Busters testimony also called into question the significance of the multiple outfits Mr Murdaugh was seen wearing on the day of the murders with no bloodied clothing ever found. The five county area that serves as the 14th district was the Murdaughs political dominion for nearly a century. Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of a country road 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's Islandton hunting lodge on July 8, 2015. So thats about it! Revelations that have come out since Murdaughs arrest, however, suggest that Alex may have been attempting to create a distraction to forestall the collapse of the house of cards that was his life. Personally, I think there was some type of pressure or just lack of investigation upon other agencies to do anything, he told NewsNation. Interestingly, Smith has denied his role in the shooting. SLED agents say that family guns were used to kill both victims, with Paul shot twice with a shotgun that was loaded with buckshot and steel birdshot. There was no blood. But from day one, his mother said otherwise, believing her son was murdered. Other than that, police found no other marks on his body. All rights reserved. Yet, the case was left classified as a hit and run. I am still in EB because when you get here we have to talk. A cellphone video captured by Paul minutes before the murders also appears to place Mr Murdaugh at the murder scene. Recently, Buster Murdaugh took the witness stand for the defense and testified that his father was destroyed by the deaths of Paul and Maggie. The boat crashed into some rocks and threw the passengers overboard. This is in line with Alex Murdaugh's history of financial crimes. Following the deaths of Mallory Beach, Paul Murdaugh, and Maggie Murdaugh, SLED elected to re-open Stephen Smiths case. She also went to the scene of the crime to take a look around. The Mallory Beach incident led to Murdaughs legal career coming under scrutiny by SLED, other lawyers representing Murdaughs victims, and Murdaughs own law firm. In court on the week of 6 February, Buster appeared to flip the bird at attorney Mark Tinsley as he took the witness stand about the boat crash lawsuit that he brought against Mr Murdaugh. Entertainment; News & Politics; Sports; Health & Lifestyle; Science & Tech; toggle. Names and stories of the Murdaugh family surfaced six years ago regarding the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, a young gay man found dead in the middle of a lonely rural road with several deep gashes in his head, but investigators said they were never able to directly connect anyone in the family to the incident. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! After HBO Max's Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty and ID's The Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty, Netflix has decided to wet its paws with the twisted story of Alex Murdaugh and his family that has attracted the world's attention to Hampton County in South Carolina. Buster Murdaugh recalls finding out about the murders of his brother and mother, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Alex Murdaugh trial - live: Surviving son to testify today as defence fights back against crime scene evidence, Alex Murdaugh judge compares defence attorney to Kyrie Irving after he shared sloppy investigation post, Murders, million-dollar fraud and mystery deaths: The story of Alex Murdaughs spectacular fall from grace, Alex Murdaughs surviving son gives stoic testimony in murder trial, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 15% off orders over 15 with this eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Breaking. One of the challenging things about fully understanding the scope of the Murdaugh story is comprehending its timeline. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. He was a known associate and occasional friend of Buster and several interviews in Murdaugh Murders mention cite rumors that the pair had a romantic relationship. The Murdaughs 57-year-old housekeeper died in a hospital three weeks after injuries suffered at their home, having never regained consciousness. Under brief cross-examination, the prosecutor brought up that Mr Murdaugh had suggested his son went hunting at Moselle after his mother and brother were gunned down there. Naturally, many people began to wonder if Paul and Maggies murder was connected to the boating case. As viewers of Murdaugh Murders quickly discover, however, uncovering new crimes committed by Alex Murdaugh does not appear to be a difficult task. Smith's injuries suggested a more nefarious cause of death. In 2015, 19-year-old Stephen Smith was found in the middle of a rural road. Smith's body was found in . Long before any of the Murdaugh family's criminal activities came to light, a good friend of Buster's, Stephen Smith, passed away. He said he was not aware Paul ever got a replacement gun and did not see him using a Blackout that wasnt his. However, the so-called Murdaugh . The scandalous saga of the Murdaugh family, one that has already gained much attention, thanks to its twists and turns that will leave the even hardcore true crime follower a little bamboozled, breathes life to this age-old proverb. The documentary series comes from directors Julia Willoughby Nason and Jenner Furst and explores the rise and fall of . And the streamers patience may have already paid off. On July 14, 2022, Alex Murdaugh is indicted on two counts of murder. Throughout the weeks-long trial, Buster and several other family members have put on a united front, supporting Mr Murdaugh in court every day. Several people came forward with rumors of a "fling" between Smith and Buster Murdaugh. Alex's trial began on January 23, 2023. Stephen Smith died in 2015 and, the docuseries alleges, may have had a relationship with Alex Murdaugh's other son Buster. Paul Murdaugh could not make it to the first day of trial in relation to Mallory's death as he was brutally murdered, along with his mother Maggie, on June 7, 2021. He said that there were no instances he could think of when his father disappeared for periods of time appearing to cast doubts on the states suggestion that he disposed of evidence in the aftermath of the murders. The patriarch is currently on trial for the 2021 murders of his wife Margaret and younger son Paul, but the disgraced attorney has also allegedly engaged in various financial crimes. The young teenager was openly gay and was rumored to be involved in a romantic relationship with Paul Murdaugh's elder brother, Buster. The 19-year-old nursing student who had been a classmate of Buster Murdaugh at Wade Hampton High School was found dead with a head wound on Sandy. He was found dead in mysterious circumstances in the middle of Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? We know for a fact it was not a hit-and-run. Murdaugh sounds like Murr-dock, while Alex sounds like Aleck. I hope we can all agree that this is an egregious case of Alec stolen valor. Mallory Beach's death brought enough bad PR to the Murdaughs to bring them under scrutiny, but a greater tragedy was waiting to strike them. What follows is our best attempt at capturing all of it. Deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, June 7, 2021. According to Sandy Smith, Randy Murdaugh called the family following Stephen Smiths death, offering to help however he could. In all honesty, the events that unfold tend to prove the point. The 26-year-old testified that his fathers demeanour was normal and no different from how he had been earlier in the day. Consequentially, Alex was forced to resign from the law firm, which is now known as Parker Law Group. Days after the death of Paul and Maggie, the investigation into the death of Stephen was reopened. Thats right: Alex Murdaugh (ALLEGEDLY) murdered his estranged wife and youngest son. Playing Vandy is always fun because it gives the truest depiction of what it's like to play in the ACC every week "Another rumor claims Buster Murdaugh and two other boys were responsible for [Smith's death]," said the outlet. A special accident investigation team looked at the case and determined it was a homicide, but a pathologist disagreed, saying he likely died from being hit in the face by the mirror of a passing car. Buster Murdaugh, 26, was a high school classmate of Smith, who was described as a loving jokester by friends and family. The U.S. On Feb. 2, 2018 she supposedly fell down the front steps of the Murdaughs estate, and received traumatic head injuries (including a stroke) that she later succumbed to on Feb. 26, 2018. I don't hate you. Later, Gloria's sons also filed a lawsuit against Murdaugh after discovering that Murdaugh had claimed nearly half a million dollars for Gloria's death. On June 7, 2021, Buster Murdaugh's life changed forever. But Mallory Beach's death was a tragedy waiting to happen at the hands of Paul, who was known for his violent behavior under the influence of alcohol. Days later on 3 June 2021 four days before he allegedly killed his wife and son Mr Murdaugh sent a voicemail to then-Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte asking him for $600,000. The families of 19-year-old Stephen Smith who was rumored to be in a secret relationship with Alex's oldest son, Buster, and Murdaugh family housekeeper Gloria Satterfield are still waiting . On July 8, 2015, the body of a 19-year-old named Stephen Smith was found with a fatal head wound on a road in Hampton County, South Carolina, which is part of the jurisdiction that had been run. On July 8, 2015 the body of 19-year-old Smith was found on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County, S.C. Later, coroner Ernie Washington declared Smith had died from "blunt force trauma to the head," likely from the mirror on a passing vehicle, via Live 5 News. He hid a mystery blue item upstairs in the home and then left again, she said. The charges were dropped after his murder. It was last brought back to the KFC menu in April 2014. There was clearly a Murdaugh tie into the death of Stephen Smith, because if you read the investigatory reports from his death back in 2015, the Murdaugh name is mentioned dozens of times. "There has to be something to it, whether indirectly or directly there has to be some kind of tie to that.". Her death, which occurred in 2018, was attributed initially to a trip-and-fall incident while working at the Murdaughs' home. A family attorney later elaborated that Murdaugh had pulled over with car trouble before he was shot, possibly by someone in a passing pickup truck. Addressing the missing clothing, Buster testified that his father had clothes a lot of places including the familys various homes adding that they never stayed at Moselle after that day. Many media entities have already tried their hand at explaining this shifty saga of murder, corruption, and cover-up from HBO Maxs Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty to IDs The Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty. In early August 2015, authorities received a tip about Smith and Buster Murdaugh possibly being in a relationship, per Live 5 News. His body was found about 15 miles from the Murdaugh's Moselle estate. Picking up from the accidental death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal traces the series of events that made the suspicious history of the powerful Murdaugh family of South Carolina national news. The family believes he was murdered. Shreejit is a freelance features writer at Collider. Six years later, state police opened their own investigation because of information they had gathered in the aftermath of the Murdaugh deaths. The charges against him had varying effects on Paul as per varying accounts of his friends. 1. Here is everything you need to know about the true story. Like the probe of the 2019 boat crash, the 2015 investigation into Smith's death was chaotic from the beginning clouded by jurisdictional confusion and suspicions of investigative interference. The case was ruled a hit and run and no arrests were ever made. Police believe Smith ran out of gas while on his way home from college, though his family questions this. He asked if I wanted to go hunting out there again after the murders and suggested I could, said Buster. Smith was a high school classmate of Murdaughs son Buster (not the currently deceased one) and was found dead from blunt force trauma on the side of the road in 2015. The two were shot and killed in June 2021. I have faith in that, Im optimistic in that. After Smith's body was discovered, authorities fielded tips from the community. Days later, Alex confessed to scheming his own suicide with the help of an associate, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrested Alex's associate, Curtis Edward Smith, for his attempt to assist in a suicide schemed by Alex himself to help his son, Buster, claim $10 million from the insurance company. Sources told FITS News that when Buster was then asked to move to the back of the courtroom, he allegedly kicked over a water bottle in anger. It also showed that he stayed just 21 minutes at his parents home that night less than half the 45 minutes to an hour he claimed to police. In this episode, we take a trip to Hampton South Carolina, home to the Murdaugh family, and explore the mysterious death of a young man named Stephen Smith. They had friends in common and they didnt move in the same circles. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. His death was ruled a. 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