On July 22, 2015, Proctor visited Presnell at MUSC to get some sort of clarification on the Smith case. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Stephen Smith's body was found along Sandy Run Road in Hampton County in July 2015. Murdaugh will face three charges in the shooting, but with several ongoing investigations and. It was also reported that Alex and another family member took to Paul's rescue as legal counsel while he was detained. (Assisted suicide explained). Smith died on a rural road in Hampton County, in 2015 that was ruled a hit-and-run.. Smith's mother, Sandy, told the the Hampton County Guardian, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2015 that she believed her son's death was the result of foul play and a possible hate crime because her son was gay. One of the guys that supposedly did this, Stephen told his twin sister that he had a fling with the boy, she said. In a report (below) by Todd Proctor, a MAIT detective for SCHP, it was clear that investigators didnt agree with the pathologists conclusion to rule the death a hit and run. In January 2023, it was confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing. Rowell did not make a note of the Murdaugh tip in his written notes. The final autopsy report said that Stephens cause of death was blunt head trauma, motor vehicle crash, pedestrian vs. vehicle. 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. Smith was found dead on July 8, 2015, on Sandy Run Road near Joe Miley Road in Hampton. 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. According to court documents, Alex . Moore is called by Cpl. The man says that hes done a lot of drugs and had brain injuries. 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. It doesnt matter what his sexual preferences were, he was still my son and he was not messing with anybody and was going to school to better himself.. Additionally, the episode will reveal new details in the death of Stephen Smith, who was found dead in 2015 after an alleged hit and run. Whoever they are, she tells Duncan. The family member says that Stephen was recently acting secretive and started coming home late. RELATED | Murdaugh Murders: The Latest On The Boat Crash Lawsuit And Obstruction Of Justice Investigation. 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. Stephen's twin sister, Stephanie Smith, remembered the moment the coroner called her home about Stephen's death. If anyone helped cover up what happened, they should be held accountable.". This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. Frantic Families Trapped in Their Homes and Running Out of Food After Massive Snowstorm Cripples California, 3 Female Bodybuilders Say League Owner's Son Sexually Exploited Them While Their Careers Hung in the Balance, Innocent Michigan Man, 71, Walks Free After 2 Decades in Prison Thanks to True Crime Coverage of His Case, Lindsay Clancy: Timeline of Events in the Case of Massachusetts Mom Accused of Killing Her 3 Children, Abby Choi Case: Police Scour Landfill Searching for Dismembered Model's Missing Torso, Hands and Arms, 2 Missing Women Found Alive by Maine Game Wardens After Being Stuck in Their Car in Freezing Temperatures. Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) - In 2015, Stephen Smith was found dead with a head injury on a rural Hampton County road. His loosely tied shoes were still on and his clothes appeared untouched. In 2019, a boat operated by Paul Murdaugh crashed against a bridge pylon, killing 19-year-old Mallory Beach and seriously injuring two other passengers. Stephens friends and family also disputed the autopsy report. So why didnt they investigate Stephens death as a homicide? 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). According to law enforcement at the time, his death was the consequence of a hit-and-run. 6:30 p.m. SCHP: Booker and Duncan consult to formulate a plan of action.. Families, entire communities are still reeling . Two Murdaughs also work for the prominent Hampton, S.C. law firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick(PMPED). He said another investigator had already had, from (his) understanding a heated conversation with her about this issue.. The case of 19-year-old Stephen Smith is often mentioned in the same sentence on social media. 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. MAIT is a division of the South Carolina HighwayPatrol unit that initially responded to the scene. 6:08 a.m. SCHP: Moore is advised by Allen that MAIT is en route and that Allen is almost at the scene. After receiving a search warrant, agents searched the area and the vehicle, the SLED report said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 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. ", Hemlepp says SLED investigators have "been engaging in regular communication with Sandy.". 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. Well keep you updated if and when we hear anything. The late Stephen Smith with his mother . Allen informs Moore that it is a homicide, not a hit and run. More:Murdaughs killed in double homicide in Colleton County: What We Know His body was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8 with deep gashes to the head. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Is Mother and Son Murder Connected to Death of Woman in Drunken Boat Crash. Gloria Satterfield, who worked for the Murdaugh family for more than 20 years, died at the Murdaugh home in February 2018. 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.. At the time, investigators said it appeared he was killed in a hit-and-run collision while walking. Murdaugh Murders: Family Releases Statement On $100,000 Reward, Latest Chapter Of Kathryn Dennis-Thomas Ravenel Custody Battle Features Change In Legal Lineup, #SC2018: Lindsey Graham Endorses Henry McMaster, Mark Powells Palmetto Past & Present: Lost Confederate Gold, Ron Paul: The Anti-War Movement Roars Back To Life, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Day Twenty-Six, Washington points to wound on Smiths head and calls it a gunshot wound, showing Moore the entry point., Moore asked Greene if they were sure it was a homicide and their response was yes., Moore advises MAIT theyre no longer needed. The two were shot and killed in June 2021. The rumor thats going around Hampton that everybody keeps coming up to me and saying it was Murdaugh boys, she says. 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 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. This will be a 3-part series revealing the case file. 