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Stewart, Venus 4-26-10; Colon Twp., MI - age 32, abduction
Topic Started: Apr 28 2010, 12:55 PM (980 Views)
tatertot
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http://www.sturgisjournal.com/features/x74...n-still-missing

Man found; woman still missing
By Corky Emrick
Sturgis Journal
Posted Apr 28, 2010 @ 03:17 AM

Michigan State Police are still looking for information into the whereabouts of Venus Rose Stewart.

Police said Stewart, 32, was abducted from her parents’ home in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township sometime between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. Monday.

She remains missing. Meanwhile, police have located Douglas Harrie Stewart in Virginia.

Venus Stewart is described as a white female, 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighing 130 pounds.

She has brown eyes and dark hair.

Police hoped someone may have seen either or both of the Stewarts in a 1998 silver Mercury 4-door with Virginia plates, XNP-1453, or a 2005 full size, club cab Dodge Ram pickup with Virginia plates XNP-1301.

Anyone with information may call 483-7611, or the Rockford Regional Dispatch Center at (616) 866-6666 or 911.

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tatertot
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http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....ty_woman_1.html

Missing St. Joseph County woman feared her estranged husband, records show: Venus Stewart had sought three protection orders against spouse
By Rex Hall Jr. | Kalamazoo Gazette
April 28, 2010, 8:19AM

COLON TOWNSHIP — A St. Joseph County woman who police say was abducted from her parents’ home Monday had obtained an order of protection in February against her estranged husband, who she feared would kill her, court records show.

Police initially said they believed that Venus Rose Stewart’s husband, Douglas, abducted her. They found him Monday in Newport News, Va., where he lives, but she remains missing.

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

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.

The Gazette could not reach Douglas Stewart for comment Tuesday.

Stewart’s mother, Therese McComb, fought back tears Tuesday as she talked about her daughter’s disappearance. She said her daughter had gone outside of their Colon Township home Monday morning to mail a letter when she was abducted.

Police later found large gouges and heel marks in the family’s front yard, she said.

“(Police) could tell there had been a struggle,” McComb said. “We knew (the yard) wasn’t like that the night before.”

Venus Stewart, 32, was wearing pajamas when she was taken from her parent’s home some time between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. Monday, police said. Risko declined to say Tuesday how police determined the window of time during which Stewart is believed to have been abducted.

McComb had left for work at 6 a.m. Venus Stewart’s father and her two daughters — ages 3 and 5 — that she had with Douglas Stewart were asleep at the time she is believed to have been abducted, police have said.

McComb said the girls are struggling with their mother’s disappearance and are “crying for their mom all the time.”

“My daughter would come home if she was able to,” McComb said. “Her kids are her life. That’s all she cares about are those two little girls.”

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.

“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.

St. Joseph County District Judge William D. Welty approved the order. However, Douglas Stewart denied his wife’s allegations and filed an objection in which he accused his wife of domestic violence. Douglas Stewart also answered his wife’s protection order with one of his own that was filed in August 2008 in Kalamazoo County, court records show.

Both of the orders were dismissed in October 2008.

St. Joseph County Circuit Court records show that the couple filed for divorce in 2008 but the request was later dismissed in 2009. Most recently, the documents show, Venus Stewart filed for temporary custody of the couple’s two daughters. Welty granted the request on April 19.

Court records show the Stewarts were married in 2002 and lived in Schoolcraft before moving to Newport News together in 2009. Venus Stewart and her two daughters moved back to Michigan in February, according to documents contained in court filings.

Before moving to Virginia in 2009, court documents show that Venus Stewart filed a second petition for a personal-protection order against her husband in March 2009, alleging that he threatened her and made a false criminal accusation against her father.

“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.”

Welty denied the request for the protection order in 2009, saying the type of protection order requested by Stewart “are only for emergency situations, where there is clearly a danger of harm happening within the next few days.”

“Your case does not seem to fit the urgent emergency criteria,” the denial said.

Stewart filed a third request for a protection order in February after she returned to Michigan from Virginia with her two children. Welty approved the request.

