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

I really thought that with all the action and push on this case in the last few years that we would be in a different place with the investigation now, not the same state of unknowing. :(
I agree — seemed like they were getting some traction for a while — I think the story about two guys who were driving in a truck or something like that seemed too sketchy.

Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think there is anything definitive on this like charges or an arrest. The longer it goes, details get lost. I feel so badly for Sandy and Stephen’s family. There has been no justice for this family.
 
Still blaming the Murdaughs. She needs a cease and desist letter, moo.

Numerous crowd funding, lawyers, second autopsy and NO connection to the Murdaughs. I don't blame her for trying to find her son's killer, but it's getting a little old continuing to blaming an innocent person. Is she using the Murdaughs name to try to gain attention for SS murder? Seems the investigation named others that were involved.

Moo
But was he murdered though?
 
Just came across a photo of Stephen that I've not seen before.

1750570202215.webp
 
But was he murdered though?
My opinion only ....
I do not believe he was murdered. I thought from the beginning this was a vehicle accident. About 25 years ago my community had a local residence killed in a very similar situation. He was reported missing, located during search with blunt force, head trauma. The impact knocked him down a hill.

An extensive month long investigation determined he was struck by a large side mirror on a pick up, pulling a horse trailer.

I don't think LE took this seriously from the beginning or they just didn't have any evidence leading to a vehicle. I feel there was a clear lack of follow-up by LE and documentation, with his friends and partners. The fact he was out of gas and was walking in the dark with no light, late at night, leads to an accident. The person that struck him may not have even realized it. This is rural area, lots of BIG pickups, BIG tires/elevating a foot or two height, bouncing up and down, with big mirrors on the side, late at night, dark and only a possible paint chip or two, lends to an accident.

I admire his mother for leaving no stone unturned. At this point I'm not sure what else could be done.

No, I do not believe Buster had anything to do with this.

All my opinion only
 
My opinion only ....
I do not believe he was murdered. I thought from the beginning this was a vehicle accident. About 25 years ago my community had a local residence killed in a very similar situation. He was reported missing, located during search with blunt force, head trauma. The impact knocked him down a hill.
Snipped by me.
Well he was murdered by a horse trailer . I hope they make an arrest soon.

Hit and runs count as a crime right ?
 
I still want to know what SLED found during the Murdaugh investigation that made them re-open Stephen Smith's case. They even announced that they found something that was making them take a second look/do more investigation into Stephen's death.

Now here we are years later & there is no more progress on Stephen's case as far as an arrest. Maybe there was progress behind the scenes but it's like SLED announced it & then... nothing. For years.

What did SLED find???

On June 22, 2021, two weeks after Alex Murdaugh, scion of the Murdaugh legal dynasty, reported finding the bodies of his son Paul and wife Maggie fatally shot at the dog kennels of the family's sprawling Moselle property, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, known as SLED, released a simple statement to media: "SLED has opened an investigation into the death of Stephen Smith based upon information gathered during the course of the double murder investigation of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh."

 
Last edited:
Snipped by me.
Well he was murdered by a horse trailer . I hope they make an arrest soon.

Hit and runs count as a crime right ?
I certainly didn't mean to imply, Stephen was was hit with a mirror from a souped up truck, pulling a horse trailer. I do know in the south, they tend to put extremely wide, tall tires on trucks, some so tall you need steps. When a vehicle is extremely high it would be easy not to see someone on the side of the road walking in the dark. The line of vision would clearly be above the person. The likelihood of Steven running out of gas and someone having knowledge and driving out to murder him, seems a bit far fetched to me. I can't remember, but wasn't his phone battery dead and he couldn't call anyone to come and get him.

I think, the sheriff's Department would love to arrest someone, I don't think they even have a suspect. Buster has a verified alibi for the night in question. The notes I've seen from the investigator, the interviews are so sketchy and lack detail and follow up, I think the mother needs to be talking to the Sheriff's Department.

If, Busters lawsuit actually makes it to court, I think we'll see a lot of Truth and detail. Personally, I think they're going to settle out of court.

All my opinion only....
 

4/4/23

Attorneys for the Smith family are now offering a $35,000 reward for anyone who has information that leads to a conviction in Stephen's case. If you have information about Stephen Smith's case, call SLED at 803-737-9000.

SLED opened its investigation into Stephen's death in 2021. Last month, they reclassified his death as a homicide instead of a hit-and-run as it was originally ruled.
 

4/6/23

"There's about four or five possibilities," Kinsey tells PEOPLE. "Number one is that Mr. Smith was killed elsewhere and dropped in the road."


