Throughout the weeks-long trial, Buster and several other family members have put on a united front, supporting Mr Murdaugh in court every day. His car was found down a dark rural road in Hampton County, South Carolina with the gas cap off. As per the testimony and interviews of Paul's friends, who became surviving victims of the accident that took Mallory Beach's life, Paul drove the boat that they were riding on into the Archers Creek bridge. I cant tell you. By waiting just a little bit longer than its peers, Netflix hopes that it can present the definitive version of the Murdaugh murders. 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. Recently, Buster Murdaugh took the witness stand for the defense and testified that his father was destroyed by the deaths of Paul and Maggie. 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. 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. I just want answers." Alex's trial began on January 23, 2023. Buster Murdaugh and Smith reportedly graduated in 2014 from the same high school. theyve uncovered new crimes committed by Alex Murdaugh, SLED elected to re-open Stephen Smiths case, Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 1 Review The Apostate, Unforgotten Series 5 Review: Bleak, Angry, But the Old Magic is Still There, Recently, Buster Murdaugh took the witness stand, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence Is a Harrowing Watch. Breaking. Smith's body was found in . Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. 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. 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. 'Murdaugh Murders': Buster Murdaugh was accused of allegedly killing classmate and rumored boyfriend Stephen Smith in 2015 By Aayush Sharma Published on : 00:17 PST, Feb 22, 2023 Stephen Smith and Alex Murdaugh in stills from 'Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal' (Netflix) I am still in EB because when you get here we have to talk. Alex Murdaugh called 911 around 1:30 p.m. to report he had been shot at the side of Salkehatchie Road. While SLED (and documentaries the world over) delve into the circumstances of Smiths death, there is currently no public-facing evidence for the Murdaugh familys involvement in his murder. Personally, I think there was some type of pressure or just lack of investigation upon other agencies to do anything, he told NewsNation. The U.S. A coroner ultimately ruled Smith's death as accidental, involving a car that hit him. He sounded odd and then he told me that my mom and brother were shot, he recalled. I do believe that were going to get answers. He said he was not aware Paul ever got a replacement gun and did not see him using a Blackout that wasnt his. Murdaugh isn't the only one in the family who has been involved in a mysterious death. 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. Did Buster Murdaugh kill Stephen Smith, and his own brother Paul Murdaugh? Did a powerful South Carolina attorney really murder his wife and son? Alex's voice could be heard in the background of a video with that of Paul and Maggie. 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. During the investigation into their deaths, new information came to light. No one is sure why the brothers were there. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. I have faith in that, Im optimistic in that. Among the timeline was newly-obtained car data which placed Mr Murdaughs car at the spot where his wifes phone was later found dumped before he quickly sped away from the scene. He died of blunt force trauma to the head, but there were no signs to. Officials still don't know who or what killed 19-year-old Stephen Smith six years ago but his death has been widely associated with the Murdaugh family. 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. Her death, which occurred in 2018, was attributed initially to a trip-and-fall incident while working at the Murdaughs' home. He had a cell phone, he could have called somebody for help, Bland said. "There has to be something to it, whether indirectly or directly there has to be some kind of tie to that.". Shreejit is a freelance features writer at Collider. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. I just want to say I forgive you. Stephen Smith's family reacts to Murdaugh indictment in killings of wife, son. As the night progressed, Paul and his friends decided to head to an oyster roast on nearby Paukie Island via a Murdaugh family boat. Buster the eldest and now only surviving son of Maggie and Mr Murdaugh has stood by his father throughout the growing number of allegations against him. His twin. Former lawyer Alex Murdaugh, Buster's father, is facing charges with the murders of his wife, Maggie, and his . However, not a penny showed up at the doors of Gloria's family. 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. Sandy Smith, Stephen's mother, released a statement Thursday after a Colleton County Grand Jury indicted Alex Murdaugh on two counts of murder and two gun charges in connection with the shooting deaths of his wife and son. No tire marks or no debris from a vehicle found on scene after several . Perhaps by the end of it, Netflix will feel compelled to order Murdaugh Murders season 2. Murdaugh had hoped his surviving son, Buster, could collect a $ . The Murdaugh family is a prominent dynasty of lawyers from the Low Country in South Carolina, with Low Country referring to the distinct cultural and geographical region on the southeast coast of the state. In all honesty, the events that unfold tend to prove the point. Copyright 2023 Distractify. He hid a mystery blue item upstairs in the home and then left again, she said. . Mr Murdaugh, 54, is facing life in prison for the murders of his wife and son. 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. 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. In early June, a son and mother, both members of a. 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. All three episodes of Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal are available to stream on Netflix now. The defense called Buster Murdaugh on February 21 to shed light on his father's loving treatment of his family. Smith was found dead just before 4:00 a.m. on July 8, 2015 in the middle of Sandy Run Road in Hampton County, South Carolina. Recently, Smith's family friend, Susanne Andrews, revealed "progress" has been made since Paul and Maggie's 2021 murders. 