A Google Maps picture exhibits the stretch of highway the place Stephen Smith’s physique was found in Hampton County, S.C. Investigators say they imagine his dying was a murder, not a hit-and-run as initially reported.

Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR

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Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR

A Google Maps picture exhibits the stretch of highway the place Stephen Smith’s physique was found in Hampton County, S.C. Investigators say they imagine his dying was a murder, not a hit-and-run as initially reported.

Google Maps/Screenshot by NPR

Stephen Smith was 19 years previous when his physique was found on a rural two-lane highway in South Carolina in 2015. His household has by no means accepted a medical expert’s ruling that Smith died from a hit-and-run. They assume foul play was concerned — and state brokers agree.

“The Stephen Smith case is being investigated as a homicide,” Renée Wunderlich, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s public data director, informed NPR on Wednesday.

“We do believe it was a murder,” as South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel informed The State newspaper. “We don’t believe it was a hit-and-run.”

Interest in Smith’s case has spiked due to the place he died: in Hampton County, not removed from Moselle, the looking property the place Maggie and Paul Murdaugh had been shot to dying, in a case that turned a global sensation. SLED brokers opened their inquiry into Smith’s dying in June of 2021 — the identical month the pair died.

Smith’s household is exhuming his physique

SLED issued its replace as Smith’s mom, Sandy, is taking new actions to be taught extra about his dying in July of 2015. That contains arranging for an exhumation and personal post-mortem. She has raised about $90,000 to fund her effort.

“Stephen was in the process of discovering himself and his sexuality,” Sandy Smith told local news outlet Bluffton Today months after her son died. “He was gay. One rumor is that he may have had a man stalking him, the authorities asked me about that, but I’ve heard other stories I believe more.”

Smith went on to say her son would have been cautious of any approaching automobiles on a darkish highway — and that she thought a few of Stephen’s former classmates had been concerned in his dying.

“One of the guys that supposedly did this, Stephen told his twin sister that he had ‘a fling’ with the boy,” Smith stated. “He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. Stephen died on the eighth of July.”

No indicators of hit-and-run, early stories famous

When he died, Smith was returning house from night time courses at a tech school in Orangeburg, the place he was finding out to be a nurse.

A 911 caller alerted police after seeing Smith’s physique within the early morning of July 8, close to the middle of Sandy Run Road. His automotive was later discovered not removed from that spot, with its gas cap off, suggesting he might need run out of fuel.

Smith had a head damage however no different instantly obvious accidents. Initial stories talked about the likelihood that Smith’s head jury might need been a gunshot wound, in line with police paperwork posted on-line by the FITSNews site.

Both Smith’s household and officers on the scene have cited an absence of a hit-and-run’s telltale indicators on the spot the place he was discovered, significantly the absence of vehicular particles. Police famous Smith’s footwear had stayed on his toes, regardless of being loosely tied. They additionally noticed no skid marks close to the place Smith’s physique was discovered in the midst of the highway.

So, why was murder initially dominated out?

In her preliminary post-mortem report, Dr. Erin Presnell, a medical expert, concluded that Smith died from being hit by a motorcar — presumably by a facet mirror.

“Due to the medical examiner’s determination, the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office requested the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) to investigate Mr. Smith’s death” relatively than SLED, the company stated on Wednesday.

The cause-of-death dedication was essential, as Smith’s dying turned a matter for the freeway patrol, which investigates vehicular deaths, as a substitute of SLED, which helps native companies examine homicides.

“We don’t believe it ever elevated to invoke the full investigatory authority of SLED,” Ronnie Richter, an legal professional for Smith’s household, informed NPR on Wednesday. “It has now.”

The Murdaugh case boosted curiosity in Smith

This section of the Smith case is enjoying out towards the backdrop of the Murdaugh murders, which befell about 8 miles from the place Smith’s physique was discovered.

The obvious highlight on these killings positioned new consideration on Stephen Smith’s dying, partially as a result of police stories talked about the Murdaugh household title a number of occasions, together with their citing of native rumors that Buster Murdaugh, Alex’s surviving son, may in some way have been concerned.

Smith knew the Murdaughs; he went to Wade Hampton High School with Buster. Just weeks in the past, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of killing his wife and youngest son at their property within the space.

With Murdaugh’s homicide trial now over, Smith’s attorneys say, SLED is ready to focus extra assets on fixing the 2015 case. The company can be asking anybody with related data to name 803-737-9000 and ask for Investigative Services.

Rumors are unfounded, Buster Murdaugh says

This week, Buster Murdaugh released a statement by way of his lawyer, Jim Griffin, saying he had nothing to do with Smith’s dying. He additionally stated he is been “targeted and harassed by the media and followers of this story.”

“This has gone on far too long,” Murdaugh stated. “These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.”

Murdaugh stated he had not spoken out earlier about Smith’s “tragic death” as a result of he was making an attempt to take care of his privateness whereas grieving his mom and brother, and following his father’s legal trial.