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Stephen Smith: State trooper who responded said he knew immediately it wasn't a hit and run

"SLED, Sheriff's, Hampton County Coroners' office, if they had done their job that day, I don’t think we would be here today."
By WCIV
Stephen Smith: State trooper who responded said he knew immediately it wasn't a hit and run

"SLED, Sheriff's, Hampton County Coroners' office, if they had done their job that day, I don’t think we would be here today."

This morning, new developments as the attention surrounding Alec Murdoch's double murder trial now turns the spotlight onto the unsolved death of his surviving son, Buster's classmate, Stephen Smith. I mean, I definitely think he was, he was murdered in *** new interview with our ABC affiliate W CV. First responder, Tommy Moore. Now recalling when he found Stephen's body in the middle of *** road before I could get out the car. Good Connor said, no, no, this is not *** wreck. It's *** murder. Authorities classifying Stephen as *** victim of *** hit and run. But Moore saying from what he saw, it didn't look like Smith was hit by *** car. There's two things that come to my mind, either he was murdered there Or he was murdered elsewhere and dropped there. The family of Stephen Smith now raising over $80,000 to exhume the 19 year old's body for an independent autopsy. My hope is that we can find the right people that we need to just start from the beginning and to get us answers. State authorities reopening the investigation into Stephen's death in June 2021 after saying they found new evidence while looking into the Murdoch double murders recently saying they have made progress in the death investigation of Stephen Smith. However, this investigation remains active and ongoing. I'm hoping to get the truth of what happened to my son. I just want justice and I feel it wasn't done right the first time. And now Buster Murdoch breaking his silence to address what he called vicious rumors. Saying in *** statement, these baseless rumors of my involvement with Steven and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death. And my heart goes out to the Smith family.
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Stephen Smith: State trooper who responded said he knew immediately it wasn't a hit and run

"SLED, Sheriff's, Hampton County Coroners' office, if they had done their job that day, I don’t think we would be here today."
By WCIV
Download the WJCL News App for the latest on the Stephen Smith investigation According to the state trooper that responded the day Stephen Smith's body was found on a Hampton County road back in 2015, he knew at the onset that the 19 year old was murdered."SLED, Sheriff's, Hampton County Coroners' office, if they had done their job that day, I don’t think we would be here today," said former SCHP Lt. Thomas Moore.Attorneys representing Stephen's mother announced Tuesday night that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division had ruled his death a homicide.That's a far cry from the longstanding official law enforcement position that Stephen was the victim of a hit and run.Moore said it did not appear Smith was hit by a car. His road rash was minor; his shoes were still on his feet.“I definitely think he was murdered; he was murdered there or murdered elsewhere and dropped there,” he said.Frustrated, Moore said he took his theories on Stephen's death to the higher-ups at SCHP.“I felt like the brass, which would be the people running Highway Patrol, should have stood up to SLED and said, 'This is not a hit and run, ya’ll are asking us to investigate something that is not a hit and run,'” he said.Moore then took the case to the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office.“... And line by line explained to them why this was not a hit and run and tried to hand them the file, and they would physically not take it with their hands,” he said.With little progress and reluctant witnesses, the case was closed.That was until Maggie and Paul Murdaugh's murders in June 2021. That’s when SLED announced it was reopening Stephen's case after discovering new information during the course of the murder investigation.RELATEDJudge sentences Alex Murdaugh to 2 consecutive life sentences for the murders of his wife and sonMurdaugh Murders Timeline: Everything that has led up to Alex Murdaugh's murder convictionsMurdaugh Timeline of Evidence: This is what happened the night Paul and Maggie were murderedAlex Murdaugh was convicted earlier this month in the deaths of his wife and son. Moore has gone on record saying he is a victim of Alex Murdaugh's alleged financial schemes, claiming the disgraced attorney stole $100,000 from him after he was injured on the job.Earlier this week, a GoFundMe effort raised $80,000 to have an independent autopsy for Stephen's body.That, coupled with the announcement from SLED Tuesday, has Sandy Smith hopeful that she will have the answers she's waited for 8 years."The support I’ve had around me just keeps me fighting," she said. "He’s worth fighting for."
HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. —

Download the WJCL News App for the latest on the Stephen Smith investigation

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According to the state trooper that responded the day Stephen Smith's body was found on a Hampton County road back in 2015, he knew at the onset that the 19 year old was murdered.

"SLED, Sheriff's, Hampton County Coroners' office, if they had done their job that day, I don’t think we would be here today," said former SCHP Lt. Thomas Moore.

Attorneys representing Stephen's mother announced Tuesday night that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division had ruled his death a homicide.

That's a far cry from the longstanding official law enforcement position that Stephen was the victim of a hit and run.

Moore said it did not appear Smith was hit by a car. His road rash was minor; his shoes were still on his feet.

“I definitely think he was murdered; he was murdered there or murdered elsewhere and dropped there,” he said.

Frustrated, Moore said he took his theories on Stephen's death to the higher-ups at SCHP.

“I felt like the brass, which would be the people running Highway Patrol, should have stood up to SLED and said, 'This is not a hit and run, ya’ll are asking us to investigate something that is not a hit and run,'” he said.

Moore then took the case to the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office.

“... And line by line explained to them why this was not a hit and run and tried to hand them the file, and they would physically not take it with their hands,” he said.

With little progress and reluctant witnesses, the case was closed.

That was until Maggie and Paul Murdaugh's murders in June 2021. That’s when SLED announced it was reopening Stephen's case after discovering new information during the course of the murder investigation.

RELATED

Alex Murdaugh was convicted earlier this month in the deaths of his wife and son. Moore has gone on record saying he is a victim of Alex Murdaugh's alleged financial schemes, claiming the disgraced attorney stole $100,000 from him after he was injured on the job.

Earlier this week, a GoFundMe effort raised $80,000 to have an independent autopsy for Stephen's body.

That, coupled with the announcement from SLED Tuesday, has Sandy Smith hopeful that she will have the answers she's waited for 8 years.

"The support I’ve had around me just keeps me fighting," she said. "He’s worth fighting for."