This is about a child that deserves to be memorialized and commemorated, and a mother to have support that she hadn't had.". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Michael Duncan, the former supervisor of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, told NewsNation's Ashleigh Banfield that a rape kit was conducted on Smith representing the first time in Duncan's career that a rape kit was ordered in connection with a traffic incident. Other local wins include 32 at Williams Grove (Cumberland County), where he was a champion in 1989, and won the fabled National Open in 1974, 1976 and 1981. "So they can play that card like they care about everyone else. She is working writing an official letter to SLED. The case file from the initial South Carolina Highway Patrol investigation into Smiths death released by the patrol to CNN shows the Murdaugh name was mentioned dozens of times by both witnesses and investigators, including the name of Alex Murdaughs surviving son, Buster. On Wednesday, authorities in South Carolina announced that Stephen Smith's 2015 death was believed to be a homicide as far back as 2021, according to a press release sent out Wednesday afternoon by SLED. In fact, DeMent says, Smith's doctor believed that the liver cancer was caused by hepatitis C, a contagious viral infection that can spread through exchange of blood, including through unsafe sex. The spokesperson did not say what information SLED had gathered that led the agency to open its own investigation into Stephen's death. William Smith dead at 88 as wife confirms passing of actor No suspects have ever been officially named in the teens death but the Murdaugh family name comes up several times in investigative files. His wallet was inside the car. Smith was found dead with deep gashes to his head in the middle of a dark Hampton County road on July 8, 2015. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. She has been searching for answers ever since. Mr. Smith died of cancer, a spokesman for the family said. What Happened To Stephen Smith of Hampton SC? Murdaugh - FITSNews On Thursday, Sandy Smith said she received a call from an official with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Lawyers representing his mother announced that the death is now being considered a homicide Tuesday night, citing a phone call with SLED. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CLICK HERE. His phone and keys were still in his pocket. Smith is survived by his wife, son, William E. Smith III, and daughter, Sherri Anne . Stephen Smith's body exhumed and examined almost 2 years after - CNN Investigators also told people they interviewed that they were not making progress, but were still looking into the case as a murder. No cause of death was immediately made public. This is where he spent time fishing, camping, and sinking birdie putts on the golf course. So no, I have no answers for you as to why they would have ordered a rape kit for what would be suspected as a hit-and-run, which it wasn't, but I will never understand that.". (Findagrave.com/Courtesy of FitsNews). He located into the Hanover area, eventually settling in New Oxford, Adams County. How Did Steve "Cast Iron" Smith Die? Punk Band Red Alert Vocalist Cause Market data provided by Factset. He doesn't deserve people to think that.". The speculation intensified in the wake of Alex's conviction for the double murder, in part fueled by a Netflix documentary that implied Smith, who was openly gay, had an affair with Alex's eldest son, Buster. His 150th career Lincoln sprintwin came on May 4 against the All Stars, and his final win came on Aug.3 at Hagerstown against the World of Outlaws. Smith's body was discovered lying on a Hampton County road on July 8, 2015 and his death was deemed a hit-and-run in an initial incident report and by a medical examiner's report. But, while his body was in the road lying on the center line of the roadway, diagrams of the scene show the officer saw no evidence of a vehicle accident. She added that Presnell's autopsy of Smith was "very professional" and "well done," and that the performance of a rape kit on the deceased was standard procedure given the circumstances in which his body was found. Canadian downhill rider Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing) has been in great form this year and hopes that his form will good enough for him to claim his first UCI World Championship. Funds will be earmarked for a Tiann Smith initiative, assisting talented young athletes. To be fair, police appeared to be pursuing other persons of interest as well and never named anyone as a suspect. She also said she believed that the Murdaughs' influence extended to all realms of the investigation and was initially tainted when it was ruled a hit-and-run incident (see below for part of Sandy Smith's letter). CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. STEPHEN SMITH PROBE: BOMBSHELL REPORT NAMES PERSONS OF INTEREST IN HIS KILLING, Stephen Smith's body was exhumed over the weekend and a second autopsy was performed as part of the investigation into his homicide. "As I was leaving she stated that the report was preliminary and it was my job to figure out what struck him, not hers," Proctor wrote. The Murdaughs know that. But why he was on investigators radar is unclear. Steve Smith passed away at the age of 57 Credit: Getty She currently lives on Hilton Head Island where she enjoys beach life. Smith won the very first Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek title in 1991. The sprints, late models and 305 sprints race at Port Royal Saturday, while the Patriot Tour 360 sprints compete in the Joe Whitcomb Memorial Race at Selinsgrove. . The SCHP did not return PEOPLE's call for comment. In the aftermath of her son's death, Sandy said she's learned that there are two different justice systems in the Palmetto State one for people like the Murdaughs and another for everyone else. