1 00:00:12,793 --> 00:00:17,068 >>> THIS HAD BEEN A HAMPTON COUNTY STORY. 2 00:00:17,103 --> 00:00:20,068 THIS HAD BEEN A HAMPTON COUNTY SCANDAL. 3 00:00:20,103 --> 00:00:22,172 >> A JURY FOUND THE DISGRACED SOUTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GUILTY 4 00:00:22,206 --> 00:00:24,310 OF MURDERING HIS WIFE AND HIS YOUNGEST SON. 5 00:00:24,344 --> 00:00:27,931 >> THIS HAS BEEN THE DOWNFALL OF A FAMILY DYNASTY. 6 00:00:27,965 --> 00:00:31,172 >> THE DAY IS NOT THE END. IT'S THE NEXT STEP IN A LONG 7 00:00:31,206 --> 00:00:37,551 ROAD OF JUSTICE FOR EVERY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED BY ALEX 8 00:00:37,586 --> 00:00:40,758 MURDAUGH. >> JUSTICE FOR STEPHEN SMITH, 9 00:00:40,793 --> 00:00:43,689 ALEX. >> STEPHEN SMITH WAS ANOTHER 10 00:00:43,724 --> 00:00:46,379 BODY IN THIS ORBIT OF THE MURDAUGH FAMILY. 11 00:00:46,413 --> 00:00:51,517 >> STEPHEN WAS A YOUNG, GAY MAN IN THE LOW COUNTRY OF SOUTH 12 00:00:51,551 --> 00:00:54,068 CAROLINA. THIS IS COURAGEOUS IN AND OF 13 00:00:54,103 --> 00:00:55,379 ITSELF. >> I CAN'T IMAGINE THE TERROR HE 14 00:00:55,413 --> 00:00:58,344 WAS IN THAT NIGHT. >> IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 15 00:00:58,379 --> 00:01:02,655 JULY 8, 2015, 19-YEAR-OLD STEPHEN SMITH WAS FOUND DEAD IN 16 00:01:02,689 --> 00:01:06,931 THE MIDDLE OF A RURAL ROAD. >> THERE WAS AN AUTOPSY THAT 17 00:01:06,965 --> 00:01:09,448 BASICALLY SAID IT WAS A HIT-AND-RUN. 18 00:01:09,482 --> 00:01:13,931 >> THERE WAS NO VEHICLE DEBRIS, NO BROKEN HEADLIGHT, PAINT 19 00:01:13,965 --> 00:01:16,586 SCRAPES, OR ANYTHING. >> YOU NEVER BELIEVED IT? 20 00:01:16,620 --> 00:01:20,310 >> NO, NOT AT ALL. BECAUSE HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN 21 00:01:20,344 --> 00:01:23,206 WALKING IN THAT ROAD, NOT VOLUNTARILY. 22 00:01:23,241 --> 00:01:26,413 >> DO YOU BELIEVE STEPHEN WAS MURDERED? 23 00:01:26,448 --> 00:01:28,172 >> I DO. >> AN INVESTIGATION OF SOME SORT 24 00:01:28,206 --> 00:01:35,413 TOOK PLACE THAT LED NOWHERE. AND THEN IT WENT COLD. 25 00:01:35,448 --> 00:01:42,033 >> I WANTED A SECOND OPINION. >> SANDY SMITH IS UNIQUE IN THIS 26 00:01:42,068 --> 00:01:44,137 WHOLE STORY. SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO KILLED HER 27 00:01:44,172 --> 00:01:45,896 SON. SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHY. 28 00:01:45,931 --> 00:01:48,965 >> PEOPLE IN TOWN REALLY BELIEVED THAT IT WAS CONNECTED 29 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,965 TO THE MURDAUGHS IN SOME WAY. THE NAME BUSTER MURDAUGH KEPT 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,206 COMING UP. >> I NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO 31 00:01:55,241 --> 00:01:57,172 WITH HIS MURDER. I NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH 32 00:01:57,206 --> 00:01:59,378 HIM ON A PHYSICAL LEVEL OF ANY REGARD. 33 00:01:59,413 --> 00:02:02,551 >> THE RUMORS ALSO SUGGEST A COVER-UP. 34 00:02:02,586 --> 00:02:06,689 >> WE ARE AWARE OF NO EVIDENCE TODAY THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT 35 00:02:06,724 --> 00:02:10,172 ANY MURDAUGH PLAYED ANY ROLE IN STEPHEN SMITH'S DEATH OR PLAYED 36 00:02:10,205 --> 00:02:15,034 ANY ROLE IN TRYING TO COVER UP THE INVESTIGATION INTO HIS 37 00:02:15,068 --> 00:02:17,448 DEATH. >> ALL I WANT IS PEACE AND 38 00:02:17,482 --> 00:02:20,931 KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON. HE'S MY WORLD, AND I'M GOING TO 39 00:02:20,965 --> 00:02:23,620 FIGHT TO THE END. >> THIS IS A WOMAN THAT HAS 40 00:02:23,655 --> 00:02:28,068 FOUGHT THIS BATTLE ALONE SINCE 2015, SCREAMING AS LOUD AS SHE 41 00:02:28,103 --> 00:02:31,724 COULD WITH NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE LISTENING. 42 00:02:31,758 --> 00:02:34,793 >> CBS NEWS CONFIRMING THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT 43 00:02:34,827 --> 00:02:39,275 DIVISION IS NOW INVESTIGATING STEPHEN SMITH'S DEATH AS A 44 00:02:39,310 --> 00:02:43,206 HOMICIDE. >> THE MURDAUGH CASE BROUGHT 45 00:02:43,241 --> 00:02:48,413 STEPHEN'S COLD CASE TO LIGHT. SOMEHOW, SOME WAY IN THE 46 00:02:48,448 --> 00:02:55,206 MURDAUGH MURDER INVESTIGATION A NEW THREAD WAS OPENED UP INTO 47 00:02:55,241 --> 00:02:56,517 STEPHEN SMITH. >> OUR FUNCTION WAS RIGHT NOW IS 48 00:02:56,551 --> 00:03:00,103 HAVE THAT BUDDY EXHUMED AND TELL US ONCE AND FOR ALL WHAT REALLY 49 00:03:00,137 --> 00:03:04,517 HAPPENED TO STEPHEN SMITH. >> THE GASH WAS PART OF HIS 50 00:03:04,551 --> 00:03:07,758 EYEBROW ACROSS HERE. THE INJURIES CAN TELL US SO MUCH 51 00:03:07,793 --> 00:03:11,034 ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. >> AND IN THIS CASE THEY DID. 52 00:03:11,068 --> 00:03:14,517 >> THEY DID. >> SET THE SCENE FOR ME ON JULY 53 00:03:14,551 --> 00:03:19,655 8, 2015, HERE. >> STEPHEN WAS -- WAS SOMEWHAT 54 00:03:19,689 --> 00:03:23,448 RIGHT HERE IN THE ROAD. >> HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT 55 00:03:23,482 --> 00:03:25,862 YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO STEPHEN SMITH THAT NIGHT? 56 00:03:25,896 --> 00:03:30,724 >> I'M AS CLOSE TO A DEGREE OF SCIENTIFIC CERTAINTY AS I'VE 57 00:03:30,758 --> 00:03:37,551 EVER FELT. 58 00:03:41,758 --> 00:03:56,448 ♪ 59 00:04:14,448 --> 00:04:20,447 ♪ >>> LIKE HIS MOTHER SANDY, 60 00:04:20,481 --> 00:04:21,896 STEPHEN SMITH WAS BORN A FIGHTER. 61 00:04:21,930 --> 00:04:25,448 >> HE WAS A PREEMIE. HE WEIGHED 2 POUNDS, 12 OUNCES. 62 00:04:25,482 --> 00:04:27,862 >> A TWIN? >> YEAH, A TWIN. 63 00:04:27,896 --> 00:04:32,034 >> BORN AT 27 WEEKS WITH HIS SISTER STEPHANIE, SANDY SAYS 64 00:04:32,068 --> 00:04:33,931 STEPHEN COULDN'T BREATHE ON HIS OWN. 65 00:04:33,965 --> 00:04:39,103 AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, SHE WAS TOLD HE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT. 66 00:04:39,137 --> 00:04:42,068 AND SHE WAS FINALLY ALLOWED TO HOLD HER BABY FOR THE FIRST 67 00:04:42,103 --> 00:04:43,310 TIME. HOW WAS THAT MOMENT? 68 00:04:43,344 --> 00:04:49,034 >> OH, MY GOSH, IT WAS AMAZING. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY 69 00:04:49,068 --> 00:04:51,827 GOOD-BYE. BUT HE STARTED BREATHING ON HIS 70 00:04:51,862 --> 00:04:54,344 OWN. >> BECAUSE HE FELT YOU? 71 00:04:54,379 --> 00:04:56,344 >> YEAH, THAT'S WHY HE WAS MY HEART. 72 00:04:56,379 --> 00:05:00,172 >> SANDY NEVER DREAMED SHE'D ONE DAY BE FIGHTING FOR ANSWERS IN 73 00:05:00,206 --> 00:05:03,000 HER SON'S DEATH. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE 74 00:05:03,034 --> 00:05:05,137 JOURNEY THAT YOU'VE BEEN ON FOR JUSTICE? 75 00:05:05,172 --> 00:05:09,068 >> IT'S BEEN A HARD JOURNEY, JUST LIVING DAY BY DAY AND 76 00:05:09,103 --> 00:05:13,000 FIGHTING DAY BY DAY. >> ON JULY 8, 2015, STEPHEN WAS 77 00:05:13,034 --> 00:05:16,862 FOUND DEAD ON A COUNTRY ROAD IN HAMPTON COUNTY, THE SAME COUNTY 78 00:05:16,896 --> 00:05:20,758 WHERE THREE GENERATIONS OF MURDAUGH MEN HAD HELD THE TOP 79 00:05:20,793 --> 00:05:23,275 PROSECUTOR JOB FOR NEARLY A CENTURY. 80 00:05:23,310 --> 00:05:29,379 THE MURDAUGHS STILL LOOMED LARGE OVER SMALL-TOWN LIFE. 81 00:05:29,413 --> 00:05:33,068 >> ALEX MURDAUGH COACHED STEPHEN'S BASEBALL TEAM AT ONE 82 00:05:33,103 --> 00:05:34,379 POINT? >> WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE. 83 00:05:34,413 --> 00:05:37,413 I THINK STEPHEN WAS LIKE 7 OR 8. >> STEPHEN AND STEPHANIE WERE 84 00:05:37,448 --> 00:05:41,724 ALSO CLASSMATES OF MURDAUGH'S OLDER SON, BUSTER, BEFORE 85 00:05:41,758 --> 00:05:44,275 STEPHEN WENT TO NURSING SCHOOL WITH DREAMS OF ONE DAY BECOMING 86 00:05:44,310 --> 00:05:48,689 A DOCTOR. >> HE WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR, BUT 87 00:05:48,724 --> 00:05:51,793 IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE SO HE JUST STARTED WITH NURSING SCHOOL. 