Bombshell report names persons of interest in cold-case murder of Stephen Smith that happened near Murdaugh murders



South Carolina authorities have named two persons of interest in the cold-case murder of Stephen Smith, according to a bombshell report. The 19-year-old was murdered in 2015 near the site of the infamous Murdaugh murders.

On July 8, 2015, Stephen Smith was found dead in the middle of a road in Hampton County, South Carolina. Smith's body was found eight miles from "Moselle," the Murdaughs' 1,770-acre hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina.

Smith died from blunt force trauma to the head. Smith's death was ruled to be caused by a hit-and-run by a car, and no suspects were named or arrested.

However, the officer who wrote the initial report found no evidence that Smith was hit by a car.

"I saw no vehicle debris, skid marks or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle," the officer noted. "The victim’s shoes were loosely tied and both were still on. … We see no evidence to suggest the victim was struck by a vehicle."

State Highway Patrol trooper Thomas Moore wrote in his report that upon arriving at the scene, the county coroner "immediately advised me it was a homicide." Smith had an injury on his head that the coroner believed was a gunshot wound.

A report from a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division special agent added that an EMS worker found a projectile wound on the victim's head. A report from a Hampton County Sheriff’s Office deputy stated that it appeared that Smith had been shot in the head.

Smith's death was re-examined during the investigation into the murders of Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22 – who were murdered by Alex Murdaugh on June 7, 2021. Alex was Maggie's husband and Paul's father.

Earlier this month, Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to two life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole after he was found guilty of murdering his wife and son.

Some loosely connected Smith's death to the South Carolina legal dynasty family featured on the Netflix docuseries "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal." Smith was a classmate of Buster Murdaugh – Alex's other son.

Court TV reported, "The investigative file in Smith’s death mentions several names of people who were listed by various witnesses as having the potential to be involved in the case, among them Buster Murdaugh."

Former South Carolina Highway Patrol detective Todd Proctor and Sandy Smith, the mother of the victim, previously believed the Murdaughs had some kind of involvement in Smith's murder, but did not present any solid evidence.

Smith's attorney Eric Bland told Fox News, "We have no direct knowledge that any Murdaugh was involved in any shape or form in Stephen's murder."

Buster Murdaugh has denied any involvement in the murder of Smith.

"This has gone on far too long. These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false," Murdaugh said on Monday. "I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family."

"I have tried my best to ignore the vicious rumors about my involvement in Stephen Smith’s tragic death that continue to be published in the media as I grieve over the brutal murders of my mother and brother," Murdaugh continued. "I love them so much and miss them terribly."

On March 22, 2023, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced that it had re-classified Smith’s death as a homicide.

FitsNews reported on Thursday that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division identified Patrick Wilson and Shawn Connelly as persons of interest.

The independent news outlet stated, "Both Wilson and Connelly lived in the area near where Stephen Smith’s body was found … and there is information obtained by SLED investigators which has reportedly drawn a sharper focus on them as potential suspects."

FitsNews claimed that Wilson and Connelly were "embroiled in various legal actions tied to the Murdaugh family in the months following the murder."

Sandy Smith raised more than $117,000 on GoFundMe to exhume her son's body so that an independent autopsy could be conducted. She is also hiring a private investigator to help solve the cold case from eight years ago.

The Mysterious Death of Stephen Smith www.youtube.com

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WATCH THE MOMENT Alex Murdaugh is Found GUILTY in Murder Trial

WATCH THE MOMENT Alex Murdaugh is Found GUILTY in Murder Trial

Prominent SC lawyer Alex Murdaugh admits he tried to stage his own death, but denies involvement in his wife and son's unsolved murders



Prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh turned himself in to authorities Thursday afternoon admitting that he attempted to stage his own death as part of a botched scheme to have his life insurance paid out to his remaining son.

Murdaugh, whose wife and other son were killed last month, has been charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said in a press release.

"Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Thursday arrested Richard Alexander 'Alex' Murdaugh, 53, in connection to the shooting incident on Sept. 4 in which he conspired with Curtis Edward Smith to assist him in committing suicide for the explicit purpose of allowing a beneficiary to collect life insurance," SLED agents said in the release.

Murdaugh's lawyers said their client thought up the plan in a state of depression over the loss of his family members and amid his struggles to stop abusing oxycodone, the New York Times reported. The paper noted that Murdaugh has maintained that he had no involvement in his family's murders.

One of Murdaugh's lawyers added that their client incorrectly believed that his life insurance policy would not pay out to his son if his death was ruled a suicide.

Attorney Says Alex Murdaugh 'Decided To End His Life' After Murders Of His Wife And Son www.youtube.com

On Sept. 4, Murdaugh was shot in the head by Smith but ending up surviving. He reportedly suffered a fractured skull and was able to check out of the hospital only two days later.

Smith, 61, has reportedly been charged with assisted suicide, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, pointing and presenting a firearm, and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.

The alleged suicide-for-hire plot was the latest in a dramatic series of events starting with the fatal shooting of Murdaugh's wife Margaret, 52, and son Paul, then 22, outside of the family's home in Islandton, about an hour north of Hilton Head Island. The double-homicide remains unsolved and under active investigation.

Following his wife and son's death, Murdaugh allegedly spiraled further into an already-present opioid addiction, during which time he illegally converted money from his clients and his law firm to his own use to obtain drugs. Murdaugh admitted as much and has since had his state license to practice law suspended.

The series of tragic events have put Murdaugh and his powerful family under the microscope in recent months, particularly on three other deaths involving the family in recent years. Two of those deaths are now being investigated by police.