Updated full story, Mother of slain H.C. teen states possible “hate crime”
Are you getting ready for a fun-filled, or possibly hectic, Thanksgiving with family or friends? Do you enjoy spending time with your children, watching them grow as individuals each year? For the mother of a Hampton County teen, this Thanksgiving will include heaping plates of heartache and longing.
Sandy Smith, the mother of the late Stephen Smith, spends several hours each night talking to her daughter on the phone as her daughter drives home from college classes in Orangeburg. She does this because, according to Smith, the thought of another one of her children not making it home to her at night scares her beyond comprehension.
And rightfully so. It was on a peaceful Lowcountry night that her son was stolen from her. The most painful aspect for the devastated mother is that she believes something sinister occurred to her child on a lonely, dark and desolate back road, preventing him from attending Thanksgiving with his family this year, and every holiday for the rest of his devastated mother’s life.
Stephen’s body was found on Sandy Run Road, near Crocketville on July 8, 2015. He was apparently walking to his home, on Joe Miley Road, after running out of gas on Highway 601. His death certificate states that he died due to severe blunt force trauma to his head, which investigators claim resulted after being struck by a vehicle during a hit-and-run incident.
Stephen was a straight A student and a 2014 graduate of Wade Hampton High School. He was actively pursuing a career in nursing at OC Tech, with thoughts of helping those in need urging him to complete his training. He was, in fact, on his way home from a night class when the incident occurred.
His mother stated that she did not know of Stephen having any enemies, and he always had a smile on his face. When he wasn’t busy furthering his education, he often stayed at home and enjoyed getting lost in a good book. Adding insult to injury, this is not the first time Smith had lost her son. Stephen nearly died twice in his life; once at birth and once at the age of two during a near drowning at Hunting Island State Park.
There have been rumors in the county about the death of Stephen Smith. The H.C.’s coroner’s report, according to Smith, claims Stephen was struck by the mirror of a large truck. This is an account of her son’s death that Smith cannot, and will not, accept.
“It just doesn’t make sense to me. He was struck in the head by a truck mirror? I just can’t see that happening, he would have got out of the way. The reports state that he was walking in the middle of the road and was found 2.7 miles away from his car,” said the heartbroken mother. “The way his body was laying in the road, with his arm dislocated and bent back behind his body, I just don’t believe that he was struck by the mirror of a vehicle.”
She went on to state that, in her opinion, if her son was, indeed, struck by a mirror, that there would be pieces of broken plastic or glass on the ground or in his wounds, which there was not.
According to Smith, rumors regarding her late son have circulated around town, and not just about his tragic, and extremely brutal, death. Questions regarding her son’s sexual preferences have been whispered amongst Hampton County residents following Stephen’s death.
“Stephen was in the process of discovering himself and his sexuality,” said Smith. “He was gay. One rumor is that he may have had a man stalking him, the authorities asked me about that, but I’ve heard other stories I believe more.”
Smith will not give the names of the people she feels are responsible for her son’s death, but does feel strongly that she knows exactly who killed her child.
“One of the guys that supposedly did this, Stephen told his twin sister that he had ‘a fling’ with the boy. He also told me that he and the boy had a deep sea fishing trip planned for July. Stephen died on the eighth of July,” stated Smith. “It doesn’t matter what his sexual preferences were, he was still my son and he was not messing with anybody and was going to school to better himself.”
“I guarantee you that Stephen was not in that road. They took him from his car; everybody knew his car because he had the ugliest little ‘banana’ [car] in town,” Smith stated passionately. “These boys were coming from a baseball game and I think that they were right behind him, so when he had to pull over, they were right there,” she explained. “I just don’t believe my son would have been walking in the middle of the road like that. He would have seen headlights coming and got off the road. It just doesn’t make any sense,” she continued. “The worst part is that some of the individuals responsible were Stephen’s classmates.”
“This was a fight that he didn’t have a chance to win. I know my son and he was strong, one person didn’t do this because Stephen would have fought back,” she said.
Hate crimes in the United States are no longer only targeted at African-Americans or members of particular religious groups. Gone are the days of open assaults, separate drinking fountains, fire hoses and the bites of German Sheppard’s. Although attacks based on race still occur (the Charleston Nine), attacks on individuals who identify as homosexual have become more prevalent as homosexuality has become increasingly more common and accepted in modern society.
No matter your opinion on homosexuality, Federal law states you have no right to discriminate against, or violate the rights of, another person based on race, religion or sexual orientation. In a small rural town, in the heart of the south, these laws sometimes fall on deaf ears.
“I talked to a state trooper that was at the scene and he told me that there were no signs of a hit-and-run accident,” said Smith.
Currently, the case is being investigated by the South Carolina Highway Patrol. According to a media relations spokesman for the S.C. Hwy Patrol, there have been no new updates on the case.
“I had to go to the Governor to take my case because I wasn’t getting anything done here,” stated Smith. “It’s not coming back to Hampton, the Governor will not let the State Police close the case, because if the case is closed it will come back to Hampton County. There are too many ‘big’ names involved for it to come back to Hampton. It is going to require a change of venue.”
She reiterated, several times, her opinion that her son was killed, for being gay, by several local Hampton County youths from prestigious families which she believes have sworn to protect their children, no matter what heinous crime they committed.
“He was laid out in the middle of the road like a snow angel. His head was crushed,” she stated. She went on to describe her victimized son, who had a small hole in his head, but no other marks on his body.
Smith is asking for someone to have the courage to come forward with information regarding her son’s untimely death. She also knows that it is hard to come forward with information in a small community. For this reason, she urges those with information to come forward with information anonymously. Any tips about the crime would be completely confidential, and worth up to $1,000, as well.
“I just want to know what really happened to my son,” she stated. “I am going to do whatever it takes to get justice for my son.”
“I hear the same story but from different people. Everybody knows what happened to my son, but nobody wants to tell me who is responsible,” she said.
“This is going to be my first Thanksgiving without him. Just seeing that empty chair there is going to be really hard,” she said of the upcoming holidays.
“I know when Stephen was born, but I don’t know exactly when he died. I know what his first words were, but I need to know what his last words were. I want to know who took my son from me,” stated a grief stricken mother. “People need to realize that these murderers are still out there and it could be their child next.”
If you or someone you know has information about the death of Stephen Smith, please contact Crime Stoppers at Text “TIPSC” plus your message to CRIMES (274637). You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. All tipsters can remain anonymous and can earn up to $1,000 for a successful tip.
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Originally Posted by Meathook
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