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

[RubyRed]

I think he still is a POI because somehow he may be still involved . At least I think he is. moo

 

[Calliope]

I think he still is a POI because somehow he may be still involved . At least I think he is. moo

Ok... but if police say his alibi is 'true', then how can he still be a POI?

The only thing I can think of is if he hired someone to abduct her. Him driving to and from Michigan isn't likely, IMO.

 

[eyes4crime]

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:

IMO LE are able to tell the public anything they want - doesn't have to be truthful or accurate. With that in mind, his alibi may or may not check out - and even if it does, they go out their way to call him a person of interest not a suspect.

LE have called him a POI. He is the most logical person for this crime right now - his history of violence and threats against his wife certainly place him above a random abduction. It may turn out different, but for now, that POI label could very well keep him in their view and may serve as a guide for our thinking.

If LE state it and there is a documented history of violence and fear between the two - I have a hard time understanding your reluctance to accept! Why?

ETA: If I know this, I'm sure LE also knows - people lie and give others an alibi all the time - many murderers have an alibi that eventually was found to be false. Words are words and are not facts embedded in stone. moo

 

[Calliope]

IMO LE are able to tell the public anything they want - doesn't have to be truthful or accurate. With that in mind, his alibi may or may not check out - and even if it does, they go out their way to call him a person of interest not a suspect.

LE have called him a POI. He is the most logical person for this crime right now - his history of violence and threats against his wife certainly place him above a random abduction. It may turn out different, but for now, that POI label could very well keep him in their view and may serve as a guide for our thinking.

If LE state it and there is a documented history of violence and fear between the two - I have a hard time understanding your reluctance to accept! Why?

I don't have a hard time accepting there was violence in that relationship on both parts. If you believe the wife's accusation he made threats to her, then why not believe HIS accusation that she threatened him? It's a he-said/she-said kind of thing, and we really don't know how much of what either said is actually true.

What I have a hard time accepting is outlined in my above post, #69:

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - MI MI - Colon Township, Venus Rose Stewart, 32 April 26,2010


What I see here is that in spite of that, most people want him to be the kidnapper (and probable murderer). Again, while LE should look at him and where he was during that time frame, failing to admit there may have been someone else involved will only buy the real kidnapper time to cover his tracks and escape.

IMO, if the husband is involved, he didn't abduct her but made arrangements for someone else to do so.

 

[Calliope]

If I know this, I'm sure LE also knows - people lie and give others an alibi all the time - many murderers have an alibi that eventually was found to be false. Words are words and are not facts embedded in stone. moo

True, and that's why I'd expect them to do more than simply take someone's word for it.

 

[Calliope]

Since we're all about sleuthing DS, what type of work does he do? Does he work Monday through Friday? Was he at work on Monday?

 

[Calliope]

IMO LE are able to tell the public anything they want - doesn't have to be truthful or accurate. With that in mind, his alibi may or may not check out - and even if it does, they go out their way to call him a person of interest not a suspect.

BTW, why should we believe anything the police say in this case?

 

[RubyRed]

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.

bbm

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

They are saying it " appears to be true" There is a big difference between that and true. The key word is appears.

 

[Calliope]

It would be helpful if LE would tell us what his alibi actually is.

Well, they can continue to spin their wheels looking at the husband, or they can figure out who actually took her. It may turn out that person is connected to DS in some way, but I still don't believe he could have managed to do all that and be back in Newport News that same evening.

 

[eyes4crime]

BTW, why should we believe anything the police say in this case?

You don't have to! We can't make up fictitious evidence to speculate from and, in addition, we are not prisoners of WS - we don't have to comment.

If the LE cares to have help from the public, often they will give out some of the facts, not all of them; often, certain facts known only to LE are saved for the interrogation of the suspect or to weed out false confessions. The LE may give purposeful info and the media gets it wrong - lately, both seem to be amiss. We simply can't take every word literally or change them to fit our speculation. moo

If and when it becomes a murder investigation, LE really does get tight lipped. moo

 

[RubyRed]

If he made that round trip, he would have had to be hammered down, there and back. It is not impossible. It is going to depend on how legitimate his alibi is.

 

[eyes4crime]

If he made that round trip, he would have had to be hammered down, there and back. It is not impossible. It is going to depend on how legitimate his alibi is.

