Venus Stewart Never Found -- Douglas Stewart Convicted of Murder

Michigan police seek ex-husband after Colon woman disappears

Story Created: Apr 26, 2010 at 9:45 PM EDT



Michigan State Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a St. Joseph County, Mich., woman.

They say 32-year-old Venus Rose Stewart, of Colon Township, was abducted from her parent’s home sometime between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Police at the White Pigeon post told SBT24/7 News that she was believed abducted by her ex-husband, 29-year-old Douglas Stewart.

Venus Stewart is white with dark hair and brown eyes, about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds. She was last seen in pajamas.

Douglas Stewart is white with brown hair and eyes, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 250 pounds.

Police think they may be headed to Virginia in a 1998 silver Mercury or a 2005 silver Dodge Ram. Both vehicles are tagged in Virginia.

Anyone with information is asked to call Michigan State Police at (269) 483-7611.

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/92146019.html

Missing St. Joseph County woman requested protection orders against estranged husband

By Rex Hall Jr. | Kalamazoo Gazette
April 27, 2010, 2:44PM

COLON TOWNSHIP — A 32-year-old woman who police believe was abducted early Monday from her parents’ home in St. Joseph County requested three personal-protection orders against her estranged husband since 2008, court records show.

Venus Rose Stewart’s most recent petition for a protection order against Douglas Harrie Stewart, 29, came in February, a St. Joseph County Circuit Court official said Tuesday. A previous request in July 2008 was terminated three months later and a second request in March 2009 was denied, the official said.

Stewart was last seen by her mother, who left for work at about 6 a.m. Monday from their residence in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township, according to Michigan State Police. Investigators said initially that Stewart may have been abducted by husband Douglas Stewart, who resides in Newport News, Va.

Douglas Stewart was found Monday in Newport News and spoke to authorities. Investigators declined today to say whether he is a suspect in his wife’s disappearance.

“We’re hoping for the best that she turns up alive and well,” said Lt. Mike Risko of the Michigan State Police post in White Pigeon. “We still don’t think she left on her own free will.”

Police said the Stewarts have been married for five years and have two children, ages 3 and 5. Venus Stewart, police said, formerly lived in Newport News but moved back to Michigan, where she was living with her parents and children.

Risko said police have “no reliable information” that Douglas Stewart was in Michigan at the time of his wife’s disappearance. Police today were continuing to ask for assistance from anyone who may have seen Venus Stewart traveling in a silver Mercury sedan with Virginia license plate XNP1453 or silver Dodge Ram with Virginia license plate XNP1301.

Both of the vehicles are registered to Douglas Stewart, Risko said. The lieutenant said that, despite locating Douglas Stewart, police have yet to find the car or pickup truck.

Police ask that anyone who may have seen Venus Stewart or the Mercury sedan or Dodge pickup truck to call the State Police post in White Pigeon at 269-483-7611 or the State Police Regional Dispatch Center in Rockford at 616-866-6666.

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

This doesn't sound good for her....

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

Police search for Venus Rose Stewart, of St. Joseph County, who they believe was abducted by her estranged husband

By Rex Hall Jr. | Kalamazoo Gazette
April 26, 2010, 5:03PM

COLON TOWNSHIP — Police are searching for a missing St. Joseph County woman who is believed to have been abducted Monday morning by her estranged husband, authorities said.

Venus Rose Stewart, 32, was taken some time between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. from her parents’ home in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township, according to Michigan State Police.

Police said Stewart, who was last seen wearing pajamas, may be with her estranged husband, Douglas Harrie Stewart, 29.

“We have information to believe she did not leave voluntarily,” said Lt. Mike Risko of the State Police Post in White Pigeon.

Police said the Stewarts may be traveling in a 1998 silver Mercury sedan with Virginia license plate XNP1453 or a silver full-size Dodge Ram with four doors and Virginia plate XNP1301.

Douglas Stewart lives in Newport News, Va., and police believe the two may be headed there.

Risko said Venus Stewart formerly lived in Newport News but had moved back to Michigan where she was living with her parents and children.

He said Venus Stewart’s father and children were asleep at the house in Colon Township at the time that she is believed to have been abducted.

