Found Deceased MI - Venus Stewart, 32, Colon, 28 April 2010 - # 1 *D. Stewart guilty*

[Calliope]

But how would he know that she would go out to mail a letter and be alone, I wonder? It almost seems like a crime of opportunity, in that way...and I too am wondering about why he got custody there for a while...it does sound like a horribly mutually abusive relationship.

Exactly. Also, the husband would've had to have known at least one of her parents were in the home.

 

[RubyRed]

But how would he know that she would go out to mail a letter and be alone, I wonder? It almost seems like a crime of opportunity, in that way...and I too am wondering about why he got custody there for a while...it does sound like a horribly mutually abusive relationship.

I think the plan was to get her that day and the home was being watched. The opportunity just arose at that time. If she had not went to the mailbox, I feel it would have happened later. In my opinion the person was determined to get her. and it just happened sooner rather than later that day.

 

[RubyRed]

Police agencies are searching near Adams Lake in St. Joseph County for Venus Stewart, missing since April 26. (April 30, 2010)

Stewart's estranged husband lives in Virginia and has been questioned by authorities. Police said his alibi appears to be true. He also told 24 Hour News 8 by phone that he had nothing to do with his wife's disappearance.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/Police-search-woods-for-Colon-Twp-woman

Video at link also

 

[dreamweaver]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/04/poilce_searching_wooded_area_i.html
..snipped..
Stewart has been missing since Monday and police believe she was abducted some time between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. outside her parents' house in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township. Stewart’s estranged husband, Douglas Stewart, 29, of Newport News, Va., is a person of interest in his wife’s abduction, police have said.

 

[eyes4crime]

~~snip~~

Police are continuing to ask for assistance from anyone who may have seen Venus Stewart or a silver Mercury sedan with Virginia license plate XNP1453 or silver Dodge Ram pickup truck with Virginia license plate XNP1301. Both of the vehicles are registered to Douglas Stewart, Risko said.

Despite locating Douglas Stewart, police have yet to find the car or pickup truck, Risko said.

St. Joseph County court records show that by 2008, Venus Stewart was living in fear of her husband, whom she had married six years earlier.

In a petition for a personal-protection order filed in July 2008, Stewart, wrote that Douglas Stewart abused her, made threats to take the couple’s two children and constantly badgered her for sex.

"Once Doug loses all control over me he is going to hunt me down and kill me,” she wrote. “... Now that I don’t have my parents to protect me and if he finds out where I am at he is going to kill me. It’s only a matter of time.”

“I am scared to death and every day I live in constant fear and I am constantly looking over my shoulder wondering when he will appear again,” she wrote.
~~snip~~

July 2008 - files for personal protection order - granted by Judge Welty

August 2008 - Douglas Stewart answered with protection order of his own (Kalamazoo County)

October 2008 - both orders dismissed

March 2009 - Venus filed for 2nd Order of Protection - denied by Judge Welty (did not meet emergency criteria)

March 2009 - venus files for 3rd Order of Protection - granted

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/04/missing_st_joseph_county_woman_1.html

There certainly have a history of fear and violence in the marriage - He has an alibi and yet, his truck and car can't be found. Maybe he hired someone? moo

 

[pufnstuf]

There certainly have a history of fear and violence in the marriage - He has an alibi and yet, his truck and car can't be found. Maybe he hired someone? moo

That's what I kinda think--that he hired someone. Only thing is, why would his car and truck be missing if he hired someone to do it? Would he let the hired person borrow his car and truck?

With both vehicles missing, it makes me think that he killed her, put her in the car trunk, brought her back to Virginia, then used the truck to take her body away.

Why else would two vehicles be missing?

 

[Calliope]

Stewart's estranged husband lives in Virginia and has been questioned by authorities. Police said his alibi appears to be true.

So how long have they wasted looking at him when the real kidnapper is out there free?

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/margin-1375898-bottom-style.html

April 30, 2010 5:35 PM

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Investigators in St. Joseph County spent Friday searching a wooded area for Venus Stewart.

The search focused on the Adams Lake area north of Colon Township, not far from Stewart's parents home.

 

[maggieo]

So how long have they wasted looking at him when the real kidnapper is out there free?

I don't think it's fair to LE to say they wasted their time -- the couple had a serious domestic violence situation, after all. And it's not like there's any evidence pointing to anyone else that they ignored.

 

[JLMcKenna83]

Excuse me if this sounds dense.... but if both of his cars are missing why hasn't he filed reports for stolen vehicles?

 

[eyes4crime]

Excuse me if this sounds dense.... but if both of his cars are missing why hasn't he filed reports for stolen vehicles?

Good question! The police said they have yet to find the truck or car - never mentioned they were reported missing. A person doesn't have to make vehicles available to LE unless there is a search warrant, so maybe he is hiding them.

