Murdaugh: Hit-and-run death of son's classmate now investigated as a homicide
The hit-and-run death of Alex Murdaugh's son's former classmate, examined amid Murdaugh's murder case, is now being investigated as homicide.
No one has been arrested or charged in Stephen Smith’s death. His body was found in 2015 on a rural road in South Carolina, around 15 miles from the Murdaugh home.
Smith was a classmate of Buster Murdaugh, the surviving son of Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted of killing his wife and son.
NBC News is reporting that Smith's death is officially being investigated as a homicide.
Overnight, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, known as SLED, confirmed the update.
"Based upon their review of the forensic evidence, that they too are convinced that this was not a hit and run, that this was something more," said Ronnie Richter, an attorney & partner at Bland Richter Law Firm.
According to lawyers for Smith family, SLED has also agreed to work with them and participate in exhuming Smith's body for a private autopsy to gather more evidence.
All of these new updates are validation to Sandy Smith, a mother who never believed her 19-year-old son's death was an accident.
"In my heart, this was not a hit and run. I think he was murdered and I just need the proof," she said.
In June 2021, SLED re-opened the case based upon "information gathered during the course of the double murder investigation of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh.
The agency has not said what that information was.
Attorneys hope more potential witnesses will be encouraged to come forward.
"Someone's soul is burdened with this information, and whoever that person is, I'm telling you talk to SLED, call us, put this weight down," said Richter.
It's a hope shared by Sandy Smith, still desperately seeking the truth.
"I'm a mother, I need answers," she said.
