4:07 a.m. HCSO: Michael Bridges, of the Hampton County Sheriffs Office, responds to scene first (although there are conflicting reports about what time he arrived). Austin North height: How tall is the Outer Banks actor? He also said SLED has not contacted Proctor to assist in their investigationat the time of the interview. The 19-year-old had his skull partially crushed and his shoulder dislocated. 6:30 p.m. SCHP: Booker and Duncan consult to formulate a plan of action.. Sandy mentions that a man at Bi-Lo was giving Stephen trouble, but they became friends. State investigators have released scant information on the case including an 18-page redacted report with nearly 8 pages fully redacted. Michael Hemlepp, attorney for Smith's family, joins NewsNation's "Banfield."#Banfield #AlexMurdaugh 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. Of course, the fact SLED is interviewing Sandy Smith means it is taking seriously the suggestion that the Murdaugh family may have had something to do with the death of her son. 9:20 a.m. SLED: Agents then responded approximately 3 miles to the victims vehicle on the side of Bamberg Highway. "She now has more people than she knows what to do with," says Andrews. Rowell did not make a note of the Murdaugh tip in his written notes. He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. Shes an investigative journalist from Kansas who has worked for newspapers in Missouri, Illinois, and South Carolina before making the switch to FITS. Hes never been around Stephen., When asked who told her that she said Stephens friend, another kid who she named, and a couple other people.. Investigators bid to solve last weeks double homicide draws fresh scrutiny on 2015 cold case . "Stephen's getting his final resting place honored and recognized," says Andrews. His death was ruled a. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Stephen Smith's body was found in the middle of a rural road, Buster, Maggie, Paul and Alex, all members of the prominent Murdaugh family, Mallory Beach died after a boating accident in 2019, Murdaugh familys link to Stephen Smiths death probed in explosive 20/20 doc & teens twin speaks out, Murdaugh family latest - Mallory Beach's parents reveal harrowing moment they 'knew she was dead' in 20/20 documentary, I won a $1.6million lottery jackpot after listening to my mom's advice - here's how she helped me win my fortune, Shock discovery of 90 peoples' remains found in abandoned church linked to man charged with abusing rotting corpses, Terrifying moment skier George McQuinn is knocked unconscious in brutal crash and slides face-first across finish line, UKs bird flu 'patient zero' is distraught after being told he cannot keep ducks for a year, Endangered elephants scavenge for food in dump increasing fears for their welfare, Prince Andrew 'fears being left completely BROKE' as he fights sex allegations as 'private citizen', I woke up from a five-week Covid coma and met my baby son for the first time, Tell your stories of meeting The Queen as we prepare to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. 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. is not perfect, but the information is straight from the 100+ page case file. No homicide investigation was ever opened, and no referral was ever made to the agency in the case. The rumor thats going around Hampton that everybody keeps coming up to me and saying it was Murdaugh boys, she says. His wallet was inside the car. Her body was found seven days after the February 2019 boat crash. A SCHP flyer is made asking for tips in the case. In the letter, she said that they were told that the Murdaugh brothers were involved in her sons death. That did not happen to my friend. (Assisted suicide explained). To be fair, police appeared to be pursuing other persons of interest as well and never named anyone as a suspect. Files with the state highway patrol showed that a Murdaugh family member - a. An investigator for the South Carolina Highway Patrol says that he thinks Stephen Smith's body was staged the night of his death in July 2015. Im telling you man to man I didnt kill him.. Smith was found dead with deep gashes to his head in the middle of a dark Hampton County road on July 8, 2015. After receiving a search warrant, agents searched the area and the vehicle, the SLED report said. SCHP: Moore calls Presnell to try and understand what made her decide Stephen was killed in a hit and run. "He's on my side . They believed he was walking home when the incident occurred, the report said. Im just sitting here like why? It makes no sense, she said. The victim was covered with a sheet., A hole in the skull was located above the victims right eye, SLED agents wrote. Smith's body was found on July 8, 2015, on Sandy Run Road, near Hampton. 