Grand jurors are reviewing the mysterious death of a South Carolina teenager whose case has received renewed attention after Alex Murdaugh murdered his wife and son, Law&Crime reports.
Eric Bland, an attorney for the mother of 19-year-old Stephen Smith, told the news outlet that a grand jury has been empaneled and is receiving evidence related to the teen’s death on July 8, 2015.
“I can say there’s a grand jury empaneled and I think substantial progress is being made,” Bland told Law&Crime. “I have been authorized to say that progress is being made and there’s probably five to six individuals that have material information as to what happened to Stephen.”
A coroner’s report concluded that Smith had most likely been struck in the head by a mirror of a semi-truck while he was walking along a South Carolina road. But Smith’s mother, Sandy Smith, has said she believes her son was beaten to death.
There were no broken pieces of glass or plastic on the road where the body was found, and she is suspicious of how his body was positioned.
Moreover, police disputed the findings of the autopsy and the investigation was reopened after authorities learned additional information while investigating the Murdaugh murders in 2021, according to CNN. In March, Smith’s cause of death was changed from undetermined to homicide.
A second autopsy was performed earlier this year, the results of which have not been released publicly.
Smith was openly gay and a classmate of Murdaugh’s eldest son, Buster, who has denied any involvement in Smith’s death.
“Right now, I know of no direct connection of any Murdaugh to the murder,” Bland told Law&Crime. He added that so far it appears Smith was killed on the road, but it remains unclear what led to his death.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which is overseeing the investigation, has been updating the Smith family about the progress of the case. Bland told the Greenville News that the latest update was promising.
“They have some individuals in mind who have some knowledge and responsibility, and they are issuing subpoenas and warrants,” Bland told The Hampton County Guardian, according to the Greenville News.
Bland said it’s possible the grand jury will reach a decision by Labor Day.
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[Featured image: Stephen Smith/Facebook]
