On July 14, 2022, Alex Murdaugh is indicted on two counts of murder. Buster testified that he never saw a gun loaded with both types of ammunition and didnt know anyone who would do that. His death was initially deemed a hit and run but the case remains unsolved. 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. Now Paul, just 22 years old and facing three felony counts, was dead. An August 2015 tip accused Buster and Smith of having a forbidden relationship that would have been damning for the prominent family's reputation. The family also operates the law firm Peters Murdaugh Parker Eltzroth & Detrick, now known as The Parker Law Group. 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. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, also known as SLED, told NewsNation they have made progress in the death investigation of Stephen Smith, however, the investigation is active and ongoing. 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. However, the so-called Murdaugh . The Murdaughs 57-year-old housekeeper died in a hospital three weeks after injuries suffered at their home, having never regained consciousness. RELATED: 10 Most Disturbing True Crime Documentaries (& Where To Stream Them). Smith was a high school classmate of Murdaugh's son Buster . In 2015, 19-year-old Stephen Smith was found in the middle of a rural road. Entertainment; News & Politics; Sports; Health & Lifestyle; Science & Tech; toggle. From left to right, the Murdaugh family: Buster, Maggie, Paul, and Alex Credit: Facebook Maggie Murdaugh Who is the Murdaugh family? Death of Stephen Smith, July 8, 2015. On the evening of Feb. 23, the 19-year-old Beach was among six friends who boarded a 17-foot boat at the Murdaugh familys river house on Chechessee Creek (3) for a 25-mile run to an oyster roast on Paukie Island (4). . He is also the Editor at House Of Binge. Cpl. BREAKING. Despite being increasingly intoxicated, Paul Murdaugh insisted on driving the boat. The defense called Buster Murdaugh on February 21. The nights that followed witnessed the search for Mallory. Distractify is a registered trademark. Police believe Smith ran out of gas while on his way home from college, though his family questions this. Satterfields death was accepted as an accidental trip and fall despite several suspicious circumstances. In April 2019, Paul was charged with three felonies over Beachs death including boating under the influence and was facing up to 25 years in prison. Buster refuted this testimony, saying that his father said they did him so bad after listening to the footage in court. Possible tornadoes sweep across Oklahoma; one dead, Study: Back-to-back hurricanes likely to happen more often, California recovers after storm brings blizzard, heavy rain, Michigan power crews work, California recovers after storms, Turkey launches investigation into 612 people after quake, Los Angeles area still blanketed by snow in rare heavy storm, Not true: Restaurant denies report connecting Kohberger to victims, Retracing Brian Walshes movements after wife disappeared, Missouri pastor stops gunmen during church service, Norfolk Southern offered sick pay for fewer inspections: Union, This feature may be making your iPhone charge slower. The U.S. The charges were dropped after his murder. His family claims local law enforcement did little to investigate. It is also believed that Buster was a close friend (and rumored boyfriend) of Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old who was killed under mysterious circumstances in 2019. Because of this, his other son Buster Murdaugh is also facing intense scrutiny. 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. Included in this group was Alex Murdaughs youngest son Paul Murdaugh. I have faith in that, Im optimistic in that. Thats right: Alex Murdaugh (ALLEGEDLY) murdered his estranged wife and youngest son. A blue tarp and a blue rainjacket was found in a search of the home, with the jacket covered in gunshot residue particles. I spoke to my mom every day multiple times everr day and my dad and my brother too, he said. 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. His son, wife, and housekeeper were all dead. He sounded odd and then he told me that my mom and brother were shot, he recalled. 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. In prestige terms, it all translated into unparalleled authority for the Murdaughs, who were sometimes even above the law if the interviewees of the Netflix series are to be believed. In the year and a half since, no new details have come to light but SLED reports it has "made progress" and the case remains "active and . There was no blood. Alex Murdaugh called 911 around 10 p.m. to say he had arrived at the familys Islandton home and found his wife and 22-year-old son fatally shot in the driveway. He told the court it was normal for his father to shower a lot as it gets very hot at Moselle in the summer and Mr Murdaugh was a lot bigger weighing around 250 or 260 pounds at the time of the murders. Breaking. Buster testified that Paul later told him that his gun was apparently lost, stolen, taken and after that his brother would always use his. Buster Murdaugh was allegedly involved in a relationship with Stephen Smith, an openly gay 19-year-old. I walked from where his car was, all the way to where his body was and found nothing at all," Sandy shared. 