Kinsey said other options include that he was killed "at the location where he was found."


"He could have been struck by a vehicle of someone who knew they struck him," Kinsey continued. "He could have been struck by a vehicle where the driver did not know, something could have been put out the window and struck him or there could have been something hanging off a truck and struck him."


Smith was found dead three miles away from his vehicle on July 8, 2015, in the middle of a dark country road in Hampton County, S.C., with deep gashes to his forehead. His death was initially ruled a hit-and-run accident.
 
This from a year after the autopsy and after Dr. Kinsey had been investigating longer:


Dr. K says that he believes Stephen was struck where his body was found (which was walking near the center line facing incoming traffic. Dr. K believes it was an item affixed to a heavy fast moving vehicle. He thinks the driver saw Stephen (while coming up from in front of him) and swerved into the opposite lane hitting him with an object on the passenger side of the truck.

He called it a hit and run, but an atypical one (because it was done with intent).
 
I certainly didn't mean to imply, Stephen was was hit with a mirror from a souped up truck, pulling a horse trailer. I do know in the south, they tend to put extremely wide, tall tires on trucks, some so tall you need steps. When a vehicle is extremely high it would be easy not to see someone on the side of the road walking in the dark. The line of vision would clearly be above the person. The likelihood of Steven running out of gas and someone having knowledge and driving out to murder him, seems a bit far fetched to me. I can't remember, but wasn't his phone battery dead and he couldn't call anyone to come and get him.

I think, the sheriff's Department would love to arrest someone, I don't think they even have a suspect. Buster has a verified alibi for the night in question. The notes I've seen from the investigator, the interviews are so sketchy and lack detail and follow up, I think the mother needs to be talking to the Sheriff's Department.

If, Busters lawsuit actually makes it to court, I think we'll see a lot of Truth and detail. Personally, I think they're going to settle out of court.

All my opinion only....
What really bothers me about theorizing he was just hit by a vehicle is how SS was found in the middle of the road, still with both his shoes on, injuries to his head only. No matter how I think about it, what ever direction a vehicle may have been traveling or where SS was walking, I don't see him winding up vertically placed in the middle of the road unless someone arranged him there. Lack of any kind of road rash or dirt/leaves on his body and lack of any skid marks, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. AJMO
 
What really bothers me about theorizing he was just hit by a vehicle is how SS was found in the middle of the road, still with both his shoes on, injuries to his head only. No matter how I think about it, what ever direction a vehicle may have been traveling or where SS was walking, I don't see him winding up vertically placed in the middle of the road unless someone arranged him there. Lack of any kind of road rash or dirt/leaves on his body and lack of any skid marks, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. AJMO

I have a problem with that too.
According to SS’s sister he was very cautious, so it would seem to me if he was in the middle of the road and he saw a truck coming, he would have run into the edge of the woods. I don’t think he would have tried to wave down a truck for help.
Even if he didn’t, who in their right mind would continue walking down the middle of the road with a big old truck heading your way? You would at least move move over to the side..
It really makes no sense.
 
I have a problem with that too.
According to SS’s sister he was very cautious, so it would seem to me if he was in the middle of the road and he saw a truck coming, he would have run into the edge of the woods. I don’t think he would have tried to wave down a truck for help.
Even if he didn’t, who in their right mind would continue walking down the middle of the road with a big old truck heading your way? You would at least move move over to the side..
It really makes no sense.
Yes, and I believe his sister also mentioned, IIRC, that SS had been accosted before so would have been very leary talking alone at night.
 
What really bothers me about theorizing he was just hit by a vehicle is how SS was found in the middle of the road, still with both his shoes on, injuries to his head only. No matter how I think about it, what ever direction a vehicle may have been traveling or where SS was walking, I don't see him winding up vertically placed in the middle of the road unless someone arranged him there. Lack of any kind of road rash or dirt/leaves on his body and lack of any skid marks, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. AJMO
I think he was walking in the middle of the road. My family has owned a beach house near this area since the early 60s. I'm very familiar with all the surrounding area. My sister and I even attended one day of the trial.

These back roads are pitch dark at night unless there is a half or full moon. There were no houses in this area to even pick up distant lighting. I think he was walking on the white line to see where he was going. I think it was a souped-up high Rider truck, bouncing down the road, not paying attention, probably have the radio wide open boom boom boom,, not expecting anyone to be out at that time of the night walking in the road. I feel the bottom of the mirror clipped his head and knocked him straight backwards. This would account for the head wound, and the impact of falling backwards is enough to cause death. It's only been in recent years, that states have passed laws to limit the height of these vehicles. Think monster truck, that you see on TV.

