The group was returning from an oyster roast that Paul had planned. SLED agents reopened the investigation into Smith following the brutal double homicide of Maggie and Paul at the family's private hunting ranch, Moselle, in June 2021. July 8, 2015. Prosecutors claim that Mr Murdaugh shot dead Maggie and Paul by the dog kennels of the familys sprawling estate in Islandton, in order to distract from his string of alleged scandals and financial crimes. Due to the familys outsized political influence and power, there is a perception (and a correct one) that its members were able to easily escape any kind of trouble or scrutiny for decades. Buster Murdaugh, center, receives a hug in the rain during the funeral service for his brother, Paul, and mother, Maggie, . CELEBRITY NEWS. 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. Before we continue on to all the death and human suffering, it might be helpful to know that, due to their Low Country origin, both Alex and Murdaugh are not pronounced how you probably think theyre pronounced. He asked if I wanted to go hunting out there again after the murders and suggested I could, said Buster. We think he was dumped there on the road. Several claim that he tried to get them all on the same page and assert that Paul wasnt driving the boat. July 8, 2015: Stephen Smith, 19, is found dead on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County. Currently, Murdaugh is on trial for murder for the deaths of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son, Paul Murdaugh. It was clear that this case was not handled correctly. Buster Murdaugh Jr. had already made "an almost identical" improper jury argument in a rape case . But inconsistencies in the initial investigation have left many wondering why his death was never investigated as a homicide. As bleak as this whole state of affairs was, it still might have faded away into history as an unfortunate case of hyper local corruption. Smith was found laying in the middle of the road by a bystander around 4:20 . Everyone knew that the Murdaughs were not to be messed with. The documentary also includes mention of the hit-and-run death of Stephen Smith, a former friend and classmate of Buster's, which remains unsolved. Later, Connor's father was also contacted by Alex in an act of intimidation. 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 sounded odd and then he told me that my mom and brother were shot, he recalled. Although many in Hampton County claim the existence of a deeper connection between Stephen's death and the Murdaughs, there is not much evidence to back it up. However, the so-called Murdaugh . However, when authorities reopened the case in June 2021 and looked into Buster's potential involvement, police were "never able to formally tie Buster Murdaugh to the case nor track down the original source of the rumors.". Alex Murdaugh is indicted on two counts of murder. Shreejit is a freelance features writer at Collider. Long before any of the Murdaugh family's criminal activities came to light, a good friend of Buster's, Stephen Smith, passed away. Alex Murdaugh reportedly told emergency responders that she had fallen down the stairs. The defense called Buster Murdaugh on February 21 to shed light on his father's loving treatment of his family. In prestige terms, it all translated into unparalleled authority for the Murdaughs, who were sometimes even above the law if the interviewees of the Netflix series are to be believed. What is known is that Alex Murdaugh and his brother Randy came to the scene of Stephen Smiths death, going through the crime tape. At the time of his death more than two years later, Paul Murdaugh was out on bail and awaiting trial on felony charges of boating under the influence. However, Buster was also notably spotted hugging his aunt Marian Proctor Maggies sister in court after she testified against his father, including detailing his drug use, an alleged affair years before the murders, and his odd behaviour in the wake of the 7 June 2021 murders. He said that he didnt want to hunt there and that neither he nor his father had never stayed a single night at Moselle after the murders. 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. 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. In the aftermath of the murders, Buster said that he was with his father almost all day every day for a good while and kept a close eye on him. Before the beginning of the murder trial on January 23, 2023, a lot more charges were brought against Alex Murdaugh as a result of the financial fraud he had continuously committed over the years. 7. Alex Murdaugh is currently standing trial for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul, and is pleading not guilty with the support of his surviving son Buster. 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. On Sept. 4, 2021, Murdaugh called 911 to report that he had been shot in the head while he was changing a tire on the side of the road. 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. A man was arrested after an explosive was found in a bag checked onto a Florida-bound flight at a Pennsylvania airport, authorities said. Blanca Simpson, who worked as the Murdaugh family housekeeper for several years and did their laundry, testified that she never saw the clothing Mr Murdaugh was wearing on the morning of the murders again after that day. Ron DeSantis explained his feud with Disney in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, saying the corporation helps advance the lefts woke agenda.. Video from the 10 June 2021 interview Mr Murdaughs second interview after the murders was previously played in court, with the sobbing legal scion speaking about the killings. 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. In fact, even though the trial of Alex Murdaugh is ongoing and fresh revelations about his crimes are being uncovered almost daily, one could argue that Netflix is getting into the Murdaugh game late with its three-episode series, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. With the trial ongoing and many questions needing an answer, it is possible that Netflix may have to come up with a second season of its most recent true crime docuseries to give an updated picture of the vastness of Alex Murdaugh's crimes. The case was reopened when a coroner found that the medical report stated the reason behind Gloria's death to be a natural one, eliminating the need for an autopsy at the time. In all honesty, the events that unfold tend to prove the point. However, not a penny showed up at the doors of Gloria's family. I am still in EB because when you get here we have to talk. Sandy Smith, Stephanie Smith and myself, we have said all along, we would like to have justice for Stephen, the law firm said. Now Paul, just 22 years old and facing three felony counts, was dead. New details in the Paul and Maggie Murdaugh double-murder has led the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to open the hit-and-run cold case death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith. If any one genre takes the cake for him, it is none other than good ol' fashioned horror. Justin Bieber has canceled the remaining dates of his Justice world tour after postponing many shows last year for health reasons. No tire marks or no debris from a vehicle found on scene after several . In July 2015, Stephen Smith's death on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County was ruled a homicide and then a hit-and-run before finally being closed as an "accidental death." There were no tire or skid marks at the scene or blood on Smith's clothes. Deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, June 7, 2021. In fact, it was one of the first files I ever received related to this story, Folks said. He was found guilty of duping people of millions of dollars, and was accused of misappropriating funds to the tune of $9 million by his former partners at his law firm. 