The death of Stephen Smith is being investigated as a homicide, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division told CNN on Tuesday.
According to the investigation, the victim suffered fatal head trauma after being struck by a vehicle.
Tuesday, the SLED representative stated that there was no evidence to support such a claim.
The news came after SLED announced in June 2021 that it was opening an investigation into Smith’s death based on information discovered while investigating the homicides of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh earlier in the month.
The autopsy report for Stephen Smith
Everyone, including family, acquaintances, and Internet users, is eager to learn the autopsy results and additional details of Stephen Smith’s unnatural death.
About eight years after Stephen, then 19, was found dead in the middle of a rural road in what was initially believed to be a hit-and-run, South Carolina authorities have revealed that they are investigating his death as a homicide.
In June 2021, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) began an investigation into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, a mother and son who were discovered shot to death at the renowned legal family’s South Carolina hunting property. New evidence was discovered that month, prompting the SLED to launch the investigation.
Dr. Erin Presnell, a medical examiner, determined, based on a preliminary autopsy, that Smith died after being struck by a vehicle, most likely by the side mirror.
Smith’s death was transferred from LSED, which assists local agencies with homicide investigations, to the highway patrol, which investigates vehicular fatalities, so determining the cause of death was crucial.
The Murdaugh murders, which occurred approximately 8 miles away from where Smith’s body was found, are being acted out against the backdrop of this phase of the Smith case.
Stephen Smith-specific autopsy information has not yet been disclosed, as his case has taken an unexpected turn.
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Details of the Stephen Smith case and prosecution
Stephen passed away on his way home from night classes at Orangeburg Technical College, where he was pursuing a nursing career.
In the early morning hours of July 8, 911 operators reported seeing Steven’s body near the intersection of Sandy Run Road.
Later, the student’s car was found nearby with the gas cap off, signifying that he had run out of gas.
Never did Stephen’s family concur with the medical examiner’s conclusion that he was killed by a hit-and-run driver.
The family and acquaintances of the deceased Smith suspected foul play, and state agents investigate.
Sandy Smith, Stephen’s mother, took new measures in July 2015 to learn more about her son’s death, prompting SLED to disclose this update.
Sandy Smith disclosed to a local news outlet that her deceased son was homosexual, months after his death.
Stephen Smith’s cause of death
On July 8, 2015, Smith’s body was discovered on a road in Hampton County. Both the initial incident report and the autopsy report classified Smith’s death as a hit-and-run.
Sandy, Stephen’s mother, stated that she believed some of her son’s former classmates were involved in his murder and that he would have been wary of approaching vehicles on the road at night.
He sustained a head injury, but no other symptoms were readily apparent. Initial reports, according to internet-accessible police records, suggested that Smith’s head injury may have been caused by a gunfire.
The circumstances and causes of his untimely death have not been made public, but we will update this article if new information becomes available.