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. Singleton took the wallet, according to the report. July 8, 2015: Stephen Smith, 19, is found dead on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County.No arrest is made in the case. 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. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? 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. In January 2023, it was confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing. 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. She also says shes received a book deal offer and even a Netflix movie opportunity about the case, but shes turned it all down. His death was first. 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.. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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 mentions that a man at Bi-Lo was giving Stephen trouble, but they became friends. According to the investigation file, Buster was rumored to have been linked to Stephen intimately but detectives never proved this connection. . Then it turned out it was a hit and run. Proctor also wrote in his report that Greene was fired sometime between July 22 August 18 2019. 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. Stephens relative didnt believe the person who said they were dating Stephen and said the family was skeptical of him. 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. 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. But eight years later, a new investigation says otherwise, with Smith as the subject of the new docuseries Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Stephen's twin sister, Stephanie Smith, remembered the moment the coroner called her home about Stephen's death. So they can play that card like they care about everyone else. Murder, Money & Mystery: Were the Killings of a Mom and Son Connected to 3 Previous Deaths? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? Like the probe of the 2019 boat crash that killed Mallory Beach, the 2015 investigation into Smiths death was chaotic from the beginning clouded by jurisdictional confusion and suspicions of investigative interference. 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. 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It would repeatedly get to a certain point, then the assigned investigator would bow out, perhaps not wanting to take on Solicitor Murdaugh.. The vehicle was in park. The killings also led the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to open a new inquiry into the unsolved death of Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old whose body was found on a rural road in the area in . 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. A wooden memorial erected for Stephen Nicholas Smith, 19, who was found dead on a country road in 2015. Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Stephen was beloved. Shes an investigative journalist from Kansas who has worked for newspapers in Missouri, Illinois, and South Carolina before making the switch to FITS. 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. No additional details were provided. He would have seen headlights coming and got off the road. M.D. She said Stephen had been recently cutting school, which was unusual for him. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Feb. 26, 2018: Satterfield dies from her injuries. She tells him that she and Tallon were called at 6:10 a.m. by HCSO and that they arrived on scene at 9 a.m. Burke said she didnt think Stephens injury looked like a gunshot wound. Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is now streaming on Netflix, telling the story of the wealthy Murdaugh family in South Carolina. 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. Send your tips tomandy@fitsnews.com. His loosely tied shoes were still on and his clothes appeared untouched. Perry Singleton and Chief Billy Jarrell, the SLED report said. He was taken to a . 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. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division opened an investigation into Smith's death in June of 2021 after agents found information relating to . Ready to watch a new true crime docuseries thatll make your head spin? All Rights Reserved. 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). 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. There is no way that would happen to him. Im tired of them putting Stephen on the back burner, Sandy Smith told FITSNews. His car was discovered three miles away with the gas cap off. Allen tells Duncan that the only injuries to the victim were around the head area.. SCHP: Moore writes I turned the clothing over to Duncan and after a discussion by all parties as to why this did not appear to be related to a motor vehicle.. Mandy Matneyis the news director at FITSNews. Stephens life mattered, too.. 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. "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. Of course, the rumors began from there, with many speculating the Murdaugh family mightve killed Stephen. Stephen's mother and his twin sister speak out to Melvin . "There was no evidence of this being a hit and run. It was also clear from the report that there was tension between Presnell and SCHP. . They believed he was walking home when the incident occurred, the report said. 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. On July 22, 2015, Proctor visited Presnell at MUSC to get some sort of clarification on the Smith case. 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.. Rowell did not make a note of the Murdaugh tip in his written notes. His head was misshapen by blunt force. 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. What's the latest update on Stephen Smith's murder? 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. 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. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? His death was ruled a hit-and-run, but his mother Sandy Smith, who attended Sunday's unveiling, has long suspected he was murdered. The old way of doing business in Hampton does not exist anymore. Files with the state highway patrol showed that a Murdaugh family member - a. 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(WCSC) - A new headstone for Stephen Smith was unveiled at the Gooding Cemetery in Hampton County Sunday. In the letter, she said that they were told that the Murdaugh brothers were involved in her sons 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 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. Hemlepp tells PEOPLE: "I know there are people who know what happened to Stephen. No other items were taken from the vehicle, the report says. He was found dead in mysterious circumstances in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015. 