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

[vls12345]

Since BM has been mentioned in relation to this case, I wonder if that's part of why he seemed so steadfast behind AM during AM's trial? AM (& probably other M family members) knows BM's secrets & could end up stabbing him in the back (metaphorically, of course) if he wasn't toeing the family line enough.

Like criminal insurance -- everyone has dirt on everyone else, which makes everyone keep quiet. Kwim?

MOO and IMO.

 

[Seattle1]

Stephen Smith report reveals rape kit, search for gunshot wound

Newly obtained documents reveal that detectives initially believed that Stephen Smith had been shot and that a rape kit was done.

www.courttv.com

Returning to the Scenes Where Stephen Smith's Body and Car Were Found | Court TV Video

Court TV's Chanley Painter goes back to the spot where Smith's body was found in the middle of the street. She also went to where his car was found.

www.courttv.com

37 min video w/Chanley Painter in the low country.

 

[Gut_feeling]

That seems fishy that RM needed Stephen’s electronics and passwords. Do we know who has Stephen’s electronics now? Wonder if SLED will be able to detect if anything was erased after all this time?

Exactly. An opportunity to delete anything incriminating, and it would not necessarily need to be Murdaugh related. Its also an opportunity to do a favor for anyone else with any secrets in Stephen's phone. As in " i'll make this disappear and you scratch my back later." (Or blackmail for money)

 

[Seattle1]

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.

But more important here is that the Smiths never provided Randy M with any of Stephen's equipment and/or passwords. After a few interactions, Randy stopped taking their calls. Randy also denies he ever offered to represent the family in Stephen's death! MOO

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

I don't know if this has been posted already. Quite the interesting article and what it links. https://www.fitsnews.com/2023/03/20/stephen-smith-case-files-read-sandy-smiths-letter-implicating-buster-murdaugh/

www.websleuths.com

 

[Elley Mae]

Wow, evidence lost including the nail scrapings under Stephen Smith's nails, the rape kit and multiple investigators gone after getting to a certain point in the case...

Rape kit for a hit & run? Sure

 

[lonetraveler]

Various LE have also stated that his shoes, which had tight laces were on his feet when found, and highly unusual, as when being hit by a vehicle, it is most common for the shoes to fly off the feet. There are a number of videos with LE and lawyers, commenting on this case, and the inconsistencies, as well as local rumors/chatter about Buster M... MOO

Loosely tied shoes.

 

[minazoe]

I have such a bad feeling about all of this. too any secrets, too much to hide... the cruelty in it..the proximity..the rape kit..the rush to rearrange the details and to control the crime scene and investigation..holding another investigative party at bay..good ole boys..is right..yep..proceed with caution..I can only imagine AM has something to do with this...the boys have solid alibis right? or no? maybe if you are a Murdaugh down in SC you can be..I think the people who knew about it or found out about it and many other things are dead. If only Pau Pau could have been less of a little detective..now I'm also super suspicious about the boat crash...I tend to have an over active imagination..but given this whole story..why not?
anything goes. mOO

 

[rescuemom]

Seems odd that someone would be "hit by a car" only on the side of their head with no other bruises on the body. Like, how is that possible?

It's not. How many kids simply fall off bikes while even slowly riding them?? Always scratches, open cuts, bruises.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I'm glad to hear his family's lawyer address this as a possible hate crime:

"Lawyer Believes Stephen Smith's Killing Was Hate Crime

Now that Stephen Smith's mysterious 2015 death has officially been ruled a homicide, his family's lawyer is speaking out on what he believes may have led to the 19-year-old's killing.

While speaking with PEOPLE, Eric Bland, the attorney representing the Smith family, said he believes Smith's death seems like a hate crime."

Lawyer Believes Stephen Smith's Killing Was Hate Crime: 'Hey, We're Going to Beat Up a Gay Kid'

 

[Howl]

Most recently, I recall authorities believed Jason Landry spun out on a rural dirt road in Luling, TX, and crashed into a fence, and was likely collected by a friend and not Immediately believed immediately missing. TX Troopers requested the unlocked vehicle towed to a safe, tow yard and acted to notify the registered vehicle owner (i.e., his parents) that the abandoned vehicle would soon be collected.