With this man's tenacity for making Venus' life miserable and being one up - he could have become exhausted of his game and hired someone. moo

And where are the vehicles - another mind game?

 

[RubyRed]

With the volatile background, I will be stunned if he isn't directly or indirectly involved.

 

[eyes4crime]

With the volatile background, I will be stunned if he isn't directly or indirectly involved.

I'll be stunned along with you! Logically, he is the the best POI at this time. Watching the cold case files helps me to understand how often LE have their man and they know it - and are unable to connect evidence. 10, 15 years later, new detectives pick up the case and find the alibi never had substance or new DNA discovered, or a person in prison talks for a plea deal. In reverse, LE also finds evidence that frees an innocent man; my heart breaks for the person who did 15 years in prison and was innocent all along. moo

 

[Calliope]

You don't have to! We can't make up fictitious evidence to speculate from and, in addition, we are not prisoners of WS - we don't have to comment.

If the LE cares to have help from the public, often they will give out some of the facts, not all of them; often, certain facts known only to LE are saved for the interrogation of the suspect or to weed out false confessions. The LE may give purposeful info and the media gets it wrong - lately, both seem to be amiss. We simply can't take every word literally or change them to fit our speculation. moo

If and when it becomes a murder investigation, LE really does get tight lipped. moo

Until they come out with more information, I'll have to take LE at their word (what little they've said on this case). I'm not seeing anyone changing LE's words to fit their speculation. It was reported that the police said his alibi appears true; if that's the case, they need to focus on finding her and the kidnapper. If it turns out that DS hired someone to abduct her, then they can move on him. Continuing to go after him at this point in time doesn't seem to be helpful.

 

[eyes4crime]

Until they come out with more information, I'll have to take LE at their word (what little they've said on this case). I'm not seeing anyone changing LE's words to fit their speculation. It was reported that the police said his alibi appears true; if that's the case, they need to focus on finding her and the kidnapper. If it turns out that DS hired someone to abduct her, then they can move on him. Continuing to go after him at this point in time doesn't seem to be helpful.

MY COMMENT WAS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION: Why should we believe anything LE says?

Do you really believe LE is into his alibi 100%? And if they are, why name him a POI? He has a violent history with Venus, knows much about her and family, has threatened her before, and is a spiteful control freak who has to be in control all the time. I will continue to view him as a person who has the most to gain from doing Venus in - you can look at whomever you want, as long as they are named by LE. That's it for now, have a good day. moo

 

[Calliope]

If he made that round trip, he would have had to be hammered down, there and back. It is not impossible. It is going to depend on how legitimate his alibi is.

True. It's not impossible, but unlikely IMO. Just the round trip drive is 24-26 hours. Then you have to factor in him waiting for her to leave the home (doubtful he arrived just as she stepped out to mail the letter), abducting her, taking her away, etc., which only adds hours to that time.

Where did VS work? What did she do in her spare time? Who were her friends? Had she been dating or recently met anyone since her separation? Are there RSOs in the area? Have there been any other mysterious disappearances, abductions, assaults, "peeping tom" reports, etc.?

 

[Calliope]

MY COMMENT WAS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION: Why should we believe anything LE says?

Do you really believe LE is into his alibi 100%? And if they are, why name him a POI?

That's what I want to know...

He has a violent history with Venus, knows much about her and family, has threatened her before, and is a spiteful control freak who has to be in control all the time.

Spiteful control freak? Where does that come from? Also, Venus was once arrested for assaulting him. Do we know if he was ever arrested for assaulting her? (not saying that if he wasn't, that means he wasn't abusive; I believe it's obvious they both were)

I will continue to view him as a person who has the most to gain from doing Venus in - you can look at whomever you want, as long as they are named by LE. That's it for now, have a good day. moo

There's no one to 'look at', not yet. You have a wonderful evening too.

 

[Calliope]

With the volatile background, I will be stunned if he isn't directly or indirectly involved.

Most likely indirectly, if he is at all. JMO

 

[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

Sorry to quote myself - but please read about her fears and what was said to cause such fears.

You're right Calli - it could be anyone - it could be her father and/or children sleeping in the house at the time of her abduction - but until they are named, we can't sleuth. So for now, I will go with the most logical person to do Venus in - a man who has to take out his own restraining order in response to hers. To me, that's being one up and a control freak.