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.. 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. SCHP: Duncan talks to Stephens family and they reject the ruling that Stephen would have been hit by a car. Stephen was found dead in the middle of a rural road outside of Hampton. 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. 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. At first, when police arrived, they suspected his death was a result of a 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. They search the area for cartridge cases. Alex Murdaugh Pauls father and Maggies husband is said to have discovered the bodies that evening after returning to the property. 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. Here is a look at the events surrounding his indictments:June 7, 2021: Murdaugh calls police to report his wife Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22, have been fatally shot near a dog kennel on their property.June 23, 2021: An investigation into the hit-and-run death of Stephen Smith, 19, unsolved for six years, is reopened based on information . SCHP: A man who describes himself as Stephens boyfriend (the family disputes this) was interviewed by Duncan and Rowell. Investigators bid to solve last weeks double homicide draws fresh scrutiny on 2015 cold case . 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. But her dad was "a little iffy on accepting the offer. Cold Cases Database. SLED is simply looking at anyone who may have had a possible motive in the case including the survivors of a high-profile February 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-oldMallory Beach. "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. Murdaugh will face three charges in the shooting, but with several ongoing investigations and. 5:37 a.m. SCHP: Sgt. 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. Mallory and Paul were part of a group of six teenagers who went out on the boat in 2019. It looked like it was more staged, like possibly the body had been placed in the roadway.. Michael Hemlepp, attorney for Smith's family, joins NewsNation's "Banfield."#Banfield #AlexMurdaugh It was also reported that Alex and another family member took to Paul's rescue as legal counsel while he was detained. After Paul and Maggie Murdaugh's murders, SLED announced that their investigation had led them to look into Stephen's death. The victims right arm was covered in blood and agents were unable to see any injuries.. Despite the lack of tire marks or automobile debris, investigators ruled his death a hit-and-run accident. Her body was found seven days after the February 2019 boat crash. The forensic pathologist who. However, a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina ruled the death caused by "blunt head trauma sustained in a motor vehicle crash," according to the final autopsy report. Smith was found dead just before 4:00 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2015. Hes never said anything bad about Stephen. This decision to rule his death a hit-and-run appeared to skew the investigation by SCHPs Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) who typically investigate accidents, not murders. Years before Maggie and Paul were killed, there was another murder in South Carolina that also might have ties to the Murdaugh family. 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). Got a technical question or a glitch to report? How injury occurred: Subject was apparently hit by a motor vehicle possibly a truck. Also buried close by is Stephen's brother, who died as a baby. Proctor made it clear in his reports that he didnt believe Stephens death was a hit-and-run. EXCLUSIVE : A former South Carolina state trooper who led the 2015 cold case involving an alleged fatal hit-and-run is speaking out exclusively to Fox News, describing how the prominent. "He wouldve called somebody.. Sandy says shes skeptical of the man claiming to be Stephens boyfriend. In the documentary, Randy said, I knew who Stephen Smith was and I knew his family.". According to the autopsy, Greene was responsible for evidence transfer in the case. 4:40 p.m. SCHP: Moore calls Washington and asks him if the hit-and-run was his ruling as well. As SLED begins its probe into Stephens death, its important to look back on the 2015 investigation to see what went awry. This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. Sandy Smith didnt reveal who she thought killed her son. To what historical information she possessed, I am unaware.. 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. Stephens murder was ruled a hit-and-run with no one arrested for the crime, but in 2021, the case was reopened. One of those deaths? 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. Evidence in Stephens case was found during the investigation into Maggie and Paul Murdaughs murders, though according to People Magazine, those findings were never made public. 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. Death of Stephen Smith, July 8, 2015. "When they told me hit and run I said that's impossible because Stephen wouldn't have been walking in the road to start with. 6:12 a.m. SLED: SLED Crime Scene was requested by Chief Deputy Billy Jarrell, HCSO, to assist in the investigation of a possible homicide in Hampton County.. Following Killings of S.C. He was an openly gay young man in the small town of Hampton, South Carolina, which wasnt easy, but he made the best of it, his friends told FITSNews. Paul had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was not incarcerated. But Sandy Smith told the Hampton County Guardian, as reported in the Augusta Chronicle, that there was no glass or plastic shards on the road where Stephens body was found nothing that would indicate the young man was hit in the head by a mirror. 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. Since the murders of Paul Murdaugh, 22, and Maggie Murdaugh 52, the State Law Enforcement Division, the agency that has been investigating the homicides, announced that it will now be investigating the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith. However, his mother, Sandy, told the the Hampton County Guardian, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2015. Got a tip for a story? She has been searching for answers ever since. CLICK HERE. Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Even after the eight-year veteran enhanced his postseason legend with another prolific stretch . Stephen's murder was ruled a hit-and-run with no one arrested for the crime, but in 2021, the case was reopened. He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. State investigators have released scant information on the case including an 18-page redacted report with nearly 8 pages fully redacted.
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