But inconsistencies in the initial investigation have left many wondering why his death was never investigated as a homicide. Ronnie Richter: She literally helped raise Alex Murdaugh's sons, Paul and Buster. He asked if I wanted to go hunting out there again after the murders and suggested I could, said Buster. 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. Paul soon began driving erratically and by 2:20 a.m. the boat crashed into Archers Creek Bridge. One of the cases now being re-examined is the death of Stephen Smith, 19, whose body was found on a rural road in 2015. 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. One of the challenging things about fully understanding the scope of the Murdaugh story is comprehending its timeline. 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. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. The latest Netflix docuseries focuses on the series of events that led to the fall of the Murdaugh family legacy, starting from the death of Mallory Beach. 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. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Brothers Paul and Buster Murdaugh the sons of Alex Murdaugh, who is one of the sons of Randolph. Meanwhile, Mr Murdaugh appeared to smile at his son at several points. 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. No one is sure why the brothers were there. The other passengers were Murdaughs girlfriend, Morgan Doughty; Beachs boyfriend, Anthony Cook; Anthonys cousin, Connor Cook; and Connors girlfriend, Miley Altman. Alex's trial began on January 23, 2023. 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. However, his law firm has since disputed that, putting out a statement denying it ever happened. A blue tarp and a blue rainjacket was found in a search of the home, with the jacket covered in gunshot residue particles. "SLED has . Sandy then took it upon herself to look into what happened to her son. Several claim that he tried to get them all on the same page and assert that Paul wasnt driving the boat. Like several other Alex Murdaugh documentaries before it, Murdaugh Murders brings up the curious case of Stephen Smith. 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. Then people started asking questions about Stephen Smiths case. Such are the circumstances with the story of South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services. As the night progressed, Paul and his friends decided to head to an oyster roast on nearby Paukie Island via a Murdaugh family boat. While he said he wasnt often present for the confrontations, he said he believed his fathers response was usually apologetic. Moreover, the lapses in the immediate investigation by the local investigators, the Department of Natural Resources, exposed the workings of a powerful network that the Murdaughs had woven over years. In following with family tradition, Buster. Mike DeWine said he was impressed with the magnitude of the cleanup efforts he witnessed and by the hard work people are doing. Distractify is a registered trademark. Buster Murdaugh Girlfriend Stood by His Side Throughout Murdaugh's Trial. Over time, the Moselle property became the familys main home though they would spend much of the summer at the beach home in Edisto Beach. Alex Murdaugh, 52, is a lawyer and the great-grandson of Randolph "Buster" Murdaugh, . 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. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? The boat was driven by Paul Murdaugh, then 19. And as Murdaugh Murders recounts, Alex curiously arrived on the scene before the EMTs did and loudly declared that Satterfield blamed the dogs for her fall (in the seconds between her falling and losing consciousness presumably). The death was never reported to the coroner, and no autopsy was conducted. 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. After that, Buster Murdaugh's name kept coming up. San Jose: Home raided as part of explosives and narcotics investigation, Man arrested after explosives found in bag at Pa. airport, Antioch police seek help to ID woman who allegedly fired gun inside store, swiped liquor, Maxwells appeals arguments mirror earlier claims. 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. The Murdaughs are members of a prominent S.C. legal family that first made regional headlines after Paul Murdaugh was involved in a February 2019 boat crash in Beaufort County that resulted in. The guns a shotgun and a rifle have never been found. Everyone survived apart from Mallory Beach, 19, whose body washed up on shore around a week later. From 1920 through 2006, three members of the family served uninterrupted terms as the solicitor (which is known in most jurisdictions of the U.S. as a district attorney) of South Carolinas 14th district. 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 . The judge has warned that he and other family members could be removed from court altogether if there are any further wrong moves. The Mallory Beach incident led to Murdaughs legal career coming under scrutiny by SLED, other lawyers representing Murdaughs victims, and Murdaughs own law firm. Several friends and partners at Mr Murdaughs law firm PMPED were also there and they stayed for several hours before Buster, his father, girlfriend and uncle John Marvin went to Mr Murdaughs parents home in Almeda. Smith was found laying in the middle of the road by a bystander around 4:20 AM on July 8, 2015. 