Alex Murdaugh receives a 40-year prison sentence for federal offenses
In the Netflix series, FITSnews’ Will Folks remembers receiving a tip about investigating the highway patrol report related to the death of Stephen Smith on July 8, 2015. The body of the 19-year-old was discovered on a rural highway in Hampton County, with fatal head trauma but no apparent signs of being hit by a vehicle, with his shoes on and cell phone in his pocket.
During the initial investigation, Buster Murdaugh, Alex’s oldest son, was mentioned multiple times, including in the original patrol report. According to Folks, Buster, who is 26 years old, has never been identified as a suspect or charged with any crime.
Former science teacher at Wade Hampton High School, Sam Crews, recalls that Stephen had helped tutor Buster, and there were rumors during high school suggesting a closer relationship between the two boys, much to the dismay of the Murdaugh family, as mentioned by Morgan.
A month following Stephen’s death, Michael Dewitt, a reporter for Hampton County Guardian, mentioned rumors linking the Murdaughs to the case, but no concrete evidence surfaced.
On June 22, 2021, South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced the reopening of the case, with no references to the Murdaugh family.
The Murdaugh family has denied any involvement in Stephen’s demise. However, Murdaugh Murders points out that Buster and Alex did not respond to interview requests.