As of a few weeks ago, there is still a billboard up asking the public for information.

 

[arielilane]

Ms. Smith brought her son into this world unconditionally loved, and has every right to know the truth about why her son Stephen is no longer with her and their family. Justice for Stephen Smith and his loved ones.

Lawyer Believes Stephen Smith's Killing Was Hate Crime: 'Hey, We're Going to Beat Up a Gay Kid'

Stephen Smith's 2015 death was recently ruled a homicide

people.com

 

[kaen]

Alex Murdaugh had police car lights and a badge. Was Stephen pulled over, driven 3 miles down the road, let out, hit with a baseball bat and his car was staged? His wallet was left in his car, gas cap hanging.

What connects the murder to the Murdaugh family - a photo?

I don't think I ever saw a list of items taken from Moselle after the search warrant was served. We know the M family came up during the initial investigation but it is amazing that they found something that would cause them to open up the case further based on the warrant. Hoping that it is something that is conclusive--- a bat, an old truck tucked away on the property, an item of Stephen's. Anxious as to how this will unfold.

 

[TheLoadedGoat]

Various LE have also stated that his shoes, which had tight laces were on his feet when found, and highly unusual, as when being hit by a vehicle, it is most common for the shoes to fly off the feet. There are a number of videos with LE and lawyers, commenting on this case, and the inconsistencies, as well as local rumors/chatter about Buster M... MOO

He had slip on canvas shoes, commonly known as "Vans" where I live. You can see them securely on his feet in the crime scene photos. They probably would have no problem flying off in a crash.

 

[TheLoadedGoat]

Loosely tied shoes.

Look at the crime scene photos. His shoes had no laces. They were canvas slip ons.

 

[twall]

Look at the crime scene photos. His shoes had no laces. They were canvas slip ons.

• Stephen’s loosely tied shoes were on his feet when he was found dead in the middle of the road.
  
  
  

  Stephen Smith Investigation in Hampton SC: Interviews, Crime Scene Photos

  What went wrong to the Stephen Smith case in Hampton South Carolina? See interviews and crime scene photos mentioned in the Murdaugh Murders podcast.

  www.fitsnews.com

 

[otto]

With so much blood at the location of the body, he must have been killed there. His shoes remained on his feet, so he could have been standing still when he was hit in the head. Dislocated right shoulder. Abrasions on left forearm and hand.

Was he standing still when hit on the right side of his head, did he hit the ground on his left and scrape his left arm and hand? His right hand has bruising. He bled out in the middle of the road. Sounds like his mother is correct in viewing this as a murder with a statement.

Autopsy link

 

[pentimento]

With so much blood at the location of the body, he must have been killed there. His shoes remained on his feet, so he could have been standing still when he was hit in the head. Dislocated right shoulder. Abrasions on left forearm and hand.

Was he standing still when hit on the right side of his head, did he hit the ground on his left and scrape his left arm and hand? His right hand has bruising. He bled out in the middle of the road. Sounds like his mother is correct in viewing this as a murder with a statement.

Autopsy link

I think you're right that he may have fallen on his left and scraped his arm. I'm wondering how the right shoulder was dislocated. Was he being dragged by his right arm and thus scraped his left hand and arm on the ground? It notes contusions on the right arm and hand and so maybe he was grabbed by that arm. JMO.

 

[otto]

I think you're right that he may have fallen on his left and scraped his arm. I'm wondering how the right shoulder was dislocated. Was he being dragged by his right arm and thus scraped his left hand and arm on the ground? It notes contusions on the right arm and hand and so maybe he was grabbed by that arm. JMO.

I was just thinking that - pulled or dragged with his right arm in the wrong position.

 

[pentimento]

Autopsy link

Thinking a little more about this. Could he have been violently pulled from a car by his right arm, scraping his left hand and arm as he tried to protect himself from the asphalt? Could he then have been hit in the head as he was laying on ground? Poor kid, it's hard to think of any scenario that isn't horrific.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

How far away from his car was he found in the road? I missed that, TIA