The rumor thats going around Hampton that everybody keeps coming up to me and saying it was Murdaugh boys, she says. (Is Outer Banks a real place?). 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. Stephens life mattered, too.. Investigators found Smiths car three miles away on the side of Bamberg Highway. Randy declined to comment on the statement Stephanie made to investigators regarding his alleged phone call. Alex's. Singleton took the wallet, according to the report. There, they listened to gospel songs, speeches and unveiled a new headstone for the 19-year-old's grave, which is close to the spot where his father, who died three months after his son, is buried. Stephens family member didnt seem to believe this at the time. Families, entire communities are still reeling . In July 2015, a 19 year old man named Stephen Smith was found dead in the middle of the road in Hampton County, South Carolina. Got a tip for a story? But Smith's family refuses to believe it was an accident. He said Stephen was harassed by Rednecks in a big truck with big mud tires.. A man driving on the road that evening called police just before 5 a.m.to report a person lying in the roadside,according to police reports. Nothing about this case from the very beginning pointed towards it being a hit and run.. To submit your loved one for . August 18, 2015, SCHP: The coroner tells Proctor that he did not agree with the final autopsy results in the Stephen Smith case. Source: YouTube/Law&Crime Network (video still) Buster Murdaugh He often had car troubles, but they had trouble imagining him walkingin the middle of the road, his family told Inside Edition Digital in an interview. His death was first. Investigators bid to solve last weeks double homicide draws fresh scrutiny on 2015 cold case . It was still unclear at this time if this hole was caused by a projectile. The family member says that Stephen was recently acting secretive and started coming home late. Currently, Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh. Now, police investigating the shooting deaths of. "At that point, I hadbeen working highway patrol for 15 years, I've worked several hit and run collisions, and nothing about this case from the very beginning pointed towards it being a hit and run," Inv. It would repeatedly get to a certain point, then the assigned investigator would bow out, perhaps not wanting to take on Solicitor Murdaugh.. 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. The victims hands were bagged. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? On Thursday, Sandy Smith said she received a call from an official with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Murdaugh's. "There was no evidence of this being a hit and run. Sandy Smith, speaking to the Guardian shortly after her sons July 8, 2015, death, said that she thinks she knows who killed him. CLICK HERE. It just doesnt make any sense. Cuts and bruises dotted his right hand. The mother of the 19-year-old Stephen Smith has told news outlets for the past six years that she thought her son was beaten to death and not hit by a vehicle in Hampton County and she. One of those deaths? Mother and son were gunned down on their 1,770-acre estate in the small town of Islandton. They believed he was walking home when the incident occurred, the report said. The Murdaughs, as big and powerful and rich as everyone thinks they are theyre going to go on living their lives like nothing (happened), Proctor said. (Assisted suicide explained). He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. He also said SLED has not contacted Proctor to assist in their investigationat the time of the interview. Now, Stephen Smiths case is getting national attention and his mother Sandy finally has hope for a fair investigation that will lead to answers in her sons unsolved death. She said Stephen had been recently cutting school, which was unusual for him. (WTOC/Provided) Initial reports indicated he died from blunt force trauma to the head. Alex Murdaugh, Paul's father and . But a former state trooper who worked on Smith's case told Fox News last week that he still believes Smith's death might have been a homicide,and not a vehicle collision like the autopsy report said. Smalls called him and told him that the autopsy showed Smiths death a result of a hit and run. Then, the coroner ruled the death a shooting homicide forcing investigators to search the rural road carved between a tree line and a corn field. According to NewsNation, Stephens mom Sandy is hoping for answers about her sons death during Alex Murdaughs trial. She said they were adamant it was a gunshot wound, so they mapped the scene and began to gather evidence as they would normally do.. in. She has been searching for answers ever since. It was determined that the wound in the victims head was not caused by a fired projectile., The pathologist stated that it appeared the victim was struck by a vehicle., Tallon contacted Singleton to tell him SCHP would need to be contacted to