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.

Police ask that anyone who may have seen Venus Stewart or the vehicles 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.
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Nut44x4
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Vehicles found, but no sign of missing woman

May 04, 2010 11:50 AM
COLON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – There are new developments in the case of a missing woman from St. Joseph County.

State police say they've found the two vehicles they were looking for, but they still have not found Venus Stewart.

They were looking for a 1998 Mercury and a Dodge Ram pickup. They found both of them in Virginia.

Stewart was last seen on April 26th at her parent's home in Colon Township.

If you have any information about where she might be, call state police.

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/margin-1376021-bottom-08in.html
and Justice for all ....
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monkalup
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http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....ce_want_to.html

Michigan State Police want to talk to man in disappearance case: Subject seen "acting suspiciously" after Venus Stewart vanished
By Kathy Jessup | Kalamazoo Gazette
May 07, 2010, 7:37AM

View full sizeMichigan State PolicePolice want to interview this man in the Venus Stewart abduction.COLON — Police want to talk to a man seen near Adams Lake on April 25, the day before Venus Stewart was reported abducted from her parents’ Colon Township home.

Police do not consider the man a suspect or a “person of interest” in the investigation at this time, but detectives “would like to speak to him,” said Lt. Mike Risko, commander of the Michigan State Police White Pigeon Post.

The man was seen April 25 between 6 and 10:30 p.m. in an area around Adams Lake where authorities have been searching for signs of the 32-year-old mother of two. The lake is northeast of Colon, about a mile east of the home of Stewarts’ parents, where she was last seen.

Police released a sketch of the man they hope to talk to Thursday. He is a white man, believed to be in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, -8 inches tall, weighing 150 to 160 pounds, with short, dark hair and a mustache.

Two people who saw the man did not recognize him as someone who lived in the area and said he was “acting suspiciously,” Risko said. They described him as “disheveled, not wearing a shirt and asking people for cigarettes,” he said.

Stewart disappeared April 26 sometime between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. Family members said she had gone to the home’s mailbox and was last seen wearing pajamas.

So far, police have found no witnesses to an abduction and scant physical evidence, but have said they believe Stewart was abducted.


View full sizeVenus Stewart“It’s like she’s disappeared off the face of the earth,” Risko said Thursday. “I’ve never seen someone be so cleanly gone. All of her personal belongings were left behind and she disappeared in her pajamas.”

Risko said Venus Stewart’s estranged husband Douglas H. Stewart, of Newport News, VA, remains the sole “person of interest in the case.”

According to Risko, Douglas Stewart’s alibi that he was in Virginia at the time of the abduction “checks out so far.”

Risko said Douglas Stewart has retained an attorney and is “not cooperating” with investigators at this time.

The Newport News Police Department on Wednesday seized a Mercury sedan and a Dodge Ram owned by Douglas Stewart based on a Michigan search warrant. Risko said Michigan State Police lab technicians flew to Virginia and were checking the vehicles for evidence.

Court records show the couple had a rocky marriage, including an exchange of personal protection orders and two divorce filings that were later dismissed.

The couple moved from Michigan to Virginia in 2009. Venus Stewart and the couple’s two daughters, aged 3 and 5, returned to Michigan in February.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Michigan State Police White Pigeon Post at 269-483-7611 during regular business hours or after-hours at MSP’s Rockford Regional Dispatch Center, 616-866-6666.

Contact Kathy Jessup at kjessup@kalamazoogazette.com or (269) 388-8590.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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tatertot
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http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/93444829.html

Updated: 11:52 PM May 11, 2010
New evidence found in missing Michigan mom investigation
Colon Township, MI
The search continues for a Michigan woman who police believe was abducted from her parent's home. Investigators have uncovered some disturbing, new evidence in the case.
Posted: 11:28 PM May 11, 2010
Reporter: Stephanie Stang

Police continue to look a missing Michigan mother and have named her estranged husband as the only "person of interest" in the kidnapping case.

New incriminating evidence has been released by police linking the husband to his wife's disappearance.

