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

[Simply Southern]

IIRC, LE did talk to that Hilton Head man.

Oh I didn't see that. I read they tried to locate him and could not. I thought he was from out of town. I'll have to go back and try to find that.

This whole area is kind of a resort area, beachy. A lot of people visiting mixed with the locals. Kind of like Vegas... What goes on, stays left in the area.

We've been going there since I was a little kid.

I really hope one day that the mother will have answers. I know she must be broken hearted and to not know is even worse. Someone needs to pay restitution for what happened to Stephen, even if it was an accident.

Moo

 

[StarryStarryNight]

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 have no idea at this moment who murdered SS or even if he was murdered. At this point I don’t really think Buster did.
I was only commenting on an interview with his sister who said he was pretty timid and when they would walk together down the country roads near their home he would run into the woods when he saw a car coming. That is what she said.
I have walked many times down the middle of country roads in SC too. I was born here. In my mind though, anywhere, not just SC, someone walking down the middle of the road would get the heck out of the middle of the road if a truck was coming in their direction. Not to move would be insanity. So, to me, finding him in the middle of the road doesn’t make much sense, whether he waved them down or not.
I love SC and am proud to be from here, generations back, but, I’ll add, people in the south don’t all pick up anybody and give them a ride. I certainly wouldn’t, and I certainly wouldn’t wave down a truck in the middle of the night when I couldn’t identify whose truck it was.

 

[Simply Southern]

I have no idea at this moment who murdered SS or even if he was murdered. At this point I don’t really think Buster did.
I was only commenting on an interview with his sister who said he was pretty timid and when they would walk together down the country roads near their home he would run into the woods when he saw a car coming. That is what she said.
I have walked many times down the middle of country roads in SC too. I was born here. In my mind though, anywhere, not just SC, someone walking down the middle of the road would get the heck out of the middle of the road if a truck was coming in their direction. Not to move would be insanity. So, to me, finding him in the middle of the road doesn’t make much sense, whether he waved them down or not.
I love SC and am proud to be from here, generations back, but, I’ll add, people in the south don’t all pick up anybody and give them a ride. I certainly wouldn’t, and I certainly wouldn’t wave down a truck in the middle of the night when I couldn’t identify whose truck it was.

I certainly understand your reasoning and it's very valid. I have to say I do pick up folks, if they're stranded or walking or pouring down rain. I am selective. I feel sure I would have stopped and helped Stephen.
I can see myself waving down a truck, if I was out stranded. Yeah, my guardian angels work a lot of overtime.

I love South Carolina, as well. It's a beautiful state, beautiful coastline, the best fresh seafood around and best of all no state tax. My mom purchased a beachfront property in the very early 60s. Our family has spent a lot of time down in that area, I feel like it's home.
Moo

 

[StarryStarryNight]

DBM

Just because

 

[iusedtofloat]

Dated December 20, 2024

In recent weeks, our law enforcement sources confirmed that – despite certain reporting to the contrary – Wilson and Shawn Connelly, also of Brunson, S.C., remained persons of interest in connection with the ongoing investigation

Connelly was named in the initial S.C. Highway Patrol Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) report on Smith’s death – along with Wilson. Our media outlet exclusively published that document (.pdf) last March. Shortly thereafter, we reported on Wilson and Connelly’s shared status as persons of interest in connection with the Smith case.

Wilson denied any involvement in Smith’s death in an August interview with James Seidel of Crime and Cask.

Person Of Interest In Stephen Smith Case Back Behind Bars - FITSNews

Arrest unrelated to 2015 cold case...

www.fitsnews.com

*“We know there’s somebody out there — or a number of people — who would have information that would lead to what happened to Stephen,” said Eric Bland, a Midlands attorney whose true crime podcast “Cup of Justice” team is sponsoring the billboards. Other members of the team are podcaster Mandy Matney, her husband David Moses and podcaster Liz Farrell. They are also offering a reward — $30,000.

