Forensic Expert Probes Mysterious Death of Buster Murdaugh's Classmate

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Kenny Kinsey, a forensic investigator who testified for the prosecution in the 2023 Murdaugh murder trial, is now independently investigating the mysterious 2015 death of Stephen Smith, a former classmate of Buster Murdaugh. Kinsey believes key opportunities were missed early in the investigation, which initially treated Smith's death as a hit-and-run. The body of Stephen Smith has now been exhumed, autopsied, and reinterred as Kinsey probes the case.

Why it matters

The Murdaugh family has been at the center of a high-profile murder trial and other legal scandals in South Carolina. Kinsey's independent investigation into the death of Buster Murdaugh's former classmate Stephen Smith could uncover new details and potentially link the Murdaugh family to another suspicious death.

The details

Kinsey, a forensic expert who testified in the 2023 Murdaugh murder trial, says he believes key opportunities were missed early in the 2015 investigation into Stephen Smith's death, which was initially treated as a hit-and-run. Smith's body was discovered on a rural road, and he had suffered a 7½-inch skull fracture. Investigators later determined the evidence did not support a hit-and-run as the cause of death. The body has now been exhumed, autopsied, and reinterred as Kinsey conducts an independent investigation.

• Stephen Smith's body was discovered in 2015.
• Kinsey testified as a forensic expert in the 2023 Murdaugh murder trial.
• Kinsey has now launched an independent investigation into Smith's death.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The investigation into Stephen Smith's death is ongoing, and the exhumed body has been autopsied and reinterred as Kinsey continues his independent probe.