1 year ago
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The body of a South Carolina teen killed back in 2015 was exhumed over the weekend so investigators could conduct a second autopsy.An attorney for the family of Stephen Smith announced the exhumation and autopsy on Sunday. "My partner, Ronnie Richter, and I, as attorneys for Sandy Smith, and on behalf of Steven Smith, would like to thank everyone who contributed in the exhumation, transporting Stephen, protecting and guarding Stephen while he was being re-examined, and the second autopsy being done, transporting him back and then putting him back to his final resting place this past weekend," Attorney Eric Bland said.Smith was found dead on a rural Hampton County, South Carolina road back in 2015. Investigators initially blamed the 19-year-old's death on a hit-and-run, but Smith's mother, Sandy, never believed that.Investigators announced they were reopening the investigation into Smith's death not long after Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said it was due to information collected from the Murdaugh case.At this point, authorities have not announced a connection between Smith's death and the Murdaugh family.Buster Murdaugh recently released a statement insisting he had nothing to do with Smith's death. He said in part, "These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family."Bland on Sunday said a tremendous amount of planning went into the exhumation."The biggest thanks goes to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel because without him this could not have gone on without a hitch," he said. "Chief Keel gave me his word and followed through on it."Smith's mom launched a GoFundMe page so she could exhume his body and conduct an independent autopsy. Donations poured in."Our family is so very grateful to all of you who came together to help us in our fight for justice for Stephen. I could not have imagined when we began this fundraiser that it would take off the way that it did," she wrote.The Bland Richter Law Firm announced on Monday that a $35,000 reward is being offered for information or a tip that leads to the arrest of the person or people responsible for the death of Stephen Smith."We hope that this reward will encourage anyone with information to come forward and provide the critical details needed to solve this case," Richter said. "The paramount issue here is to find answers for the Smith family. We won't stop until we do."
The body of a South Carolina teen killed back in 2015 was exhumed over the weekend so investigators could conduct a second autopsy.
An attorney for the family of Stephen Smith announced the exhumation and autopsy on Sunday.
"My partner, Ronnie Richter, and I, as attorneys for Sandy Smith, and on behalf of Steven Smith, would like to thank everyone who contributed in the exhumation, transporting Stephen, protecting and guarding Stephen while he was being re-examined, and the second autopsy being done, transporting him back and then putting him back to his final resting place this past weekend," Attorney Eric Bland said.
Smith was found dead on a rural Hampton County, South Carolina road back in 2015. Investigators initially blamed the 19-year-old's death on a hit-and-run, but Smith's mother, Sandy, never believed that.
Investigators announced they were reopening the investigation into Smith's death not long after Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said it was due to information collected from the Murdaugh case.
At this point, authorities have not announced a connection between Smith's death and the Murdaugh family.
Buster Murdaugh recently released a statement insisting he had nothing to do with Smith's death. He said in part, "These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family."
Bland on Sunday said a tremendous amount of planning went into the exhumation.
"The biggest thanks goes to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel because without him this could not have gone on without a hitch," he said. "Chief Keel gave me his word and followed through on it."
Smith's mom launched a GoFundMe page so she could exhume his body and conduct an independent autopsy. Donations poured in.
"Our family is so very grateful to all of you who came together to help us in our fight for justice for Stephen. I could not have imagined when we began this fundraiser that it would take off the way that it did," she wrote.
The Bland Richter Law Firm announced on Monday that a $35,000 reward is being offered for information or a tip that leads to the arrest of the person or people responsible for the death of Stephen Smith.
"We hope that this reward will encourage anyone with information to come forward and provide the critical details needed to solve this case," Richter said. "The paramount issue here is to find answers for the Smith family. We won't stop until we do."
English (US)