South Carolina Law Enforcement Division spokesman Tommy Crosby said earlier this week that SLED was opening its own investigation into Smiths death not a reopening of another agencys probe but rather bringing a fresh set of eyes onto the case. So why didnt they investigate Stephens death as a homicide? There is no way that would happen to him. SLED opened the investigation based on information gathered during the course of the double murder investigation of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, SLED spokesperson Tommy Crosby told FITSNews. "She now has more people than she knows what to do with," says Andrews. Of course, the rumors began from there, with many speculating the Murdaugh family mightve killed Stephen. 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. "There was no evidence of this being a hit and run. Murdaugh Murders: What happened to Gloria Satterfield? His body was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8 with deep gashes to the head. 9:18 a.m. SLED: Agents release the scene to HCSO personnel and leave. Hampton County Coroners Office: The first of 3 death certificates for Stephen Smith was issued by Washington to the family. SLED's reopened investigation was first reported by FITSNews Tuesday evening. 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. The family member says that Stephen was recently acting secretive and started coming home late. I guarantee you that Stephen was not in that road, she said. Detectives speculated a truck had side-swiped him with a rearview mirror as Smith walked along the dark road, according to incident reports. The Murdaugh family has loomed large in the Lowcountry for nearly a century with three generations of its members serving as solicitor (South Carolinas version of a district attorney) over a five-county region between 1920 and 2007. Law enforcement officers believed Smith ran out of gas and started walking home before he was killed. 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. Cuts and bruises dotted his right hand. 8:53 a.m. SLED: Burke meets with Moore at Peeples Rhoden Funeral Home in Hampton to provide documentation from the original crime scene and to transfer evidence. It said the manner of death (which is either homicide, accident, natural, suicide, or undetermined) was still undetermined, The pathologist also states in the report, that in light of historical information along with the autopsy, these conclusions were made, Proctor wrote. I asked her why she stated that in the report and her answer was because he was found in the road, Proctor wrote. Like the probe of the2019 boat crashthat killedMallory Beach, the 2015 investigation into Smiths death was chaotic from the beginning clouded by jurisdictional confusion and suspicions of investigative interference. Im telling you man to man I didnt kill him.. Yes. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. How injury occurred: Subject was apparently hit by a motor vehicle possibly a truck. No one's going to feel like they're being held accountable if we don't bring attention to it.". In January 2023, it was confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing. According to the autopsy, Greene was responsible for evidence transfer in the case. You go back to the Murdaugh name and their ties in that community, and that dont matter to me What weve done is take that investigation out of that and their reach I dont care what your name is and how much money you got., He then said Im not saying that the Murdaugh boy did it., But if were going to be throwing out names, Im not going to be withholding names, Proctor wrote. Well keep you updated if and when we hear anything. He asks the funeral home director if he has the clothing Smith was wearing and is told it was in a paper bag with the body. Investigators had said at the time that it appeared Smith was hit by a . Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? . The former S.C. Highway Patrol trooper had recently told several media outlets that Stephen Smith's 2015 death was likely a murder staged to look like a hit-and-run. In their search, investigators from SCHP, the Hampton County sheriffs office, and SLED found virtually no evidence no bullets, no gunshot residue, no tire marks, no debris from a vehicle. 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 . Want to contact Mandy? Or an issue youd like to address proactively? August 18, 2015, SCHP: The coroner tells Proctor that he did not agree with the final autopsy results in the Stephen Smith case. SCHP: Duncan talks to Stephens family and they reject the ruling that Stephen would have been hit by a car. SLED is investigating every angle in the Murdaugh case something that Sandy wishes they would have done with Stephens death six years ago. Similar to the homicide case, SLED has revealed little information to the public since confirming it is reopening the case to the family,Inside Edition Digital previously reported. Investigation files revealed (part one). Stephen was sharp and hyper-aware of his surroundings.A toxicology report showed that Stephen was completely sober at the time of his death. Not only is it believed he swept crimes committed by his family under the rug and has been involved in fraud, but hes also been accused of murder. FITSNews obtained all audio from the investigation file. But Smith's family refuses to believe it was an accident. 