SC - Stephen Smith, 19, homicide, Hampton Co, 9 Jul 2015 *new death investigation 2023*

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639420581924970496

After Stephen Smith's Death, Rape Kit Was Administered, Officer Was Told It Seemed Like Homicide

After Stephen Smith's Death, Rape Kit Was Administered, Officer Was Told It Seemed Like Homicide

Eric Bland, the attorney representing the Smith family, confirmed to PEOPLE that a rape kit was administered but was not tested

people.com

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Does anyone know if the road that he was found on was a typical route home for him? I did read earlier today that he was supposedly en route home from his college class. I've wondered recently about his final location and whether that's been discussed or questioned.

 

[Gut_feeling]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1638334436210278404

We have a chance to right eight years of wrongs, and we intend to do just that. EB

I cannot wrap my brain around the "hugeness" of this case. Seriously.

 

[Warwick7]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639594292971810816

 

[Elley Mae]

The attorneys have already hired D’Michelle Dupre, a forensic pathologist, who will lead the renewed investigation into Stephen’s death.

‘It’s Stephen’s time:’ Attorney for family of Stephen Smith outlines next steps in fight for justice

Questions surrounding the 2015 death of Stephen smith, former classmate of Buster Murdaugh, have lingered for years.

www.live5news.com

SLED reopened the case in 2021 based on information discovered while investigating the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

Bland said he asked Keel what specific evidence the agency uncovered led to that decision.

Keel told him that he could not reveal that information.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

Do I have this correct? I think I’ve had Grandpa Randolph and AM sibling Randy mixed up. Posts here that I have read recently haven’t helped!

1. Grandpa Randolph, the retired solicitor, was the second call Stephen’s father received after the first call alerting him to Stephen being found in the road? Sandy states in her letter to FBI that Grandpa RM offers to help them but after only a few interactions he stops returning their calls.

2. Sandy sees sibling Randy is at the crime scene when she arrives? Did I also read correctly that Alex as there with Randy? Randy also contacts the Smiths?

3. Were one or both of the RMs interjecting themselves in this case?

What is interesting to me is why the Murdaugh lawyers would have been alerted and trying to get involved from the get-go? This doesn’t help with the rumor mill. OMO.

Thoughts? Corrections?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Stephen Smith's family's attorney gives update on homicide investigation

The investigation into Smith's death was reopened following evidence uncovered during the inquiry into Alex Murdaugh's murder of his wife and son, in June 2021.

www.newsweek.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Stephen Smith's family's attorney gives update on homicide investigation

The investigation into Smith's death was reopened following evidence uncovered during the inquiry into Alex Murdaugh's murder of his wife and son, in June 2021.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Do I have this correct? I think I’ve had Grandpa Randolph and AM sibling Randy mixed up. Posts here that I have read recently haven’t helped!

1. Grandpa Randolph, the retired solicitor, was the second call Stephen’s father received after the first call alerting him to Stephen being found in the road? Sandy states in her letter to FBI that Grandpa RM offers to help them but after only a few interactions he stops returning their calls.

2. Sandy sees sibling Randy is at the crime scene when she arrives? Did I also read correctly that Alex as there with Randy? Randy also contacts the Smiths?

3. Were one or both of the RMs interjecting themselves in this case?

What is interesting to me is why the Murdaugh lawyers would have been alerted and trying to get involved from the get-go? This doesn’t help with the rumor mill. OMO.

Thoughts? Corrections?

Ambulance chasing? Maybe they have a connection that tips them off whenever there is a road incident.

 

[ch_13]

Do I have this correct? I think I’ve had Grandpa Randolph and AM sibling Randy mixed up. Posts here that I have read recently haven’t helped!

1. Grandpa Randolph, the retired solicitor, was the second call Stephen’s father received after the first call alerting him to Stephen being found in the road? Sandy states in her letter to FBI that Grandpa RM offers to help them but after only a few interactions he stops returning their calls.

2. Sandy sees sibling Randy is at the crime scene when she arrives? Did I also read correctly that Alex as there with Randy? Randy also contacts the Smiths?

3. Were one or both of the RMs interjecting themselves in this case?

What is interesting to me is why the Murdaugh lawyers would have been alerted and trying to get involved from the get-go? This doesn’t help with the rumor mill. OMO.

Thoughts? Corrections?

Here's the PDF of the letter that Sandy Smith sent to the FBI: https://www.fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/03/sandy-smith-letter.pdf

In the letter she says that her ex-husband was contacted by 'Solicitor Randy Murdaugh'. However, she also writes that "Stephen's twin sister, Stephanie, was approached multiple times by peers telling her that Solicitor Murdaugh's nephews were responsible."

The reference to nephews would seem to suggest that Sandy meant RMIV, not RMIII. Was RMIV an assistant solicitor like Alex was? That might explain why she referred to him that way.

Furthermore, from a Daily Beast article.

Smith’s mother, Sandy, told the HBO documentary that Smith’s dad, Joel, was called into the sheriff’s office the same morning their son died but before the sheriff arrived, Alex Murdaugh’s brother Randy called.