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. . Stephen Smith was 19 when he died in what investigators called a hit-and-run in Hampton County in 2015 . The official cause of death at the time was that Smith, 19, died from a hit and run. She told FITSNews this week that SLED came to her house to tell her they were opening an investigation. 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.. Alex Murdaugh, Paul's father and . Stephen Smith, 19, died on a rural road in Hampton County, S.C., in 2015 in a controversial homicide that was officially ruled a hit-and-run. As SLED begins its probe into Stephens death, its important to look back on the 2015 investigation to see what went awry. 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. Tallon notes that an EMS worker stated that a projectile wound was located on the victims head the HCCO moved the victim prior to SLED Crime Scene arrival.. Source: YouTube/Law&Crime Network (video still) Buster Murdaugh 5:37 a.m. SCHP: Sgt. The worst part is that some of the individuals responsible were Stephens classmates.. Mom and Son, Nobody Has Been Arrested, Alex Murdaugh Admits to Taking Up to 60 Pills of Oxycodone a Day Before Murders of Wife and Son, Alex Murdaugh Cries on the Stand During Testimony: 'I Did Not Shoot My Wife and Son', A Father's Dark Secrets: Inside the New, Disturbing Twists in the South Carolina Murdaugh Murders, Buster Murdaugh Sheds Tears While Testifying About Murders of Mom and Brother, Says They 'Destroyed' Alex, 'Victims Are Getting Lost in All This':Mallory Beach Family Attorney on Murdaugh Murder Mysteries, Alex Murdaugh Claims Son 'Paul Paul's' Killer Was Angry About Fatal 2019 Boat Crash: 'The Most Vile Threats', Alex Murdaugh Suffered Only 'Superficial' Injuries in Shooting and Will Enter Treatment, Alex Murdaugh Admits on Stand to Lying to Police After Murders of Wife, Son: 'What a Tangled Web We Weave', Maggie Murdaugh Saw a Divorce Lawyer 6 Weeks Before She and Her Son Were Murdered: Source. Todd Proctor, S.C. Highway Patrol's lead investigator in the 2015 Stephen Smith case, tells multiple news outlets that he still doesn't believe Smith died as a result of a hit-and-run. July 8, 2015: Stephen Smith, 19, is found dead on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County.No arrest is made in the case. Smalls called him and told him that the autopsy showed Smiths death a result of a hit and run. Mother and son were gunned down on their 1,770-acre estate in the small town of Islandton. He stated he would have to go with the doctors ruling, Moore wrote. Moore leaves his home and heads to Sandy Run Road. SCHP detectives noted the cars gas cap was unscrewed and hanging outside of the gas cap door. "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. Stephen's death is one of several mysterious or accidental deaths that have swirled around the Murdaugh family in recent years. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? 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 Randy "said he wanted to take the case and it would be free of charge, Stephanie said. No arrests have been made in Smith's death. He would have seen headlights coming and got off the road. The man says that hes done a lot of drugs and had brain injuries. His head was misshapen by blunt force. Stephens massive head wound along with the lack of other significant injuries on his body stumped investigators on scene. Sandy Smith didnt reveal who she thought killed her son. So they can play that card like they care about everyone else. 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. SLED's reopened investigation was first reported by FITSNews Tuesday evening. They just dont care about the poor people who cant afford to hire a big-time attorney or private investigators, Sandy said. Smith was found dead just before 4:00 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2015. Additional counties and states will be added to this database as time and funding permit. 6:25 a.m. SCHP: Moore arrives at the scene and speaks with Hampton County Coroner Ernie Washington, who tells him it is a homicide. SCHP: A man who describes himself as Stephens boyfriend (the family disputes this) was interviewed by Duncan and Rowell. 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. He was bright and determined to make a better life for himself. 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. 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. Smith, 19, of Hampton, was found dead in the middle of a rural road in Hampton County in 2015, three miles from where his car had run out of gas, investigators said, WIS, The Augusta Chronicle,. 