investigate, They collect the Gun Shot Residue (GSR) kit from MUSC, Cause of death: Blunt head trauma due to motor vehicle crash, 7.25-inch laceration on the right side of Stephens forehead along with bruises on both sides of his forehead, Right side of skull has multiple fractures, bruising and contusions, He has smalls cuts on the inside of his left arm, He has cuts and bruises on his right hand, He has cuts on his right arm, including a 6-inch irregular cut on inside of right arm, 12 3-inch aggregate of irregular to angulated abrasions on right arm, Smalls tells him that the doctor was ruling it a motor vehicle accident and they were turning it over to us., Moore then calls Singleton and asks for any notes or information he had.. MAIT takes photos of the body and Smiths clothes. Mom and Son, Authorities Open Investigation into Teen's 2015 Death, 'Somebody's in Danger': 2 Months After Deaths of Prominent S.C. Washington tells him its been taken to the funeral home per the familys wishes at the time of the death notification.. Crime scene photos obtained by FITSNews are horrific Stephens entire face was covered in blood that cascaded from a 7.25-inch gaping hole on the right side of his forehead. Smalls said hell call right back but doesnt. Additional counties and states will be added to this database as time and funding permit. The doctor ruled out a gunshot wound and said it was possible the injury was a result of the impact from theside-view mirror of a semi-truck. 8:25 a.m. SLED: Tallon and Burke arrive at the scene. He was bright and determined to make a better life for himself. Were not classifying this as anything other than a murder, Proctor said in an audio recording. Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is now streaming on Netflix, telling the story of the wealthy Murdaugh family in South Carolina. Officially, Smiths death was classified as a hit and run. She told me it was not her job to figure that out, it was mine., 6:14 p.m. SCHP: Brock notifies Booker that the victim did not have a gunshot wound according to the autopsy. Booker contacts Burns and Moore to gather further information. In January 2023, it was confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. "As any investigator [does],you go off of the evidence. No other items were taken from the vehicle, the report says. More:Murdaughs killed in double homicide in Colleton County: What We Know SCHP: Moore instructs Rowell to go back to the scene and make sure the body had been marked and to start looking for debris in both directions. Files with the state highway patrol showed that a Murdaugh family member - a. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? At nearly $29 million, Clark is set to have the third-largest cap hit in 2023 of any defensive end. His body was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8 with deep gashes to the head. Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team, told Fox News in an exclusivetelevisioninterview, Maggie Murdaugh's Cellphone Was Found Near Roadside Away From Crime Scene, Sources Reportedly Say, SLED Will Investigate Stephen Smith 2015 Death, Citing Emerging Details in Paul and Maggie Murdaugh Killings, New Redacted Report on Murdaugh Homicide Case Released. Stephens friends and family also disputed the autopsy report. How injury occurred: Subject was apparently hit by a motor vehicle possibly a truck. The grammar, spelling, etc. 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. Smith was found dead on July 8, 2015, on Sandy Run Road near Joe Miley Road in Hampton. 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 driver reportedly told police he first thought Smithwas an animal, but took a second glance and noticed "a white male lying in the middle of the road.". 11:29 a.m. SLED: Tallon and Burke attend autopsy at MUSC. His death was officially ruled a hit-and-run, but deep gashes to his head suggested to some he was beaten to death. His death was ruled a hit-and-run, but his mother Sandy Smith, who attended Sunday's unveiling, has long suspected he was murdered. In August 2015, the coroner told Proctor that he did not agree with the final autopsy results in the Stephen Smith case. "He's on my side . 9:18 a.m. SLED: Agents release the scene to HCSO personnel and leave. MAIT investigators cited multiple times in case notes and incidentreports obtained by Inside Edition Digital that Smith's death appeared to be a homicide and said the wound on his skull to be consistent with a gunshot wound. 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. Whoever did this to Stephen should go to prison. 3:57:43 a.m. Hampton County Communications: A man called 911 to report seeing a white male lying in the middle of Sandy Run Road. "I just couldn't believe it," she said. 