Randy, who was already doing a workman’s comp claim for Joel, offered to investigate Smith’s death. However, he said he only needed Smith’s electronics and account passwords, Sandy recalled.

“He didn’t ask any questions, ‘I just need those electronics.’ It just didn’t make no sense,” she said.

Then, as she drove past the scene where Smith’s body was found on her way to the funeral home, Sandy Smith said she saw Alex and Randy Murdaugh at the scene, not long after her son’s body had been removed.

 

[Megnut]

Do I have this correct? I think I’ve had Grandpa Randolph and AM sibling Randy mixed up. Posts here that I have read recently haven’t helped!

1. Grandpa Randolph, the retired solicitor, was the second call Stephen’s father received after the first call alerting him to Stephen being found in the road? Sandy states in her letter to FBI that Grandpa RM offers to help them but after only a few interactions he stops returning their calls.

2. Sandy sees sibling Randy is at the crime scene when she arrives? Did I also read correctly that Alex as there with Randy? Randy also contacts the Smiths?

3. Were one or both of the RMs interjecting themselves in this case?

What is interesting to me is why the Murdaugh lawyers would have been alerted and trying to get involved from the get-go? This doesn’t help with the rumor mill. OMO.

Thoughts? Corrections?

Ambulance chasing? Maybe they have a connection that tips them off whenever there is a road incident.

Yup. Exactly that. Ambulance chasing. I wonder if Murdaughs are where the phrase came from.

Johnny always on the $pot.

Lucrative business model.

JMO

 

[otto]

Does anyone know if the road that he was found on was a typical route home for him? I did read earlier today that he was supposedly en route home from his college class. I've wondered recently about his final location and whether that's been discussed or questioned.

From reading various articles, this seems to be the route and locations. However, evening classes tylically end at 10 PM or earlier, and his body wasn't reported until 5 AM (if I understand correctly). Either no one used the road between 11 PM and 5 AM (unlikely), or Stephen was somewhere else between class and when he ran out of gas.

Google Map

 

[Katrinepa]

And there is a second M brother who might be closer in age to victim. And that brother is alive so speculation rules would apply. Right?

Buster Murdaugh, Paul's older brother was in class with Stephen, who was Gay, which is a no no in that area. Some say they were friends, had a relationship, but no proof thus far. MOO

 

[Katrinepa]

From the link.

In another curious inclusion, an officer noted a tip called in on December 18 by a man claiming that his stepson had named a local guy as the one who 'struck and killed Stephen Smith.'

The tipster then failed to return any calls and when finally reached, 'stated that the reason that he was passing this information on was because Randy Murdaugh told him to call.'

Randy is Paul and Buster's uncle, patriarch Alex Murdaugh's brother.

Murdaugh cover up as usual... MOO

 

[LaborDayRN]

Ambulance chasing? Maybe they have a connection that tips them off whenever there is a road incident.

I don't believe these two men, who apparently had a lucrative law practice would be ambulance chasing. My opinion is that AM heard about the crime in another way. I wonder if they were at the scene to make sure no evidence was left behind. ??? JMO

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

From reading various articles, this seems to be the route and locations. However, evening classes tylically end at 10 PM or earlier, and his body wasn't reported until 5 AM (if I understand correctly). Either no one used the road between 11 PM and 5 AM (unlikely), or Stephen was somewhere else between class and when he ran out of gas.

Google Map

View attachment 411270

Thanks for the map, @otto. Very clear.

 

[otto]

Buster Murdaugh, Paul's older brother was in class with Stephen, who was Gay, which is a no no in that area. Some say they were friends, had a relationship, but no proof thus far. MOO

I'm curious where you read that. Stephen was a nursing student. Buster was an expelled law student.

 

[CityKid]

Based on the mother's letter to authorities, and what we've read previously, I am still in the dark as to him supposedly running out of gas and supposedly leaving his wallet in his car and walking a few miles away where he was later found. Did he make a cell phone call or text someone about running out of gas? Did he tell that person he was going to just start walking to the "nearest" gas station (inadvertently leaving his wallet behind)? Did that person tell him they'd come help him? Sorry if this has been discussed earlier but it is still fuzzy as to how anyone knows he supposedly stopped because he ran out of gas if a call or text hasn't been mentioned, that I've read, anyway.

Forgive me if this has been settled elsewhere, but has it been determined that Stephen's car was indeed out of gas? To me, if the gas was low when he left college, perhaps he would have fueled up before driving home along this very dark and remote road.

 

[gremlin444]

I'm curious where you read that. Stephen was a nursing student. Buster was an expelled law student.

Back when they were in high school. They were the same graduating year.

 

[otto]

Forgive me if this has been settled elsewhere, but has it been determined that Stephen's car was indeed out of gas? To me, if the gas was low when he left college, perhaps he would have fueled up before driving home along this very dark and remote road.

Not sure. I read somewhere that he texted with a friend about needing gas, but his friend was also low on gas.