The lieutenant declined to say Monday what information police have that leads them to believe that Venus Stewart did not leave her parents’ home willingly.

Police described Venus Stewart as a white female, 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing approximately 130 pounds with brown eyes and dark hair.

Douglas Stewart is described as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 250 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

Police ask that anyone with information about the Stewarts’ whereabouts to call the White Pigeon post at 269-483-7611 or the State Police Regional Dispatch Center in Rockford at 616-866-6666.

Thanks for the link dedekeene & welcome to RC.

Police searching for another man in Michigan woman's disappearance

Posted: 4:05 PM May 7, 2010

Michigan State Police continue their search for a missing St. Joseph County woman.

32-year-old Venus Rose Stewart has been missing since last week.

Police think her husband, 29-year-old Douglas Stewart, abducted her from her parents Colon Township home.

Douglas Stewart has been found in Virginia, but police are still looking for Venus.

Thursday, police announced they're also looking for another man who was seen in the area around Adams Lake, which is about a mile from where Venus may have disappeared.

Witnesses say they man was acting suspiciously.

He's described as about 5’7” and between 150 to 160 pounds with brown hair and a mustache.

Anyone with information on this man or Venus Stewart should call the Michigan State Police at 269-483-7611.

http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/93133274.html

Suspicious person in Venus Stewart case

Woman disappeared April 26
Published : Thursday, 06 May 2010, 1:18 PM EDT



COLON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - State police have released the sketch of a man who they would like to talk to regarding the disappearance of Venus Stewart.

Police are looking for a man described as white, in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5-foot-5 to 5-8, weighing about 150 to 160 pounds, who was last seen in the area of Adams Lake -- a mile from Stewart's parents' home, where police say the 32-year-old Colon Township woman was last seen.

Venus was abducted April 26, authorities say, from the home in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive. She was outside getting the mail around 7:30 a.m. and wearing her pajamas. There was evidence of a scuffle in the front yard.

Stewart came from Virginia with her two children to stay with her parents while she and her estranged husband, Douglas, divorced. She recently had been awarded custody of the kids.

Two people say they encountered this suspicious man at Adams Lake the night before Stewart disappeared. The witnesses said it was unusual the man was wet, as if he was swimming. He asked the witnesses for a cigarette.

"Police felt strongly enough about the lead (that) they conducted an all-out search of the lake using sonar equipment," said Lt. Michael Risko of the Michigan State Police. "Their search turned up nothing."

Investigators have yet to look at a swampy area near the lake that has no boat access. Officials hope to proceed once flood waters subside.

This man is not considered a suspect. Witnesses say he was acting suspicious prior to Stewart's disappearance.

Douglas Stewart is the only official "person of interest" in the case, police told 24 Hour News 8, although they say he has a solid alibi for the time his wife disappeared. Douglas said in a phone call from Virginia he is innocent and concerned for Venus.

Police also are investigating another lead. One neighbor reported seeing a pickup truck the morning of Venus' disappearance in a vacant lot nearby her parents' home. The driver later sped off.

Officers traced the tire tracks but won't say if there is any connection to a pickup truck belonging to Douglas.

If you know anything about this case you are asked to call police at (269) 483-7611 or (616) 866-6666.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/suspicious-person-in-Venus-Stewart-case

Dad finds handwritten notes from Venus

Allegations against estranged husband made

By Jessica Leffler
Published : Thursday, 06 May 2010, 5:03 PM EDT



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - As the investigation into the disappearance of Venus Stewart continues, some handwritten notes have surfaced alleging her estranged husband was involved in inappropriate touching with the couple's children.

24 Hour News 8 obtained a copy of the handwritten notes by Venus detailing her daughter's story. According to the documents, her daughter told Venus about the incident in February 2010.

The notes were provided by Larry McComb, Venus' father, who said he stumbled across the papers in a drawer. February is when Venus left her husband, Douglas Stewart, and moved in with the McCombs in Colon Township, Larry McComb added.

The Schoolcraft Police Department investigated the claims made in the notes. Allegedly, Douglas had one of his daughters touch him inappropriately. A younger sibling was home at the time of the alleged incident, but in a different room.

The Kalamazoo County prosecutor's office told 24 Hour News 8 no charges were filed against Douglas because there was "insufficient evidence."