88 00:05:51,827 --> 00:05:55,551 HE LOVED DEALING WITH MEDICINE. AND HE JUST LOVED IT. 89 00:05:55,586 --> 00:05:58,793 >> YOU MUST HAVE BEEN SO PROUD. >> OH, I WAS. 90 00:05:58,827 --> 00:06:03,724 >> BUT INSTEAD SANDY SAYS THOSE DREAMS WERE BURIED WITH HER SON. 91 00:06:03,758 --> 00:06:06,379 YOU DECIDED TO BURY HIM IN HIS SCRUBS. 92 00:06:06,413 --> 00:06:10,586 >> SCRUBS, DR. STEPHEN SMITH. HE HAD EVERYTHING HE NEEDED IN 93 00:06:10,620 --> 00:06:12,827 HIS POCKET, HIS STETHOSCOPE AND EVERYTHING HE NEEDED. 94 00:06:12,862 --> 00:06:16,482 >> STEPHEN HAD JUST COMPLETED A SEMESTER OF SCHOOL AND WAS 95 00:06:16,517 --> 00:06:21,275 TAKING SUMMER CLASSES, SHUTTLING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN HIS 96 00:06:21,310 --> 00:06:24,689 PARENTS WHO LIVED APART. HE HAD VISITED SANDY A WEEK 97 00:06:24,724 --> 00:06:27,034 BEFORE HE WAS KILLED. >> A STORM STARTED BREWING. 98 00:06:27,068 --> 00:06:31,344 I TOLD HIM HE NEEDED TO HURRY-UP AND GET BACK TO HIS DAD'S HOUSE. 99 00:06:31,379 --> 00:06:36,413 SO WHEN HE MADE IT, HE TEXTED ME AND SAID I MADE IT SAFE, MAMA, I 100 00:06:36,448 --> 00:06:39,758 LOVE YOU. >> SANDY SAYS THOSE WERE 101 00:06:39,793 --> 00:06:44,724 STEPHEN'S LAST WORDS TO HER. SHE HEARD NEWS THAT WOULD ALTER 102 00:06:44,758 --> 00:06:47,241 THE COURSE OF HER LIFE. >> JULY 8th I WAS ON MY WAY TO 103 00:06:47,275 --> 00:06:50,344 WORK AND I WAS LISTENING TO A LOCAL RADIO STATION, AND I HEARD 104 00:06:50,379 --> 00:06:53,689 THEY HAD FOUND A BODY. >> SANDY CALLED HER DAUGHTER 105 00:06:53,724 --> 00:06:57,655 STEPHANIE RIGHT AWAY. >> SHE SAID MAMA, DID STEPHEN 106 00:06:57,689 --> 00:07:02,275 STAY WITH YOU LAST NIGHT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T COME HOME LAST NIGHT. 107 00:07:02,310 --> 00:07:04,724 THEN MY STOMACH DROPPED AND I KNEW IT WAS HIM. 108 00:07:04,758 --> 00:07:11,793 >> SANDY SAYS THEY WENT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR 109 00:07:11,827 --> 00:07:15,000 CONFIRMATION IT WAS STEPHEN. THAT'S WHEN THEY RECEIVED A 110 00:07:15,034 --> 00:07:18,034 CALL. >> I WAS ON PHONE WITH JOEL THE 111 00:07:18,068 --> 00:07:21,965 WHOLE TIME WHEN WE WERE WAITING FOR THE SHERIFF TO COME OUT, AND 112 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:26,241 THAT'S WHEN JOE ASKED ME TO HOLD ON BECAUSE RANDY MURDAUGH WAS 113 00:07:26,275 --> 00:07:31,724 CALLING. >> RANDY MURDAUGH WAS ALEX 114 00:07:31,758 --> 00:07:35,172 MURDAUGH'S OLDER BROTHER AND NOW HE WAS CALLING ABOUT STEPHEN. 115 00:07:35,206 --> 00:07:38,482 >> WHEN JOEL GOT BACK ON THE PHONE, HE SAID RANDY HAD ASKED 116 00:07:38,517 --> 00:07:42,172 IF THAT WAS OUR STEPHEN AND THAT HE WANTED TO HELP PRO BONO. 117 00:07:42,206 --> 00:07:45,206 >> DID YOU THINK THAT IT WAS STRANGE RANDY OFFERED TO HELP 118 00:07:45,241 --> 00:07:49,551 PRO BONO? >> WELL, I DID. 119 00:07:49,586 --> 00:07:51,620 BUT JOEL THOUGHT IT WAS A NICE GESTURE. 120 00:07:51,655 --> 00:07:54,724 >> LATER THAT MORNING SANDY SAYS SHE WAS SURPRISED AGAIN AS SHE 121 00:07:54,758 --> 00:07:58,517 DROVE PAST THE SCENE WHERE STEPHEN'S BODY HAD REPORTEDLY 122 00:07:58,551 --> 00:08:00,724 BEEN FOUND. >> THERE WAS ALEX AND RANDY 123 00:08:00,758 --> 00:08:02,517 STANDING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. 124 00:08:02,551 --> 00:08:05,827 >> MURDAUGHS. >> MURDAUGHS. 125 00:08:05,862 --> 00:08:09,551 >> A FEW MINUTES LATER SANDY SAYS RANDY MURDAUGH CALLED 126 00:08:09,586 --> 00:08:12,137 AGAIN. >> AND ASKED IF THAT WAS ME THAT 127 00:08:12,172 --> 00:08:16,482 PASSED BY. HE SAID I WISH YOU'D HAVE STEP 128 00:08:16,517 --> 00:08:19,655 SO I COULD HAVE MET YOU. >> RANDY MURDAUGH DECLINED OUR 129 00:08:19,689 --> 00:08:23,241 REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW, BUT THROUGH HIS ATTORNEY HE PROVIDED 130 00:08:23,275 --> 00:08:25,827 A STATEMENT TO 48 HOURS IN WHICH HE SAID, QUOTE, I WAS NOT AWARE 131 00:08:25,862 --> 00:08:29,000 OF STEPHEN'S DEATH UNTIL JOEL TOLD ME. 132 00:08:29,034 --> 00:08:31,413 THEY WANTED MY INVUCHLT AND I CONTACTED LAW ENFORCEMENT ON 133 00:08:31,448 --> 00:08:34,309 THEIR BEHALF. MURDAUGH SAID HE WENT TO THE 134 00:08:34,344 --> 00:08:39,241 SCENE WITH A PRIVATE INVESTIGATE FR AFTER MEETING WITH JOEL AND 135 00:08:39,275 --> 00:08:42,102 STEPHANIE. ADDING, QUOTE, CLAIMS I VISITED 136 00:08:42,136 --> 00:08:46,724 THE SCENE OF MY BROTHER'S ALEX, ARE FALSE. 137 00:08:46,758 --> 00:08:50,896 JOEL PASSED AWAY THREE MONTHS AFTER STEPHEN, BUT STEPHANIE AND 138 00:08:50,931 --> 00:08:54,275 SANDY TELL US THEY NEVER ASKED THE MURDAUGHS FOR HELP, AND 139 00:08:54,310 --> 00:08:57,275 THERE WERE OTHER THINGS ABOUT STEPHEN'S CASE THAT DIDN'T SIT 140 00:08:57,310 --> 00:09:01,206 WELL WITH SANDY FROM THE MOMENT THE SHERIFF CONFIRMED THE BODY 141 00:09:01,241 --> 00:09:05,241 WAS STEPHEN'S. AT FIRST HE TOLD THEM STEPHEN 142 00:09:05,275 --> 00:09:08,103 HAD BEEN SHOT. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? 143 00:09:08,137 --> 00:09:10,413 >> WHO WOULD SHOOT HIM? IT MADE NO SENSE. 144 00:09:10,448 --> 00:09:13,965 I LOST IT THEN. I LEFT MY JOB AND DROVE DOWN TO 145 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,448 HAMPTON, AND WE JUST MOURNED TOGETHER. 146 00:09:17,482 --> 00:09:19,862 WE JUST COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY OR WHO. 147 00:09:19,896 --> 00:09:21,689 IT WAS JUST THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF OUR LIFE. 148 00:09:21,724 --> 00:09:26,000 >> WITHIN HOURS, STEPHEN'S CAUSE OF DEATH WAS SUDDENLY CHANGED 149 00:09:26,034 --> 00:09:29,034 TODAY A HIT-AND-RUN. >> TOWARD THE EVENING TIME WE 150 00:09:29,068 --> 00:09:31,034 WERE CONTACTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 151 00:09:31,068 --> 00:09:36,620 AND AFTER HIS AUTOPSY, THERE WAS NOT ANY TYPE OF BULLET OR BULLET 152 00:09:36,655 --> 00:09:41,344 FRAGMENT FOUND IN HIS HEAD. BECAUSE HIS BODY WAS IN THE 153 00:09:41,379 --> 00:09:45,000 ROADWAY, IT WAS BEING RULED HIT-AND-RUN. 154 00:09:45,034 --> 00:09:46,793 >> RETIRED SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL LIEUTENANT THOMAS 155 00:09:46,827 --> 00:09:48,965 MOORE WAS THE ON SCENE SUPERVISOR. 156 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,620 >> I WAS TOLD THE MEDICAL EXAMINER MADE THAT RULING, AND I 157 00:09:51,655 --> 00:09:54,620 REACHED OUT TO HER. IT BECAME A LITTLE BIT HEATED. 158 00:09:54,655 --> 00:09:58,241 GIVE ME AN ANSWER MEDICALLY THAT WOULD LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE HE WAS 159 00:09:58,275 --> 00:10:02,206 HIT BY A CAR. THERE WAS NO MEDICAL REASON. 160 00:10:02,241 --> 00:10:05,379 >> DID YOU SEE ANY SIGNS OF A HIT-AND-RUN? 161 00:10:05,413 --> 00:10:09,862 >> NO, MA'AM, NONE. ANY TYPE OF DEBRIS, ANY KIND OF 162 00:10:09,896 --> 00:10:13,103 GLASS, CAR PARTS, PLASTIC -- ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY 163 00:10:13,137 --> 00:10:16,275 BE RELATED TO A VEHICLE. >> ALSO UNUSUAL FOR A 164 00:10:16,310 --> 00:10:18,413 HIT-AND-RUN, STEPHEN'S CLOTHING WAS INTACT. 165 00:10:18,448 --> 00:10:21,448 AND HIS SHOES, WHICH WERE LOOSELY TIED, WERE STILL ON. 166 00:10:21,482 --> 00:10:25,724 >> GENERALLY CLOTHES ARE TORN OR UNRAVELED AND SHOES HAVE COME 167 00:10:25,758 --> 00:10:28,103 OFF. >> AND STEPHEN'S CAR KEYS AND 168 00:10:28,137 --> 00:10:31,068 CELLPHONE WERE IN HIS FRONT POCKET UNHARMED. 169 00:10:31,103 --> 00:10:34,275 AND MOORE SAYS STEPHEN'S BODY APPEARED STAGEDCH. 170 00:10:34,310 --> 00:10:39,517 >> HIS BODY WAS LAYING LIKE IT HAD BEEN PLACED IN A CERTAIN 171 00:10:39,551 --> 00:10:41,379 POSITION, NOT WHAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE. 172 00:10:41,413 --> 00:10:44,551 IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY HAD HIT HIM IN THE HEAD WITH SOME KIND 173 00:10:44,586 --> 00:10:47,172 OF OBJECT. >> MEANWHILE, STEPHEN'S WALLET 174 00:10:47,206 --> 00:10:50,620 WAS STILL IN HIS CAR, WHICH INVESTIGATORS FOUND 3 MILES 175 00:10:50,655 --> 00:10:53,862 AWAY, WITH THE DOORS LOCK ASKED THE GAS CAP HANGING OPEN. 176 00:10:53,896 --> 00:10:57,068 >> IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE WORKED A CAR SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE 177 00:10:57,103 --> 00:10:59,586 ROAD WITH A GAS CAP OFF IS NOT NORMAL. 