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. All free. Though Alex Murdaugh and other Murdaugh family members began committing crimes in 2014 or earlier, the inciting incident for their ultimate downfall begins in 2019. Here is everything you need to know about the true story. Death of Stephen Smith, July 8, 2015. In court, Alex admitted to lying about his alibi on the night of the murder but denied any involvement in the deaths. You may recognize the name Paul Murdaugh from three second ago when we talked about him accidentally killing Mallory Beach. He even had his shoes on. The oldest Murdaugh son, Buster, was the same age as Stephen Smith and his twin sister. Witnesses interviewed as part of the original investigation into Smith's death repeatedly implicated Alex Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster, as having been involved in a relationship with. 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. Witnesses for the defense and prosecutors are expected to number in the hundreds so this could be a long trial. 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. 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. During the states case, Mr Murdaughs attorneys have hinted at a range of theories they plan to present including that there was two killers and that the murders were tied to a local drugs gang. 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. On June 22, roughly two weeks after the killings of Margaret and Paul Murdaugh, SLED reopened an investigation into the unsolved death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith. Following the deaths of Mallory Beach, Paul Murdaugh, and Maggie Murdaugh, SLED elected to re-open Stephen Smiths case. In the video, sent at 7.56pm on 7 June 2021, Mr Murdaugh is seen in trousers, loafers and a blue button-down shirt on the grounds of the estate. During calm, controlled testimony, he appeared to water down but not refute some key points in the prosecutions case, including his fathers behaviour on the day of the murders, the clothes he was wearing and the police interview where he appeared to unwittingly confess to killing his wife and son. Stephen Smith was openly gay. Michael DeWitt: Stephen Smith was a young man living in Hampton County. Maybe it was purposeful. Initially, Smith's death was ruled a hit-and-run by the coroner; however, the Smith family and Highway Patrol Investigators rejected the claim and noted that "no vehicle debris, skid marks, or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle" were found in the initial investigation. Because of this, his other son Buster Murdaugh is also facing intense scrutiny. In all honesty, the events that unfold tend to prove the point. Despite being visibly hammered and underage, Paul was not given a field sobriety test, taken to jail for booking, or even handcuffed. During the investigation into their deaths, new information came to light. Three miles away, Stephen Smiths body was found, in the middle of the road with no skid marks or other physical evidence that a car had hit him. Murdaugh isn't the only one in the family who has been involved in a mysterious death. Often, Alex did not pass on the money that he won from financial settlements to the kin of the deceased after suing the insurance companies. Gov. However, the so-called Murdaugh . Is Chinas threat akin to rise of Nazi Germany? There was been much speculation around whether Mr Murdaugh said they or I in the audio, which is difficult to distinguish. Recently, Smith's family friend, Susanne Andrews, revealed "progress" has been made since Paul and Maggie's 2021 murders. The slayings of Maggie and Paul opened up another unsolved death from 2015that of Stephen Smith, a gay teenager whose body was found dead on a remote road in Hampton County. In 2015, 19-year-old Stephen Smith died after he was hit by his car and the driver didn't stop. by Matt Dillane. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. Evidence was not gathered and testimonies were not recorded properly. He hid a mystery blue item upstairs in the home and then left again, she said. I know they were all talking to each other too.. Coming as the defences first major witness, Buster played into their strategy to present Mr Murdaugh as a loving family man who could never have killed his wife and son in such a brutal fashion which saw Pauls brains shot outside of his skull. Entertainment; News & Politics; Sports; Health & Lifestyle; The former lawyer Murdaugh currently faces a grand total of 106 grand jury criminal charges! The two were shot and killed in June 2021. Crime scene photos show shell casings on the floor of the dog feed house. The Murdaughs also ran a big law firm in the area. He Was Called to Testify in Alex Murdaugh's Trial. Alex Murdaugh Ordered To Deal With Civil Lawsuit Accusing Him Of Ripping $4 Million Off His Late Housekeeper Gloria's Estate After Murder Trial Wraps Up, Alex Murdaugh Accused Of Cheating On Late Wife Maggie Before Gruesome Murders But Jury Won't Hear About Alleged Affairs, Sources Claim, Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial Update: Jurors Will Visit Moselle Ranch Crime Scene Where His Wife & Son Were Shot To Death. DAILY. Offers may be subject to change without notice. On June 7, 2021 at 10:06 p.m., Alex Murdaugh called 911 and reported he had discovered the dead bodies of his son Paul and his wife Maggie near the dog kennels at their hunting lodge. He believed his fathers response was usually apologetic Manners: I should n't call because the phone people... 'S 2021 murders as a homicide, Smith 's family friend, Susanne Andrews, revealed `` progress has. Events that unfold tend to prove the point that he tried to get them on... 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