Stephen Smith’s body has been exhumed after investigation into his death re-opened during Murdaugh case

The physique of Stephen Smith, who died in 2015, has been exhumed. Smith was discovered lifeless on a street close to the South Carolina property of the Murdaugh household in 2015, and the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh prompted officers to reopen the investigation into Smith’s demise.

Smith’s mom, Sandy Smith, not too long ago began a GoFundMe and employed attorneys to pay for the investigation, saying she believes her son was murdered. Whereas officers initially mentioned Smith was hit by a automobile, they have since mentioned they’re treating his demise as a murder, the State Regulation Enforcement Division in South Carolina, referred to as SLED, mentioned earlier this month. 

Eric Bland, one of many Smith household’s attorneys, posted in regards to the exhumation Sunday on Twitter, saying he and his regulation associate, Ronnie Richter, thanked all of these concerned. 

“An incredible quantity of planning went into this previous weekend by lots of people together with the funeral residence, coroner, DHEC, the excavators, docs Dupre, Schultz and Haney and not less than 12 SLED Officers,” Bland wrote. “The most important thanks goes to SLED Chief Mark Keel as a result of with out him this might not have gone on with out a hitch. Chief Keel gave me his phrase and adopted by on it. I additionally wish to thank lots of you within the press who had a suspicion what was happening, however didn’t press me additional.”

He additionally thanked those that helped consolation Sandy Smith, “who was significantly grieving for her son.”

“I now imagine that Stephen can actually relaxation comfy as a result of SLED and our staff are going to do the whole lot attainable to seek out out simply how he died, ” Bland wrote.

Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, a part of the outstanding Murdaugh household, have been discovered lifeless on their household’s property in 2021. Alex Murdaugh, Maggie’s husband and Paul’s father, was convicted of the homicide early this month throughout a high-profile trial that gained widespread consideration. He was sentenced to life in jail. 

Since Smith’s demise in 2015, rumors had swirled of their small city that Alex Murdaugh’s older son, Buster, and Paul have been doubtlessly concerned within the demise, however no prices have been introduced in opposition to anybody within the household, and no suspects have been named. 

Because the investigation into Smith’s demise ramped up earlier this month, Buster Murdaugh launched a press release, saying: “This has gone on far too lengthy.”

“These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his demise are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his demise, and my coronary heart goes out to the Smith household,” he mentioned partially. 

Throughout a information convention earlier this month, Bland mentioned he and Richter have been “going to rent consultants who’re going to return into this case with a recent set of eyes, with an open thoughts, with none preconceived conclusions, being goal and wherever the details go.”

He added that they might request to have the physique exhumed in the event that they discovered proof that Smith didn’t die from a hit-and-run in the midst of the street, as as soon as said by police, however some other place. He mentioned pre- and post-death communications between “totally different individuals might yield some data.”

The renewed investigation is “not an Alex Murdaugh 2.0 or any Murdaugh 2.0,” he mentioned. “This can be a Stephen Smith 2.0. It is all about Stephen.” 

“Our job is to not discover out who did it, that is not what we do. We’re not regulation enforcement, this isn’t a prison case,” the lawyer mentioned, including that they are simply attempting to assist Smith’s grieving mom discover solutions about her son’s demise.