178 00:10:59,620 --> 00:11:03,034 I THOUGHT IT WAS STAGED LIKE HIS BODY WAS STAGED IN THE ROADWAY. 179 00:11:03,068 --> 00:11:06,689 >> SANDY SAYS SHE WONDERED IF STEPHEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE 180 00:11:06,724 --> 00:11:10,689 VICTIM OF A HATE CRIME. DID YOU THINK THAT IT WAS 181 00:11:10,724 --> 00:11:12,827 POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF HIS SEXUALITY? 182 00:11:12,862 --> 00:11:16,275 >> I DID THINK THAT. I KNOW HE WAS TEASED A LOT 183 00:11:16,310 --> 00:11:18,000 OTSCHOOL, BUT HE STILL HELD HIS HEAD HIGH. 184 00:11:18,034 --> 00:11:22,000 >> BUT SANDY SAYS IN THE DAYS LADING UP TOOP HIS DEATH, 185 00:11:22,034 --> 00:11:23,310 STEPHEN WAS WORRIED ABOUT HIS SAFETY. 186 00:11:23,344 --> 00:11:26,586 HE CALLED HIS SISTER STEPHANIE FOR HELP THE DAY BEFORE HE WAS 187 00:11:26,620 --> 00:11:29,034 KILLED. >> STEPHANIE SAID THE BATTERY 188 00:11:29,068 --> 00:11:34,172 CABLE WAS LOOSENED ON HIS CAR, SO SHE MET HIM AND SHE TIGHTENED 189 00:11:34,206 --> 00:11:39,344 THE BATTERY CABLE. AND SHE ASKED HIM TO GET OUT OF 190 00:11:39,379 --> 00:11:42,758 THE CAR AND HELP HER, AND HE SAID NO I'M NOT GETTING OUT. 191 00:11:42,793 --> 00:11:44,620 >> LIKE HE WAS SCARED. >> RIGHT. 192 00:11:44,655 --> 00:11:48,034 >> BUT HE NEVER SAID WHY. HE SAID ONCE STEPHEN'S DEATH WAS 193 00:11:48,068 --> 00:11:51,413 RULED A HIT-AND-RUN, IT BECAME THE HIGHWAY PATROL'S JOB TO 194 00:11:51,448 --> 00:11:55,068 SOLVE THE CASE INSTEAD OF THE HAMPTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 195 00:11:55,103 --> 00:11:57,758 OR S.L.E.D., THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. 196 00:11:57,793 --> 00:12:01,241 >> I FELT LIKE THE CASE FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD WAS BEING 197 00:12:01,275 --> 00:12:04,103 PAWNED OFF ON US. NO MATTER WHAT WE SAID, WE WERE 198 00:12:04,137 --> 00:12:05,931 GOING TO BE THE ONES INVESTIGATING THAT CASE. 199 00:12:05,965 --> 00:12:11,413 AS WE WERE GETTING STARTED, CERTAIN FLAMES STARTED COMING 200 00:12:11,448 --> 00:12:11,965 UP. >> WHICH NAMES? 201 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,034 >> 202 00:12:23,068 --> 00:12:27,655 >>> SOON AFTER STEPHEN SMITH WAS KILLED, HAMPTON COUNTY GUARDIAN 203 00:12:27,689 --> 00:12:31,655 MANAGING EDITOR MICHAEL DeWITT SAYS HE BEGAN HEARING PERSISTENT 204 00:12:31,689 --> 00:12:34,034 RUMORS ALL OVER TOWN. WHAT ARE THE RUMORS? 205 00:12:34,068 --> 00:12:36,931 >> THAT AT LEAST ONE MURDAUGH CHILD WAS IN A VEHICLE WITH 206 00:12:36,965 --> 00:12:40,137 OTHER BOYS AND ALLEGEDLY SOMEBODY IN THE VEHICLE STRUCK 207 00:12:40,172 --> 00:12:44,620 THE YOUNG MAN WITH A BASEBALL BAT AND KILLED HIM. 208 00:12:44,655 --> 00:12:49,793 >> SANDY SAYS THOSE SAME RUMORS HIT HER DOORSTEP AS SOON AS 209 00:12:49,827 --> 00:12:52,137 STEPHEN'S BODY WAS TAKEN FOR AN AUTOPSY. 210 00:12:52,172 --> 00:12:57,379 >> IT MADE NO SENSE FOR ME. >> AT ANY POINT DID YOU THINK 211 00:12:57,413 --> 00:12:59,655 THAT SOMEONE IN THE MURDAUGH FAMILY WAS INVOLVED IN. 212 00:12:59,689 --> 00:13:05,275 >> WELL, THE LONGER IT WENT ON, THE MORE I WAS ASKING MYSELF 213 00:13:05,310 --> 00:13:08,103 QUESTIONS. BUT I JUST COULDN'T FIND THE 214 00:13:08,137 --> 00:13:10,034 CONNECTION. A POWERFUL FAMILY, AND THEN YOU 215 00:13:10,068 --> 00:13:16,379 GOT STEPHEN WHO IS JUST STEPHEN. >> SANDY COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK 216 00:13:16,413 --> 00:13:19,620 BACK TO HER LAST CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN, A WEEK BEFORE HE 217 00:13:19,655 --> 00:13:22,000 WAS KILLED. >> SOMEONE WAS MESSAGING HIM A 218 00:13:22,034 --> 00:13:24,689 LOT. HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING DEEP SEA 219 00:13:24,724 --> 00:13:27,413 FISHING, AND HE SAID KEY WEST. AND I SAID WHO ARE YOU GOING 220 00:13:27,448 --> 00:13:30,517 WITH. HE SAID, WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU. 221 00:13:30,551 --> 00:13:33,448 >> DID THAT MAKE YOU PAUSE? >> YEAH. 222 00:13:33,482 --> 00:13:35,896 HE SAID YOU'D BE SURPRISED. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A PROMINENT 223 00:13:35,931 --> 00:13:38,206 PERSON. AND THEN ALL I COULD SAY WAS, 224 00:13:38,241 --> 00:13:44,689 WELL, I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN. >> SANDY SAYS STEPHEN HAD BECOME 225 00:13:44,724 --> 00:13:46,379 M MORE SECRETIVE THE LAST COUPLE 226 00:13:46,413 --> 00:13:49,724 OF WEEKS, BUT IT NEVER CROSSED HER MIND HE MIGHT BE TAKING 227 00:13:49,758 --> 00:13:52,172 ABOUT A MURDAUGH. >> THE ORIGINAL RUMOR IS STEPHEN 228 00:13:52,206 --> 00:13:55,620 WAS PLANNING TO GO AWAY WITH BUSTER MURDAUGH AND HIS FAMILY, 229 00:13:55,655 --> 00:13:59,241 THAT THEY WERE TOGETHER ROMANTICALLY. 230 00:13:59,275 --> 00:14:05,000 >> LIZ FARRELL IS WRITER AND CO-HOST OF THE MURDAUGH MURDER 231 00:14:05,034 --> 00:14:06,586 PODCAST. AND 48 HOURS FOUND NO EVIDENCE 232 00:14:06,620 --> 00:14:10,965 TO SUPPORT THE RUMORS. RETIRED HIGHWAY PATROL 233 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,241 LIEUTENANT THOMAS MOORE SAID THE MERE MENTION OF THE MURDAUGHS 234 00:14:13,275 --> 00:14:16,034 MADE IT DIFFICULT TO GET HELP FROM LOCAL AGENCIES. 235 00:14:16,068 --> 00:14:18,896 >> WE TRIED TO HAND THAT CASE FILE OVER TO THE SHERIFF'S 236 00:14:18,931 --> 00:14:22,137 OFFICE, AND THEY PHYSICALLY WOULD NOT TAKE IT FROM OUR HAND. 237 00:14:22,172 --> 00:14:26,344 >> THE MURDAUGH NAME WAS STILL VERY POWERFU, VERY 238 00:14:26,379 --> 00:14:27,655 WELL-CONNECTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. 239 00:14:27,689 --> 00:14:30,620 AND THE RUMORS SUGGESTED, WELL, THE LOCAL COPS AREN'T GOING TO 240 00:14:30,655 --> 00:14:34,724 DIG INTO IT. >> INSTEAD THE CASE WAS HANDLED 241 00:14:34,758 --> 00:14:38,758 SOLELY BY THE HIGHWAY PATROL'S MULTIDISCIPLINARY ACCIDENT 242 00:14:38,793 --> 00:14:42,655 INVESTIGATION TEAM CALLED MAIT, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN COMPLEX 243 00:14:42,689 --> 00:14:45,586 VEHICLE CRASHES. >> THE MAIT TEAM WAS OUT OF 244 00:14:45,620 --> 00:14:49,517 TOWN, AND WE WANTED OUTSIDE EYES INVOLVED IN THIS. 245 00:14:49,551 --> 00:14:56,931 >> THE MURDAUGH NAME APPEARS DOZENS OF TIMES IN MAIT'S 2015 246 00:14:56,965 --> 00:14:59,137 CASE FILE, WHICH WE OBTAINED THROUGH A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 247 00:14:59,172 --> 00:15:02,241 REQUEST. IN HIS AUDIO NOTES, CORPORAL 248 00:15:02,275 --> 00:15:05,482 MICHAEL DUNCAN MAKES IT CLEAR HE DOESN'T THINK STEPHEN'S DEATH IS 249 00:15:05,517 --> 00:15:08,034 A HIT-AND-RUN. >> THERE'S NO BODY TRAUMA OTHER 250 00:15:08,068 --> 00:15:10,896 THAN TO THE HEAD AREA. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE IN MY 251 00:15:10,931 --> 00:15:15,379 OPINION STRUCK BY A VEHICLE. >> ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR, TODD 252 00:15:15,413 --> 00:15:17,931 PROCTOR, GOES FURTHER. >> TYPICALLY YOU DON'T SEE THE 253 00:15:17,965 --> 00:15:20,103 HIGHWAY PATROL WORKING A MURDER. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. 254 00:15:20,137 --> 00:15:24,172 >> HE HINTS AT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THE LOCAL SHERIFF'S 255 00:15:24,206 --> 00:15:27,137 DEPARTMENT. >> THERE'S A REASON WHY HAMPTON 256 00:15:27,172 --> 00:15:29,724 COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS NOT HANDLING THIS. 257 00:15:29,758 --> 00:15:34,034 AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. >> IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH 258 00:15:34,068 --> 00:15:37,034 PROCTOR, LOCAL TEEN TAYLOR DOBSON SHARES A DETAILED VERSION 259 00:15:37,068 --> 00:15:40,586 OF THAT STORY ABOUT SEVERAL YOUNG MEN IN A TRUCK. 