More than two weeks ago 32-year-old Venus Stewart disappeared from her parent's house in Colon Township, Michigan. Back in February she left her husband, 29-year-old Doug Stewart, in Virginia.

The two had been in the middle of a divorce involving a custody dispute over their two young daughters.

Recently police searched the husband's house and found a receipt from Wal-Mart for a tarp, gloves, shovel, and hat. The receipt is dated the day before Venus went missing. Plus investigators found blood on his truck.

There are missing person signs hanging up around the Colon community and Venus' parents are hopeful she is still alive.

“We just talked to her that night and she said she was real scared, real scared and we said nothing will happen to you,” says Venus’ mother, Therese McComb, about the night before Venus was kidnapped.

A warrant for the husband's arrest has not been issued.

Police say he is believed to be in the Western Michigan area. Meanwhile the two daughters are in hiding for protective purposes.
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Nut44x4
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Organizer of search Friday for Venus Stewart seeks volunteers
By Rex Hall Jr. | Kalamazoo Gazette
May 13, 2010, 12:04AM

COLON TOWNSHIP — A Vicksburg man is organizing volunteers to search Friday for Venus Rose Stewart, the 32-year-old Colon Township woman who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Denny Olson, a former leader in Michigan for the citizen-safety organization Guardian Angels, said the search will begin at 9 a.m. at a park on West Colon Road near Sturgeon Lake.

Volunteers will search from Colon north to Leonidas and Fulton and as far east as Interstate 69, he said.

“Anyone’s invited to take part,” Olson said. “You’ve got to dress accordingly.”

Olson said he has done similar searches for missing persons as a member of the Guardian Angels. He also took part in searches for Julia Dawson, a Sparta woman was found dead in 2005 along a rural road in Montcalm County, and Mary Lands, a Marshall woman who disappeared in 2004 and has yet to be found.

“I’ve just been following it since day one,” Olson said of his interest in Stewart’s disappearance and decision to organize a search.

Olson said he does not know how many people will show up to take part in the search.

Stewart has been missing since April 26 and Michigan State Police believe the mother of two was abducted between 7:10 and 8:30 a.m. outside her parents’ house in the 55000 block of Driftwood Drive in Colon Township.

Stewart’s mother has said her daughter was going to the mailbox to mail a letter when she was taken. She was last seen wearing pajamas.

Police have said Stewart’s estranged husband, Douglas Harrie Stewart, 29, of Newport News, Va., is the sole person of interest in his wife’s disappearance. They said they had received information Tuesday that he was back in Michigan.

Police are awaiting analysis of suspected blood found in Douglas Stewart’s Dodge Ram pickup truck during a search of it last week. Police also found in the truck a receipt for items that included a tarp, gloves, shovel and a hat purchased April 25 from a Walmart in Ohio.

State police Wednesday searched an area of St. Joseph County, but the five-hour effort didn’t turn up anything, Risko said. He declined to say exactly where police conducted their search.

Anyone who may have information about Venus Stewart’s whereabouts is asked to call the Michigan State Police post in White Pigeon at 269-483-7611 or its Regional Dispatch Center in Rockford at 616-866-6666.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....friday_for.html
and Justice for all ....
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monkalup
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Venus Stewart latest news: Michigan man organizing Friday search for missing mom
May 13, 4:10 PMCrime ExaminerCindy AdamsPrevious
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Venus Stewart
(Family Photo)If you like this ...
Venus Rose Stewart update: Search continues for missing, abducted Michigan woman (photos)
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Venus Stewart: Police release composite sketch of man who may have link to abduction of Michigan mom
Venus Stewart update: State troopers search Hampton Roads for missing Michigan woman (video)
View all » Venus Stewart latest news: Michigan man organizing Friday search for missing mom

Venus Stewart, 32, vanished on the morning of April 26 after walking out to the mailbox in front of her parents’ home. Although a number of searches have been conducted in an effort to find the missing Michigan mother, a local area man is organizing a search using volunteers.

To see photos of Venus, click here.

Denny Olson told WWMT “You gotta do something… What if it was your daughter or granddaughter?”

