We have some really good news to share with you today.
On Friday, the body of Stephen Smith was exhumed and taken to Florida for a second autopsy. His mother, Sandy, waited nearly eight years for this moment to come.
It was a very emotional day but also a peaceful one. Sandy could feel the love and knew her boy was in good hands.
We want to again thank all of you who donated to Sandy’s GoFundMe. You helped make this happen and I feel confident that we are now well on our way to getting answers — whatever those answers may be.
We also want to thank SLED Chief Mark Keel and every agent who took the time Friday to connect with Sandy, who kept everyone safe and protected during the exhumation and who accompanied Stephen’s body to the autopsy.
And thank you too to forensic pathologist Dr. Michelle DuPre for your empathetic and professional approach. You put everyone at ease during a difficult time.
This independent exhumation and autopsy were critical because of how the investigation into Stephen’s death was conducted and all the questions surrounding his case. The system had given Sandy no reason to trust in it. Investigators needed to start at Square One and this gets them there. These are just the first steps to finding out why Stephen Smith was found dead on a Hampton County road in 2015 but they are really good first steps.
Liz, Eric and Mandy got together online Sunday morning to talk about how the exhumation went, the strange drama surrounding it and what comes next. We also found a little time to talk about the latest with Alex Murdaugh and his life in prison.