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said last month it was investigating Smiths death as a homicide based on information gleaned in 2021 during its investigation into the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. This has gone on far too long," he said in a statement on Monday. Officially, Smith's death was classified as a hit and run. He was an openly gay young man in the small town of Hampton, South Carolina, which wasn't easy, but he made the best of it, his friends told FITSNews. Smith is revered by fellow competitors and loved by friends, family and fans, who had been following his explosive start to the 2016 season. Earlier this week, the agency opened up a tip line exclusively for the high-profile case. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division re-opened the case in June 2021, shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh based on information discovered during that initial investigation. If anyone helped cover up what happened, they should be held accountable.". Ten days with a corpse: The strange death of Steve Cochran Duncan was told that Smith's death appeared to be a homicide and that "SLED was taking it over." Gloria Satterfield, who worked for the Murdaugh family for more than 20 years, died at the Murdaugh home in February 2018. No member of the Murdaugh family has ever been officially implicated in Smiths death. STEPHEN SMITH PROBE: HEAR THE 911 CALL REPORTING DEAD BODY JUST MILES FROM MURDAUGHS' SOUTH CAROLINA ESTATE. Canadian Downhill Legend Steve Smith Dies at 26 . "From SCHP case notes it was apparent that the SCHP did not believe Mr. Smith's death was a hit and run by a motor vehicle," the release says. That did not happen to my friend. His body was located on a dark road three miles away from his vehicle. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Of course, the fact SLED is interviewing Sandy Smith means it is taking seriously the suggestion that the Murdaugh family may have had something to do with the death of her son. "A fresh set of eyes and a new autopsy may yield a different conclusion that Stephen was not killed on Sandy Run Road in Bamberg County, that maybe he was killed somewhere else," her attorney, Eric Bland, told reporters this week. Documents also show investigators fielding tips about the Murdaugh family in the days and months following his death. He was a notable influence on all young and aspiring Canadian gravity racers and others around the world. Sandy has said she knewthe firstmoments of Stephens life and every movement he made, but she has no idea about the last moments of his life, she added. Who Killed Stephen Smith? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. "Since the conclusion of the Murdaugh trial, more resources have been devoted and will be devoted to Stephen Smith's case," the law firm added. Smiths body was exhumed, transported, and a second autopsy was conducted before transporting him back and then putting him back to his final resting place this past weekend, attorney Eric Bland said in a tweet Sunday night. Keep in mind, this isyearsbefore Paul Murdaugh was charged with three felonies in the boat crash that killed Mallory Beach. In 2019, a boat operated by Paul Murdaugh crashed against a bridge pylon, killing 19-year-old Mallory Beach and seriously injuring two other passengers. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The investigation and lack of answers have weighed on the family in the years since. Smith is remembered as shy but a jokester and always willing to lend a helping hand. Nearly 8 years later, his case is being investigated as a homicide, The responding officer noted there was no vehicle debris, skid marks, or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle.. His mother has long asked for the unsolved case to be re-examined. He fought in the Grass Fight and the Battle of San Jacinto. Lawyers representing his mother announced that the death is now being considered a homicide Tuesday night, citing a phone call with SLED. Hours later, a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Dr. Erin Presnell ruled that Stephen was killed in a hit-and-run accident, a decision which was met with confusion and skepticism by investigators and those who knew Stephen. HAMPTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Its been more than seven years since a driver passing by on Sandy Run Road discovered 19-year-old from Hampton County lying dead in the road. Murdaugh has appealed his convictions. 'I felt my son was murdered.' He said another investigator "had already had, from (his) understanding a heated conversation with her about this issue.". RELATED | Murdaugh Murders: The Latest On The Boat Crash Lawsuit And Obstruction Of Justice Investigation. Steve Smith Death Fact Check. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.". New evidence in the case was found during the Alex Murdaugh probe. The report. I am who I am, and God did not make a mistake, family friend Susanne Andrews said. There are at least five possible scenarios that would explain Smith's killing including a hit-and-run, he told Law&Crime. "SLED is publicly supporting us, Sandy Smith, and her efforts to find out what really happened to her son," Ronnie Richter, with the Bland Richter Law Firm, said in a statement. Stephen's death is one of several mysterious or accidental deaths that have swirled around the Murdaugh family in recent years. South Carolina authorities have confirmed they are investigating the death of Stephen Smith as a homicide, nearly eight years after the 19-year-old was found dead in the middle of a rural road from what was ruled to be a hit-and-run. In the recorded interviews with people who knew Smith, some people told investigators they heard a rumor that a group of people spotted Smith along the road and then did something that led to his death. Smith's Devinci team has spoken about Stevie in a moving message: World Cup sensation Steve Smith passed away this afternoon after suffering a massive brain injury resulting from an enduro motorcycle accident in his hometown of Nanaimo, British Columbia. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Sandy Smith said she was grateful that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), handing the Murdaugh investigation, and the Attorney General's Office have provided "some closure" in the deaths. An investigator for the South Carolina Highway Patrol says that he thinks Stephen Smith's body was staged the night of his death in July 2015. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? "Here she is seven years later, still hanging in there, still going strong, still ready to do whatever it takes to find the answers," Smith family attorney Mike Hemlepp tells PEOPLE. The mother's attorneys said they are petitioning a judge to allow them to exhume the body. "Stephen's getting his final resting place honored and recognized," says Andrews. "His name is going to be right there with everyone else's name and I don't care who knows it.". Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Combine these two because they are probably the same thing. Investigators theorized that the mirror of a semi-truck hit Stephen's head. FORMER Raiders fullback Steve Smith has died at the age of 57 after battling Lou Gehrig's Disease for 20 years. The Las Vegas NFL team on Saturday released a statement on Smith's passing, calling him and his wife, Chie, an "inspiration." 2. One of those deaths? They are part of a team hired by Smith's mother, Sandy Smith, to probe the July 8, 2015, death that South Carolina authorities have called a homicide. Or sign up for one year for just 49 $79 59, Try your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1. A Warner Bros. Steve Smith (25 November 1989 - 10 May 2016), commonly known as Stevie Smith, was a Canadian professional downhill mountain biker. How he died remains a mystery to this day. There has to be something to it, whether indirectly or directly there has to be some kind of tie to that.. Last Sunday afternoon, family and friends of Stephen Smith, a South Carolina teen who died under mysterious circumstances in 2015, traveled to the Gooding Cemetery in Hampton County, S.C. "My son will be 18 in November, and I just couldn't imagine in six years that no one had come to Stephen's mom's aid for memorializing her son," Andrews says. First, she said, they were told it was a gunshot. The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Saturday that former fullback Steve Smith passed away at 57, two decades after he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. Smiths shoes were also both on and loosely tied, the report added, and investigators saw no evidence suggesting he was struck by a vehicle. And anyone who knows anything needs to come forward. According to the SCHP's report on Smith's death investigation, which was obtained by PEOPLE, on July 8, 2015, Cpl. The determination Smith died of a hit-and-run appears to be one investigators questioned at the time. Officials couldn't nail down a cause or manner of death. According to the autopsy, Greene was responsible for evidence transfer in the case. BA1 1UA. That win was the first of 266 confirmed victories in sprint cars during his careerand was the only one that came in one of the bugs that preceded the sprint cars on the local circuit. Theraces offer $5,000 to win and $500 to start. Audrey Conklin contributed to this report. Someone just left him in the middle of the road to die . Steve Smith on Twitter: "Medical errors are the third leading cause of Then, she said, a hit-and-run. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. At least two challenged the pathologist who performed the autopsy about her determination, and their notes indicate the county coroner disagreed with the finding. The private investigation is being bankrolled by a GoFundMe drive that raised more than $120,000. Another new detail has been released adding even more mystery to Stephen Smith's 2015 death . The report. 2023 Cable News Network. Smith's Devinci team has spoken about Stevie in a moving message: World Cup sensation Steve Smith passed away this afternoon after suffering a massive brain injury resulting from an enduro. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! This decision to rule his death a hit-and-run appeared to skew the investigation by SCHP's Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) who typically investigate accidents, not murders. "Before, during and since my father's trial, I have been targeted and harassed by the media and followers of this story. Authorities have not accused the Murdaugh family of being connected to the death and Buster Murdaugh has never been charged in connection with Smith's death. They dont care what name is attached. . Want to contact Mandy? Now "unknown" is the leading cause of death. Steve Smith, one of central Pennsylvania'strue racing icons, diedearly Saturday morning after an extended illness. SLED 'making progress' on Stephen Smith case; Family still in the dark Steve Smith is survived by his devoted mother, Tiann, sister, Kara, his uncle, Eric, niece and nephew, Myla and Luke, grandmother, Judi, and girlfriend, Caily Schenkeveld. Smith . Canadian suffered brain injury after enduro motorcycle accident, This article first appeared on Bike Radar. Andrews, who helped raise more than $40,000 for the headstone and for a scholarship in Stephen's name, says she's thankful for all the worldwide support Sandy has received in her fight for answers.

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