Stephen Smith updated – Crime scene photos released as related “evidence” in the Murdaugh murder case
SETTLING stills of Stephen Smith’s death in 2015 have been released, showing his body lying on the ground covered in blood.
The investigation into the teenager’s death has been reopened and is now being treated as a homicide.
Smith, who police initially believed was a hit-and-run victim, was found in the middle of the road.
There were no signs of a roadside collision such as broken glass or tire marks.
Alex Murdaugh, a former South Carolina attorney, was convicted earlier this month of the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul, who were found dead in 2021.
Eric Bland, an attorney for Smith’s family, told Law&Crime that unnamed “evidence” related to Smith’s death was discovered during the Murdaugh inquest, Newsweek reported.
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Autopsy would ‘bring the family, the mother, to peace’
Unlike the previous autopsy, Coffinaffer said she didn’t expect the second autopsy to “read much.”
“But I think it’s reassuring for the family, the mother, to know that nothing is different, to know that there is no evidence he was shot, to know that this autopsy will show the same thing as it was a blunt force trauma,” Coffinaffer said, per Newsweek.
“From a law enforcement perspective, I don’t think there’s going to be anything new found that’s going to be different … You won’t see anything different, I don’t think.”
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Autopsy results will be “extremely limited”.
“It’s going to be extremely limited,” former FBI agent Jennifer Coffinaffer told Newsweek of the request for another autopsy.
“SLED will mainly use the autopsy already performed, not necessarily the results, but all the information obtained from the first autopsy.”
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Stephen Smith’s family starts GoFundMe
In light of recent developments in the case, Smith’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for a second autopsy on the 19-year-old.
“We believe it is critical to seek a new goal – an independent exhumation, autopsy and investigation – and we launch #JusticeForStephen with that immediate goal in mind. While the state can choose and fund an exhumation and a new autopsy, our understanding is that it would be performed at MUSC, where his death was initially ruled a hit-and-run, despite there being no evidence to support it,” the GoFundMe page said.
“We need a new, unbiased look at his body and an accurate determination of his cause of death based on facts.
The page shows donations in excess of $116,000, much more than the $15,000 goal.
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“Evidence” found in case
Alex Murdaugh, a former South Carolina attorney, was convicted earlier this month of the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul, who were found dead in 2021.
Eric Bland, an attorney for Smith’s family, told Law&Crime that unnamed “evidence” related to Smith’s death was discovered during the Murdaugh inquest, Newsweek reported.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/7764754/stephen-smith-updates-photos-crime-scene-murdaugh/ Stephen Smith updated – Crime scene photos released as related “evidence” in the Murdaugh murder case
