Stephen smith parents have announced that they will exhume his body following questions about his 2015 death, which came to light during the investigation into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.
Smith was found dead on a country road not far from the Murdaugh home, with state police initially suggesting that he had been hit by a car while walking for help following car trouble.
However, new evidence found during the double murder investigation has raised questions about the cause of his death, and his family has raised over $44,000 to fund an independent autopsy.
The decision to exhume Smith’s body comes after his mother, Sandy Smith, opened a GoFundMe page to raise money for an independent autopsy.
You may also read: Stormy Daniels’ Parents Estranged Because Of Her Career?
In South Carolina, the next of kin can request a permit to exhume a body, and the Smith family hopes that this will provide a new, unbiased look at his body and an accurate determination of his cause of death based on facts.
During the investigation into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, state police found new evidence about Smith’s death, leading them to reopen the case in June 2021.
Smith was found dead on a South Carolina road in the early morning hours, with blunt force trauma to his head. His yellow Chevy was found about three miles away, with his wallet inside and the car’s gas cap unscrewed.
However, some officers disagreed with the initial conclusion that he had been hit by a car, as there was no debris in the road and Smith was still found with his shoes on, which is a rare outcome for victims of vehicular accidents.
Seth Stoughton, a law professor at the University of South Carolina, has also raised questions about the initial conclusion, stating that it certainly raises questions about whether hit and run is the right conclusion.
Smith’s family believes that he was murdered, and an independent autopsy will provide them with an unbiased determination of his cause of death based on facts.
The family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support they have received from the community, with the fundraising page raising almost three times its original goal of $15,000.
They are grateful for the support of Standing for Stephen and the community as a whole in shining a light on Stephen’s story and the lack of justice.
An independent autopsy costs about $7,000, and private autopsy firms online advertise costs for an exhumation autopsy ranging from $3,000 to $6,500.
The decision to exhume Stephen Smith’s body comes after questions were raised about his 2015 death during the investigation into the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.
His family hopes that an independent autopsy will accurately determine his cause of death based on facts, and they are grateful for the support of Standing for Stephen and the community.
The case highlights the importance of conducting thorough investigations and seeking independent autopsies when questions arise about the cause of death.