260 00:15:40,620 --> 00:15:45,689 >> I HEARD THESE TWO, MAYBE THREE YOUNG MEN WERE IN A 261 00:15:45,724 --> 00:15:49,137 VEHICLE. THEY ARRIVED NOW 6:01, SAW A CAR 262 00:15:49,172 --> 00:15:52,034 ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I GUESS SAW THE BOY WALKING. 263 00:15:52,068 --> 00:15:55,551 THEY TURNED BACK AROUND, THEN STUCK SOMETHING OUT OF THE 264 00:15:55,586 --> 00:15:58,344 WINDOW. >> HE OFFERS A NAME RELUCTANTLY. 265 00:15:58,379 --> 00:16:02,689 >> HE GOES BY BUSTER MURDAUGH. >> DOBSON SAYS HE GREW UP WITH 266 00:16:02,724 --> 00:16:04,379 BUSTER. >> KIND OF OUGHT OF CHARACTER TO 267 00:16:04,413 --> 00:16:11,344 WHO I KNEW. IT WAS JUST STRICTLY HEARSAY FOR 268 00:16:11,379 --> 00:16:14,517 WHOM I KNOW. >> PROCTOR SAYS IT WAS STRICTLY 269 00:16:14,551 --> 00:16:17,586 AWARE AUTHORITIES WANTED TO SPEAK WITH BUSTER. 270 00:16:17,620 --> 00:16:20,068 >> THEY KNOW HE'S ON THEIR RADAR. 271 00:16:20,103 --> 00:16:22,655 I TALKED TODAY ONE OF THE GUYS YESTERDAY AND TOLD HIM I'M GOING 272 00:16:22,689 --> 00:16:25,620 TO TALK TO BUSTER HERE SOON. AND HE SAID, OKAY, THAT'S FINE. 273 00:16:25,655 --> 00:16:29,862 >> BUT ACCORDING TO THE CASE FILE A CALL TO BUSTER MURDAUGH 274 00:16:29,896 --> 00:16:32,517 IN OCTOBER 2015 WAS NEVER RETURNED. 275 00:16:32,551 --> 00:16:35,344 AND IN DECEMBER FOLLOWING A FRONT PAGE STORY IN THE HAMPTON 276 00:16:35,379 --> 00:16:39,137 COUNTY GUARDIAN, MAIT RECEIVED A TIP CALLED IN AT THE DIRECTION 277 00:16:39,172 --> 00:16:46,000 OF RANDY MURDAUGH, BUSTER'S UNCLE. 278 00:16:46,034 --> 00:16:47,896 A MAN NAMED DARRELL WILLIAMS CALLED A HAMPTON POLICE OFFICER 279 00:16:47,931 --> 00:16:52,413 TO REPORT THE TIP, WHICH INVOLVED TWO TEENS. 280 00:16:52,448 --> 00:16:59,275 IN A PHONE CALL THE OFFICER RELAYS TO CORPORAL DUNCAN WHAT 281 00:16:59,310 --> 00:17:02,310 DARRELL TELLS HIM. >> HE SAID PATRICK COME OVER TO 282 00:17:02,344 --> 00:17:07,205 THE HOUSE. HE SAID SHAWN CONNELLY WAS DRUNK 283 00:17:07,241 --> 00:17:10,000 AND HIT SOMETHING. HE WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY TO SEE 284 00:17:10,034 --> 00:17:15,205 WHAT IT WAS HE HAD HIT, AND HE SEEN A LOT OF POLICE OUT THERE. 285 00:17:15,241 --> 00:17:17,517 PATRICK WAS CRYING TELLING HIM, AND AFTER HE GOT FINISHED 286 00:17:17,550 --> 00:17:20,550 TELLING THE STORY, HE WALKED OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE AND THREW UP. 287 00:17:20,586 --> 00:17:25,413 >> DID HE GO INTO ANY DETAIL ABOUT HOW IT HAPPENED? 288 00:17:25,448 --> 00:17:28,550 >> SUPPOSEDLY HE HAD FIXED HIS MIRROR, ONE OF THE MIRRORS UP ON 289 00:17:28,586 --> 00:17:31,965 THE TRUCK. >> THE SIDE MIRROR STORY MATCHED 290 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,275 STEPHEN'S ORIGINAL DEATH CERTIFICATE. 291 00:17:33,310 --> 00:17:36,758 FOR REASONS THAT ARE UNCLEAR, THERE IS NO RECORD OF DUNCAN OR 292 00:17:36,793 --> 00:17:40,689 PROCTOR EVER SPEAKING TO CONNELLY OR WILSON. 293 00:17:40,724 --> 00:17:43,862 WILSON HAD NO COMMENT TO 48 HOURS. 294 00:17:43,896 --> 00:17:47,758 MESSAGES TO THE HAMPTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S'S OFFICE, WILLIAMS AND 295 00:17:47,793 --> 00:17:49,413 CONNELLY, HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED. 296 00:17:49,448 --> 00:17:53,482 SANDY SMITH SAYS SHE ASKED SHAWN CONNELLY POINT-BLANK IF HE 297 00:17:53,517 --> 00:17:55,724 KILLED STEPHEN. AND HE SAID -- 298 00:17:55,758 --> 00:17:57,310 >> HE SAID, NO, MA'AM, I DID NOT. 299 00:17:57,344 --> 00:18:01,034 I GIVE YOU MY WORD I PROMISE YOU, I NEVER KILLED YOUR SON. 300 00:18:01,068 --> 00:18:03,000 >> DO YOU BELIEVE HIM? >> YEAH. 301 00:18:03,034 --> 00:18:06,413 >> IF HE LIED TO YOU, IF THAT TURNS OUT TO BE THE CASE -- 302 00:18:06,448 --> 00:18:09,793 >> IT WON'T BE THE FIRST TIME I'M LIED TO. 303 00:18:09,827 --> 00:18:13,103 BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DID IT, YOU NEED TO PAY. 304 00:18:13,137 --> 00:18:17,862 >> IN SEPTEMBER 2016 FED UP WITH WHAT SHE CALLS THE LACK OF AN 305 00:18:17,896 --> 00:18:21,655 INVESTIGATION, SANDY BEGAN A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN THAT 306 00:18:21,689 --> 00:18:23,655 INCLUDED THE FBI. WHAT DID YOUR LETTER SAY? 307 00:18:23,689 --> 00:18:28,206 >> I WAS JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT MY SON WAS MURDERED, AND 308 00:18:28,241 --> 00:18:31,862 THERE'S NO PROGRESS BEING DONE. AND I THINK IT HAD SOMETHING TO 309 00:18:31,896 --> 00:18:36,620 DO WITH THE MURDAUGH FAMILY, AND PLEASE HELP, JUST PLEASE HELP 310 00:18:36,655 --> 00:18:39,482 ME. >> SANDY ALSO TOLD THE FBI SHE 311 00:18:39,517 --> 00:18:44,000 BELIEVED SOMEONE WAS DELIBERATELY TRYING TO DERAIL 312 00:18:44,034 --> 00:18:45,793 THE INVESTIGATION. DID YOU EVER GET A RESPONSE FROM 313 00:18:45,827 --> 00:18:47,310 THE FBI? >> I DID. 314 00:18:47,344 --> 00:18:50,448 AND I HAD TWO AGENTS COME TO MY HOUSE. 315 00:18:50,482 --> 00:18:53,931 >> SHE ASKED THEM TO UNLOCK STEPHEN'S PHONE, AND THEY DID. 316 00:18:53,965 --> 00:18:57,413 DO YOU KNOW IF ANYONE ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO READ STEPHEN'S TEXT 317 00:18:57,448 --> 00:19:01,034 MESSAGES OR SEE WHERE HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN BASED ON CELLPHONE 318 00:19:01,068 --> 00:19:02,896 EVIDENCE? >> WHAT I HEARD FROM THE FBI 319 00:19:02,931 --> 00:19:05,931 AGENT THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THE 320 00:19:05,965 --> 00:19:08,413 PHONE THAT NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT. 321 00:19:08,448 --> 00:19:11,275 >> BUT SHE SAYS THAT DIDN'T PROMPT A LOCAL OR STATE 322 00:19:11,310 --> 00:19:13,517 AUTHORITIES TO PURSUE THE CASE FURTHER. 323 00:19:13,551 --> 00:19:20,034 >> THERE'S SOMETHING IN THAT PHONE DIDN'T NOBODY WANT OUT 324 00:19:20,068 --> 00:19:22,931 THERE. >> BY LATE 2016 THE 325 00:19:22,965 --> 00:19:25,655 INVESTIGATION INTO STEPHEN SMITH'S DEATH WENT COLD. 326 00:19:25,689 --> 00:19:28,827 WHAT DO YOU THINK IT TOOK FOR STEPHEN'S CASE TO FINALLY GET 327 00:19:28,862 --> 00:19:31,793 THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES, THAT YOU WANTED? 328 00:19:31,827 --> 00:19:34,000 >> SOMEBODY ELSE HAD TO DIE. 329 00:19:40,034 --> 00:19:42,344 >>> WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU THINK WAS FOUND ON STEPHEN'S 330 00:19:42,379 --> 00:19:47,448 PHONE? 331 00:19:49,482 --> 00:19:55,103 ♪ >>> THE MURDERS OF PAUL AND 332 00:19:55,137 --> 00:20:00,172 MAGGIE MURDAUGH IN JUNE OF 2021 CAUSED A SEISMIC SHIFT IN SMALL 333 00:20:00,206 --> 00:20:04,827 TOWN HAMPTON AND GAVE SANDY SMITH A LIFELINE SHE DESPERATELY 334 00:20:04,862 --> 00:20:08,793 NEEDED. >> I TOOK THIS TO GET TO 335 00:20:08,827 --> 00:20:12,551 STEPHEN'S NAME BACK OUT THERE SO SOMEBODY WOULD START PAYING 336 00:20:12,586 --> 00:20:14,724 ATTENTION. >> IN A STRANGE TWIST OF FATE 337 00:20:14,758 --> 00:20:18,965 WHILE INVESTIGATING THE MURDERS OF PAUL AND MAGGIE MURDAUGH, 338 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,931 S.L.E.D. ANNOUNCED IT HAD STUMBLED ON A NEW LEAD IN 339 00:20:21,965 --> 00:20:23,793 STEPHEN'S DEATH AND WOULD BE TAKING OVER THE CASE. 340 00:20:23,827 --> 00:20:27,000 THEY DID NOT SAY WHAT THAT EVIDENCE WAS. 341 00:20:27,034 --> 00:20:30,482 IT SEEMS LIKE ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE MURDAUGH FAMILY AROUND HERE. 342 00:20:30,517 --> 00:20:35,586 >> YES. >> IS THAT COINCIDENCE, OR IS 343 00:20:35,620 --> 00:20:39,000 THERE A REASON FOR THAT? >> AROUND HERE IT'S NATURAL. 344 00:20:39,034 --> 00:20:42,862 >> IT WOULD BE ANOTHER TWO YEARS WHILE AUTHORITIES FOCUSED ON 345 00:20:42,896 --> 00:20:46,172 GETTING A CONVICTION AGAINST ALEX MURDAUGH, BUT SANDY NOW HAS 346 00:20:46,206 --> 00:20:49,724 A HIGH OCTANE LEGAL TEAM IN HER CORNER. 