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 . His own car was parked several miles away. Thats right: Alex Murdaugh (ALLEGEDLY) murdered his estranged wife and youngest son. South Carolina investigators say they are picking up steam in the reopened investigation into the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith who reportedly was close with Alex Murdaugh's oldest son, RadarOnline.com has learned. In July 2022, SLED informed Alex's younger brother, John Marvin Murdaugh, that they have decided to charge Alex for the double homicide of his wife and son. Following the deaths of Mallory Beach, Paul Murdaugh, and Maggie Murdaugh, SLED elected to re-open Stephen Smiths case. A blue tarp and a blue rainjacket was found in a search of the home, with the jacket covered in gunshot residue particles. In the bodycam footage, the disgraced attorney is wearing a white short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts. Stephen Smith died in 2015 and, the docuseries alleges, may have had a relationship with Alex Murdaugh's other son Buster. A passerby in a car called in a 911 report, and by dawn the local highway patrol was conducting an investigation, collecting evidence, trying to piece together what might have happened. Following Stephen's death, his father made claims that Buster and Stephen had been seeing each other romantically, although Buster . Buster said that there was a negative reaction in the community in the aftermath of the boat crash and it consumed his mother, making her anxious. The teenager was found with blunt force trauma to his head, which appeared to first responders as a possible gunshot wound. Maybe it was purposeful. Smith's body was found in . His mother referenced an earlier instance to Live 5 News where Smith ran out of gas and immediately contacted his sister for help. The final state witness SLED Agent Peter Rudofski laid out a detailed timeline of both the final movements of the two victims and the movements of their accused killer. Her death, which occurred in 2018, was attributed initially to a trip-and-fall incident while working at the Murdaughs' home. On the evening of Feb. 23, the 19-year-old Beach was among six friends who boarded a 17-foot boat at the Murdaugh familys river house on Chechessee Creek (3) for a 25-mile run to an oyster roast on Paukie Island (4). Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. On April 18, Paul Murdaugh was indicted and charged with three felony counts including boating under the influence, causing the death of Beach, and injuring his friends. Moselle crime scene: What will Murdaugh jury see? Accident investigators agreed. The mystery surrounding the fatal shootings at the home of a prominent South Carolina family connects to the deaths of three people and a roadside shooting. What starts as a relatively straightforward case of Boating Under the Influence with a touch of manslaughter, quickly balloons into a sprawling catalogue of crimes including corruption, embezzlement, and outright murder. He had a cell phone, he could have called somebody for help, Bland said. He had a sister. Several of these clients were deceased victims of vehicular accidents who Murdaugh sued on behalf of and then never delivered the winnings to their next of kin. Jurors have previously seen a Snapchat video Paul sent to a friend less than one hour before the murders where he is wearing an entirely different outfit to the bodycam footage after the murders. Alex Murdaugh called 911 around 1:30 p.m. to report he had been shot at the side of Salkehatchie Road. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Generally speaking, its a good idea to wait until a case is all wrapped up before giving it the true crime docuseries treatment. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? He determined the placement of the body in the road and the injuries Smith suffered did not appear to be a hit-and-run. July 15th 2022, 11:14 AM PDT. Offers may be subject to change without notice. A wrongful-death suit filed by Beachs mother named Paul Murdaughs father, Alex, and older brother, Buster, alleging they facilitated his underage drinking. In 2015, Smith was mysteriously found dead in the middle of the road, and his death was ruled a hit-and-run, even though other evidence shows that he could have died by gunshot or some other attack. "He called his sister one night [when] he ran out of gas, and he hid in the woods, and would not come out until he was sure it was her. Despite grieving the loss of her son, Sandy had a kind message for his son's killer or killers. As previously stated: though this story begins in 2019, Alex Murdaugh has been breaking the law for far longer. Reporter Will Folks with FitsNews told NewsNation Buster Murdaughs name often came up in connection with the Stephen Smith case. "No car parts. His younger brother, Paul, was killed alongside his mother in 2021. A classmate of Alex's elder son Buster, Stephen was rumored to have been in a gay relationship with Buster, a pill that was, allegedly, too bitter for the Murdaughs to digest. I do believe that were going to get answers. Sandy Smith holds a photo of her son Stephen Smith. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. As viewers of Murdaugh Murders quickly discover, however, uncovering new crimes committed by Alex Murdaugh does not appear to be a difficult task. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. In 2015, teenager Stephen Smith, an openly gay classmate of Buster's, was found dead from blunt force . Around 1:15 a.m. the group re-boarded the boat with Paul still driving over the objections of his friends. A homicide cake for him, it is none other than good ol ' fashioned horror wasnt the. It the true crime docuseries treatment Folks said Paul wasnt driving the boat road by bystander. In 2021 was returning from an oyster roast that Paul had planned moselle scene. Was not handled correctly the loss of her son Stephen Smith, 19, is dead. 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