Found Deceased MI - Venus Stewart, 32, Colon, 28 April 2010 - # 9 *D. Stewart guilty*

[Cubby]

snipped............................................

In their grief, the McClouds say they’re looking for explanations, believing Venus would have returned from her early-morning trip to the mailbox the morning of April 26 if Douglas Stewart had already been charged with CSC.

Larry McCloud breaks down when he recalls his last attempt to reassure his daughter.
“’When I’m dead and gone, you remember this conversation’ she told me. And the next day, she was gone,” he said.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/parents_say_venus_stewart_migh.htmlhttp://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/parents_say_venus_stewart_migh.html

This is heartbreaking. I wish I could wrap my arms around Venus' dad right now. I wish I could tell him, while he is looking for explainations..... I understand the need to sort this out and the need for time to do so and while he and his wife are doing so they will have extra prayers for some kind of comfort and strength.

I want him to know somewhere within this horrible nightmare lays the responsiblity with those who have been proven to file false allegations. There needs to be stiffer and stronger penalties for false allegations whether they be sexual abuse, DV etc. so the true cases don't fall through the cracks like Venus' case did.

 

[Cubby]

Chesterfield County police investigators are still hard at work trying to determine who owns a vehicle that was found in the Appomattox River over the weekend. Badly decomposed human remains found inside the vehicle were sent to the state Medical Examiner's office for identification.

Reid also said that investigators are still trying to determine who the vehicle belonged to before it ended up in the river.

http://progress-index.com/news/probe-of-vehicle-body-in-river-continues-1.869496

There is a thread for this unidentified person in our Unidentified forum.
Link here for more detailed news and sleuthing on this john or jane doe.

VA VA - Unidentified Body found in Submerged Car in Appomattox River - June 2010 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[Natal]

“Venus hid in a motel room for the night with the girls and police escorted her to the airport and put her on a plane to come back here,” Larry McComb said. “She immediately went to the police chief in Schoolcraft and the chief, a child psychologist and Children’s Protective Services all got involved.”

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/parents_say_venus_stewart_migh.html

The story as reported just doesnt make sense. If she was in such extreme danger as they imply, why would that suddenly just pop out of nowhere? One moment she is driving to school, the next she is hiding out in a motel. Surely it would have made more sense to have not said anything and then discretely left? Things appeared to be OK then, BOOM! Massive and persistent drama! If something was going to set DS off, that seems like a pretty surefire way of ensuring that it would happen, it is just amazing to me . It is allmost like she wasn't expecting anything to happen, and got surprised when it did.

And if those were the circumstances prior to her going back to MI then why did she go to Virginia in the first place. The other strange thing is the apparent massive difference in how the various LE agencies saw things when they are supposed to be applying the law uniformly.

There has to be a very significant back story here that we aren't hearing about.

 

[Natal]

I want him to know somewhere within this horrible nightmare lays the responsiblity with those who have been proven to file false allegations. There needs to be stiffer and stronger penalties for false allegations whether they be sexual abuse, DV etc. so the true cases don't fall through the cracks like Venus' case did.

We don't know if the allegation is true or not, certainly the LE agency with jurisdiction appears to have doubts.

It would be ironic if a homicide stemmed from a false or exaggerated allegation however.

 

[Cubby]

We don't know if the allegation is true or not, certainly the LE agency with jurisdiction appears to have doubts.

It would be ironic if a homicide stemmed from a false or exaggerated allegation however.

I agree. Maybe I was not so clear, but I meant in general due to the number of false allegations of DV or sexual abuse in divorce cases where the custody of children are involved.

Having been a never married single mother for almost a decade who participated in various SP forums far longer than I have years at WS, and have seen some very bitter divorce and custody discussions on forums solely dedicated to those issues not much would surprise me when it comes to what would push one over the edge in a bitter custody battle.

JMO

 

[Cubby]

The story as reported just doesnt make sense. If she was in such extreme danger as they imply, why would that suddenly just pop out of nowhere? One moment she is driving to school, the next she is hiding out in a motel. Surely it would have made more sense to have not said anything and then discretely left? Things appeared to be OK then, BOOM! Massive and persistent drama! If something was going to set DS off, that seems like a pretty surefire way of ensuring that it would happen, it is just amazing to me . It is allmost like she wasn't expecting anything to happen, and got surprised when it did.

And if those were the circumstances prior to her going back to MI then why did she go to Virginia in the first place. The other strange thing is the apparent massive difference in how the various LE agencies saw things when they are supposed to be applying the law uniformly.

There has to be a very significant back story here that we aren't hearing about.

My interpretation.... from the most recent link.

Records indicate Venus told Virginia authorities one of her daughters casually described inappropriate touching by her father during a drive to school one day.