The likelihood of him running out of gas and having no cell phone battery and meeting up with someone he knows with nefarious intentions, is one in a zillion. They have accused Buster all along and he wasn't even in that part of the state and has a rock solid alibi. He and Buster were friends,for YEARS. They had common interest in fishing, outdoor stuff, probably snuck around and drank beer together, like most of the guys in this area. It's rural south, it's the country they hunt, they fish, they hang out. It's been implied that there was a relationship between Buster and Stephen. I don't think there was. I think this is horrible!!! I have many friends that have different preferences in partners and no one's ever made accusations of me.

Moo.... I think what's been said and done to Buster is a true Injustice. He's even been stalked in his privated community. I think we will see a very large settlement between Netflix and that local paper. This is all about the money, a media fabricating under the pretense of entertainment, to produce a quote documentary with much fabricated information. At least the accusations stopped after everyone was served with a cease and desist, from Buster's attorney. Buster is a victim. He has never been named a person of interest that I know of, my law enforcement. I do know they interviewed him, several times.

My question would be ..... What evidence is there against Buster? Who has come forward to dispute his alibi? I do know a lot of supposed acquaintances and Friends lined up to say negative things on the Netflix documentary. It will be interesting to see, if they're able to testify to this under oath.

Didn't mean to get on the soapbox, but I think Buster was a normal kid. Yeah he had rich parents. Yeah Stephen was not wealthy, but Buster didn't care, they were still good friends. Yeah his dad was a drug addict, thief and killed his mother and brother. That should not be any reflection on Buster. He's been accused of murder, having a relationship with Steven. I think he's suffered enough.


All my opinion only .... And I am open to any evidence that has been presented by law enforcement that directly connects Buster to this murder.
 
I think he was walking in the middle of the road. My family has owned a beach house near this area since the early 60s. I'm very familiar with all the surrounding area. My sister and I even attended one day of the trial.

These back roads are pitch dark at night unless there is a half or full moon. There were no houses in this area to even pick up distant lighting. I think he was walking on the white line to see where he was going. I think it was a souped-up high Rider truck, bouncing down the road, not paying attention, probably have the radio wide open boom boom boom,, not expecting anyone to be out at that time of the night walking in the road. I feel the bottom of the mirror clipped his head and knocked him straight backwards. This would account for the head wound, and the impact of falling backwards is enough to cause death. It's only been in recent years, that states have passed laws to limit the height of these vehicles. Think monster truck, that you see on TV.

The likelihood of him running out of gas and having no cell phone battery and meeting up with someone he knows with nefarious intentions, is one in a zillion. They have accused Buster all along and he wasn't even in that part of the state and has a rock solid alibi. He and Buster were friends,for YEARS. They had common interest in fishing, outdoor stuff, probably snuck around and drank beer together, like most of the guys in this area. It's rural south, it's the country they hunt, they fish, they hang out. It's been implied that there was a relationship between Buster and Stephen. I don't think there was. I think this is horrible!!! I have many friends that have different preferences in partners and no one's ever made accusations of me.

Moo.... I think what's been said and done to Buster is a true Injustice. He's even been stalked in his privated community. I think we will see a very large settlement between Netflix and that local paper. This is all about the money, a media fabricating under the pretense of entertainment, to produce a quote documentary with much fabricated information. At least the accusations stopped after everyone was served with a cease and desist, from Buster's attorney. Buster is a victim. He has never been named a person of interest that I know of, my law enforcement. I do know they interviewed him, several times.

My question would be ..... What evidence is there against Buster? Who has come forward to dispute his alibi? I do know a lot of supposed acquaintances and Friends lined up to say negative things on the Netflix documentary. It will be interesting to see, if they're able to testify to this under oath.

Didn't mean to get on the soapbox, but I think Buster was a normal kid. Yeah he had rich parents. Yeah Stephen was not wealthy, but Buster didn't care, they were still good friends. Yeah his dad was a drug addict, thief and killed his mother and brother. That should not be any reflection on Buster. He's been accused of murder, having a relationship with Steven. I think he's suffered enough.