347 00:20:49,758 --> 00:20:52,655 >> AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF WAITING FOR YOUR TURN, SANDY SMITH 348 00:20:52,689 --> 00:20:55,758 FINALLY JUST HAD ENOUGH. >> RONNY AND I ARE LIKE 349 00:20:55,793 --> 00:20:57,896 ARSONISTS. WE STARTED THE FIRE. 350 00:20:57,931 --> 00:21:02,758 >> RONNIE RICHTER AND ERIC BLAND ARE REPRESENTING SANDY PRO BONO. 351 00:21:02,793 --> 00:21:05,758 >> OUR SOLE GOAL WAS TO REKINDLE THE INTEREST IN STEPHEN'S DEATH. 352 00:21:05,793 --> 00:21:08,448 >> AND THEY TURNED UP THE HEAT ON S.L.E.D. 353 00:21:08,482 --> 00:21:12,827 IN MARCH OF 2023 S.L.E.D. PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS 354 00:21:12,862 --> 00:21:15,689 TREATING STEPHEN'S CASE AS A HOMICIDE. 355 00:21:15,724 --> 00:21:19,137 THE SAME WEEK BUSTER MURDAUGH RELEASED A STATEMENT THROUGH HIS 356 00:21:19,172 --> 00:21:22,275 FATHER'S ATTORNEY SAYING, QUOTE, THESE BASELESS RUMORS OF MY 357 00:21:22,310 --> 00:21:25,275 INVOLVEMENT WITH STEPHEN AND HIS DEATH ARE FALSE. 358 00:21:25,310 --> 00:21:30,586 I UNEQUIVOCALLY DENY ANY INVOLVEMENT IN HIS DEATH, AND MY 359 00:21:30,620 --> 00:21:33,379 HEART GOES OUT TO THE SMITH FAMILY. 360 00:21:33,413 --> 00:21:35,551 >> THOSE WORDS ARE NOW IN CEMENT. 361 00:21:35,586 --> 00:21:38,655 I TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD HE HAD NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH 362 00:21:38,689 --> 00:21:42,068 STEPHEN'S DEATH. >> RATHER THAN OLD RUMORS, BLAND 363 00:21:42,103 --> 00:21:47,137 AND RICHTER SAY THEY'RE FOCUSING ON A NEW INVESTIGATION MADE 364 00:21:47,172 --> 00:21:51,034 POSSIBLE BY $130,000 IN GOFUNDME DONATIONS FROM SANDY'S 365 00:21:51,068 --> 00:21:52,793 SUPPORTERS. >> THE RESOURCES WERE MADE 366 00:21:52,827 --> 00:21:55,758 AVAILABLE FOR US TO DO SOME PRIVATE INVESTIGATIVE WORK 367 00:21:55,793 --> 00:22:00,620 THAT'S GOING TO START WITH HIRING A PATHOLOGY TEAM. 368 00:22:00,655 --> 00:22:03,413 >> THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO HAVE STEPHEN'S BODY EXHUMED, 369 00:22:03,448 --> 00:22:06,379 SOMETHING SANDY HAD WANTED FOR YEARS. 370 00:22:06,413 --> 00:22:09,689 >> OUR PRIMARY FUNCTION RIGHT NOW IS HAVE A TRUE INDEPENDENT 371 00:22:09,724 --> 00:22:14,655 SET OF EYES LOOK AT IT AND TELL US ONCE AND FOR ALL WHAT REALLY 372 00:22:14,689 --> 00:22:21,655 HAPPENED TO STEPHEN SMITH. >> IN APRIL 2023, DR. MICHELLE 373 00:22:21,689 --> 00:22:24,931 DUPRE-WHO PERFORMED OVER 3,000 AUTOPSIES, OVERSAW THE 374 00:22:24,965 --> 00:22:28,137 EXAMINATION OF STEPHEN'S BODY. >> THE INJURIES CAN TELL US SO 375 00:22:28,172 --> 00:22:34,655 MUCH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. >> AND IN THIS CASE THEY DID. 376 00:22:34,689 --> 00:22:35,896 >> THEY DID. >> DUPRE SAID THE AUTOPSY 377 00:22:35,931 --> 00:22:38,448 CONFIRMED STEPHEN DIE TODAY A SINGLE BLOW TO HIS FOREHEAD 378 00:22:38,482 --> 00:22:41,586 SEVERELY FRACTURING HIS SKULL. THAT'S A BIG GASH. 379 00:22:41,620 --> 00:22:48,206 >> THAT'S 7 1/2 INCHES ALMOST. IT WOULD BE ANOTHER GASH IN THIS 380 00:22:48,241 --> 00:22:50,586 POSTERIOR AREA FROM HITTING THE PAVEMENT SO HARD. 381 00:22:50,620 --> 00:22:54,586 >> LITERALLY SPLIT HIS SKULL. >> SPLIT HIS SKULL. 382 00:22:54,620 --> 00:22:57,275 >> THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO PUT TO REST SOME RUMORS INCLUDING THE 383 00:22:57,310 --> 00:23:01,034 ONE THAT STEPHEN HAD BEEN BEATEN WITH A BASEBALL BAT. 384 00:23:01,068 --> 00:23:04,379 IT WASN'T A BASEBALL BAT. >> NO. 385 00:23:04,413 --> 00:23:07,931 THOSE TYPE OF INJURIES WOULD CAUSE SOMETHING THAT WE CALL 386 00:23:07,965 --> 00:23:10,551 PATTERN INJURIES, AND WE DON'T SEE THAT HERE. 387 00:23:10,586 --> 00:23:13,827 THIS IS LINEAR FRACTURE AS WELL AS THIS HERE. 388 00:23:13,862 --> 00:23:18,758 >> JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT THEY FOUND, DUPRE SAID, IS WHAT 389 00:23:18,793 --> 00:23:20,689 THEY DIDN'T FIND. >> WE DIDN'T FIND FRACTURE 390 00:23:20,724 --> 00:23:22,793 TUESDAY ANY PART OF THE BODY EXCEPT THE HEAD. 391 00:23:22,827 --> 00:23:25,241 THERE WAS A LITTLE ROAD RASH, WHICH YOU WOULD EXPECT. 392 00:23:25,275 --> 00:23:27,206 >> ANY SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE? >> NO. 393 00:23:27,241 --> 00:23:29,517 >> ANY SIGNS OF A BEATING? >> NO. 394 00:23:29,551 --> 00:23:32,827 >> ANY INJURIES BELOW HIS HEAD OTHER THAN THE ROAD RASH? 395 00:23:32,862 --> 00:23:37,103 >> NONE WHATSOEVER. >> SHE SAYS THAT ELIMINATES THE 396 00:23:37,137 --> 00:23:40,620 POSSIBILITY STEPHEN WAS HIT BY A CAR HEAD ON. 397 00:23:40,655 --> 00:23:45,310 DUPRE SAYS THE FINDINGS ALSO REFUTE EARLY THEORIES THAT 398 00:23:45,344 --> 00:23:47,275 STEPHEN'S BODY MIGHT HAVE BEEN STAGED. 399 00:23:47,310 --> 00:23:50,827 WERE YOU ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER STEPHEN STRUCK AND FELL, 400 00:23:50,862 --> 00:23:53,965 OR HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN STRUCK AND THEN PLACED THERE? 401 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:55,793 >> WE DON'T BELIEVE HE WAS PLACED THERE. 402 00:23:55,827 --> 00:23:59,482 WE BELIEVE WHATEVER HAPPENED, HAPPENED RIGHT THERE. 403 00:23:59,517 --> 00:24:03,000 >> DR. KENNY KINSEY AGREES. YOU THINK HE WAS KILLED RIGHT 404 00:24:03,034 --> 00:24:04,275 HERE. >> RIGHT THERE. 405 00:24:04,310 --> 00:24:07,310 >> A CRIME SCENE EXPERT AND STAR PROSECUTION WITNESS IN THE 406 00:24:07,344 --> 00:24:11,482 MURDER MURDAUGH TRIAL, KINSEY WORKED WITH DUPRE TO ANALYZE 407 00:24:11,517 --> 00:24:13,413 STEPHEN'S CASE. HE SAYS THE EVIDENCE AT THE 408 00:24:13,448 --> 00:24:16,034 SCENE IS CLEAR. >> THAT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF 409 00:24:16,068 --> 00:24:18,172 BLOOD. AND IF HE HAD THAT KIND OF 410 00:24:18,206 --> 00:24:21,068 INJURY SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT WOULDN'T BE THAT UNIFORM. 411 00:24:21,103 --> 00:24:24,241 >> DUE TO THEIR SENSITIVE NATURE, WE CREATED VERSIONS OF 412 00:24:24,275 --> 00:24:29,379 THE CRIME SCENE PHOTOS IN WHICH THE BLOOD AND BODY ARE SHOWN AS 413 00:24:29,413 --> 00:24:31,586 GRAPHICS. >> THE QUANTITY OF BLOOD, THE 414 00:24:31,620 --> 00:24:35,137 DIRECTION OF THE FLOW IN THE ROAD, AND THEN THE DIRECTION OF 415 00:24:35,172 --> 00:24:41,965 ALL THE BLOOD ON HIS PERSON LED ME TO THE ONLY CONCLUSION. 416 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,724 >> KINSEY'S CONVINCED AN OBJECT ATTACH TODAY A VEHICLE TRAVELING 417 00:24:45,758 --> 00:24:50,172 AT HIGH-SPEED CAUSED THE SINGLE FATAL BLOW TO STEPHEN'S HEAD. 418 00:24:50,206 --> 00:24:51,586 >> WHATEVER HIT HIM WAS FAST AND IT WAS LARGE. 419 00:24:51,620 --> 00:24:54,758 >> SO A HIT-AND-RUN BUT AN A TYPICAL HIT-AND-RUN. 420 00:24:54,793 --> 00:24:59,172 >> YEAH, VERY ATYPICAL. >> A HIT-AND-RUN WITH NO VEHICLE 421 00:24:59,206 --> 00:25:02,793 DEBRIS AT THE SCENE. IT'S A CONCLUSION NO ONE WAS 422 00:25:02,827 --> 00:25:04,206 EXPECTING. HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT YOU 423 00:25:04,241 --> 00:25:06,310 KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO STEPHEN SMITH THAT NIGHT? 424 00:25:06,344 --> 00:25:09,793 >> I'M AS CLOSE TO A DEGREE OF SCIENTIFIC CERTAINTY AS I'VE 425 00:25:09,827 --> 00:25:13,000 EVER FELT. >> WHAT NO ONE CAN SAY WITH 426 00:25:13,034 --> 00:25:16,620 CERTAINTY IS WHETHER STEPHEN'S DEATH WAS ACCIDENTAL OR NOT. 427 00:25:16,655 --> 00:25:20,862 BUT, STILL, RICHTER POINTS OUT, HE WAS LEFT THERE TO DIE. 428 00:25:20,896 --> 00:25:23,620 >> SOMEONE LEFT HIM IN THAT CONDITION IN THE ROADWAY, AND 429 00:25:23,655 --> 00:25:28,517 THAT IS A VERY SERIOUS FELONY. >> STEPHEN'S BODY WAS FOUND 430 00:25:28,551 --> 00:25:33,551 ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HIS CAR. KINSEY TRIED TO RETRACE HIS 431 00:25:33,586 --> 00:25:35,689 STEPS. >> I WANTED TO WALK EVERY 432 00:25:35,724 --> 00:25:39,620 POSSIBLE PATH THAT MR. SMITH MAY HAVE TAKEN. 