I took this to mean the abuse occured while the father was driving the child to school. Maybe I am reading too much into the use of the word during. To me, during would be descriptive of when the alleged abuse occured rather than the child telling her mother while being driven to school.

I could be wrong, I have not followed each post on the VS threads... and the location of the alleged abuse could have been previously posted. OR I could be having a blonde moment.

 

[LLLindsayy]

Chesterfield County police investigators are still hard at work trying to determine who owns a vehicle that was found in the Appomattox River over the weekend. Badly decomposed human remains found inside the vehicle were sent to the state Medical Examiner's office for identification.

Reid also said that investigators are still trying to determine who the vehicle belonged to before it ended up in the river.

http://progress-index.com/news/probe-of-vehicle-body-in-river-continues-1.869496

I live in Chesterfield part-time. I've been over this river/bridge since Venus went missing. I'm going to feel terrible if this turns out to be her I'll feel like I could have done something.

 

[iluvmua]

does anyone know how long they have been estranged from one another?

 

[Kimberlyd125]

We don't know if the allegation is true or not, certainly the LE agency with jurisdiction appears to have doubts.

It would be ironic if a homicide stemmed from a false or exaggerated allegation however.

We've learned since that the daughter has been interviewed and it is now believed DS did assault her. IMO he did. I firmly believe he did.

And even if the allegations were false (I doubt it, but just saying) the fact a murder could "stem" from that would still make him a murderer that took his children's mother and father from them.

He disgusts me.

I believe he was infuriated because Venus "told" what he did and left him. I believe she was scared for her life because in her heart she knew he would get to her and make her pay. I believe she wanted to get those girls as far away from him as she could.

I really feel for her Dad because I'm sure he feels like he failed to protect her. He is most likely feeling guilt that he should never feel because I'm sure he loves her and would do anything to protect her. Who would think DS would be hiding out that morning stalking the house like a hunter waiting on his prey.

DS has not only taken VSs life, he has ruined countless others. I hope he rots. Is there DP in MI?

 

[believe09]

Actually, my perspective is slightly different because I have seen this unfold a few times.

The responding PD sent the investigation to the DA requesting criminal charges be filed. Many cases get squashed at the level of the police department. They accumulate the evidence, they do the investigation, they are likely to know when there is a smoke/fire situation and when it is likely BS. IMO. The DA refused to charge because they did not think there was enough to win the case.

This is my interpretation; I have seen it many times...usually regarding custodial interference cases.

"Daddy showed me his pee pee" does not carry the same physical evidence as "Daddy stuck his pee pee in me and it hurt." Let's face it, it isnt an action that carries physical trauma and because of that, it is likely to be dismissed by most people.

Did Venus coach her child? I can hear this question on the lips of many people...who knows, but that would likely be uncovered easily by someone adept in dealing with children and getting to the truth of what the incident/incidents might be. And that will be for those people to decide and pass along the info to the courts.

BUT, it is very, very troubling to know that DS chose to lure and kill his wife while staging an alibi back in VA. Because he did stage an alibi back in VA. So he was clearly up to something motivated by a great emotion. And it is hard not to tie these events together.

FWIW, Natal, I can completely understand why a woman who felt her children were at risk would decide on a police escort to get out of dodge. Her husband had, if reports are to be believed and transcripts, mentioned taking care of his issues with her using a 357. If she believed her daughter, she had in her hands a situation that would very likely blow the cover off of who or what people believed DS to be. That was not going to sit well with him and in the end she was right. JMO.

 

[believe09]

does anyone know how long they have been estranged from one another?

She left for MI with the kids in February and she was abducted April 26.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

IIRC VS said her daughter told her DS asked the daughter to "pet it" or something like that. I don't think he raped his daughter but I do believe there was some touching going on.

Still assault. But, very hard to prove because there would be no evidence. It would be a childs word against her fathers word. I think that is why it was dropped in VA.

But, now that all this has happened, I believe the courts wanted to make sure (since DS was trying to get the kids) the POI in a murder case was a suitable parent before letting him even SEE the girls. So, more interviews were done and from what I've seen, they believe the little girl. They believe DS did assault his daughter.

Thank God for that. IMO they don't need to be anywhere around this .

JMO

 

[BeanE]

My interpretation.... from the most recent link.

Records indicate Venus told Virginia authorities one of her daughters casually described inappropriate touching by her father during a drive to school one day.

I took this to mean the abuse occured while the father was driving the child to school. Maybe I am reading too much into the use of the word during. To me, during would be descriptive of when the alleged abuse occured rather than the child telling her mother while being driven to school.

I could be wrong, I have not followed each post on the VS threads... and the location of the alleged abuse could have been previously posted. OR I could be having a blonde moment.