All my opinion only .... And I am open to any evidence that has been presented by law enforcement that directly connects Buster to this murder.
I never said I thought BM was involved. It is interesting though that LE was told just that repeatedly by many different people, interesting but certainly not fact. It just doesn't make sense to me, even if SS was walking in the middle of the road, that his body wasn't more effected and sent flying off road. He still had both loose fitting shoes on. A kind of truck you describe would most likely have caused more trauma to the body, no? AJMO
 
I have a problem with that too.
According to SS’s sister he was very cautious, so it would seem to me if he was in the middle of the road and he saw a truck coming, he would have run into the edge of the woods. I don’t think he would have tried to wave down a truck for help.
Even if he didn’t, who in their right mind would continue walking down the middle of the road with a big old truck heading your way? You would at least move move over to the side..
It really makes no sense.
I think if you go back and look at some of the interviews law enforcement did and some of the early information from the mother, Stephen may not have been so careful.

Oh I think he may have tried to wave down the truck for help. People in the south pick up almost anybody and give them a ride. He may have been on the side of the road and ran towards the truck. The person may or may not have known they hit him. I have teenage drivers, they have a lot of accidents, they absolutely do not pay attention. The radios going, cell phones beeping, and generally got a friend in the front seat, they're having an intense conversation. I won't ride with them, but I have followed them many times and held my breath.

Someone may have seen him, had a vendetta, murdered him and placed him in the middle of the road. So far there's no evidence leading to anyone.

Stephen was taking a shortcut, back country road home. He ran out of gas, his cell battery was dead battery. Not sure that backs up the sisters statement. He was also seeing, a gentleman from Hilton Head ( very wealthy area), that no one knew the name or how to reach out to interview him. (Communicated by the mother and some of the initial interviews with law enforcement). It really bothered me that they didn't try harder to find this gentleman. It really bothers me that LE didn't get into the iPad sooner, didn't follow up on the interviews and provide detail notes. The notes from the interviews are ao poorly written they look like bullet points.

Moo...

What are your thoughts on how or who may have murdered him?
 
I never said I thought BM was involved. It is interesting though that LE was told just that repeatedly by many different people, interesting but certainly not fact. It just doesn't make sense to me, even if SS was walking in the middle of the road, that his body wasn't more effected and sent flying off road. He still had both loose fitting shoes on. A kind of truck you describe would most likely have caused more trauma to the body, no? AJMO
Oh No, I didn't, mean to imply you are accusing Buster. It just seemed everything focuses on Buster.

I think the truck clipped the side of his head. I think what probably killed him was blunt force trauma to the back of the head. I think he fell backwards. I wish they would release the full autopsy.

My sister and I went down for a day at the trial. We had lunch at the local restaurant. I couldn't stomach going back the next day. Everyone in the restaurant was saying horrible things about the entire family. I didn't mean to get off on a tangent, I just hate to see a whole family take on the reputation of one evil person.

Moo...

Please accept my apology....
 
I think if you go back and look at some of the interviews law enforcement did and some of the early information from the mother, Stephen may not have been so careful.

Oh I think he may have tried to wave down the truck for help. People in the south pick up almost anybody and give them a ride. He may have been on the side of the road and ran towards the truck. The person may or may not have known they hit him. I have teenage drivers, they have a lot of accidents, they absolutely do not pay attention. The radios going, cell phones beeping, and generally got a friend in the front seat, they're having an intense conversation. I won't ride with them, but I have followed them many times and held my breath.

Someone may have seen him, had a vendetta, murdered him and placed him in the middle of the road. So far there's no evidence leading to anyone.

Stephen was taking a shortcut, back country road home. He ran out of gas, his cell battery was dead battery. Not sure that backs up the sisters statement. He was also seeing, a gentleman from Hilton Head ( very wealthy area), that no one knew the name or how to reach out to interview him. (Communicated by the mother and some of the initial interviews with law enforcement). It really bothered me that they didn't try harder to find this gentleman. It really bothers me that LE didn't get into the iPad sooner, didn't follow up on the interviews and provide detail notes. The notes from the interviews are ao poorly written they look like bullet points.

Moo...

What are your thoughts on how or who may have murdered him?
IIRC, LE did talk to that Hilton Head man.
 
Oh No, I didn't, mean to imply you are accusing Buster. It just seemed everything focuses on Buster.

I think the truck clipped the side of his head. I think what probably killed him was blunt force trauma to the back of the head. I think he fell backwards. I wish they would release the full autopsy.

My sister and I went down for a day at the trial. We had lunch at the local restaurant. I couldn't stomach going back the next day. Everyone in the restaurant was saying horrible things about the entire family. I didn't mean to get off on a tangent, I just hate to see a whole family take on the reputation of one evil person.

Moo...

Please accept my apology....
No worries👍
 

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