Death of teen found near Murdaugh home now being investigated as homicide

Stephen Smith as a homicide investigation. The teen’s body was found in the middle of a rural road in 2015, about 15 miles (24 km) away from the home of the now-infamous Murdaugh family.Smith’s death was initially ruled a hit-and-run but police reopened the investigation into his death in 2021 while they were looking into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

Earlier this month, Alex Murdaugh, the family patriarch, was convicted of murdering them — his own wife and son — in a case that chronicled the unravelling of the prominent South Carolina family.Buster Murdaugh, the surviving Murdaugh son and one of Smith’s former classmates, earlier this week denied any involvement in the 19-year-old’s death.The Murdaugh family murders have captured international attention — thanks in part to a Netflix documentary — and have been the subject of intense speculation, especially in regard to a series of other mysterious deaths in the family’s orbit.On Wednesday, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed to multiple news outlets that it is investigating Smith’s death as a homicide.A SLED spokesperson told CNN that there is no indication that Smith’s death was caused by a hit-and-run.

Read more: ‘Murdaugh Murders’: The harrowing true story of dead family and missing millions Lawyers for Smith’s family said the announcement of a homicide investigation was a major development.Earlier this month, state investigators said they had “made progress” in its investigation into Smith’s death, which “remains active and ongoing,” though didn’t specify any details.So far, no one has been arrested or charged for Smith’s death.On July 8, 2015, Smith’s badly injured body was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road in Hampton.