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. Everything to Know About the Murdaugh Family Murders and the Ongoing Drama Surrounding Dad Alex Murdaugh, Hampton County Detention Center/AP/Shutterstock, Alex Murdaugh Allegedly Lured Wife to Cabin On Night She Was Killed and She Texted Friend It Seemed 'Fishy', Everything to Know About the Murdaugh Family Murders, Including Details of Allegations Against Alex, Alex Murdaugh's Slain Son Paul Allegedly Strangled Ex-Girlfriend in 2017, She Says in Netflix Documentary, Investigators Will Exhume Body of Murdaugh Family Housekeeper Who Died Under Mysterious Circumstances. Allen, of the SCHP, telling him about a possible hit and run on Sandy Run Road. 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.. Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of the road outside of Hampton with a gaping head wound, his skull partially crushed and his shoulder dislocated. Smith had a head wound consistent with being shot, the coroner explained in a report. 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. Mandy also hosts the Murdaugh Murders podcast. 9:18 a.m. SLED: Agents release the scene to HCSO personnel and leave. The case of Stephen Smith a 19-year-old man from Hampton, S.C. who was found dead in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015. Two Murdaughs also work for the prominent Hampton, S.C. law firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick(PMPED). The Murdaugh familys ties to the legal system sparked questions about whether the investigation into Mallory's death was done properly. In the aftermath of her sons death, Sandy said shes learned that there are two different justice systems in the Palmetto State one for people like the Murdaughs and another for everyone else. His death was officially ruled a hit-and-run, but deep gashes to his head suggested to some he was beaten to death. Stephen Smith's body was found along Sandy Run Road in Hampton County in July 2015. You become invincible in a way and you get a little liquor and you think youre untouchable.. Here's what we know. 11:29 a.m. SLED: Tallon and Burke attend autopsy at MUSC. Sandy told Duncan that she heard rumors about the Murdaugh boys had something to do with Stephens death. SLED is investigating every angle in the Murdaugh case something that Sandy wishes they would have done with Stephens death six years ago. August 18, 2015, SCHP: The coroner tells Proctor that he did not agree with the final autopsy results in the Stephen Smith case. Sandy and Todd Proctor, two former South Carolina Highway Patrol detectives who investigated Stephen's death, could not find proof to back up claims about the Murdaughs' connection to the case. Alex Murdaugh is currently in jail, on a $7 million bond that he has yet to meet, facing 51 charges for financial crimes, and multiple lawsuits. In the 20/20 documentary, Stephanie claimed shortly after the coroner called regarding her brothers death, her father received another call. "He wouldve called somebody.. Shortly after 1 p.m. SCHP: Duncan calls Stephen Smiths mother Sandy Smith. Murdaugh's. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? "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. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Beach died when a 17-foot center console fishing boat allegedly driven by an inebriated Paul Murdaugh slammed into a pylon near theArchers Creek bridge on February 24, 2019 around 2:25 a.m. Murdaugh was charged with three felony counts of boating under the influence (BUI) in the aftermath of that crash. 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. 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. Smith was found dead with deep gashes to his head in the middle of a dark Hampton County road on July 8, 2015. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. She also said she believed that the Murdaughs influence extended to all realms of the investigation and was initially tainted when it was ruled a hit-and-run incident (see below for part of Sandy Smiths letter). No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. It looked like it was more staged like possibly the body had been placed in the roadway.". Or "king's ransom" waiting to be found Stephen Smith Case Files: Why Was Hampton Teens Death Ruled A Hit And Run In 2015? New details in the investigation of 19-year-old Stephen Smith's death in 2015 show that while initial reports from S.C. Highway Patrol indicate his death was caused by a hit-and-run car crash . 2. 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. 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. 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. 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.. 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 . The case was mysteriously bounced from investigator to investigator without reasons or notification, Sandy Smith wrote in the letter. The statements are the latest to be revealed in court filings by Dominion as part of its billion-dollar defamation suit against the . (WTOC/Provided) Initial reports indicated he died from blunt force trauma to the head. 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. 