“All I’ve ever wanted was the truth. I don’t care who did it, what their name was. I wanna know who killed my son.” – Sandy Smith on MMP episode 86

When authorities in South Carolina started playing jurisdictional hot-potato with Stephen’s case, Stephen’s mom, Sandy, got pesky all on her own. Mandy and Liz met Sandy in March 2019 when she shared her extensive case file on Stephen’s death — which included a letter she wrote to Governor Nikki Haley and an appeal to the FBI asking for help. 

Sandy is currently represented by Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter of Bland Richter. 

Sandy has never given up hope that there will be justice for Stephen and answers for her family.

“As you all know, Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter do not waste time. Just two weeks ago, they promised Sandy Smith when she hired them that they would get her number one goal accomplished, and that was exhuming Stephen’s body for an independent autopsy. And just a few days ago, they made that happen for Sandy.” – Mandy Matney on MMP episode 87

Stephen had a 7 inch gash to his head beginning above his right eyebrow and tearing across his skull. A passing tow truck driver called 911 around 4:30 that morning to report somebody lying on the yellow line on Sandy Run Road, a rural, two-lane road near Crocketville, South Carolina, in Hampton County. 

Stephen’s death was initially ruled a hit-and-run by the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP), who found Stephen with a large pool of blood under his head. During the investigation, the Murdaugh name was mentioned more than 40 times as investigators worked the case, However, at this time, there is no evidence of a Murdaugh connection to Stephen’s death. 

By December 2015, the highway patrol’s case was cold, and it remained cold until June of 2021 when the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) opened their own inquiry into Stephen’s death in the beginning stages of the investigation into the double homicide of Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh. 

In March 2023, SLED officially ruled Stephen’s death a homicide, and his body was exhumed for an independent autopsy. Since then, no new public information has been released by SLED.

Stephen’s case remains UNSOLVED.

“Hope is a powerful tool and something that the good ole boys can never take from us. And speaking of hope, we still have a whole lot of hope that the Stephen Smith case can be solved.” – Mandy Matney on TSP episode 58

It’s been nearly a decade since Stephen died but we believe this case can be solved. There is currently a $30,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.

If you or someone you know has information, please come forward.

You can email SLED at [email protected]. If you are not comfortable going to SLED yourself, reach out to us at [email protected] or [email protected] so we can work together to help Sandy get the answers she needs.