Alex Murdaugh’s surviving son, Buster, on Monday “unequivocally” denied “vicious rumors” that he was involved in the death of a gay former classmate he was linked to romantically.

Buster Murdaugh, 26, spoke out for the first time as the body of Stephen Smith, 19, is due to be exhumednearly eight years after he was mysteriously found deadin the road near the South Carolina home where Alex later gunned down his wife, Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22.