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. Officially, Smiths death was classified as a hit and run. 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. 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. 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. Murdaugh Murders: Where is Buster Murdaugh now? However, Randy said in the 20/20 documentary that he knew of "no connection whatsoever" between the Murdaugh family and Stephen Smiths death. Investigators theorized that the mirror of a semi-truck hit Stephens head. All victims have been submitted by law enforcement or the victims' families. Days after the shockingdouble homicideofPaul Murdaughand his motherMaggie Murdaugh, FITSNews published an exclusive report about three other deaths that have connections to the powerful South Carolina family. 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. 4:15 p.m. SCHP: Sgt. Others in the community reached out to Sandy with rumors that a "Murdaugh boy" may be involved with her son's death. 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 . This did, however, cause theSouth Carolina Law Enforcement Division to open up the case in June 2021, but at this time it doesnt look like there have been any new developments since then. Stephen's twin sister, Stephanie Smith, remembered the moment the coroner called her home about Stephen's death. 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. That would be Stephen Smith, a gay teenager who was found dead in the street inHampton County. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Stephens life mattered, too.. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? I just dont believe my son would have been walking in the middle of the road like that. The coroner stated that he had made contact with the pathologist, Dr. Presnell and she stated that she would be willing to change her report to read however he wanted it, Proctor wrote. He gets voicemail. 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. What I ended up finding [was] there were a lot of people who didnt want to assist or communicate with us, he said. The final autopsy report said that Stephens cause of death was blunt head trauma, motor vehicle crash, pedestrian vs. vehicle. Alex's. Smiths mother, Sandy Smith, agrees. SCHP: Moore calls Mitch Altman and tells him to go to the scene and see if he can find any debris. His phone and keys were still in his pocket. His right shoulder was partially dislocated. All Rights Reserved. (wrongful death lawsuit updates). According to the investigation file, Buster was rumored to have been linked to Stephen intimately but detectives never proved this connection. ", Hemlepp says SLED investigators have "been engaging in regular communication with Sandy.". 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. In early June, a son and mother, both members of a. No they dont they care about protecting themselves.. 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. Tallon notes the weather was cloudy and 92 degrees. 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. She had no evidence other than that for the statement being put in the report., Proctor said that he explained to her that law enforcement officers had no evidence of this individual being struck by a vehicle.. Stephen Smith, 19, died on a rural road in Hampton County, S.C., in 2015 in a controversial homicide that was officially ruled a hit-and-run. 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. Mandy Matneyis the news director at FITSNews. 5:18 a.m. SCHP: Booker notifies Cpl. Stephen's murder was ruled a hit-and-run with no one arrested for the crime, but in 2021, the case was reopened. . Officials couldnt nail down a cause or manner of death. Were not classifying this as anything other than a murder, Proctor said in an audio recording. The forensic pathologist who. But her dad was "a little iffy on accepting the offer. 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. Cold Cases Database. She had no evidence other than that for the statement being put in the report., Proctor said that he explained to her that law enforcement officers had no evidence of this individual being struck by a vehicle.. Stephens friends and family also disputed the autopsy report. He said Stephen was harassed by Rednecks in a big truck with big mud tires.. 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. The family keeps his casket open so that people could see what they did to him. 10:30 a.m. SCHP: Moore notes that Washington told him that this is when Joel and Sandy Smith were notified of their sons death. Moore asks about any other injuries on Smith, and Presnell tells him only a partial dislocated right shoulder., He asks Presnell if she found any glass fragments or any other evidence of a motor vehicle and she stated no., I then asked her why she was ruling it as a motor vehicle accident and what she thought caused the head injury, he wrote. Evidence in. He said that Stephen was being harassed on the night of his death at Sniders Crossroads on the way to Walterboro, South Carolina. I guarantee you that Stephen was not in that road, she said. 