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. "Another rumor claims Buster Murdaugh and two other boys were responsible for [Smith's death]," said the outlet. But Murdaugh conspired with two fellow attorneys to have the insurance payout diverted to Murdaughs account. Paul soon began driving erratically and by 2:20 a.m. the boat crashed into Archers Creek Bridge. And the streamers patience may have already paid off. "I hope they enjoy their day because we're going to enjoy ours. Although many in Hampton County claim the existence of a deeper connection between Stephen's death and the Murdaughs, there is not much evidence to back it up. Did Buster Murdaugh kill Stephen Smith, and his own brother Paul Murdaugh? After that, Buster Murdaugh's name kept coming up. He had a large gash on his head, a police report read, and a wound over his eyebrow. On June 7, 2021, Buster Murdaugh's life changed forever. Meanwhile, the prosecution has assembled its witnesses and pieces of evidence, including bodycam footage from the night of the murders, to prove Alex's alleged crimes. The mystery surrounding the fatal shootings at the home of a prominent South Carolina family connects to the deaths of three people and a roadside shooting. Smith's body was found in . Now, police investigating the shooting deaths of. His car was found down a dark rural road in Hampton County, South Carolina with the gas cap off. His car was discovered three miles away with the gas cap off. For now at least. That tip went nowhere. I know they were all talking to each other too.. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Under brief cross-examination, the prosecutor brought up that Mr Murdaugh had suggested his son went hunting at Moselle after his mother and brother were gunned down there. Death of Mallory Beach, Feb. 24, 2019. What's more, in 2015, he lost a close friend, Stephen Smith, in a . Murdaugh had hoped his surviving son, Buster, could collect a $ . While Mallory's friends Miley, Morgan, Anthony, Connor, and Paul all survived, Mallory never made it out of the water. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. As viewers of Murdaugh Murders quickly discover, however, uncovering new crimes committed by Alex Murdaugh does not appear to be a difficult task. Several of these clients were deceased victims of vehicular accidents who Murdaugh sued on behalf of and then never delivered the winnings to their next of kin. Sandy Smith, Stephanie Smith and myself, we have said all along, we would like to have justice for Stephen, the law firm said. Due to the familys outsized political influence and power, there is a perception (and a correct one) that its members were able to easily escape any kind of trouble or scrutiny for decades. 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. We would normally make phone calls while we were riding in the car it was very normal for him to call, Buster said. The killer shot Maggie multiple times with a 300 Blackout rifle believed to be a replacement rifle that Mr Murdaugh later bought for Paul to replace the one he lost. But I do believe that the truth is going to come out. As the night progressed, Paul and his friends decided to head to an oyster roast on nearby Paukie Island via a Murdaugh family boat. In September of 2021, things werent going well for Alex Murdaugh. There was clearly a Murdaugh tie into the death of Stephen Smith, because if you read the investigatory reports from his death back in 2015, the Murdaugh name is mentioned dozens of times. Nobody knows. The family believes he was murdered. Map in Murdaugh murder case: 5 deaths and a, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Map in Murdaugh murder case: 5 deaths and a mysterious shooting. Several claim that he tried to get them all on the same page and assert that Paul wasnt driving the boat. The 26-year-old testified that his fathers demeanour was normal and no different from how he had been earlier in the day. His testimony marked the first major witness for the defence, which began its case on Friday afternoon. Home > News & Politics > News. This marks the first time the 26-year-old has ever spoken publicly about the murders of his mother and brother or about his fathers string of alleged crimes. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Advertisement. Throughout the weeks-long trial, Buster and several other family members have put on a united front, supporting Mr Murdaugh in court every day. After HBO Max's Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty and ID's The Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty, Netflix has decided to wet its paws with the twisted story of Alex Murdaugh and his family that has attracted the world's attention to Hampton County in South Carolina. A cellphone video captured by Paul minutes before the murders also appears to place Mr Murdaugh at the murder scene. 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