition Digital through a Freedom of Information Act request offer insight from the night Stephen Smith was killed. Last Sunday afternoon, family and friends of Stephen Smith, a South Carolina teen who died under mysterious circumstances in 2015, traveled to the Gooding Cemetery in Hampton County, S.C. 11:03 a.m. SCHP: Duncan travels to Hampton County and interviews a member of the Smith family at the DMV office (a substation for SCHP). is not perfect, but the information is straight from the 100+ page case file. On July 22, 2015, Proctor visited Presnell at MUSC to get some sort of clarification on the Smith case. These boys were coming from a baseball game and I think that they were right behind him, so when he had to pull over, they were right there. He instead calls Smalls to see if he can get the information. Im tired of them putting Stephen on the back burner, Sandy Smith told FITSNews. Someone just left him in the middle of the road to die . Upon entering the scene, agents observed that the scene was secured by HCSO personnel and yellow barrier tape, the SLED agent wrote. Nothing about this case from the very beginning pointed towards it being a hit and run.. The forensic pathologist who. Moore then Walked the scene and saw no evidence of any car parts or pieces and then had all units clear the scene.. Proctor wrote that Presnell spoke in a negative tone and basically called (him) a liar when he said that hed already spoken to Hampton County CoronerErnie Washington. For the latest true crime and justice news,subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast: Attorney for Kristin Smarts Convicted Murderer Challenges Conviction 2 Weeks Before Sentencing, 4 Dead, Including 13-Year-Old Boy, in Suspected Murder-Suicide, Soft Swinging Mormon Mom TikToker Threw a Chair That Hit Her 5-Year-Old Daughter in Argument With Boyfriend, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. The Smith case had originally been ruled a hit-and-run despite evidence from . Stephens massive head wound along with the lack of other significant injuries on his body stumped investigators on scene. She said there appeared to be missing evidence in the case such as the DNA under Stephens fingernails, the clothes he was wearing, and the rape kit. Investigators had said at the time that it appeared Smith was hit by a . Proctor also wrote in his report that Greene was fired sometime between July 22 August 18 2019. 5:37 a.m. SCHP: Sgt. And before too long, some of them including the Murdaugh family stopped cooperating at all, he said. 6:08 a.m. SCHP: Moore is advised by Allen that MAIT is en route and that Allen is almost at the scene. But her dad was "a little iffy on accepting the offer. The family has now offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Six years later, Sandy Smith Stephens mother is still grappling with the pain of not knowing what happened to her son. Smith's body was found on July 8, 2015, on Sandy Run Road, near Hampton. "I just couldn't believe it," she said. Perry Singleton and Chief Billy Jarrell, the SLED report said. Two Murdaughs also work for the prominent Hampton, S.C. law firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick(PMPED). Stephen was sharp and hyper-aware of his surroundings.A toxicology report showed that Stephen was completely sober at the time of his death. Proctor then spoke withKelly Greene, Hampton County deputy coroner and a SLED agent who both attended the autopsy and said they didnt make any reference to the pathologist about the victim being struck by a vehicle, only that he was found in the road. She has been searching for answers ever since. Smith's case had gone cold in the months following his July 2015 death, which was officially ruled a vehicular hit-and-run despite strong objections from the South Carolina Highway Patrol. "Here she is seven years later, still hanging in there, still going strong, still ready to do whatever it takes to find the answers," Smith family attorney Mike Hemlepp tells PEOPLE. And while South Carolina investigators havent said what evidence prompted them to open the investigation into Smiths death, Proctor told Fox that the Murdaugh name came up during the investigation and that the family was not particularly cooperative. Prior to leaving the scene, agents discussed their findings and completed a walkthrough with Inv. As if all of the foregoing wasn't wild enough, apparently, information gathered from the Murdaugh double murder investigation has prompted law enforcement to reopen a case regarding the 2015 death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith. Murdaugh Murders: Family Releases Statement On $100,000 Reward, Latest Chapter Of Kathryn Dennis-Thomas Ravenel Custody Battle Features Change In Legal Lineup, #SC2018: Lindsey Graham Endorses Henry McMaster, Mark Powells Palmetto Past & Present: Lost Confederate Gold, Ron Paul: The Anti-War Movement Roars Back To Life, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Day Twenty-Six, Washington points to wound on Smiths head and calls it a gunshot wound, showing Moore the entry point., Moore asked Greene if they were sure it was a homicide and their response was yes., Moore advises MAIT theyre no longer needed. According to the investigation file, Buster was rumored to have been linked to Stephen intimately but detectives never proved this connection. "Stephen's getting his final resting place honored and recognized," says Andrews. Stephen was classmates with the eldest Murdaugh son, Buster, and witnesses at the time of the initial investigation suggested they might have had a relationship. In 2019, a boat operated by Paul Murdaugh crashed against a bridge pylon, killing 19-year-old Mallory Beach and seriously injuring two other passengers. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) - In 2015, Stephen Smith was found dead with a head injury on a rural Hampton County road. They took him from his car; everybody knew his car because he had the ugliest little banana [car] in town. His car was discovered three miles away with the gas cap off. Paul Murdaugh, 22, and his mother, Maggie Murdaugh, 52, werefound shot to death June 7 at their familys hunting lodge in Colleton County, South Carolina, as CrimeOnline has previously reported. CLICK HERE. The victims hands were bagged. "He wouldve called somebody.. He was found dead in mysterious circumstances in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015. Sandy Smith didnt reveal who she thought killed her son. Gloria Satterfield, who worked for the Murdaugh family for more than 20 years, died at the Murdaugh home in February 2018. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. In the documentary, Randy said, I knew who Stephen Smith was and I knew his family.". Investigators found Smiths car three miles away on the side of Bamberg Highway. Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is now streaming on Netflix, telling the story of the wealthy Murdaugh family in South Carolina. The case was mysteriously bounced from investigator to investigator without reasons or notification, Sandy Smith wrote in the letter. 9:18 a.m. SLED: Agents release the scene to HCSO personnel and leave. Files with the state highway patrol showed that a Murdaugh family member - a. SLED is continuing to cast a wide net as it looks to exclude individuals in connection with the double homicidethat took place at the Murdaughs 1,700-acre hunting property located near Islandton, S.C. on the evening of June 7, 2021. Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths, Murdaugh Murders: Did Alex Murdaugh hire someone to kill him? If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. 5:18 a.m. SCHP: Booker notifies Cpl. Stephens friends and family also disputed the autopsy report. On July 8, 2015 Stephen Smith was found dead in the middle of Sandy Run Road with a 7.25-inch gaping hole on the right side of his forehead and no other major injuries. He offers to give the officers his phone and take a lie detector test. And anyone who knows anything needs to come forward. Investigators theorized that the mirror of a semi-truck hit Stephens head. (latest case updates), Murdaugh Murders: Was Paul Murdaugh charged for Mallory Beachs death? Mallory Beach's parents also spoke out in the 20/20 documentary, remembering their daughter who died after an accident involving a Murdaugh family boat. In fairness, SLED didnt investigate Stephens case because it was dubiously ruled a hit and run. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Currently, Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh. Ive been waiting on this day for 2,174 days, she said. I wouldn't put shit by wealthy, corrupt, powerful, relatively young or barely "mature", highly intelligent men, privileged in every way. SLED is investigating every angle in the Murdaugh case something that Sandy wishes they would have done with Stephens death six years ago. She currently lives on Hilton Head Island where she enjoys beach life. 9 a.m. SCHP: Booker meets at Peeples Rhoden Funeral Home with Moore, Duncan, Rowell and Burke to examine the body. CLICK HERE. 8:25 a.m. SLED: Tallon and Burke arrive at the scene. The family member says that Stephen was recently acting secretive and started coming home late. Murdaugh will face three charges in the shooting, but with several ongoing investigations and. Smith had a head wound consistent with being shot, the coroner explained in a report. Stephen's twin sister, Stephanie Smith, remembered the moment the coroner called her home about Stephen's death. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. At the time of his death, Paul was awaiting trial after being charged with several felonies in connection to the deadly crash, including boating under the influence. To what historical information she possessed, I am unaware.. He would not let a car, let alone a truck, get close enough to hit him. The battery was functional, however the vehicle would not start., 9:40 a.m. SLED: Agents leave the scene of the car after doing a walk-through with Singleton and Jarrell. It has been apparent from the first week of the investigation that authorities are covering up critical evidence and we no longer know who to trust, Smith wrote. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. The Hampton County Coroner's office authorized the autopsy. Stephen died on the eighth of July. This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. (Center) Alex Murdaugh in Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Here's what we know. Moore leaves his home and heads to Sandy Run Road. June 7, 2021: Alex Murdaugh, 53, calls 911 and reports he found his wife Margaret, 52, and son Paul, then 22, shot dead outside of their home in Islandton, a small community about an hour north of . 7:28 p.m. SCHP: King calls Moore and tells him that Brock with MAIT would be calling and tells Moore to get in touch with someone from SLED to get them to come out the next day. Im just sitting here like why? It makes no sense, she said. Earlier this week, the agency opened up a tip line exclusively for the high-profile case. The case is being reexamined, partly because some Murdaugh family members were among those first on the scene. He stated he would have to go with the doctors ruling, Moore wrote. A wooden memorial erected for Stephen Nicholas Smith, 19, who was found dead on a country road in 2015. The victim was covered with a sheet., A hole in the skull was located above the victims right eye, SLED agents wrote. Stephen Smith was 19 when he died in what investigators called a hit-and-run in Hampton County in 2015. According to the autopsy, Greene was responsible for evidence transfer in the case. Photo: Facebook. 4:40 p.m. SCHP: Moore calls Washington and asks him if the hit-and-run was his ruling as well. Build your customFanSided TV email newsletter with news and analysis onNetflix and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Additionally, the episode will reveal new details in the death of Stephen Smith, who was found dead in 2015 after an alleged hit and run. (Assisted suicide explained). Tallon notes the weather was cloudy and 92 degrees. In the days after Stephen Smith was found dead on a Hampton County road, an autopsy was performed to determine the cause and manner of his death. Death of Stephen Smith, July 8, 2015. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? . When asked if theyve had been contacted by a lawyer, the family member tells police that Randy Murdaugh was the second person to call Stephens father after the coroner on the day of Stephens death. Moore tells him to go to the scene and sit there between 3 and 5 a.m. to document what type of traffic was moving at that time in the morning. Stephen Smith was 19 when he was found dead on a rural road in Hampton County in 2015. CLICK HERE. The Hampton community is hoping a suspect can be identified, after 19-year-old Stephen Smith was found dead on Sandy Run Road in an apparent hit and run. Stephen Smith's body was found on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County on July 8, 2015. 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