Olson does not personally know Venus or her family, but believes the community must come together and resolve the case.

The only person of interest in Venus' disappearance, according to authorities, is her estranged husband, Douglas Stewart. Law enforcement has reported that a stain found in his truck may be blood, but are waiting for forensic testing to be completed before confirming that assertion.

Venus was living with her parents after leaving her husband. She had gained custody of her two children shortly after separating from Stewart.

Olson believes that police have made a valiant effort to find Venus, however, they “don’t have enough officers to do it,” he told WWMT. “It’s time for John Doe to step up to the plate.”

Olson’s volunteer search effort will take place at the park on Colon Road in Colon, Michigan on Friday may 14 at 9 a.m.

Venus is described as a white female about 5-foot-4 and 130 lbs., with brown eyes and dark hair.

Anyone with information regarding Venus is urged to call the State Police Regional Dispatch Center in Rockford at 616-866-6666, or the White Pigeon post at 269-483-7611.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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tatertot
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http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index...._court-ord.html

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.
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Nut44x4
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http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mi...rt-impersonator

Is there a Doug Stewart impersonator?

MSP wants help with April 25-26 timeframe

Updated: Tuesday, 01 Jun 2010, 12:24 PM EDT

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 if someone impersonated Douglas Stewart in Newport News, Virginia in that same timeframe.

The Michigan State Police is looking for anyone with information about "a person or persons who impersonated Douglas Stewart in the Newport News, Virginia area between" April 25-26. They're also looking for anyone who had contact with Douglas Stewart in that timeframe to contact them.

If you have information, call the Michigan State Police at 269.483.7811, or in the Newport News area, call 1.888.582.5887.

Venus Stewart, Doug's estranged wife, was last seen wearing pajamas. She was taken from her parents' home between 7:10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on April 26. She has not been seen since.

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

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mi...rt-impersonator
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Strange twist in case of missing Michigan mom
Wednesday, June 02, 2010


WHITE PIGEON, MI - June 2, 2010 (WPVI) -- There is an incredible twist in the case of Venus Stewart, a 32-year-old mother of two from Michigan who has been missing since last April.

View all 8 photos

Up to now, investigators have stopped short of naming her estranged husband, Doug Stewart, as a suspect in her disappearance.

Now, they say they've found a major hole in Stewart's alibi for the day she vanished. On Tuesday, they said they have evidence putting Doug Stewart in Michigan the morning of her disappearance, returning to his home in Newport News, Virginia just after 8:00 p.m. that day.

However, for up to 48 hours prior, and possibly during the time he was in Michigan, police say at least on person, possibly more, were travelling around Newport News, claiming to be Doug Stewart.

"We believe he (the imposter) was impersonating Mr. Stewart in a number of different businesses, paying bills, drawing funds, things of that nature," said Lt. Mike Risko of the Michigan State Police.

Now police say they need to know why the imposter was helping Stewart.

If Venus Stewart doesn't turn up alive and well, police say the impersonator who was helping Stewart could be charged as an accessory or an accessory after the fact, depending on why he thought he was pretending to be Doug Stewart.

Investigators have yet to call Stewart a suspect in his wife's disappearance, even though they say his alibi is a lie.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=...orld&id=7474438
Lisa

“Thou shalt not be a victim.
Thou shalt not be a perpetrator.
Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.”

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Husband headed to trial for murder after wife's disappearance
St. Joseph County, MI
Douglas Stewart is charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the April disappearance of his wife, Venus Stewart.
Reporter: Michelle Anthony
Email Address: michelle.anthony@wndu.com


Story 2 Comments Font Size: The man accused of kidnapping and killing his estranged wife will head to trial. After a lengthy preliminary exam Thursday, a judge ruled there is enough evidence to try Doug Stewart for the premeditated murder of Venus Stewart.

Venus was last seen in April getting the mail at her parents' house in Colon, MI. On Thursday, Doug Stewart's alleged accomplice testified.

20-year-old Richard Spencer said on the stand that Doug had been planning to kill Venus and wanted him to help provide an alibi in Virginia. Spencer agreed and was given a disguise, credit card and cell phone.