Venus recently was awarded full custody of the two children.

Doug emphasized how worried he is about his wife in a phone call Wednesday with 24 Hour News 8. He was in Virginia when Venus disappeared and police say his alibi is solid. Doug was unavailable for comment by phone Thursday.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/Dad-finds-handwritten-letter-from-Venus

WalMart receipt raises suspicion in case of missing mother

May 10, 2010 5:31 PM



ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – New details continue to emerge on the search for a St. Joseph County mother.

32-year-old Venus Stewart has been missing since the end of April, when she disappeared from her parent's front yard in Colon Township. Investigators say there were clear signs of a struggle there.

Investigators have now searched the property of Stewart's estranged husband.

Detectives from Michigan recently headed to Virginia, where Douglas Stewart lives, they went through his apartment, and two of his vehicles.

Venus Stewart's mother says she can't let herself draw conclusions from what police found when they searched Douglas Stewart's apartment and vehicles.

“I gotta keep thinking she's with us,” said Therese McComb.

Newschannel 3 obtained the search warrants that detail what police were looking for when they searched, and what they took as potential evidence.

The warrant, signed by a Virginia magistrate, sought out the clothes that Venus was wearing when she disappeared and any DNA evidence. Investigators found an apparent blood stain in Douglas Stewart's pick-up truck, that stain was on the front driver's side door. They also found a receipt from an Ohio WalMart showing a purchase that included gloves, a cap, tarp, and shovel.

Detectives also removed ten items from the Virginia apartment that Douglas used to share with Venus, those items included two computers and a roll of duct tape.

Newschannel 3 is also learning that a neighbor reported seeing a man crouched behind a gray pick-up truck that was parked in an empty lot across from Venus' parents home in Colon around the time that she went missing.

Tire impressions taken from that scene were compared to those on Douglas Stewart's truck and the general tread pattern is a match.

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/margin-1376309-bottom-08in.html

MSP: Evidence found vs. Venus' husband

Apparent blood stain found on Doug's truck

Updated: Monday, 10 May 2010, 6:39 PM EDT



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - An apparent blood stain was found in Douglas Stewart's truck, the Michigan State Police reported Monday afternoon.

Police executed search warrants at Stewart's Newport News, Va. home, where he once lived with Venus Stewart, who has been missing since April 26.

She was last seen in front of her parents' Colon Township home around 7:30 a.m., when she went out to the mailbox in her pajamas. Venus had been living with her parents and was in the process of divorcing Douglas, her estranged husband.

The chemical the Michigan State Police Department uses to detect blood read positive on a portion of the truck's interior. The material is now at a lab, being tested.

Police also found a Wal-Mart receipt for a shovel, tarp, cap and gloves, they confirm. The receipt was from April 25 -- the day before Venus disappeared -- from a Wal-Mart in Ohio.

Douglas Stewart's truck was parked on the street a few blocks from his complex, the Newport News police reported -- despite Stewart having two reserved parking spots in the structure at his apartment complex.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/CNN-Evidence-found-vs-Venus-husband

Arrest him already.

Michigan police to test Newport News man's truck

Woman's estranged husband from Newport News is "person of interest."

5:47 p.m. EDT, May 21, 2010

NEWPORT NEWS - Michigan State Police are making plans to transport a pickup truck from Newport News to Michigan as part of an investigation into a woman's disappearance last month.

The tires on the 2005 Dodge Ram pickup — located three blocks from the Newport News apartment of the woman's estranged husband — appear to match tread marks found outside the Michigan home where the woman was last seen, Michigan State Police said Friday.

Read more: http://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/dp-nws-michigan-slaying-20100521,0,5491339.story

Daughters of missing woman Venus Stewart in court-ordered hiding

By Kathy Jessup | Kalamazoo Gazette
May 28, 2010, 6:35PM

CENTREVILLE — The two young daughters of a missing Colon woman and her estranged husband, who has been named a “person of interest” in her disappearance, are in court-ordered hiding.

A spokeswoman for the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office said Friday that the girls, ages 5 and 3, have been ordered to “a place the court feels is safe” and no specific information is being released on their whereabouts.