 

[eyes4crime]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/04/poilce_searching_wooded_area_i.html
..snipped..
Stewart has been missing since Monday and police believe she was abducted some time between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. outside her parents' house in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township. Stewart’s estranged husband, Douglas Stewart, 29, of Newport News, Va., is a person of interest in his wife’s abduction, police have said.

Douglas, Venus' estranged husband, has been named a POI! Now we can legitimately sleuth this mean man!!!

 

[Calliope]

Good question! The police said they have yet to find the truck or car - never mentioned they were reported missing. A person doesn't have to make vehicles available to LE unless there is a search warrant, so maybe he is hiding them.

How do we know they haven't located the vehicles? That last link appears to have been updated from a previous story (adding the search at the beginning). ETA: I've looked through articles, and they are saying LE hadn't located the vehicles as of Wednesday. Still reading...

 

[Calliope]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/04/poilce_searching_wooded_area_i.html
..snipped..
Stewart has been missing since Monday and police believe she was abducted some time between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. outside her parents' house in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township. Stewart’s estranged husband, Douglas Stewart, 29, of Newport News, Va., is a person of interest in his wife’s abduction, police have said.

Here we go:

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/04/michigan_state_police_remain_h.html

By Rex Hall Jr. | Kalamazoo Gazette
April 29, 2010, 12:21AM
COLON TOWNSHIP — Police say they remain hopeful Venus Rose Stewart will be found alive.

But each passing day heightens fears that the 32-year-old St. Joseph County woman who investigators say was abducted early Monday won’t return.

“She has pretty much fallen off the grid, just become a ghost,” said Lt. Mike Risko, of the Michigan State Police. “It’s like she’s vanished off the face of the earth. We have had zero tips as to her whereabouts ... We’re going to remain hopeful, but I’ve been in this business 32 years and obviously it’s not looking good.”

Police initially said they believed Stewart’s estranged husband, Douglas, abducted her between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. Monday outside her parent’s home in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township. Risko said Douglas Stewart, whom police were able to contact by phone late Monday night in Newport News, Va., where he resides, is a “person of interest” in his wife’s disappearance.
-------------------------------

Is this still the case (since police have stated his alibi is true) or is it sloppy reporting?

 

[Calliope]

I don't think it's fair to LE to say they wasted their time -- the couple had a serious domestic violence situation, after all. And it's not like there's any evidence pointing to anyone else that they ignored.

That he traveled from Newport News to Michigan (approximately a 13 hour drive ... see my post above), just happening to catch her outside mailing a letter while everyone else in the home is gone or asleep, grabbing her, disposing of her and then driving 13 hours back so that police can speak to him in Newport News the same night she disappeared seems a bit far-fetched. Police should absolutely look to him first, but all he needs is for someone to have placed him in the Newport News area Sunday night through Monday morning. It sounds as if that is the case, since they're saying his alibi is 'true'. I suppose he could have hired a hit man, but honestly unless the police come up with a more believable scenario I don't see how he could have abducted her.

 

[Calliope]

I wonder how far their mailbox is from the house? It appears there was a violent struggle when she was taken... did no one hear anything suspicious? Didn't she scream out for help?

 

[eyes4crime]

How do we know they haven't located the vehicles? That last link appears to have been updated from a previous story (adding the search at the beginning). ETA: I've looked through articles, and they are saying LE hadn't located the vehicles as of Wednesday. Still reading...

In post #60 I outlined an article discussing fear and restraining orders in the marriage...also discusses inability to find the truck and car...along with my outline there is a link that might help you understand where I got the info. Please read! TIA

 

[Calliope]

In post #60 I outlined an article discussing fear and restraining orders in the marriage...also discusses inability to find the truck and car...along with my outline there is a link that might help you understand where I got the info. Please read! TIA

You're welcome. I did read that. It was from an article on 4/28 at 8:19 AM. Like I said above, I don't see any mention of the vehicles in the most recent articles, except to note that as of Wednesday they hadn't located them. That was before LE came out and said his alibi was 'true'. I've not yet read all the articles released since police verified his alibi, so if you've seen one that says the car and truck still haven't been located, please link. TIA


Also from your link in post #60:

Risko declined to say whether Douglas Stewart, 29, is a suspect in Venus Stewart’s disappearance. Risko said Douglas Stewart spoke with authorities when he was found in Virginia on Monday, but the lieutenant declined to comment on what, if anything Stewart may have told investigators.

Police have “no reliable information” that Douglas Stewart was in Michigan at the time of his wife’s disappearance, Risko said.

 

[RubyRed]

Stewart Search Continues

Venus Rose Stewart has now been missing since Monday. Her husband remains a person of interest, but it appears that Doug Stewart has an alibi.

http://www.wtvbam.com/news/articles/2010/may/01/stewart-search-continues/

 

[Calliope]

What I don't understand is how the media can continue to call him a POI? That doesn't make sense to me...