The young teenager was openly gay and was rumored to be involved in a romantic relationship with Paul Murdaugh's elder brother, Buster. Sandy Smith, Stephanie Smith and myself, we have said all along, we would like to have justice for Stephen, the law firm said. Former lawyer Alex Murdaugh, Buster's father, is facing charges with the murders of his wife, Maggie, and his . "Another rumor claims Buster Murdaugh and two other boys were responsible for [Smith's death]," said the outlet. We hope she gets them. He had a cell phone, he could have called somebody for help, Bland said. The group was returning from an oyster roast that Paul had planned. The 19-year-old nursing student who had been a classmate of Buster Murdaugh at Wade Hampton High School was found dead with a head wound on Sandy. Buster Murdaugh Girlfriend Stood by His Side Throughout Murdaugh's Trial. All rights reserved. But certainly, like Buster and Stephen had played ball together when they were younger, so you cant say theres no connection. Very upset about various sporting events. Family members of a slain Hampton County teen have released a . Three members of the family had served as district attorneys since 1920. Busters name has also cropped up in connection with the mysterious death of Stephen Smith a 19-year-old gay teenager who was found dead at the side of a road in Hampton County in 2015. San Jose: Home raided as part of explosives and narcotics investigation, Man arrested after explosives found in bag at Pa. airport, Antioch police seek help to ID woman who allegedly fired gun inside store, swiped liquor, Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims. by Matt Dillane. Deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, June 7, 2021. The nights that followed witnessed the search for Mallory. Alex Murdaughs only surviving son Buster gave stoic testimony as his father looked on smiling in the South Carolina courtroom where he is on trial for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul. Curtis "Eddie" Smith, who allegedly received about $2m from Murdaugh in the apparent fake-suicide scheme, was charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for his . At first, Buster said that he just sat there in shock. Meanwhile, Mr Murdaugh appeared to smile at his son at several points. Blanca Simpson, who worked as the Murdaugh family housekeeper for several years and did their laundry, testified that she never saw the clothing Mr Murdaugh was wearing on the morning of the murders again after that day. Daily. Thats right: Alex Murdaugh (ALLEGEDLY) murdered his estranged wife and youngest son. All three episodes of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal are available to stream on Netflix now. The slayings of Maggie and Paul opened up another unsolved death from 2015that of Stephen Smith, a gay teenager whose body was found dead on a remote road in Hampton County. Mike DeWine said he was impressed with the magnitude of the cleanup efforts he witnessed and by the hard work people are doing. An August 2015 tip accused Buster and Smith of having a forbidden relationship that would have been damning for the prominent family's reputation. The oldest Murdaugh son, Buster, was the same age as Stephen Smith and his twin sister. He asked if I wanted to go hunting out there again after the murders and suggested I could, said Buster. Unlike several other witnesses and his father at the defence table Buster did not become emotional at any point during his testimony. Then people started asking questions about Stephen Smiths case. There was clearly a Murdaugh tie into the death of Stephen Smith, because if you read the investigatory reports from his death back in 2015, the Murdaugh name is mentioned dozens of times. Shreejit is a freelance features writer at Collider. His death was ruled a. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Long before any of the Murdaugh family's criminal activities came to light, a good friend of Buster's, Stephen Smith, passed away. On July 8, 2015, the body of a 19-year-old named Stephen Smith was found with a fatal head wound on a road in Hampton County, South Carolina, which is part of the jurisdiction that had been run. 