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Days after Stephen Smith’s 2015 death was ruled as a homicide, fingers are pointing at Alex Murdaugh‘s son Buster Murdaugh. The 26-year-old, who is Alex’s only surviving son after the Murdaugh family murders, has been linked to the homicide case, which happened near the Murdaugh estate nearly a decade ago.
Reports show that Stephen was found dead in the middle of a country road in Hampton County in July 2015. Investigators initially ruled the case as a homicide, but changed their stance after extensive investigations, concluding it was a hit-and-run. However, following the outcome of Alex’s trial and his conviction for murdering his wife and older son, the case came to the surface again, forcing authorities to exhume Stephen’s body for further investigation, reverting to the initial suspicion of homicide.
Stephen’s Mom Names Alex Murdaugh’s Son Buster As Primary Suspect
In a letter, issued to the FBI, Stephen’s mom Sandy Smith accused Buster of murdering her son because he was gay. Per the letter, dated 2016, Buster allegedly mauled the victim to death using a baseball bat. A classmate, who had been out with the then-teenager that night smashing mailboxes allegedly, claimed to have witnessed the murder.
The said classmate told Stephen’s older brother, Christopher, about the murder, despite Buster’s threats to kill him if he did. When the mom shared the information with local investigators, they sidelined it, prompting her to write to the FBI.
Sandy believed Buster murdered her son because he was gay. According to her, before his death, Stephen was dating someone from a prominent family, who was hiding his identity. She believed Buster was the unidentified person, a theory most of their former classmates reiterated in the Netflix docuseries, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.
The Murdaugh Family Allegedly Tried To Cover Up
The letter also suggests that Alex Murdaugh’s family tried to cover up the crimes his son committed. Sandy recalled how Buster’s uncle Randolph called Stephen’s dad immediately after his death. He asked to work the case pro bono even before they identified their son’s body. He also offered to act as an intermediary between the deceased’s family and the police. They accepted the offer despite their confusion about the then-country solicitor’s interest in the case. Notably, Randolph bailed on the family after a few interactions.
With all the evidence pointing at Alex Murdaugh’s son Buster, Sandy has a conviction that he remains the primary suspect. However, the budding attorney has since denied his involvement in Stephen Smith’s murder. In his public statement, he described the claims of his involvement in the murder as baseless rumors, adding that his heart went out to the deceased’s family.