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

[heartandsoul]

I’ve heard of doing it to signal what was wrong so as not to get towed,like leaving the hood slightly up.

Interesting! I hadn’t heard of that, but it makes sense.

And yes, this is a big IF he ran out of gas at all.

 

[sunshineray]

But Bland says differently.

It was reported that Smith ran out of gas and was walking in the street when he was hit, but Bland says he does not believe this is true.

"He definitely didn't run out of gas," Bland said.

When asked if he believes Smith was killed elsewhere and his car was placed at the location at where authorities found it, Bland responded, "I do."

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

OMG...I was thinking possibly he accepted a ride or in a worse case scenario chased through the woods and attacked there somewhere then laid in the road. Bland must know his car had gas? Maybe his engine was disabled, in cover-up, to make it look like it wouldn't run?

 

[worm]

Interesting! I hadn’t heard of that, but it makes sense.

And yes, this is a big IF he ran out of gas at all.

I’m in rural SC too and have seen/heard in radio traffic that LE will often leave a vehicle for a bit and give the person time to get back if it’s safe. When I first heard that SS’s car was like that I figured that to be what he had done.

 

[moonriverfarm]

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?

 

[moonriverfarm]

And dos anyone want to take odds on whether Buster will try to "take a vacation" somewhere far far away before he is implicated?

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I’m in rural SC too and have seen/heard in radio traffic that LE will often leave a vehicle for a bit and give the person time to get back if it’s safe. When I first heard that SS’s car was like that I figured that to be what he had done.

BBM^^: Or what someone else had done if they interfered with his trip home after class, attacked him, put him in the road, and went back to his car to do that as a ruse/to buy more time before LE was called about the 'abandoned vehicle''? JMO

 

[Nikynoo]

Warning - Graphic Content

Gruesome Stephen Smith crime scene photos show him lying in road

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Smith was found lying in the middle of the road on July 8, 2015. Police were immediately suspicious that he had been murdered, but it was ruled a hit-and-run.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Valiant]

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 is possible, but very unlikely. A large truck will often have mirrors that stick out a good distance and could be the right height to hit someone in the head. But it would be hard to believe that after the mirror struck the victim that the victim would fall perfectly down and away and never contact the vehicle again.

 

[Seattle1]

I’m in rural SC too and have seen/heard in radio traffic that LE will often leave a vehicle for a bit and give the person time to get back if it’s safe. When I first heard that SS’s car was like that I figured that to be what he had done.

Yes, I've heard of this countless times in missing-person investigations.

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. MOO

 

[Katrinepa]

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...

Not surprised

 

[Katrinepa]

I'm guessing that she's saying there are inconsistencies and coincidences co-occuring which she does not understand to fit the current explanation for his death. I find them.

I mistated in my post above when I stated "Ms. Smith must be correct that Stephen was not the victim of a hit and run," as I'm not entirely sure of her full position. But to the extent she is asserting or suggesting or even asking if he could not have been the victim of hit and run at the location his body was found, in the road, in my view, based on information I outlined, the lack of any body or vehicular evidence at scene, she would have to be correct about that. He could not have been.

Ms. Smith may also have not known how to or was/is unwilling to make same statement, especially at the time.

If the press reports that there was no body detritus, even blood, or any vehicular debris of any kind anywhere near the scene his body was located are correct, then this could not have been a hit and run that occurred at the location his body was found. All other conclusions must be determined after that.

But if these reports of lack of body and vehicular debris are correct, he could not have been the victim of hit and run at the location he was found. He could only have been a) hit and run victim elsewhere and moved here after or b) victim of other cause of death.

As I understand, local officers (not ME) posed alternate theory of death based on review of his body at time. (Head Injury Stephen Smith Sustained Was Consistent With Gunshot Wound, Investigators Said in Case Notes) I have not reviewed this full article and discovered its relevance in response to your post. It believe it likely supports my own supposition though.

If my car were out of gas, that's not how I would have left it. It's inconsistently obvious, in my opinion. Please review photos of car as discovered.

I now consider the road scene to be the staging scene and the scene, cause, and time of death to be undetermined.