433 00:25:39,655 --> 00:25:42,931 >> STEPHEN'S FAMILY HAS ALWAYS INSISTED IF STEPHEN HAD CAR 434 00:25:42,965 --> 00:25:45,655 TROUBLE, HE WOULD HAVE FELT SAFER WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS. 435 00:25:45,689 --> 00:25:49,827 SO WHERE WAS STEPHEN'S CAR? >> STEPHEN'S CAR WAS LOCATED, IF 436 00:25:49,862 --> 00:25:52,689 YOU LOOK AT THIS GATE HERE, IT WAS NOT GROWN UP THEN. 437 00:25:52,724 --> 00:25:56,103 YOU COULD ACCESS THAT GATE. BUT IN THIS AREA REALLY CLOSE TO 438 00:25:56,137 --> 00:25:58,517 THE WOODS. >> BUT TO CUT THROUGH THE WOODS, 439 00:25:58,551 --> 00:26:01,827 STEPHEN WOULD HAVE HAD TO SCALE A FENCE THAT WAS 8 FEET TALL. 440 00:26:01,862 --> 00:26:05,965 >> AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM INTERVIEWING NEIGHBORS, 441 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,965 IT'S BEEN THERE FOR WELL OVER A DECADE. 442 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:13,344 >> KINSEY THEORIZES STEPHEN WAS WALKING ALONG THE ROAD TRYING TO 443 00:26:13,379 --> 00:26:19,172 FLAG SOMEONE DOWN FOR HELP. >> HE IS WALKING THIS DIRECTION 444 00:26:19,206 --> 00:26:21,586 IN THE -- IN THE LANE FACING TRAFFIC. 445 00:26:21,620 --> 00:26:26,310 WHATEVER WAS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE OR HANGING OFF OF THE 446 00:26:26,344 --> 00:26:32,896 VEHICLE, WHENEVER IT STRUCK STEPHEN, HE WENT DOWN IN THIS 447 00:26:32,931 --> 00:26:38,068 AREA SOMEWHAT ON THIS LINE HERE. THE VEHICLE THAT STRUCK STEPHEN 448 00:26:38,103 --> 00:26:41,724 WAS COMING TOWARD HIM JUST LIKE THAT VEHICLE IN THE PHOTOGRAPH. 449 00:26:41,758 --> 00:26:44,103 >> LIKE THIS? >> YES. 450 00:26:44,137 --> 00:26:47,103 GOING THAT DIRECTION. >> KINSEY SAYS THE EVIDENCE 451 00:26:47,137 --> 00:26:51,379 SUGGESTS THE DRIVER SAW SOMETHING IN THE ROAD AND 452 00:26:51,413 --> 00:26:53,000 CHANGED LANES. >> AND SOME TIME BEFORE IT 453 00:26:53,034 --> 00:26:58,068 STRUCK STEPHEN, I BELIEVED IT CHANGED INTO THE ON COMING LANE. 454 00:26:58,103 --> 00:27:03,034 >> THAT'S WHEN HE SAYS AN OBJECT FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUCK 455 00:27:03,068 --> 00:27:06,655 STEPHEN. >> WHAT KIND OF OBJECT COULD IT 456 00:27:06,689 --> 00:27:07,896 BE? >> IT COULD BE ANYTHING. 457 00:27:07,931 --> 00:27:10,896 IT COULD BE A LADDER HANGING OFF THE BACK OF A WORK TRUCK. 458 00:27:10,931 --> 00:27:15,241 IT COULD BE AN EXTENDED SIDE MIRROR, THE METAL TYPE THAT YOU 459 00:27:15,275 --> 00:27:18,206 SEE ON SOME FARM VEHICLES OR SOME LARGER VEHICLES. 460 00:27:18,241 --> 00:27:24,551 >> THAT SCENARIO MATCHES UP WITH THE TIP FROM 2015 ININVOLVING 461 00:27:24,586 --> 00:27:26,896 PATRICK WILSON AND SHAWN CONNELLY, WHICH KINSEY CALLS 462 00:27:26,931 --> 00:27:28,206 PLAUSIBLE. >> THAT CERTAINLY WOULD BE 463 00:27:28,241 --> 00:27:31,379 POSSIBLE. THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE PLACES 464 00:27:31,413 --> 00:27:34,931 I WOULD START. >> S.L.E.D. HAS KEPT ITS 465 00:27:34,965 --> 00:27:39,758 INVESTIGATION CLOSE TO THE VEST. BUT BLAND AND RICHTER SAY A 466 00:27:39,793 --> 00:27:44,448 GRAND JURY WAS IMPANELLED AND ISSUING SUBPOENAS. 467 00:27:44,482 --> 00:27:47,551 >> THEY'RE HONING IN ON SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL, AND I THINK THERE'S 468 00:27:47,586 --> 00:27:49,758 FIVE OR LESS THAT S.L.E.D. BELIEVES HAS INFORMATION 469 00:27:49,793 --> 00:27:53,724 REGARDING STEPHEN'S DEATH. >> WE DON'T KNOW WHO THOSE 470 00:27:53,758 --> 00:27:56,482 INDIVIDUALS ARE. IN AN INTERVIEW ON FOX NATION IN 471 00:27:56,517 --> 00:28:01,241 AUGUST OF 2023, BUSTER MURDAUGH AGAIN DENIED THE RUMORS OF HIS 472 00:28:01,275 --> 00:28:03,724 INVOLVEMENT. >> I NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO 473 00:28:03,758 --> 00:28:07,275 WITH HIS MURDER, AND I NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIM ON A 474 00:28:07,310 --> 00:28:11,000 PHYSICAL LEVEL OF ANY REGARD. >> HE ALSO PROVIDED AN ALIBI. 475 00:28:11,034 --> 00:28:16,482 >> THE NIGHT STEPHEN WAS KILLED I WAS AT OUR BEACH HOUSE. 476 00:28:16,517 --> 00:28:19,586 >> WITH YOUR FAMILY? >> WITH MY MOM AND MY BROTHER. 477 00:28:19,620 --> 00:28:24,137 >> SANDY'S TEAM SAYS IT'S TURNED OVER ALL OF ITS FINDINGS TO 478 00:28:24,172 --> 00:28:27,344 S.L.E.D., BUT KINSEY SAYS IT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE 479 00:28:27,379 --> 00:28:28,862 COMING FORWARD. SOMEBODY KNOWS. 480 00:28:28,896 --> 00:28:30,379 >> OH, THEY KNOW, YES, MA'AM. 481 00:28:34,206 --> 00:28:38,034 >>> DO YOU THINK STEPHEN'S DEATH WAS AN ACCIDENT OR INTENTIONAL? 482 00:28:38,068 --> 00:28:52,827 SEE A TIME LINE >>> AS A GRAND JURY ZEROS IN ON 483 00:28:52,862 --> 00:28:56,137 POTENTIAL SUSPECTS IN STEPHEN SMITH'S DEATH, THE LEGAL 484 00:28:56,172 --> 00:28:59,206 WRANGLING HASN'T SLOWED DOWN FOR ALEX MURDAUGH. 485 00:28:59,241 --> 00:29:01,793 >> YOU'VE GOT LOCAL CHARGES. YOU'VE GOT STATE CHARGES. 486 00:29:01,827 --> 00:29:04,137 THE LEGAL CIVIL CASES ARE GOING TO GO ON FOR YEARS. 487 00:29:04,172 --> 00:29:08,655 >> ON NOVEMBER 17, 2023 -- >> I AM GUILTY, AND YES, SIR -- 488 00:29:08,689 --> 00:29:12,103 >> MURDAUGH AGREED TO A PLEA DEAL ENCOMPASSING ALL OF THE 489 00:29:12,137 --> 00:29:15,758 STATE FINANCIAL CHARGES HE FACE UNDER DEFRAUDING AND STEALING 490 00:29:15,793 --> 00:29:18,482 MILLIONS FROM CLIENTS AND LAW PARTNERS. 491 00:29:18,517 --> 00:29:24,137 HE HAD PREVIOUSLY PLEADED GUILTY TO 22 FEDERAL CONSPIRACY, WIRE 492 00:29:24,172 --> 00:29:26,896 FRAUD, AND MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES. 493 00:29:26,931 --> 00:29:30,034 >> ALEX PREYED ON THE VULNERABLE WHOM HE ALSO THOUGHT WOULD NEVER 494 00:29:30,068 --> 00:29:32,724 FIGURE OUT HIS SCHEMES. >> CORRECT. 495 00:29:32,758 --> 00:29:36,034 IT'S PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE WORST TIMES OF THEIR LIVES WHERE 496 00:29:36,068 --> 00:29:40,000 YOU NEED A LAWYER TO BE THE BEST FOR YOU, NOT THE WORST FOR YOU. 497 00:29:40,034 --> 00:29:46,551 >> PERHAPS NONE MORE SO THAT ALAINIA AND HANNAH PLYLER WHO 498 00:29:46,586 --> 00:29:57,172 ARE NOW REPRESENTED BY RICHTER. THEY WERE JUST 12 AND 8 WHEN 499 00:29:57,206 --> 00:30:00,344 THEY SURVIVED A DEADLY CRASH DUE TO A FAULTY TIRE THAT KILLED 500 00:30:00,379 --> 00:30:04,896 THEIR MOTHER AND 14-YEAR-OLD BROTHER IN 2005 AND BECAME THE 501 00:30:04,931 --> 00:30:06,275 YOUNGEST OF THE FINANCIAL VICTIMS TO WHOM MURDAUGH 502 00:30:06,310 --> 00:30:11,482 ADMITTED HE LIED AND STOLE FROM WHEN QUESTIONED AT HIS MURDER 503 00:30:11,517 --> 00:30:12,965 TRIAL. >> WHAT LOSS DID THEY SUFFER? 504 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,310 WHO DIED IN. >> THEIR MOTHER. 505 00:30:15,344 --> 00:30:17,965 THEIR MOTHER DID. >> HE ONLY MENTIONED YOUR MOM. 506 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,896 >> YEAH, THAT BOTHERED ME. BECAUSE YOU DON'T REMEMBER A 507 00:30:22,931 --> 00:30:25,793 14-YEAR-OLD WAS KILLED IN THAT WRECK. 508 00:30:25,827 --> 00:30:29,034 ALEX GOT A VERY GOOD PAYCHECK OFF OF MY BROTHER'S DEATH. 509 00:30:29,068 --> 00:30:34,896 >> BOTH WOMEN ARE NOW MOTHERS, AND ALAINIA IS A DE-DIVE WITH 510 00:30:34,931 --> 00:30:36,586 THE LEXINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 511 00:30:36,620 --> 00:30:40,310 >> SINCE ALL OF THIS HAS COME OUT, THERE'S A LOT OF PAIN 512 00:30:40,344 --> 00:30:46,137 THAT'S STILL THERE. >> ALAINIA IS OLD ENOUGH TO 513 00:30:46,172 --> 00:30:50,206 REMEMBER THE LAST ROAD TRIP SHE AND HER SISTER WOULD EVER TAKE 514 00:30:50,241 --> 00:30:55,655 WITH THEIR MOM AND WRAURT. >> MY BROTHER AND I HAD GOTTEN 515 00:30:55,689 --> 00:30:56,896 INTO AN ARGUMENT. I WANTED TO SIT IN THE FRONT 516 00:30:56,931 --> 00:31:00,034 SEAT, AND WE FOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND MY MOM WAS LIKE YOU KNOW 517 00:31:00,068 --> 00:31:06,482 WHAT JUSTIN IS GOING TO RIDE ON THE WAY TO COLUMBIA, AND ON THE 518 00:31:06,517 --> 00:31:09,517 WAY BACK HOME ELAINIA GETS TO RIDE UP FRONT, AND I WAS SO 519 00:31:09,551 --> 00:31:11,310 HAPPY. >> ELAINE YU AND HANNAH WHO WERE 520 00:31:11,344 --> 00:31:13,517 SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT SURVIVED THE CRASH. 