Buster Murdaugh Shops for Party Supplies After Stephen Smith's Family Reveals 'Substantial Progress' in Homicide Investigation

Buster Murdaugh was spotted shopping for party supplies with his girlfriend after the family of Stephen Smith announced "substantial progress" was made in the reopened homicide investigation, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Smith, who was openly gay, was rumored to be connected to Buster, the only surviving son of disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh. In the summer of 2015, Smith was found dead in the middle of a country road, and his death was quickly ruled a hit-and-run.

After the once-prominent Murdaugh family — and their scandals — made headlines when Alex was arrested for the murders of his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul, Smith's case received and was ultimately reopened.

Despite losing his family, Buster was said to be in good spirits when he was seen at Sam's Club in Hilton Head, South Carolina, on Friday. Buster was accompanied by his attorney girlfriend, Brooklynn White, who was often seen at his father's trial.

According to the Daily Mail, eyewitnesses said the couple appeared to be shopping for a party — and allegedly looked pleased with the attention they were given.

Noisy onlookers managed to snap a few pictures of Buster and Brooklynn with an overflowing shopping cart in the checkout line. While witnesses assumed the grocery trip was for a party, there's a possibility that Buster was stocking up on goods in preparation for maintaining a low profile.

Shortly before the couple was spotted at Sam's Club, the attorney for the Smith family shared an investigation update.

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Attorney Eric Bland appeared on NewsNation and revealed there was "substantial progress" in the reopened investigation. Without elaborating further, Bland teased that he believed the investigation would wrap soon — and hinted at a grand jury being empaneled.

"I really do feel like by Labor Day, we should see some sign of movement and know some things publicly," the attorney stated.

Initially, Smith's cause of death was ruled a hit-and-run despite a lack of evidence at the crime scene and the objection from first responders.

While the teen's body was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road, Smith's injuries did not appear consistent with a hit-and-run.

At first, Sandy Smith, Stephen's mother, was apprehensive to believe rumors that her son and Buster could be connected to his death.

Sandy's tone changed a year after her son was killed. The grieving mother wrote a letter to the FBI in 2016, alleging Buster struck her son with a baseball bat and dumped his body in the road, a short distance from their family's ranch.

Buster vehemently denied the "baseless" allegations and "vicious rumors" that he was connected to his former classmate's death.