Walking With Stephen This Saturday @ 8am: Demanding Answers for Stephen Smith
Happy Sunday Premium Members!
In place of our regular Cup of Justice episode this week, we’re publishing a very special Soundbites episode that reviews key details and major developments in Stephen Smith’s homicide investigation. We hope you’ll listen and appreciate the gravity of everything that’s been accomplished while joining us in demanding action from the SC AG’s office and SLED to get answers for Stephen’s mom Sandy.
Please also consider joining David, EB, and me in Hampton, SC for Walking With Stephen this Saturday at 8am… Through this event, we aim to find answers in his death, give a voice to all victims of violence and support Stephen’s Scholarship fund. Stephen is one name of many whose story is left unclear because the system is unable to find the answers or unwilling to share them.
The memorial will begin at Gooding Cemetery and then we’ll walk roughly a mile to Stephen’s crime scene where he was found dead July 8th, 2015. We’ll return to the Cemetery for refreshments, a Celebration of Life and call to action so the Voices of these Victims can be heard and our mission visible to media and those with information as to how Stephen died.
Stephen Smith, was a bright 19-year-old nursing student with aspirations of becoming a doctor. He was found dead on Sandy Run Road on July 8, 2015… this Tuesday marks ten years since his passing.
Despite a seven-inch gash on his forehead and blunt force trauma to his head, initial investigators were stumped, and while the coroner believed it was a shooting homicide, a pathologist controversially ruled it a hit-and-run. This ruling contributed to the investigation being chaotic and derailed by jurisdictional perplexity.
From the outset, the Murdaugh name repeatedly appeared in the investigation, with over 40 mentions in early interviews, though Buster Murdaugh has consistently denied any involvement. Theories about Stephen running out of gas and walking were largely dismissed by his twin sister, Stephanie, who highlighted his fear of people and his past actions when stranded. Tips also implicated other local teens, Patrick Wilson and Shawn Connelly, in Stephen’s death… but neither of these leads developed into identifying suspects.
The case has been plagued by challenges, including the release of Stephen’s unredacted case file and graphic crime scene photos. Following Alex Murdaugh’s murder of his wife Maggie and son Paul, SLED finally took over Stephen’s investigation in June 2021. In a major breakthrough for his mother, Sandy, Stephen’s death was officially declared a homicide by SLED in March 2023.
Sandy Smith, who has relentlessly fought for answers for nearly a decade, has endured immense public abuse and betrayal throughout this journey. Her former attorney, Andy Savage (who represented Michael Colucci in his 2018 murder trial), notably advised her to remain silent despite widespread media interest, and then made public statements without her consent, seemingly absolving the Murdaughs. Sandy later retained new attorneys, COJ Co-host Eric Bland and his partner Ronnie Richter. With their support, Stephen’s body was exhumed in April 2023 for a second autopsy, a moment of overwhelming relief and joy for Sandy.
Despite these developments, Sandy and her legal team currently face radio silence from SLED and the Attorney General’s office, and troubling leaks about grand jury proceedings have emerged in the media. Stephen’s case has also brought out “the ugly side of people,” with continuous misinformation and harassment directed at Sandy and her family.
All of that brings us to this week… this ten year anniversary of Stephen’s death where we plan to walk in solidarity with Sandy while celebrating Stephen’s life.
The group will stay together under police escort and the walk will take less then 1 hour. And we’ll enjoy some of Stephen’s favorite food as a refreshment after the walk and enjoy uplifting comments to conclude the event.
Additional details will be sent out tomorrow to all race participants who choose to join us in person or virtually. All walkers receive an embossed letter from Sandy and a commemorative challenge coin, with sleeveless tanks for the first 100 walkers in Hampton. We encourage you to walk where you are in memory of Stephen or a Voice in your life that needs to be heard.
Learn more about Stephen and Sandy from the links below or we are looking forward to sharing Stephen’s story this Saturday with all in attendance.
True Sunlight Podcast: Who Killed Stephen Smith
CBS’ 48 Hours on Stephen Smith
I am so thankful to Sarah Turney for sitting down with Liz and I for Cup of Justice #136. Learning about the genesis of how she came to suspect her father in her sister’s disappearance plus what she’s learned about criminal investigations and the power of true crime media is so important to our mission of amplifying the voices of victims and their families in their own searches for justice. Sarah’s resilience in the wake of her father’s acquittal and perseverance to continue the search for her sister is inspiring to all of us.
If you were inspired like we were, please, click the image below to join me in showcasing our collective desire for Attorney General Alan Wilson to PRIORITIZE MURDER CASES and DO HIS JOB as Chief Criminal Prosecutor…
As always, your support is immensely appreciated and keeps us motivated to expose the truth wherever it leads, give voice to victims and get the story straight.
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky, and Stay In The Sunlight…
– Mandy
Please sign into your Premium account then refresh this page to view this content.