Buster Murdaugh responds to ‘baseless rumors’ around death of Hampton Co. teen

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh’s only surviving son, Buster, is addressing rumors related to a 2015 death of a Hampton County teen.

Stephen Smith was found dead in the middle of a Hampton County road in 2015.

Murdaugh, through his attorneys, released a statement Monday morning surrounding the “baseless rumors” around his involvement in Smith’s death.

SPECIAL SECTION: The Murdaugh Cases

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division re-opened the investigation into Smith’s death in June 2021, shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh based on information discovered during that initial investigation.

Murdaugh’s full statement is as follows:

“I have tried my best to ignore the vicious rumors about my involvement in Stephen Smith’s tragic death that continue to be published in the media as I grieve over the brutal murders of my mother and brother. I love them so much and miss them terribly.
I haven’t spoken up until now because I want to live in private while I cope with their deaths and my father’s incarceration.
Before, during and since my father’s trial, I have been targeted and harassed by the media and followers of this story.
This has gone on far too long.
These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false.
I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.
I am requesting that the media immediately stop publishing these defamatory comments and rumors about me.”
Buster Murdaugh

The statement came just before attorneys representing Smith’s family held a news conference outlining their next steps in the investigation.

Smith’s mother started an online fundraiser on March 9 to have his body independently exhumed and examined.

Smith attorney Ronnie Richter addressed Murdaugh’s statement during the news conference.

“We’ve not mentioned Buster’s name one time,” Richter said. “This is not about Buster Murdaugh. This is about Stephen Smith. This is about trying to get answers to questions that his mother desperately needs answers for.”

Richter’s partner Eric Bland reiterated that they would approach a new investigation openly.

“As we sit here today, Buster is a victim. He lost a mother, a brother, and his father is in jail,” Bland said. “Buster, as we know has nothing to do with this and whatever is mentioned in the records.”

This isn’t the first time that Murdaugh has spoken about the media.

On March 6, Murdaugh filed a report that he and his girlfriend were being followed and photographed inside the couple’s home.

A follow-up report filed by Murdaugh’s girlfriend on March 10 indicated the pair were being harassed by someone who had heckled Murdaugh during his father’s trial.

Murdaugh’s father, Alex Murdaugh, was convicted of the 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh on March 2.