'Murdaugh Murders': Buster Murdaugh was accused of allegedly killing classmate and rumored boyfriend Stephen Smith in 2015 By Aayush Sharma Published on : 00:17 PST, Feb 22, 2023 Stephen Smith and Alex Murdaugh in stills from 'Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal' (Netflix) Entertainment; News & Politics; Sports; Health & Lifestyle; Murdaugh isn't the only one in the family who has been involved in a mysterious death. He said that he didnt want to hunt there and that neither he nor his father had never stayed a single night at Moselle after the murders. It was clear that this case was not handled correctly. Thats the question that the prosecution must answer in the State of South Carolina v. Richard Alexander Murdaugh trial that is currently underway. So thats about it! CELEBRITY NEWS. In July 2015, Stephen Smith's death on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County was ruled a homicide and then a hit-and-run before finally being closed as an "accidental death." There were no tire or skid marks at the scene or blood on Smith's clothes. Buster testified that he never saw a gun loaded with both types of ammunition and didnt know anyone who would do that. There was been much speculation around whether Mr Murdaugh said they or I in the audio, which is difficult to distinguish. As part of the reopened investigation, there were plans to exhume Gloria's body to carry out a proper autopsy. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said it was opening an investigation into the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, . Gov. He has pleaded not guilty. Addressing the missing clothing, Buster testified that his father had clothes a lot of places including the familys various homes adding that they never stayed at Moselle after that day. In court, Alex admitted to lying about his alibi on the night of the murder but denied any involvement in the deaths. . No tire marks or no debris from a vehicle found on scene after several . Based in Cleveland, Ohio. Smith was just 15 when he passed away suddenly in Hampton County. In September of 2021, things werent going well for Alex Murdaugh. The damage to his body was limited to Smith's right side, "from his right eye socket to the back of his head and his right shoulder was dislocated," she said. On June 22, roughly two weeks after the killings of Margaret and Paul Murdaugh, SLED reopened an investigation into the unsolved death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith. In what marks the first time the 26-year-old has ever spoken out publicly about the murders, he recounted the moment that he learned that his mother and brother were dead. Moselle crime scene: What will Murdaugh jury see? The teenager was found with blunt force trauma to his head, which appeared to first responders as a possible gunshot wound. Bank of Dave: What Happened in Real Life? . And the streamers patience may have already paid off. As the night progressed, Paul and his friends decided to head to an oyster roast on nearby Paukie Island via a Murdaugh family boat. His death was initially deemed a hit and run but the case remains unsolved. "No car parts. Ron DeSantis explained his feud with Disney in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, saying the corporation helps advance the lefts woke agenda.. Maybe it was purposeful. On June 7, 2021 at 10:06 p.m., Alex Murdaugh called 911 and reported he had discovered the dead bodies of his son Paul and his wife Maggie near the dog kennels at their hunting lodge. A special accident investigation team looked at the case and determined it was a homicide, but a pathologist disagreed, saying he likely died from being hit in the face by the mirror of a passing car. Murdaugh sounds like Murr-dock, while Alex sounds like Aleck. I hope we can all agree that this is an egregious case of Alec stolen valor. Police believe Smith ran out of gas while on his way home from college, though his family questions this. But from day one, his mother said otherwise, believing her son was murdered. Sources told FITS News that when Buster was then asked to move to the back of the courtroom, he allegedly kicked over a water bottle in anger. On June 25, Alex and his surviving son, "Buster," offered a $100,000 reward for the killer or killers. Several of these clients were deceased victims of vehicular accidents who Murdaugh sued on behalf of and then never delivered the winnings to their next of kin. In April 2019, Paul was charged with three felonies over Beachs death including boating under the influence and was facing up to 25 years in prison. Revelations that have come out since Murdaughs arrest, however, suggest that Alex may have been attempting to create a distraction to forestall the collapse of the house of cards that was his life. The first one was that of Stephen Smith, who was found dead on the side of a road in 2015. The series was released without a lot of promotion on Sunday even as the double-murder trial of Richard "Alex" Murdaugh continues in Walterboro, South Carolina. His car was three miles away. Ultimately it was discovered that Murdaugh had embezzled funds from the firm, leading to his dismissal in September 2021. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Murdaugh Murders does an excellent job of telling this massive tale but it still might be helpful to run through the real life story of Alex Murdaugh, the Murdaugh family, and the many people they hurt. 3-6. Smith's body was found in . They returned hours later and all showered at the Moselle home, he said casting doubts on testimony from the Murdaugh housekeeper Blanca Simpson that she noticed unusual things in the home on 8 June including a light puddle of water, a towel, a pair of khaki pants and a t-shirt on the ground. The True Story Behind Netflix's 'Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal', 10 Most Disturbing True Crime Documentaries (& Where To Stream Them), Paul's mobile clearly suggested that Alex was with Maggie and Paul, Alex was forced to resign from the law firm, suicide schemed by Alex himself to help his son, Buster, claim $10 million from the insurance company, Days after the death of Paul and Maggie, the investigation into the death of Stephen was reopened, The case was reopened when a coroner found that the medical report stated the reason behind Gloria's death to be a natural one. He, Paul, Maggie and his father would call each other and speak on the phone pretty much every day. On the evening of Feb. 23, the 19-year-old Beach was among six friends who boarded a 17-foot boat at the Murdaugh familys river house on Chechessee Creek (3) for a 25-mile run to an oyster roast on Paukie Island (4). Amidst this ruckus, on September 4, 2021, Alex called 911, claiming that he was shot in the head while changing a tire on the side of the road. The defense called Buster Murdaugh on February 21. Evidence of his prolific financial misdeeds had now come to light. The guns a shotgun and a rifle have never been found. In the bodycam footage, the disgraced attorney is wearing a white short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts. In 2015, Smith was mysteriously found dead in the middle of the road, and his death was ruled a hit-and-run, even though other evidence shows that he could have died by gunshot or some other attack. Buster, Maggie, Paul and Alex, all members of the prominent Murdaugh family Credit: Facebook One theory posits that Stephen ran out of gas and decided to walk home when he was clipped by a semi truck, but Stephen's mother Sandy Smith discounted that hypothesis in the 20/20 documentary. He was destroyed, he was heartbroken, Buster said of his father, adding that he could barely speak. Mom found several bags of pills in your computer bag, Pauls message to his father on 6 May 2021 read. Buster who has attended the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, every day since the start of the high-profile trial in a show of support for his father was the first witness called to the stand by the defence on Tuesday morning. He Was Called to Testify in Alex Murdaugh's Trial. This is when most folks outside of South Carolina became aware of the Murdaugh name and its wisely where Murdaugh Murders elects to begin its story. Alex Murdaugh Ordered To Deal With Civil Lawsuit Accusing Him Of Ripping $4 Million Off His Late Housekeeper Gloria's Estate After Murder Trial Wraps Up, Alex Murdaugh Accused Of Cheating On Late Wife Maggie Before Gruesome Murders But Jury Won't Hear About Alleged Affairs, Sources Claim, Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial Update: Jurors Will Visit Moselle Ranch Crime Scene Where His Wife & Son Were Shot To Death. As per the testimony and interviews of Paul's friends, who became surviving victims of the accident that took Mallory Beach's life, Paul drove the boat that they were riding on into the Archers Creek bridge. Ultimately, Mallorys body was discovered on March 3 about five miles down river from the crash scene. Death of Gloria Satterfield, Feb. 26, 2018. With the increased scrutiny on Alex Murdaugh following the murder of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, Satterfields murder is now the subject of a fresh criminal investigation. His father had gone to a detox facility around Christmas 2018 and Buster thought that handled it but they found pills a couple more times after that. With the trial ongoing and many questions needing an answer, it is possible that Netflix may have to come up with a second season of its most recent true crime docuseries to give an updated picture of the vastness of Alex Murdaugh's crimes. Despite being visibly hammered and underage, Paul was not given a field sobriety test, taken to jail for booking, or even handcuffed. She asked the FBI, the governor and others to keep investigating but the case went nowhere until Mallory Beach was killed on the Murdaugh boat four years later. His car was found down a dark rural road in Hampton County, South Carolina with the gas cap off. The U.S. The case remains unsolved. Stephen Smith's family reacts to Murdaugh indictment in killings of wife, son. A family attorney later elaborated that Murdaugh had pulled over with car trouble before he was shot, possibly by someone in a passing pickup truck. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. The case of Stephen Smith a 19-year-old man from Hampton, S.C. who was found dead in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services. He also insisted on heading to a waterfront bar in downtown Beaufort where he ordered two rounds of shots while his annoyed friends waited outside. As if this immense trail of bodies and financial crimes werent enough to capture the publics attention, this story has one final wait, what moment to really drive things home. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For . One of the challenging things about fully understanding the scope of the Murdaugh story is comprehending its timeline. I walked from where his car was, all the way to where his body was and found nothing at all," Sandy shared. His twin. His car was discovered three miles away with the gas cap off. Before we continue on to all the death and human suffering, it might be helpful to know that, due to their Low Country origin, both Alex and Murdaugh are not pronounced how you probably think theyre pronounced. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) certainly did. Perhaps by the end of it, Netflix will feel compelled to order Murdaugh Murders season 2. The 26-year-old testified that his fathers demeanour was normal and no different from how he had been earlier in the day. As the multiple Murdaugh cases have played out in the small community, rumors have spread. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. Smith was found laying in the middle of the road by a bystander around 4:20 . The cause of . One Christmas, he and Buster were given a 300 Blackout rifle each as presents. However, this was proved false when a video found on Paul's mobile clearly suggested that Alex was with Maggie and Paul just moments before the time of their deaths. While police were still searching for Mallory Beach, Alex arrived at the hospital and went room to room to speak with the survivors. The first one was that of Stephen Smith, . Recently, Smith's family friend, Susanne Andrews, revealed "progress" has been made since Paul and Maggie's 2021 murders. In court on the week of 6 February, Buster appeared to flip the bird at attorney Mark Tinsley as he took the witness stand about the boat crash lawsuit that he brought against Mr Murdaugh. It definitely was not a hit and run. Alex is currently defending himself in court against charges that he murdered his wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul. His testimony marked the first major witness for the defence, which began its case on Friday afternoon. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. No member of the Murdaugh family. You may recognize the name Paul Murdaugh from three second ago when we talked about him accidentally killing Mallory Beach. He suffered what police described as a superficial gunshot wound to the head.. Sandy Smith, Stephen's mother, released a statement Thursday after a Colleton County Grand Jury indicted Alex Murdaugh on two counts of murder and two gun charges in connection with the shooting deaths of his wife and son. What starts as a relatively straightforward case of Boating Under the Influence with a touch of manslaughter, quickly balloons into a sprawling catalogue of crimes including corruption, embezzlement, and outright murder. Congressman says yes. Buster said that there was a negative reaction in the community in the aftermath of the boat crash and it consumed his mother, making her anxious. Meanwhile, Pauls equally spoiled rich boy father Alex immediately sprung into action after the accident. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 1. The family believes he was murdered. Police later determined that both had been shot multiple times with multiple guns. They had friends in common and they didnt move in the same circles. They have not made any statement about it since. Murdaugh admitted that the events had been an assisted suicide scheme so that his son Buster would still receive $10 million upon his death. Witnesses for the defense and prosecutors are expected to number in the hundreds so this could be a long trial. Before the beginning of the murder trial on January 23, 2023, a lot more charges were brought against Alex Murdaugh as a result of the financial fraud he had continuously committed over the years. At the core of all the events was the name of Alex Murdaugh, who's currently on trial for the murder of his own wife and son, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Murdaugh murders: Cops clueless about motive, refuse to release 911 call details Another deceased person's name has reemerged in the case - Stephen Smith, a gay man from Hampton who died in 2015. Now, police investigating the shooting deaths of. Buster Murdaugh, center, receives a hug in the rain during the funeral service for his brother, Paul, and mother, Maggie, . 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