MSN

Wow. The last few pages of the PDF linked are just Stephen's alleged boyfriend Marc going insane on FB. His post is so nuts that I think I'm going to personally disregard anything he has said about this case and about SS.

 

[sunshineray]

Oh I didn't see that. I read they tried to locate him and could not. I thought he was from out of town. I'll have to go back and try to find that.

This whole area is kind of a resort area, beachy. A lot of people visiting mixed with the locals. Kind of like Vegas... What goes on, stays left in the area.

We've been going there since I was a little kid.

I really hope one day that the mother will have answers. I know she must be broken hearted and to not know is even worse. Someone needs to pay restitution for what happened to Stephen, even if it was an accident.

Moo

On Part Two- Timeline

Stephen Smith Investigation in Hampton SC: Interviews, Crime Scene Photos

What went wrong to the Stephen Smith case in Hampton South Carolina? See interviews and crime scene photos mentioned in the Murdaugh Murders podcast.

www.fitsnews.com

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

dbm

 

[sunshineray]

There's a lot of interview info in and linked to this article.

Stephen Smith Case Files: The Initial Interviews - FITSNews

Promising leads coming full circle? Or a cold case getting colder ...

www.fitsnews.com

 

[dotr]

Jul. 12, 2025

Hampton Co. community walks to bring awareness to Stephen Smith cold case, searches for answers

Over 50 people in Hampton County walked over three miles to raise awareness and seek answers in the case of Stephen Smith.

www.wtoc.com

''HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Loved ones and community members in Hampton County walked over three miles to raise awareness and seek answers in the case of Stephen Smith.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that there are so many people who are supporting Stephen through this journey of figuring out what happened,” Stephen’s mom, Sandy Smith, said.

On Saturday morning, community members gathered at Smith’s gravesite in Hampton to walk to the suspected crime scene and then back to the gravesite.

The site that was once a crime scene is now a memorial for Smith, with a large wooden cross standing on the side of the road and a piece of PVC pipe that has different colored ribbons tied to it.''

“We’re not trying to pin a crime on anybody,” Bland said. “We want to give this woman peace; she lost a child.”
If you have any information that could lead to an arrest in this case, you are asked to call CrimeStoppers, or you can email SLED at [email protected]. If you are not comfortable going to SLED yourself, organizers say to email at [email protected] or [email protected].''

 

[arielilane]

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[arielilane]

@BequiaBrooke


Memorial walk in honor of #StephenSmith. Yesterday, many friends and family gathered in Hampton to raise awareness and remind folks this crime remains unsolved. It has been 10 years since Stephen was tragically killed. Huge shout-out to Mandy Matney, David Moses and the entire LunaShark team for putting this wonderful event together!

 

[arielilane]

@TheEricBland


Come and join me I am going to be on Court TV’s Opening Statements with Julie Grant from 8:15 to 8:30 on Monday morning talking about the latest in Stephen Smith’s death investigation and the 7/12/25 charity walkathon to bring attention back to the fact that it has been ten years from the date of his death and yet the explanation of his death remains unanswered by law enforcement. EB


4:09 AM · Jul 14, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@ABCNews4


This week marks ten years since Stephen Smith was found dead in Hampton County. Saturday, a memorial walk will be held to honor Smith, continue the fight for justice, and serve as a call to action for the community.

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[arielilane]

@TheEricBland


Just an incredible event this morning at the Stephen Smith Charitable 3.5 mile walk in Allendale this morning. Over 130 people signed up for the event and the weather was great. A little buggy, but not enough to interfere with the spread of love at that event. First, thanks to Luna shark productions, David Moses and Mandy Matney for putting this event together and all of the volunteers that worked the stations.

The day was not about accusations or recrimination but about celebrating Sandy Smith’s dedication to find out what happened to her son as a result of his death of July 8, 2015. Renee and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Many thanks to the Hampton County sheriffs office and SLED for Pro, providing the security and safety for the event. Here are a few pics from it. We saw a lot of old friends. People came from as far as Philadelphia and stayed overnight for the event. Very touching. EB

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