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. His son, wife, and housekeeper were all dead. The body of Stephen Smith, a friend and classmate of Buster Murdaugh, was found on a road in Hampton County, South Carolina. Occurring roughly one year before the death of Mallory Beach, Gloria Satterfields case presents the perfect example of how the powerful Murdaugh family often received the benefit of the doubt, whether warranted or not. Daily. Sandy Smith said her ex-husband died of a broken heart. 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. She said since the case has been reopened, there have been offers of a book deal and a Netflix movie but all shes interested in is justice. For now at least. The first one was that of Stephen Smith, . Despite grieving the loss of her son, Sandy had a kind message for his son's killer or killers. Around 1:15 a.m. the group re-boarded the boat with Paul still driving over the objections of his friends. 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. 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. Curtis "Eddie" Smith, who allegedly received about $2m from Murdaugh in the apparent fake-suicide scheme, was charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for his . 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. And the streamers patience may have already paid off. On June 7, 2021, Buster Murdaugh's life changed forever. Accident investigators agreed. Several people came forward with rumors of a "fling" between Smith and Buster Murdaugh. 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. He had a large gash on his head, a police report read, and a wound over his eyebrow. 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. No member of the Murdaugh family. 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. Did Buster Murdaugh kill Stephen Smith, . Alex Murdaugh was again charged with various crimes for leading the conspiracy. There was been much speculation around whether Mr Murdaugh said they or I in the audio, which is difficult to distinguish. In what marks the first time the 26-year-old has ever spoken out publicly about the murders, he recounted the moment that he learned that his mother and brother were dead. 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. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 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. Shreejit has written for various film and TV websites including Film Companion. 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. "SLED has . Celebrity news. July 8, 2015: Stephen Smith, 19, is found dead on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County. Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal is a new Netflix three-part documentary series on the titular Murdaugh Murders. Former lawyer Alex Murdaugh is on trial for the double murder of his wife, Margret "Maggie" Murdaugh, and son Paul Murdaugh, who died on June 7, 2021. Naturally, many people began to wonder if Paul and Maggies murder was connected to the boating case. RadarOnline.com has learned that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has "made progress" in the "active and ongoing" case of Smith, who died in 2015. The Murdaughs also ran a big law firm in the area. They returned hours later and all showered at the Moselle home, he said casting doubts on testimony from the Murdaugh housekeeper Blanca Simpson that she noticed unusual things in the home on 8 June including a light puddle of water, a towel, a pair of khaki pants and a t-shirt on the ground. Smith was a high school classmate of Murdaugh's son Buster . 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. Police believe Smith ran out of gas while on his way home from college, though his family questions this. After that, Buster Murdaugh's name kept coming up. 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. While he said he wasnt often present for the confrontations, he said he believed his fathers response was usually apologetic. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. People said that Smith and Murdaugh were dating, which made the circumstances of his death even more controversial. Perhaps thats why Murdaugh apparently attempted suicide in a roundabout way. Justin Bieber has canceled the remaining dates of his Justice world tour after postponing many shows last year for health reasons. 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. 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. In 2019, that all finally started to change thanks to the actions of one dipshit Murdaugh: Alex. I spoke to my mom every day multiple times everr day and my dad and my brother too, he said. TV Editor at Den of Geek and Television Critics Association member. Buster Murdaugh's Girlfriend Could Be the Key to Understanding the Murdaugh Family, Buster Murdaugh Defends His Father Amid High-Profile Double Murder Trial, What Is Buster Murdaugh's Occupation? While Mallory's friends Miley, Morgan, Anthony, Connor, and Paul all survived, Mallory never made it out of the water. Investigators with the S.C. Highway Patrol ( SCHP) received. The guns a shotgun and a rifle have never been found. The Murdaugh family has many skeletons in their closet, some of which have emerged during Alex Murdaugh's murder trial. Alex Murdaugh, the patriarch of a powerful and wealthy South Carolina legal family whose wife and son were mysteriously murdered in June, has now been shot. Three members of the family had served as district attorneys since 1920. Buster said that his father had called him at 9.10pm on 7 June 2021 just 20 minutes after he allegedly shot and killed Maggie and Paul at the dog kennels of the familys estate in Islandton. Worst of all, with at least one of those deceased clients, its suspected that Murdaugh may have assisted with their death. 3-6. The case was ruled a hit and run and no arrests were ever made. Home > News & Politics > News. On a remote country road sometime around 3:00 a.m. Stephen was killed. 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. Police determined it was a hit and run. Really? Death of Gloria Satterfield, Feb. 26, 2018. Smith's injuries suggested a more nefarious cause of death. By October of that year, SLED had indicated that none other than Alex Murdaugh was a person of interest in the case. June 22: Authorities reopen probe into 2015 death of Stephen Smith. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. In following with family tradition, Buster. While Mallory's boyfriend Anthony stayed back at the scene of the incident to wait for his girlfriend to be found, the others in the group witnessed Alex's manipulation at work as he tried to pin the blame on Paul's friend, Connor. His family claims local law enforcement did little to investigate. Because of this, his other son Buster Murdaugh is also facing intense scrutiny. 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