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.