Buster Murdaugh Sues Netflix And Others Over Doc Portrayal
Buster Murdaugh, the son of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix, Warner Bros, and other media companies. Murdaugh claims the outlets falsely implicated him in the 2015 death of his classmate Stephen Smith. The lawsuit, filed in Hampton County, South Carolina, according to People seeks damages for the harm to Buster’s reputation and the mental anguish he’s suffered due to the accusations.
Smith was found dead on a road near the Murdaugh estate in 2015, with officials initially calling it a hit-and-run accident, though Smith’s family has disputed this. No arrests have been made in connection with Smith’s death. Following the 2021 murders of Buster’s mother and brother, for which his father was convicted, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division reopened Smith’s case based on new information, but they haven’t implicated the Murdaugh family.
Buster has denied any involvement in Smith’s death and says he wants privacy for his family. In a statement issued through his attorney, he called the rumors about his involvement baseless and urged the media to stop spreading defamatory comments about him. Smith’s family has since raised funds to exhume Stephen’s body for an independent autopsy, hoping to provide further clarity on their son’s death.