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. David Rowell, of the SCHP, who tells him that Hampton County Sheriff T.C. Im telling you man to man I didnt kill him.. "He had his cell phone, he was six miles from the house," she insisted. "My hope is that she finds answers that will give her a little bit of peace," she adds. Is Mother and Son Murder Connected to Death of Woman in Drunken Boat Crash. As I was leaving she stated that the report was preliminary and it was my job to figure out what struck him, not hers, Proctor wrote. Perry Singleton and Chief Billy Jarrell, the SLED report said. Gloria Satterfield, who worked for the Murdaugh family for more than 20 years, died at the Murdaugh home in February 2018. SCHP: Allen tells Duncan and SCHP that they are not needed at the autopsy, according to SLED and HCSO. The vehicle was in park. He instead calls Smalls to see if he can get the information. Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths, Murdaugh Murders: Did Alex Murdaugh hire someone to kill him? 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. Ready to watch a new true crime docuseries thatll make your head spin? He was in school for nursing at the time of his death. Smith's body was found nearly three miles from where his car was left and case notes said that "the gas tank door was open and the gas cap was hanging on the side of the vehicle.". Hours later, a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Dr. Erin Presnell ruled that Stephen was killed in a hit-and-run accident, a decision which was met with confusion and skepticism by investigators and those who knew Stephen. Proctor also wrote in his report that Greene was fired sometime between July 22 August 18, 2015. A 48-year-old man has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years' jail for a hit-and-run crash that left cyclist and Perth university professor Thomas Lyons, with a serious and ongoing brain injury . Proctor also wrote in his report that Greene was fired sometime between July 22 August 18 2019. At first, when police arrived, they suspected his death was a result of a hit-and-run. Proctor made it clear in his reports that he didnt believe Stephens death was a hit-and-run. This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh is the older brother of Alex Murdaugh, a member of the influential Hampton family. Sandy has been begging law enforcement officials for years to open an investigation into her sons unsolved death. And before too long, some of them including the Murdaugh family stopped cooperating at all, he said. 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. 6:00 a.m. SCHP: Duncan, on the way to the scene, calls Booker said he was told it appeared to be a homicide and SLED was taking it over. Booker says he was advised there was a possible gunshot wound to the victims head. After Paul and Maggie Murdaugh's murders, SLED announced that their investigation had led them to look into Stephen's death. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Well keep you updated if and when we hear anything. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? His car was discovered three miles away with the gas cap off. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. No additional details were provided. His phone and keys were still in his pocket. They were very withdrawn with what they knew or thought.. Stephen Smith was 19 when he was found dead on a rural road in Hampton County in 2015. Then it turned out it was a hit and run. 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. Todd Proctor, former South Carolina Highway Patrol investigator, told Fox News this week that it looked like Stephens body was placed in the middle of the road. His right shoulder was partially dislocated. Investigators theorized that the mirror of a semi-truck hit Stephens head. Allen informs Moore that it is a homicide, not a hit and run. Cold Cases Database. A wooden memorial erected for Stephen Nicholas Smith, 19, who was found dead on a country road in 2015. The worst part is that some of the individuals responsible were Stephens classmates.. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. 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. While reporters from all over the nation contacted her last week about her sons story, she just wants the official call from law enforcement telling her they reopened the case. Moore leaves his home and heads to Sandy Run Road. "He wouldve called somebody.. His wallet was inside the car. 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.. There is no way that would happen to him. Smith's death was attributed to severe head trauma and controversially ruled a hit and run at the time, which the family and some investigators have disputed, and official investigations into his . No they dont they care about protecting themselves.. His loosely tied shoes were still on and his clothes appeared untouched. But eight years later, a new investigation says otherwise, with Smith as the subject of the new docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. For more than two decades, she had served as the family housekeeper and nanny. The death was originally thought to be a hit-and-run. 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