521 00:31:13,551 --> 00:31:15,310 YOU MUST THINK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME. 522 00:31:15,344 --> 00:31:17,793 >> I DO. I ACTUALLY HAD A LOT OF GUILT 523 00:31:17,827 --> 00:31:20,448 FOR SEVERAL YEARS. >> THAT GUILT IS SOMETHING SHE 524 00:31:20,482 --> 00:31:23,724 SAYS SHE'S LEARNED TO LET GO AS SHE RECOUNTS HER AND HER LITTLE 525 00:31:23,758 --> 00:31:27,896 SISTER'S HARROWING SURVIVAL. >> WEHADN'T BEEN ON THE ROAD TOO 526 00:31:27,931 --> 00:31:29,793 LONG. HANNAH WAS SLEEPING, AND I WAS 527 00:31:29,827 --> 00:31:37,482 LISTENING TO USHER. AND I REMEMBER MOM SAYING 528 00:31:37,517 --> 00:31:42,275 AND I PULL MY HEADPHONES DOWN AND SAY, YEAH MOM. 529 00:31:42,310 --> 00:31:46,034 AND WITHIN A SECOND I HEARD THIS LOUD POP AND HEARD MY MOM 530 00:31:46,068 --> 00:31:49,137 SCREAM. AND I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND 531 00:31:49,172 --> 00:31:51,551 MY USHER CD WAS SPINNING ON A TREE LIMB. 532 00:31:51,586 --> 00:31:56,379 >> THEIR MOTHER ANGELA AND BROTHER JUSTIN DIED INSTANTLY. 533 00:31:56,413 --> 00:32:01,310 ALAINIA REALIZED SHE WAS TRAPPED AND COULDN'T MOVE AND HAD TO 534 00:32:01,344 --> 00:32:05,034 SEND HANNAH FOR HELP. >> I SAID I NEED YOU TO GET OUT 535 00:32:05,068 --> 00:32:08,310 OF THE CAR, AND I NEED YOU TO GO TO THE TOP OF THE HILL TO THE 536 00:32:08,344 --> 00:32:09,586 INTERSTATE. >> YOU'RE ONLY 12. 537 00:32:09,620 --> 00:32:12,482 >> I'M 12. SO MANY THINGS COULD HAVE WENT 538 00:32:12,517 --> 00:32:14,517 WORSE. >> 8-YEAR-OLD HANNAH CLIMBED UP 539 00:32:14,551 --> 00:32:18,000 TO THE INTERSTATE. >> THERE WAS AN 18 WHEELER, AND 540 00:32:18,034 --> 00:32:22,517 I WAS ABLE TO FLAG HIM DOWN, AND I THINK BY THAT POINT AN 541 00:32:22,551 --> 00:32:28,241 AMBULANCE CAME, AND THEY HAD TAKEN ME TO THE HOSPITAL. 542 00:32:28,275 --> 00:32:33,931 >> ALANIA WAITED ALONE UNTIL A FIRE RESCUE ARRIVED AND CUT HER 543 00:32:33,965 --> 00:32:36,689 OUT OF THE WRECKAGE. SHE WATCHED AS THEY REMOVED HER 544 00:32:36,724 --> 00:32:38,931 MOTHER AND BROTHER. >> AND SO I WATCHED THEM PUT 545 00:32:38,965 --> 00:32:42,206 THEM IN A BLACK BODY BAG. >> SHE WAS THEN AIRLIFTED TO A 546 00:32:42,241 --> 00:32:44,655 HOSPITAL AND WOULD NEED NUMEROUS SURGERIES. 547 00:32:44,689 --> 00:32:47,344 WHAT WAS THE MOMENT LIKE WHEN YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE EACH OTHER 548 00:32:47,379 --> 00:32:52,172 AGAIN AFTER THAT? >> I REMEMBER IT. 549 00:32:52,206 --> 00:32:55,758 I REMEMBER HUGGING HER AND THANKING HER FOR NOT DYING, FOR 550 00:32:55,793 --> 00:33:00,448 NOT LEAVING ME. AND THEN FROM THERE I WAS JUST 551 00:33:00,482 --> 00:33:04,068 IN THE HOSPITAL BED WITH YOU. >> YOU COULDN'T KEEP US APART. 552 00:33:04,103 --> 00:33:06,241 >> THE SISTERS SAY THEY WERE PASSED AROUND TO LIVE WITH 553 00:33:06,275 --> 00:33:09,103 FAMILY MEMBERS. >> I DIDN'T HAVE A BEDROOM. 554 00:33:09,137 --> 00:33:12,000 >> JUST HAD EACH OTHER. >> JUST HAD EACH OTHER. 555 00:33:12,034 --> 00:33:15,827 WE BOTH HAD LITTLE PLASTIC BINS. >> WHEN A FAMILY FRIEND REFERRED 556 00:33:15,862 --> 00:33:19,862 THE PLYLERS TO ALEX MURDAUGH, HE PROMISED TO CHANGE ALL OF THAT. 557 00:33:19,896 --> 00:33:22,482 DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU MET ALEX MURDAUGH? 558 00:33:22,517 --> 00:33:25,172 >> YEAH. I REMEMBER WHEN HE WALKED IN, HE 559 00:33:25,206 --> 00:33:29,551 SEEMED REALLY ARROGANT LIKE A BULL DOG, JUST TALL, ALMOST 560 00:33:29,586 --> 00:33:33,034 INTIMIDATING IN A SENSE. HE TOLD US THEY TOOK YOUR FAMILY 561 00:33:33,068 --> 00:33:36,862 FROM YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO 562 00:33:36,896 --> 00:33:39,344 PAY. >> TO TWO YOUNG GIRLS WHO HAD 563 00:33:39,379 --> 00:33:42,344 LOST EVERYTHING MURDAUGH SEEMED LARGER THAN LIFE. 564 00:33:42,379 --> 00:33:45,517 >> I ALWAYS FELT AT PEACE WHEN I GOT TO TALK TO ALEX. 565 00:33:45,551 --> 00:33:48,034 PEOPLE LISTENED TO HIM. YOU COULD TELL THERE WAS A LOT 566 00:33:48,068 --> 00:33:51,241 OF CONTROL THERE. >> HOW DID HE EARN YOUR TRUST? 567 00:33:51,275 --> 00:33:56,862 >> REALLY WITH HIS WORDS. HE WAS A SMOOTH TALKER AND HE 568 00:33:56,896 --> 00:34:01,172 MADE YOU FEEL SPECIAL. >> BUT ONCE THE CASE SETTLED, 569 00:34:01,206 --> 00:34:05,379 THE SPECIAL TREATMENT STOPPED. >> HE PRETTY MUCH CHECKED OUT. 570 00:34:05,413 --> 00:34:09,655 HE HAD EXPLAINED THAT THE CASE HAD SETTLED, WE WON BIG MONEY. 571 00:34:09,688 --> 00:34:14,275 >> ALAINIA'S CASE SETTLED FOR $4.7 MILLION. 572 00:34:14,310 --> 00:34:16,447 HANNAH'S WAS RIGHT AT $3 MILLION. 573 00:34:16,482 --> 00:34:21,965 THAT MONEY WAS THEN ENTRUSTED TO RUSSELL LEFITE. 574 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,516 >> LEFITE WAS THE CEO AND A CLOSE FRIEND OF MURDAUGH WHO 575 00:34:24,551 --> 00:34:29,206 HAND PICKED LEFITE TO MANAGE THE FUNDS AS CONSERVATOR UNTIL THE 576 00:34:29,241 --> 00:34:35,275 GIRLS TURNED 18. >> SO THESE TWO VERY WEALTHY 577 00:34:35,310 --> 00:34:37,931 PROMINENT MEN BASICALLY HELPED THEMSELVES TO THESE KIDS PIGGY 578 00:34:37,965 --> 00:34:39,482 BANK. >> ANY MONEY THEY NEEDED HAD TO 579 00:34:39,516 --> 00:34:42,688 BE APPROVED BY LEFITE AND A JUDGE. 580 00:34:42,724 --> 00:34:46,413 >> EVEN IF IT WAS A DOLLAR, WE HAD TO HAVE A RECEIPT FOR IT. 581 00:34:46,447 --> 00:34:49,724 >> WHEN YOU AND ERIC TOOK ON THEIR CASE WHAT DID YOU 582 00:34:49,757 --> 00:34:51,757 DISCOVER? >> RUSSELL WAS MAKING LOANS TO 583 00:34:51,793 --> 00:34:56,000 ALEX. ALEX MAYBE OVERDRAWN $50,000, 584 00:34:56,034 --> 00:35:00,137 $100,000, $3,000 IN HIS PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND HE NEEDED MONEY TO 585 00:35:00,172 --> 00:35:03,586 COVER THOSE SHORES. >> RICHTER SAID AT MURDAUGH'S 586 00:35:03,620 --> 00:35:08,620 DIRECTION LEFITE TRANSFERRED NEARLY 1$1.5 MILLION FROM THE 587 00:35:08,655 --> 00:35:10,896 PLYLER'S MONEY TO ALEX MURDAUGH AND HIMSELF. 588 00:35:10,931 --> 00:35:14,034 >> WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THESE YOUNG LADIES TO TURN 18 THE 589 00:35:14,068 --> 00:35:17,000 MONEY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, SO ALEX HAD TO GO OUT AND STEAL 590 00:35:17,034 --> 00:35:21,655 NEW MONEY FROM DIFFERENT CLIENTS AND PUT THAT MONEY BACK. 591 00:35:21,689 --> 00:35:28,206 >> MURDAUGH WAS NEVER CHARGED FOR HANNAH AND ALANIA'S CASE, 592 00:35:28,241 --> 00:35:31,344 BUT LEFITE WAS CONVICTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES FOR HIS ROLE. 593 00:35:31,379 --> 00:35:35,172 >> BUT STILL THERE'S THAT TOLL OF HOW DO YOU TRUST GOING 594 00:35:35,206 --> 00:35:36,793 FORWARD? PEOPLE WERE PUT IN A POSITION OF 595 00:35:36,827 --> 00:35:39,517 TRUST ON THEIR BEHALVES WHEN THEY WERE JUST CHILDREN. 596 00:35:39,551 --> 00:35:42,793 AND THEN TO LEARN AS AN ADULT THAT THE ENTIRE TIME THEY SAW 597 00:35:42,827 --> 00:35:46,965 YOU AS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHECKBOOK. 598 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,896 >> WHILE THE PLYLERS CAN BEGIN TO HEAL, SANDY SMITH STILL WAITS 599 00:35:50,931 --> 00:35:56,034 FOR HER DAY OF RECKONING. >> ALL THE SWEEPING DRAMA, 600 00:35:56,068 --> 00:35:58,275 THERE'S ANSWERS AND THERE'S CLOSURE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE BUT 601 00:35:58,310 --> 00:36:03,482 NOT FOR SANDY SMITH. TIME TO PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON 602 00:36:03,517 --> 00:36:15,413 STEPHEN SMITH. >>> MONTHS AFTER HIS BLOCKBUSTER 603 00:36:15,448 --> 00:36:18,241 TRIAL -- >> ALEX MURDAUGH! 