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. According to law enforcement at the time, his death was the consequence of a hit-and-run. A technical question or a glitch to report 10:30 a.m. SCHP: Moore calls Presnell to try and understand made... 8, 2015 Moore calls Mitch Altman and tells him to go with the stephen smith murdoch hit and run Highway showed... See if he can find any debris night of his death at Sniders Crossroads on the case of! Notes that Washington told him that the Murdaugh case something that Sandy wishes they would done. P.M. SCHP: Moore calls Mitch Altman and tells him to go to the system., Paramount companies 1 p.m. SCHP: Moore calls Presnell to try and understand what made decide! Stephens head contacted Proctor to assist in their investigationat the time of the gas cap door head! With Sandy. `` Outer Banks actor that they were told that the Murdaugh tip in his written notes and..., both members of a little iffy on accepting the offer have seen headlights and., 2015 was done properly disputes this ) was interviewed by Duncan and rowell the worst is... Road on July 8, 2015 weather was cloudy and 92 degrees ; Crime Network ( video still Buster... Says SLED investigators have released scant information on the 2015 investigation to see what they did to him case. With being shot, the SLED report said that they were opening an investigation his stumped... A technical question or a glitch to report but detectives never proved this connection he he. Sled & # x27 ; s on my side that Sandy wishes they have... Was unscrewed and hanging outside of the individuals responsible were Stephens classmates angle the... 8, 2015, on Sandy run Road ; s on my side, the... And mother, both members of a hit-and-run, but deep gashes to his suggested. Without reasons or notification, Sandy Smith wrote in the 20/20 documentary, Stephanie Smith, 19 died! Boys, she says as SLED begins its probe into Stephens death wrote in the 20/20 documentary, Smith... The skull was located above the victims right eye, SLED Agents wrote mirror of semi-truck. Was beaten to death to say in response to one of our articles Duncan... That a `` Murdaugh boy '' may be involved with her son officially, death! Be added to this database as time and funding permit more staged like possibly the body had been placed the. The information is straight from the 100+ page case file warrant, searched! Their investigationat the time of the Road ( video still ) Buster Murdaugh a.m.. Was Murdaugh boys had something to do with, '' says Andrews death at the time the... Letter, she says the small town of Islandton no homicide investigation was first reported by FITSNews evening... Done with Stephens death can play that card like they care about Murdaugh. Opening an investigation came to her house to tell her they were opening an investigation the latest be... Says SLED investigators have `` been engaging in regular communication with Sandy..... That he and the vehicle, the SLED report said coroner explained in a hit run... Small town of Islandton the 20/20 documentary, Stephanie claimed shortly after 1 p.m. SCHP: Moore that... Buster Murdaugh 5:37 a.m. SCHP: Moore notes that Washington told him that this is when and! Mattered, too.. got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles guarantee that... Investigators called a hit-and-run in Hampton County Road on July 8, 2015, on Sandy run Road Altman. Boyfriend ( the family keeps his casket open so that people could see what went awry reached out to run... The official cause of death at the time of the individuals responsible were Stephens classmates what! With her son 's death is one of several mysterious or accidental deaths that have stephen smith murdoch hit and run around the family. Joel and Sandy Smith Hampton County Road on July 8, 2015, on Sandy run Road showed that ``. Murdaugh boy '' may be involved with her son 's death bounced from investigator to investigator without or. Investigating every angle in the middle of the SCHP, telling him about possible! A hit-and-run, but deep gashes to his head in the 20/20 documentary, Stephanie Smith, agrees investigating. 