Pufnstuf's transcription of Venus' handwritten notes. Doug abused his daughter in their home. The little girl told Venus about it when Venus was driving the little girl to school.

On 2/22/10 I drove my daughter ****** to her preschool - ******** Memorial Preschool which also happens to be a church. In the parking lot waiting for her teacher to take her out between 1:50 my daughter out of nowhere says to me, "What's that thing that hangs between dad's legs?" My eyes got real big and I just sat there and didn't say anything thinking that she maybe saw him peeing and I didn't want to go there with her. She kept on demanding an answer. She says, "You know mom that long thing that hangs from his butt." I said - when did you see that? She says - "At the old house" (She is referring to the old house in Schoolcraft, MI) She said "Dad wanted me to pet it so I did. It just had a bit of hair. It was hard and little __" Her teacher then opened the door....and someone beeped at me....for awhile....

*****************
This is all I can glean from the video. Puf.

 

[thinkaboutthis]

We've learned since that the daughter has been interviewed and it is now believed DS did assault her. IMO he did. I firmly believe he did.

And even if the allegations were false (I doubt it, but just saying) the fact a murder could "stem" from that would still make him a murderer that took his children's mother and father from them.

He disgusts me.

I believe he was infuriated because Venus "told" what he did and left him. I believe she was scared for her life because in her heart she knew he would get to her and make her pay. I believe she wanted to get those girls as far away from him as she could.

I really feel for her Dad because I'm sure he feels like he failed to protect her. He is most likely feeling guilt that he should never feel because I'm sure he loves her and would do anything to protect her. Who would think DS would be hiding out that morning stalking the house like a hunter waiting on his prey.

DS has not only taken VSs life, he has ruined countless others. I hope he rots. Is there DP in MI?

No death penalty in Michigan. I am not at all convinced that DS harmed his daughter. The county (where the "alleged" crime actually occurred) interviewed the kid several times and she never said a peep about any of this to their professionals, with exception of Schoolcraft PD after Venus took the child in to them, how can they charge him and expect to get a conviction if the kid doesn't corroborate the story when the professionals come in and do the questioning?

IMO it could just as easily be that she has since been being "helped along" to remember what "happened to her" by Venus and her family...we just don't know.

We can't know what verbal thoughts and attitudes that little girl has been subjected to since then, I would imagine it's not all fun and games around Venus's family and with Doug Stewart's allegation again Larry McComb prior to any of this other stuff, Doug's name would have practically been a curse word in that house well before the abduction IMO.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/court_proceeding_in_venus_stew.html

Court proceeding in Venus Stewart murder case will be broadcast here on Thursday


Snipped:

CENTREVILLE — Douglas H. Stewart, who is accused of abducting and killing his estranged wife in April in Colon Township, is scheduled to be back in court Thursday for a hearing on evidence against him in the case, and the proceeding will be broadcast here live.

Stewart’s preliminary examination before St. Joseph County District Judge Jeff Middleton is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. Stewart, 29, is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the slaying of Venus Rose Stewart.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Maybe we will get some answers to a lot of our questions tomorrow since the pretrial will be televised.

 

[PickieChickie]

Maybe we will get some answers to a lot of our questions tomorrow since the pretrial will be televised.

Hopefully we will see Richard Spencer so we can decide if this is him or not. (Cached page of deleted account): http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...0+years+old+deleware&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Deleted account link: http://www.myspace.com/r1chard25

 

[mysticrose]

I keep seeing talk about the daughter that was possibly abused by Doug, I thought I read in an article that they did a forensic examination on her and it proved what she had been saying was true ? Does anyone else remember reading that ? I would take that to be there was evidence showing something occured to her ... I'll see if I can find the link.....

 

[mommame]

I keep seeing talk about the daughter that was possibly abused by Doug, I thought I read in an article that they did a forensic examination on her and it proved what she had been saying was true ? Does anyone else remember reading that ? I would take that to be there was evidence showing something occured to her ... I'll see if I can find the link.....

IIRC it was during the custody hearing when he was denied custody or visitation.....

 

[PickieChickie]

I keep seeing talk about the daughter that was possibly abused by Doug, I thought I read in an article that they did a forensic examination on her and it proved what she had been saying was true ? Does anyone else remember reading that ? I would take that to be there was evidence showing something occured to her ... I'll see if I can find the link.....

Cameras were not permitted at the recent hearing, and the specific abuse allegations against Doug were not known until the court records became public.

The first says the Department of Human Services received a complaint regarding inappropriate contact between Doug and one of his daughters in late February.

The second says that daughter had a forensic interview that determined her statements were consistent and credible.

SOURCE: http://www.wwmt.com/articles/style-1378122-span-margin.html