Stephen Smith's Death Ruled a Homicide in Latest Developments.

South Carolina police have declared the 2015 death of Stephen Smith, who was romantically linked to the Murdaugh family, as a homicide. The announcement was delayed until after the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial to avoid interference. Smith was found dead on the side of the road near the Murdaugh estate in 2015, and police initially ruled it as a hit-and-run. However, new evidence connecting the Murdaugh family to Smith's death was discovered during the double murder investigation. Smith's mother has long disputed the official cause of death and has raised over $80,000 to exhume her son's body.