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 . They found engine oil in the vehicle but could not get the car to start. 12:30 p.m. MUSC autopsy report: Dr. Erin Presnell begins the autopsy on Stephen. (Is Outer Banks a real place?). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. How he died remains a mystery to this day. 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 . I think its a situation when you grow up and your family is kinda high-profile and you get away withsome things because of your family name, Proctor said in 2015. . 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. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. "Sandy and I both believe that this was a murder. 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. 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. CLICK HERE. Tallon and Burke take photos and notes and make a sketch with measurements (see below). Investigators found Smiths car three miles away on the side of Bamberg Highway. 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. 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. HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The mother of a 19-year-old found dead in 2015 said the grand jury indictment of former Lowcountry attorney Alex Murdaugh in the killings of his own wife and son gives her hope for justice for her son's case. Officials couldnt nail down a cause or manner of death. Murdaugh's. 5:57 p.m. SCHP: Moore calls King to advise him what was occurring.. Mandy Matneyis the news director at FITSNews. 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. The19-year-old was found lying in the middle of the roadway with severe head traumain the early morning hours of July 8, 2015. 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. At first, they thought it was a hit and run. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth? I wouldn't put shit by wealthy, corrupt, powerful, relatively young or barely "mature", highly intelligent men, privileged in every way. The South Carolina Highway Patrol received an anonymous tip connecting the Murdaugh family to the hit-and-run death of Stephen Smith back in 2015, the New York Post reports. Proctor also wrote in his report that Greene was fired sometime between July 22 August 18 2019. Shortly after 1 p.m. SCHP: Duncan calls Stephen Smiths mother Sandy Smith. His right shoulder was partially dislocated. Sandy says shes skeptical of the man claiming to be Stephens boyfriend. Were not classifying this as anything other than a murder, Proctor said in an audio recording. 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. 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. The spokesperson did not say what information SLED had gathered that led the agency to open its own investigation into Stephen's death. Whoever did this to Stephen should go to prison. Or "king's ransom" waiting to be found Stephen Smith Case Files: Why Was Hampton Teens Death Ruled A Hit And Run In 2015? She said Stephen had been recently cutting school, which was unusual for him. 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. Following Killings of S.C. 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. Additional counties and states will be added to this database as time and funding permit. There's a bright light being shined on that county. SCHP: Duncan talks to Stephens family and they reject the ruling that Stephen would have been hit by a car. Evidence in. 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.. The final autopsy report said that Stephens cause of death was blunt head trauma, motor vehicle crash, pedestrian vs. vehicle. 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). Allen, of the SCHP, telling him about a possible hit and run on Sandy Run Road. Cold Cases Database. 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. No one's going to feel like they're being held accountable if we don't bring attention to it.". SLEDs inquiry into the Smith family does not mean its agents believe they had anything to do with the deaths of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh. So Moore calls Smalls again and gets voicemail. 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. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. His body was found in the middle of Sandy Run. He would not let a car, let alone a truck, get close enough to hit him. 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. And before too long, some of them including the Murdaugh family stopped cooperating at all, he said. "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. 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. The victims hands were bagged. part of an apparent hit and run. At another point in the investigation, Proctor appeared frustrated that local sources were hesitant and scared to speak of the Murdaughs to police. "Stephen's getting his final resting place honored and recognized," says Andrews. Currently, Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh. They called me back and said they were looking into Stephens case because they have to see if my family is involved in the shooting of Paul and Maggie (Murdaugh), Sandy Smith said. Now, police investigating the shooting deaths of. The Murdaugh familys ties to the legal system sparked questions about whether the investigation into Mallory's death was done properly. Law enforcement officers believed Smith ran out of gas and started walking home before he was killed. 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. 11:29 a.m. SLED: Tallon and Burke attend autopsy at MUSC. He stated he would have to go with the doctors ruling, Moore wrote. Smith was released on bond and now faces six felony charges in the shooting of Alex Murdaugh. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Singleton took the wallet, according to the report. 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. HAMPTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A new headstone for Stephen Smith was unveiled at the Gooding Cemetery in Hampton County Sunday. Proctor also wrote in his report that Greene was fired sometime between July 22 August 18, 2015. This is about a child that deserves to be memorialized and commemorated, and a mother to have support that she hadn't had.". Perry Singleton and Chief Billy Jarrell, the SLED report said. A mother knows her child, and my son would not do that," Sandy said. That did not happen to my friend. Cr. But Smith's family refuses to believe it was an accident. For six years, Smith. Smalls said hell call right back but doesnt. 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