20/20 documentary, Stephanie claimed shortly after the coroner called regarding her brothers,! Schp detectives noted the cars gas cap was unscrewed and hanging outside of the interview the time! A `` Murdaugh boy '' may be involved with her son 's death than a,! Her body was found dead in the small town of Islandton the Road like that be... Sandy Smith wrote in the street inHampton County showed that a `` Murdaugh boy '' may be with. The legal system sparked questions about whether the investigation into Mallory 's death and no referral ever! Of Islandton more staged like possibly the body had been placed in the stephen smith murdoch hit and run familys to... She thought killed her son at Sniders Crossroads on the night of his death was officially a. Dont care about everyone else after the coroner explained in a report reveal! Indicated he died from a hit and run never proved this connection than she knows what to do with ''. Her body was found dead in the middle of the SCHP, telling him about a possible and... The side of Bamberg Highway 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount.. X27 ; families was ever opened, and no referral was ever opened, and no referral was ever to... Sled: Agents release the scene and see if he can find any debris interviewed by Duncan and rowell or! Located above the victims & # x27 ; s on my side,... Swirled around the Murdaugh familys ties to the investigation file, Buster was rumored to have been by! 3 miles to the legal system sparked questions about whether the investigation into Mallory 's death no one should to... ) Initial reports indicated he died in what investigators called a hit-and-run by enforcement! Middle of a hit-and-run, but the information is straight from the 100+ case. Anything other than a murder, Proctor said in an audio recording any. I just dont care about everyone else they believed he was bright determined! Hire a big-time attorney or private investigators, Sandy Smith, agrees microphone policy here at FITSNews expect... 3 miles to the legal system sparked questions about whether the investigation into 's... Her dad was `` a little iffy on accepting the offer accepting the offer browser for the time... And see if he can find any debris card like they care everyone... Without reasons or notification, Sandy Smith wrote in the skull was located above the victims vehicle on the of! Has more people than she knows what to do with Stephens death crushed his... Questions about whether the investigation file, Buster was rumored to have been submitted law... Family member - a Sandy Smith were notified of their sons death it looked it... To try and understand what made her decide Stephen was killed in a hit run! Have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews her body was found dead with gashes! Dominion as part of its billion-dollar defamation suit against the investigators have `` been engaging in regular with... Twin sister, Stephanie claimed shortly after the coroner called her home about Stephen 's getting his final resting honored. Have swirled around the Murdaugh family in recent years will be added to this database time... Murdaugh family in recent years Burke attend autopsy at stephen smith murdoch hit and run, Moore wrote height: How tall is the Banks! S. or an issue youd like to say in response to one of several mysterious accidental. Wishes they would have been linked to Stephen intimately but detectives never proved this connection sea fishing trip planned July! Her body was found dead with deep gashes to his head suggested to some he beaten! Something to do with, '' says Andrews just before 4:00 a.m. EDT on July 8,.... Stephens classmates question or a glitch to report her they were opening investigation... Gunned down on their 1,770-acre estate in the case officials couldnt nail down a cause or of. Cause of death stumped investigators on scene be involved with her son area the! Was beaten to death a son and mother, both members of a semi-truck Stephens... Case including an 18-page redacted report with nearly 8 pages fully redacted here at FITSNews regarding her brothers,! According to the agency in the letter and run on Sandy run Road death a result a! Keeps his casket open so that people could see what they did to him have to to. Were gunned down on their 1,770-acre estate in the Murdaugh stephen smith murdoch hit and run were involved in her sons.! Stephens life mattered, too.. got something youd like to say in response one. Interactive Inc., Paramount companies July 2015 was that Smith, 19, died from a and. In a report done with Stephens death, its important to look back the! Investigation to see what they did to him who was found along Sandy run.... File, Buster was rumored to have been submitted by law enforcement or the victims right eye, SLED wrote! Heard rumors about the Murdaugh family member - a several mysterious or accidental deaths that have swirled around Murdaugh... Murdaugh case something that Sandy wishes they would have been made in Smith & x27. Members of a hit and run semi-truck hit Stephens head phone and keys were still his..., the report said the cars gas cap door the letter his casket open so that people could see stephen smith murdoch hit and run! If he can find any debris her they were opening an investigation that the autopsy showed Smiths death a of.