Douglas Stewart, the girls’ father and estranged husband of missing Venus Stewart, was in St. Joseph County Family Court Friday with his lawyers to request he be given custody of his daughters while his wife is missing.

Although state police have identified Douglas Stewart as a “person of interest” in the case of his missing wife, he has not been charged with any crime.

A prosecutor’s spokeswoman said the court ordered that Douglas Stewart will have no visitation with the two girls, at least until after a June 17 hearing to review developments in the case.

That’s scheduled for 1 p.m. at the St. Joseph County Courthouse in Centreville.
The two children and their mother were living at the Colon Township home of Venus Stewart’s parents on April 26 when the young mother was reported to have disappeared, wearing her pajamas.

Venus Stewart vanished one month after she was awarded custody of the couple’s children.

Despite a Michigan State Police investigation that reached to Newport News, Va., where Douglas Stewart was living at the time, no trace of the woman has been found.

Authorities have conducted searches of Douglas Stewart’s vehicles and his parents’ home in St. Joseph County’s Leonidas Township.

The results of forensic evidence testing have not yet been completed.

The girls had remained in the care of their maternal grandparents , Larry and Therese McComb, after their mother went missing. The McCombs said they had put the girls “in hiding” after their mother’s disappearance, saying they believed Douglas Stewart would try to take them.

Douglas Stewart had filed a petition May 14 seeking custody of the girls, citing their mother’s unknown whereabouts.

But the minors subsequently became wards of the court when the St. Joseph County Department of Human Services filed a child protective services petition, asking the court to make DHS responsible for the girls.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/05/stewart_daughters_in_court-ord.html

the girls would be safe if they locked up their father already - why are they waiting so long??? arrest him already...
Why should they lock up the girls??

I agree Tish. The sooner they arrest him, the better. They found a bloodstain in his truck and if they have proof that he was in Ohio around the time Venus disappeared, it is very plausible that he went to Michigan and grabbed her. I sure the heck hope they don't give him custody of those girls. It's bad enough that Josh Powell has custody of his missing wife's kids right now.

Is there a Doug Stewart impersonator?
MSP wants help with April 25-26 timeframe

Updated: Tuesday, 01 Jun 2010, 11:21 PM EDT
Jessica Leffler



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - As the investigation into the April 26 abduction of Venus Stewart from outside her parents' Colon Township home continues, police now want help determining who impersonated Doug Stewart in Newport News, Va., in that same time frame.

The Michigan State Police is looking for anyone with information on "a person or persons who impersonated Doug Stewart in the Newport News, Virginia area between" April 25 and 26. Police also ask anyone who had contact with Doug in that time frame to contact them.

Venus Stewart, Doug's estranged wife and a 32-year-old mother of two, was last seen wearing pajamas. She was taken from her parents' home between 7:10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., police say. She has not been seen since.

Police have two reasons they believe there is an impersonator: investigators can place Doug at a Walmart in Ohio the night before Venus disappeared, and there is a witness who can place Doug in Michigan the day she was abducted.

Police once told 24 Hour News 8 that Doug's alibi was solid. But now, they have doubts.

"So, his alibi being in Virginia doesn't hold water," said Lt. Mike Risko of the Michigan State Police. "He was not in Virginia at that time. It was also recently learned last week that we also now have him in Michigan the morning she disappeared."

24 Hour News 8 also learned investigators believe the impersonator was wearing Doug's clothes and had a hood over his head, and that the impersonator even paid one of Doug's bills.

"Well, we believe he was dressed similar to what Doug would have been wearing -- a hoodie, a sweatshirt with a dark ball cap and a pair of sunglasses," Risko said.

"Someone in Newport News, Virginia -- during the time period that Venus came up missing -- was purporting to be Doug Stewart. We know that's not the case. What we're looking for (is) that person or persons that were impersonating Doug Stewart in that time frame."

Last week, a judge ruled Doug could not have custody nor visit his children with Venus. He is described by police as the only "person of interest" in Venus' disappearance.

"Our policy is, we're not going to call him a suspect until we have an arrest warrant in our hands," Risko said.

The person connected with the crime could face charges for being an accessory, police say. If you have information, call the Michigan State Police at (269) 483-7811, or in the Newport News area, call (888) 582-5887.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/Is-there-a-Doug-Stewart-impersonator