COLUMBIA, S.C. — The family of Stephen Smith is offering a $35,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the death of Stephen Smith, whose 2015 death was recently announced as a homicide investigation.
The reward money is being allocated from funds raised through a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for the exhumation and independent autopsy of Stephen Smith, whose death was initially ruled a hit-and-run but has now been classified as a homicide.
Stephen's body was exhumed over the weekend by South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) so that a second autopsy could be performed.
Smith family attorney Eric Bland urged anyone with information about Smith's death to come forward and contact SLED.
"We understand that providing information about a crime can be difficult, and we want to support the community however we can to bring closure for the Smith family," Bland said. The paramount issue here is to find answers for the Smith family. We won't stop until we do."
Smith, 19, was found dead on Sandy Run Road in rural Hampton County, South Carolina on July, 8 2015. He was discovered lying in the middle of the road a few miles from where his car ran out of gas.
Hampton County authorities had ruled his death a hit-and-run. At that point, the Highway Patrol was brought in to investigate.
According to SLED, a state trooper's case notes made it apparent the highway patrol did not believe Smith's death was a hit and run by a motor vehicle. An incident report by the Highway Patrol said there were no skid marks, vehicle debris, or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle. They even noted that his shoes were loosely tied but still on.
SLED announced last month the case was officially a homicide investigation.
In a separate statement, Bland issued a video in which he says this has been a trying time for the Smith family, especially for Stephen's mother Sandy. Bland said it is his firm's intention "that we will not participate in any media regarding the Stephen Smith case until Stephen is returned to his grave and he can rest at peace."
Bland said he is confident that SLED "has made the commitment to use its full force and authority to try to find justice for Stephen and find out who killed him."
Anyone with information about Stephen Smith's death is urged to contact SLED at 803-737-9000 or email tips@sled.sc.gov