604 00:36:18,275 --> 00:36:22,793 >> VERDICT GUILTY. >> -- CONVICTED DOUBLE MURDERER 605 00:36:22,827 --> 00:36:26,034 ALEX MURDAUGH IN THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY ARE STILL HAMPTON'S 606 00:36:26,068 --> 00:36:28,482 BIGGEST ATTRACTIONS. >> ALMOST EVERY DAY SOMEONE IS 607 00:36:28,517 --> 00:36:33,689 COMING BY TAKING A PICTURE OF THE LAW FIRM OR RIDING OUT TO 608 00:36:33,724 --> 00:36:35,965 MOSELLE TAKING PICTURES. THEY JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH. 609 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:40,275 >> THE MURDAUGH CRAZE WAS ON FULL DISPLAY AT AN AUCTION FOR 610 00:36:40,310 --> 00:36:43,172 THE FAMILY'S PERSONAL ITEMS FROM THEIR MOSELLE PROPERTY. 611 00:36:43,206 --> 00:36:46,862 THE INFAMOUS LEATHER COUCH SET WHERE ALEX TESTIFIED HE TOOK A 612 00:36:46,896 --> 00:36:51,620 CAT NAP WHILE HIS WIFE AND SON WERE MURDERED SOLD FOR $50,000. 613 00:36:51,655 --> 00:36:55,517 AND MAGGIE'S SON BUBBA, WHO HELPED PROSECUTORS PROVE ALEX 614 00:36:55,551 --> 00:37:00,172 WAS ACTUALLY AT THE CRIME SCENE HAS BECOME A LOCAL FOLIC HERO. 615 00:37:00,206 --> 00:37:04,206 >> IF THAT RAM BUNGTUOUS YELLOW LAB HADN'T BEEN DOING WHAT LABS 616 00:37:04,241 --> 00:37:07,758 LIKE TO DO, CHASE BIRDS, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE SOLVED THIS CASE. 617 00:37:07,793 --> 00:37:10,103 WE MIGHT NOT HAVE GOTTEN A CONVICTIONS. 618 00:37:10,137 --> 00:37:14,724 >> COME HERE, BUBBA. >> ALEX'S VOICE CALLING BUBBA 619 00:37:14,758 --> 00:37:18,034 WAS CAUGHT IN THE BACKGROUND OF PHONE VIDEO PAUL TOOK MINUTES 620 00:37:18,068 --> 00:37:21,517 BEFORE HE WAS KILLED. >> BUBBA AND OTHER DOGS AT THE 621 00:37:21,551 --> 00:37:24,793 KENNELS, THEY WERE WITNESSES TO A VERY HORRIFIC EVENT. 622 00:37:24,827 --> 00:37:29,965 >> BUBBA NOW LIVES A QUIET LIFE WITH THE MURDAUGH'S HOUSEKEEPER. 623 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,724 MEANWHILE, ALEX MURDAUGH IS SERVING TWO LIFE TERMS IN A 624 00:37:33,758 --> 00:37:36,862 MAIMUM SECURITY PRISON. DO YOU THINK ALEX MURDAUGH STILL 625 00:37:36,896 --> 00:37:39,482 THINKS HE CAN TRY TO PLAY THE SYSTEM IN. 626 00:37:39,517 --> 00:37:43,620 >> 100%. >> NOW MURDAUGH'S ATTORNEYS ARE 627 00:37:43,655 --> 00:37:46,724 HOPING THEIR LATEST MOTION WILL BE A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD. 628 00:37:46,758 --> 00:37:49,034 >> WE'RE FOCUSED ON GETTING HIM A NEW TRIAL. 629 00:37:49,068 --> 00:37:54,620 >> IN SEPTEMBER 2023, DICK HARPOOTLIAN AND JIM GRIFFIN, 630 00:37:54,655 --> 00:37:58,275 ANNOUNCED THEIR MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL BASED ON ALLEGATIONS OF 631 00:37:58,310 --> 00:38:02,896 JURY TAMPERING BY THE COLLETON COUNTY CLERK OF COURT BECKY 632 00:38:02,931 --> 00:38:04,551 HILL. >> WHAT WE HAVE FILED TODAY 633 00:38:04,586 --> 00:38:07,310 SUPPORTED BY A SWORN TESTIMONY OF JURORS IS THAT THE CLERK OF 634 00:38:07,344 --> 00:38:13,103 COURT HAD IMPROPER PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE JURORS. 635 00:38:13,137 --> 00:38:19,172 >> THE STATE vs. RICHARD ALEXANDER MURDAUGH DEFENDANT. 636 00:38:19,206 --> 00:38:22,793 >> THEY ARGUE HILL VIOLATED THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL WHEN SHE 637 00:38:22,827 --> 00:38:30,275 ALLEGEDLY TOLD JURORS NOT TO BE FOOLED BY HIS TESTIMONY AND TO 638 00:38:30,310 --> 00:38:31,413 WATCH BODY LANGUAGE AS ALEX WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE STAND. 639 00:38:31,448 --> 00:38:34,206 IN A SIGNED AFFIDAVIT HILL DENIES ALL OF THE DEFENSE 640 00:38:34,241 --> 00:38:36,482 ALLEGATIONS, AND VOLUNTARY STATEMENTS FROM A MAJORITY OF 641 00:38:36,517 --> 00:38:41,448 THE JURY SUPPORT HILL'S ACCOUNT. RIC 642 00:38:41,482 --> 00:38:46,034 RICHTER AND BLAND SAY EVEN A NEW TRIAL CAN'T SAVE ALEX MURDAUGH. 643 00:38:46,068 --> 00:38:47,724 >> IF THE MURDER CONVICTION IS OVERTURNED, THEN YOU HAVE THE 644 00:38:47,758 --> 00:38:50,034 FINANCIAL CRIMES. >> ACCORDING TO THE PLEA DEAL 645 00:38:50,068 --> 00:38:53,000 WITH PROSECUTORS ON THE STATE CRIMES, MURDAUGH COULD BE 646 00:38:53,034 --> 00:38:57,482 SENTENCED TO NEARLY 30 YEARS FOR THOSE CHARGES ALONE. 647 00:38:57,517 --> 00:39:01,000 >> SO, YES, THERE'S A THEORETICAL UNIVERSE IN WHICH 648 00:39:01,034 --> 00:39:04,103 ALEX MURDAUGH COULD SEE THE SUN AGAIN. 649 00:39:04,137 --> 00:39:07,379 BUTT IT'S THEORETICAL ONLY. >> IT'S LIKE REARRANGING THE 650 00:39:07,413 --> 00:39:14,482 DECK CHAIRS ON THE TITANIC. >> IT'S FUTILE. 651 00:39:14,517 --> 00:39:18,241 >> IF YOU WERE TO WRITE A MADE FOR TV SOUTHERN LEGAL DRAMA, YOU 652 00:39:18,275 --> 00:39:20,758 COULDN'T HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB THAN THIS. 653 00:39:20,793 --> 00:39:25,586 >> DeWITT WRITES ABOUT IT IN HIS BOOK "THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF 654 00:39:25,620 --> 00:39:27,586 MURDAUGH," WHICH HE ENDS WITH STEPHEN SMITH. 655 00:39:27,620 --> 00:39:32,620 >> IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING AND TRAGIC THAT THE OLDEST STORY, 656 00:39:32,655 --> 00:39:36,655 REMAINS UNSOLVED. >> SOLVING HIS MURDER I THINK 657 00:39:36,689 --> 00:39:42,103 THIS WILL BE THE END OF THIS SWEEPING SAGA. 658 00:39:42,137 --> 00:39:45,275 >> AS S.L.E.D. CONTINUES ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE SMITH CASE 659 00:39:45,310 --> 00:39:49,172 BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, WHAT INVESTIGATORS FOUND AFTER THE 660 00:39:49,206 --> 00:39:53,517 MURDAUGH MURDERS REMAINS THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE SPECULATION. 661 00:39:53,551 --> 00:39:56,655 DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE NEW EVIDENCE THAT MAY BE 662 00:39:56,689 --> 00:40:00,068 PRESENTED TO THE GRAND JURY IS? >> NO. 663 00:40:00,103 --> 00:40:04,827 I DO KNOW THAT S.L.E.D. HAS STEPHEN'S PHONE. 664 00:40:04,862 --> 00:40:07,586 I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE STEPHEN'S TABLET. 665 00:40:07,620 --> 00:40:10,655 >> COULD STEPHEN'S PHONE REVEAL THE IDENTITY OF THE PROMINENT 666 00:40:10,689 --> 00:40:15,034 PERSON WITH WHOM HE TOLD SANDY HE PLANNED TO GO DEEP SEA 667 00:40:15,068 --> 00:40:18,551 FISHING? >> THAT'LL BE INTERESTING WHAT 668 00:40:18,586 --> 00:40:20,482 S.L.E.D. HAS FOUND OUT AND WHAT THE GRAND JURY IS GOING TO 669 00:40:20,517 --> 00:40:22,965 DETERMINE, WHETHER THE PERSON THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO AWAY 670 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,827 WITH DEEP SEA FISHING HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIS DEATH OR 671 00:40:27,862 --> 00:40:34,137 HAS KNOWLEDGE OF HIS DEATH. >> HOW HAS THIS FIGHT FOR 672 00:40:34,172 --> 00:40:37,275 JUSTICE BEEN? >> IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD, BUT 673 00:40:37,310 --> 00:40:40,413 IT'S WORTH IT. >> SANDY IS KEEPING THE FAITH 674 00:40:40,448 --> 00:40:43,551 AND KEEPING STEPHEN'S MEMORY ALIVE. 675 00:40:43,586 --> 00:40:47,034 SHE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP IN HIS NAME. 676 00:40:47,068 --> 00:40:50,344 >> WE ARE STARTING THIS SCHOLARSHIP FUND SO OTHER 677 00:40:50,379 --> 00:40:53,068 CHILDREN WON'T HAVE IT AS HARD AS STEPHEN DID. 678 00:40:53,103 --> 00:40:57,965 >> AND SHE'S OFFERING A $30,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING 679 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:06,172 TO AN ARREST. >> AND NOW A SURE TURN IF YOU 680 00:41:06,206 --> 00:41:10,413 KNOW SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. >> WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT 681 00:41:10,448 --> 00:41:12,034 STEPHEN? >> JUST I MISS EVERYTHING ABOUT 682 00:41:12,068 --> 00:41:13,758 HIM. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK STEPHEN 683 00:41:13,793 --> 00:41:20,448 WOULD THINK OF YOUR FIGHT, WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THIS CASE? 684 00:41:20,482 --> 00:41:29,620 >> HE'D SAY, OH, MAMA, YOU WOULD DO THAT FOR ME? 685 00:41:29,655 --> 00:41:31,206 YEP. >> YEP. 686 00:41:31,241 --> 00:41:35,068 >> I WOULD OVER AND OVER.