Also from LE at time of discovery, "It's a death investigation for Stephen Smith, not a hit and run . . . " (https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article252959213.html)

I'm inclined to death occurred elsewhere and have not reviewed the case other than through press reports and photos.

Finally to note, this article posted by ABC today (Hit-and-run death reopened in mother and son shooting deaths)
"On Location: December 12, 2021

Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.
ABCNews.com"

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

 

[Luna20]

Maybe someone who was there at the time Sephen was murdered is talking. Apparently there was also a rape kit done so perhaps they've found trace DNA?
I'm not sure what it is that connects the Murdaugh family to his murder but I'm glad they've found something that warrents charges.

I’m vaguely recalling blue paint found on a baseball bat matched something that pointed to foul play. I don’t have a link nor do I remember if it checked out.

 

[lonetraveler]

I’m vaguely recalling blue paint found on a baseball bat matched something that pointed to foul play. I don’t have a link nor do I remember if it checked out.

I also remember this but have not been able to find it again.

 

[vls12345]

I’m vaguely recalling blue paint found on a baseball bat matched something that pointed to foul play. I don’t have a link nor do I remember if it checked out.

SLED ‘making progress’ on Stephen Smith case; Family still in the dark

It’s been more than seven years since a driver passing by on Sandy Run Road discovered 19-year-old from Hampton County lying dead in the road.

www.live5news.com

Small blue paint chips are found on Smith’s clothes but cannot be traced to a specific make or model.

 

[vls12345]

Also...

Investigative reports reveal search for clues in reopened 2015 hit-and-run case

The case file contains notes stating troopers did not see clues at the scene that would support a hit-and-run theory.

www.wistv.com

The investigator asked the pathologist if someone with a baseball bat could have caused the injury and she said no, the notes state.

But when he asked if Smith could have suffered the head wound from being struck by a bat or other object held by someone in a moving vehicle, the pathologist answered, “Well, I guess it’s possible” and asked if a bat had been found as evidence.

and

SLED agent Michael Moscal told the investigator about trace evidence found on Smith’s clothing consisting of around 10 1mm single layer blue paint chips, the report states. Moscal said while he needed more paint chips to pinpoint a particular vehicle, a computer database indicated the paint could be from an industrial tool, dumpster or sign post. He also said Toyota used this particular paint on its vehicles from 1982 to 1988, the report states.

 

[lonetraveler]

I think that the "investigation" of Stephen's death should be investigated.

 

[Howl]

I think that the "investigation" of Stephen's death should be investigated.

Preach it, sister!

The iron grip that the Murdaughs and their associates had on their community and county has loosened. The corruption ran deep and this may be a chance to turn that around. May all who were denied a fair shake by the corrupt Murdaugh machine find justice at last.

 

[Gut_feeling]

I'm wondering why SS would leave his gas tank open? It's just a little thing I know but if my car ran out of gas and I decided to leave it locked and walk home (I'm making an assumption he was walking to his sister) I wouldn't leave the gas cap off for fear someone would mess around and throw dirt or stones in it.

Another simple thing, if you don't have any spare gas with you why even take the cap off to begin with? You can't see much staring down a car's gas nozzle (not like a lawn mower or chainsaw type deal). Was his gas gauge broken maybe? If not, then why undo the gas cap at all if your staring at the gauge needle on E?

Was it so if a cop came by they'd know it wasn't just a dumped car needing to be towed, but a car out of gas with the owner coming back? I don't know that just seems odd since it's such a rural area to be worrying about getting towed anytime soon.

The other thing, why leave your wallet in the car if you're walking home? Was he afraid of getting jumped and robbed, it's safer in the locked car? He had his phone (a new phone according to his Mom and an Apple iPhone according to LE) a device many could also attempt to steal, so why take it and not your wallet?

Maybe someone did come by and offered him a ride to his sister? Would that make him leave his wallet locked up...?

The gas cap thing always struck me as staged.

 

[Luna20]

I think that the "investigation" of Stephen's death should be investigated.

Alex got rid of people who may have caused him problems. If anything points to SS involvement with Buster or anyone else it’s likely that AM had a hand in it. Sadly it’s not a stretch. This could have been something that AM called on cousin Eddie for.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

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.

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?