Investigators 'Making Progress' On Reopened Case Into Death Of 19-Year-Old Stephen Smith, Alex Murdaugh's Son Buster Accused Of Having Link To Victim

South Carolina investigators say they are picking up steam in the reopened investigation into the death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith — who reportedly was close with Alex Murdaugh's oldest son, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Alex is currently defending himself in court against charges that he murdered his wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul.

RadarOnline.com has learned that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has "made progress" in the "active and ongoing" case of Smith, who died in 2015.

While no suspects have been named in the seven years since Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of the road in Hampton County, South Carolina, the Murdaugh family name was featured over 40 times in the investigative documents, according to local reports.

SLED agents reopened the investigation into Smith following the brutal double homicide of Maggie and Paul at the family's private hunting ranch, Moselle, in June 2021.

Buster Murdaugh, 26, was a high school classmate of Smith, who was described as a loving jokester by friends and family.

Smith was found laying in the middle of the road by a bystander around 4:20 AM on July 8, 2015. His family claims local law enforcement did little to investigate.

Initially, Smith's death was ruled a hit-and-run by the coroner; however, the Smith family and Highway Patrol Investigators rejected the claim and noted that "no vehicle debris, skid marks, or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle" were found in the initial investigation.

His mother hired a private investigator to look into the matter. He determined the placement of the body in the road and the injuries Smith suffered did not appear to be a hit-and-run. The family believes he was murdered.

In the new Netflix documentary about the Murdaugh murders, locals who knew the family and Smith said there was speculation that Buster and Smith had a secret relationship.

Recently, Smith's family friend, Susanne Andrews, revealed "progress" has been made since Paul and Maggie's 2021 murders.

"Where there’s smoke, there’s fire," Andrews said on Buster and the Murdaugh family name being mentioned more than 40 times in the investigation. "There has to be something to it, whether indirectly or directly there has to be some kind of tie to that."

Smith's injuries suggested a more nefarious cause of death.

The teenager was found with blunt force trauma to his head, which appeared to first responders as a possible gunshot wound. Additionally, the teenager had injuries to his left hand and arm.

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