Stephen Smith's second autopsy yields new 'evidence', forensic expert says

Eight years after his death, Stephen Smith's second autopsy has reportedly yielded new evidence into his mysterious passing.

The death of the 19-year-old classmate of Buster Murdaugh was initially ruled as a hit-and-run after he was found dead in the middle of a remote country road in South Carolina not too far from the Murdaugh estate. His car was discovered less than three miles away.

Smith - who was openly gay - was found to have suffered severe blunt-force trauma to his head, and given this authorities ended up ruling his death as highway vehicular manslaughter. Experienced investigators, however, have since stated that they believed the injuries and the positioning of Smith's body were inconsistent with a car accident.

There was subsequently gossip throughout the local community that "a Murdaugh boy" may have been involved, and there has been growing speculation in the wake of Alex Murdaugh's recent trial and a damning Netflix documentary that the family may have been involved, but these have so far all been dismissed by authorities as nothing more than rumors.

There has been growing speculation that one of Alex Murdaugh's sons was involved in Smith's death. Credit: Zuma Press / Alamy

Last month, it was reported that Smith's passing eight years ago was being treated as a homicide, according to a statement from Bland Richter Lawyers - the firm representing his family.

"After an extraordinary disclosure phone call with South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Chief Mark Keel [...] the death of Stephen Smith is now considered a HOMICIDE, a shocking announcement after eight years of being proclaimed a highway vehicular manslaughter," the statement read.

The firm's co-founder Eric Bland said: "We have a chance to right eight years of wrongs, and we intend to do just that." He then revealed more details about the investigation, adding: "SLED officials have revealed that they did not need to exhume Stephen Smith's body to convince them that his death was a homicide. However, they will be present and participate in any exhumation of Stephen's body to gather more evidence."

"We are committed to finding out what really happened, and getting the peace and justice the Smith family deserves," he concluded.

Forensic expert Dr. Kenneth Kinsey, who was hired as a private investigator by Smith's mother Sandy's legal team, gave an autopsy update earlier this week. "I do know it was a success, they say they did collect evidence, it was very good documentation, and everybody was upbeat about the information that was collected. And that's not always the situation when you exhume someone after so many years."

He then went on to say the final autopsy report had not yet been completed, but that he was "very very excited about the report coming and the pathologists were very upbeat."

The Murdaughs have been under the spotlight in recent months after former lawyer Alex, 54, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, in 2021 - who were shot at close range at their 1,700-acre Moselle hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina. Alex has one surviving son, 26-year-old Buster.

Rumors have long been swirling as to whether Buster could be the "Murdaugh boy" thought to potentially be involved in Smith's death.

Featured image credit: Darryl Brooks / Alamy