5:57 p.m. SCHP: Moore calls King to advise him what was occurring.. Investigators found Smiths car three miles away on the side of Bamberg Highway. Even after the eight-year veteran enhanced his postseason legend with another prolific stretch . To what historical information she possessed, I am unaware.. Todd Proctor told Fox News in an exclusivetelevisioninterview. July 10, 2015, SCHP: Stephens Clothes and iPhone sent to SLED, 5 p.m.: Stephens wake is held at the Peeples-Rhoden Funeral Home chapel in Hampton on Mulberry Street East. Now, police investigating the shooting deaths of. But eight years later, a new investigation says otherwise, with Smith as the subject of the new docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. The official cause of death at the time was that Smith, 19, died from a hit and run. 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.. Smith was found dead with deep gashes to his head in the middle of a dark Hampton County road on July 8, 2015. Paul Murdaugh,Alex's son and Randy's nephew, pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges related to Mallory Beach's death. As SLED begins its probe into Stephens death, its important to look back on the 2015 investigation to see what went awry. One theory posits that Stephen ran out of gas and decided to walk home when he was clipped by a semi truck, but Stephen's mother Sandy Smith discounted that hypothesis in the 20/20 documentary. "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. Paul had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was not incarcerated. 5:37 a.m. SCHP: Sgt. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Sandy Smith said she was grateful that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), handing the Murdaugh investigation, and the Attorney General's Office have provided "some closure" in the deaths. He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. The old way of doing business in Hampton does not exist anymore. Six years later, Sandy Smith Stephens mother is still grappling with the pain of not knowing what happened to her son. Sadly, the latest update in the Stephen Smith case came back in 2021, but with Alex Murdaugh on trial and with the release ofMurdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal, were crossing our fingers we hear more developments soon. Hes never said anything bad about Stephen. She was hoping to hear that they had opened a case in her sons unsolved death. 2. State police said information they gathered in the Murdaugh investigations also led them to review what was initially reported as the hit-and-run death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith in Hampton . Rumors and speculation have surrounded Stephen Smith's death on July 8, 2015, when the 19-year-old's body was found on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County with deep gashes to the head just. Smith was found dead on July 8, 2015, on Sandy Run Road near Joe Miley Road in Hampton. The case of 19-year-old Stephen Smith is often mentioned in the same sentence on social media. 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. 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. This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. What I ended up finding [was] there were a lot of people who didnt want to assist or communicate with us, he said. 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. The 19-year-old nursing student who had been a classmate of Buster Murdaugh at Wade Hampton High School was found dead with a head wound on Sandy Run. Then it turned out it was a hit and run. After receiving a search warrant, agents searched the area and the vehicle, the SLED report said. Alex Murdaugh called 911 Saturday and said he had been shot as he stood at the side of a road in Hampton County, South Carolina, according to a statement from the state police. 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. In light of historical information and the autopsy findings, it is the opinion of the pathologist that the decedent died as the result of blunt head trauma sustained in a motor vehicle crash in which the decedent was a pedestrian struck by a vehicle, the autopsy report says. The investigation was opened "based upon information gathered during the course of the double murder investigation of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh," a SLED spokesperson said. Sandy told Duncan that she heard rumors about the Murdaugh boys had something to do with Stephens death. The man says that Stephen was harassed in his town and said people screwed with Stephens car battery. 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. A NEW 20/20 documentary about the mysterious Murdaugh family includes claims by the twin sister of a teenager who died under strange circumstances in rural South Carolina. Earlier this week, FITSNews exclusively reported that South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) opened an investigation into the death of Stephen Smith a Hampton County teenager whose death has been unsolved since 2015. 5:18 a.m. SCHP: Booker notifies Cpl. At first, they thought it was a hit and run. There's a bright light being shined on that county. She said that it was not a gunshot wound and no bullet or fragments were found during the X-ray and that it didnt look like a bullet wound in her opinion and that since the body was found in the roadway, she could only theorize that it had to be a motor vehicle that caused the death, Moores note said. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? It looked like it was more staged like possibly the body had been placed in the roadway.". He said another investigator had already had, from (his) understanding a heated conversation with her about this issue.. Moore then Walked the scene and saw no evidence of any car parts or pieces and then had all units clear the scene.. "While the many questions about my son's death remain, this action gives me hope that we will get justice for my Stephen," she said. For more on the ever-evolving Murdaugh case, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this week's issue, on newsstands Friday. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? For more than two decades, she had served as the family housekeeper and nanny. Got a tip for a story? Six years later, Stephens case is still unsolved. At another point in the investigation, Proctor appeared frustrated that local sources were hesitant and scared to speak of the Murdaughs to police. The teens had been "grossly intoxicated," according to police, even though they were all underage and could not legally buy alcohol. (wrongful death lawsuit updates). Mother and son were gunned down on their 1,770-acre estate in the small town of Islandton. His car was discovered three miles away with the gas cap off. The family has now offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths, Murdaugh Murders: Did Alex Murdaugh hire someone to kill him? Moore calls Croft to ask which agents were at the scene that morning. At the time of his death, Smith was a 19-year-old Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College student who was studying to become a nurse. 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. The boating incident also revived questions about the 2015 hit-and-run death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, who was found dead on a rural road about 10 miles from the Murdaugh family's home . The Hampton County Coroner's Office said the 19-year-old was hit and killed back in 2015 by blunt-force trauma to the head. Sunday's vigil was held just days after news broke that disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was indicted by a grand jury on murder charges in connection with the June 2021 deaths of his wife Maggie, 52, and 22-year-old son Paul. Sandy Smith was told that if she wanted her sons case to be looked at by SLED, she would have to write a letter. You become invincible in a way and you get a little liquor and you think youre untouchable.. She said shortly after Stephens death that believes her son was beaten to death and the crime covered up. Tallon notes the weather was cloudy and 92 degrees. 11:29 a.m. SLED: Tallon and Burke attend autopsy at MUSC. Cr. In the letter, she said that they were told that the Murdaugh brothers were involved in her sons death. However, his mother, Sandy, told the the Hampton County Guardian, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2015. Sandy Smith didnt reveal who she thought killed her son. No other evidence was located at the scene, the SLED agent wrote. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. He was taken to a . 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. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. She just wants to know who was responsible for murdering her child. The key located in the victims pocket was used to open the vehicle. 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. It began June 7, when the pretty, college-sweetheart wife and son of Alex Murdaugh, a prominent and powerful lawyer who knows everyone in town, were brutally gunned down at their hunting lodge in . Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Ive been waiting on this day for 2,174 days, she said. Sandy mentions that a man at Bi-Lo was giving Stephen trouble, but they became friends. In early June, a sonand mother, both members of a prominent South Carolina family were slain at their family's home in a horrific double murder. Also buried close by is Stephen's brother, who died as a baby. May be bigger ponds, lakes n oceans with bigger fish, but life sure is good when you're top of the food chain, in these swamps. 4:30 a.m. Tuesday: Sandy Smith, mother of Stephen Smith, who was found dead on a rural Hampton County road in 2015, is feeling vindicated, finally, for her instincts. In June, SLED announced that they planned to exhume her body. Rowell calls later and tells him he could find no debris at all., Altman goes to the scene and calls him back stating he could find nothing.. 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.". She told FITSNews this week that SLED came to her house to tell her they were opening an investigation. 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. 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. Keep in mind, this isyearsbefore Paul Murdaugh was charged with three felonies in the boat crash that killed Mallory Beach. Stephens family member didnt seem to believe this at the time. The timeline (below) shows a sketch of how officials came to the decision to rule the death a hit and run and how that decision appeared to confuse nearly everyone involved. The killings also led the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to open an investigation into the 2015 death of Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old man whose body was found in a road 10 miles from. Its also unclear if the MAIT team ever examined Stephens phone, which was tossed between agencies before it was finally unlocked by the FBI several years after his death. After Paul and Maggie Murdaugh's murders, SLED announced that their investigation had led them to look into Stephen's death. Currently, Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh. Two Murdaughs also work for the prominent Hampton, S.C. law firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick(PMPED). 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