Marc Bickhardt: Murdered Stephen Smith's BF got death threats after teen's body was found near Buster Murdaugh's home
HAMPTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: Stephen Smith's boyfriend received a series of terrifying death threats just days after Smith's mysterious death. The 19-year-old Smith was found dead on July 8, 2015, on Sandy Run Road, Hampton County, in South Carolina. The gay teenager’s death was initially ruled as hit and run but now the case is being looked into as a possible homicide.
Smith’s boyfriend Marc Bickhardt was reportedly the last person to speak with him before his remains were found near the Hampton County home of his classmate Buster Murdaugh, the son of Alex Murdaugh, who was recently convicted of murdering his wife and son. Bickhardt stated Smith called to inform him that he ran out of gas and felt like he was being followed. “They're like coming toward him or going past because they sounded loud — and they were getting louder. And that, I believe, was the last time I talked to him," Bickhardt told investigators, according to Radar Online.
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'Die the same way Smith did'
Just five days later, Bichkardt contacted the Hampton Police Department to report a string of abusive phone calls coming from the Cayman Islands. “The calls informed the victim that he would die the same way Smith did, and the victim believes that (Smith’s) death was a homicide,” states the police incident report obtained by RadarOnline. Official’s report further noted that “the victim stated that the calls began last week after his friend’s funeral.” The police records made no mention of whether officers investigated the complaint or if they forwarded the details to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), which recently re-opened an investigation into Smith’s death.
Smith’s death was bizarrely ruled a hit-and-run by the county medical examiner but in 2021 investigators began re-examining the case after Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her 22-year-old son Paul were found brutally murdered on their family-owned 1770-acre hunting lodge.
Smith’s body had also been found not far from the hunting lodge. His remains were recently exhumed for a second autopsy and investigators collected more information on his homicide. Officials were also told by various witnesses that Buster shared a romantic relationship with Smith and he was allegedly involved in his death.
'I think it was a hate crime'
However, Eric Bland, attorney for Smith’s mother, ruled out Buster as a suspect and hinted the death could be a hate crime. “We have no direct knowledge that any Murdaugh was involved in any shape or form in Stephen's murder," Bland said, adding that "I think it was a hate crime. Meaning that it could be that a bunch of thug kids decide, 'Hey, we're going to beat up the gay kid,' or it was somebody who felt that Stephen was going to put them in their relationship or was uncomfortable with Stephen in their friendship." Meanwhile, Buster has vehemently denied having any involvement in the untimely death of Smith.