Spencer also told the judge, that Doug had a pre-made spot for Venus's body. To date though, her body has not been found.

Doug Stewart remains in the St. Joseph County jail on $4 million bond, charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit murder in Venus's disappearance.
http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/97653049.html
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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July 16, 2010 3:25 PM
Venus Stewart Update: Police Search Near In-Laws' Property for Missing Woman

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Mich. (CBS/WWMT) About 30 police officers walked for miles looking for Venus Stewart, the Michigan mother who has been missing since April and is presumed dead, but they found no sign of the woman.

The search for Venus picked up again on Thursday as investigators searched an area south of Doug Stewart's parents' home.

The area behind Doug Stewart's family property is 180 acres, most of it farm fields, but about 70 acres of that area is thick brush.

"It's so thick right now we could go over the grave site and not know it," Michigan State Trooper Felix Ambris told CBS affiliate WWMT.

Ambris was overseeing Thursday's search, which included officers from the state police, local city police, and the FBI.

Some of the areas hit during Thursday's search have been gone over before, but investigators wanted to make sure that nothing was missed.

Finding Venus' body is important to police and the family, but they believe the case against Doug Stewart is solid even without it. They say there's another reason they are out searching.

"It's more important for the family," said Det. Ambris to WWMT. "That's why we are going to do anything we can to ding it, find the body for them."

Police say they will continue looking, but have not specified where or when.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20010761-504083.html
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10.22.10

COLON (WTVB) - The Doug Stewart Murder Trial will be pushed back. He is charged with the abduction and killing of his wife, who vanished last spring. Her body has not been found. It seems lawyers on both sides have some issues to work thru before they will be ready to present their cases to the jury.

At a pre-trial hearing yesterday, both handed motions to the judge introducing and challenging evidence. The Defense wants to tour the scene of the alleged abduction, and the judge wants to hold an evidentiary hearing on November 5th to determine if statements made by Venus before her abduction are admissible. It will all take time, apparently more than the initial trial date of November 1st. No new date has been set.
http://wtvbam.com/news/articles/2010/oct/2...-trial-hearing/

more of the same here:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....ed_in_venu.html
and Justice for all ....
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http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....rt_disappe.html

Trial in Venus Stewart disappearance to proceed after appeals court denies disqualification of St. Joseph County judge
Published: Friday, November 26, 2010, 4:29 PM Updated: Friday, November 26, 2010, 4:36 PM
Rex Hall Jr. |
Courtesy photoDouglas Stewart
LANSING — The Michigan Court of Appeals has denied a motion filed by the attorneys for Doug Stewart seeking to disqualify the judge from the case.

St. Joseph County Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman had postponed proceedings pending a decision on the appeal.


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Share 3 Comments The trial is now scheduled to begin in January, according to the court of appeals website.
Stewart, 29, is charged with felony murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the April 26 abduction and slaying of his estranged wife, Venus Stewart.

Venus Stewart, 32, is presumed dead but Michigan State Police investigators have not found her body.

In an order issued Wednesday, the court of appeals said a motion for leave to appeal filed Oct. 25 by Jeffrey M. Schroeder and Kymberly R. Schroeder “is denied for lack of merit in the grounds presented.”

The Schroeders had filed their appeal seeking the disqualification of St. Joseph County Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman from presiding over the case.

The appeal followed a motion they filed in September that was denied by Stutesman. Van Buren County Circuit Judge Paul Hamre, who was asked to review the motion, also denied it.

Stewart’s attorneys alleged that Stutesman provided assistance to St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough “in an effort to help the prosecution improve its case over the defense.”

The defense lawyers say they overhead a conversation between Stutesman and McDonough in which they claim the two discussed specifics of the case and that Stutesman also gave advice to McDonough.

Meanwhile, Doug Stewart remains in the St. Joseph County Jail on a $4 million cash/surety bond. Police allege he abducted Venus Stewart from her parents’ Colon Township home, killed her and disposed of her body.

Stewart faces up to life in prison on each felony count.

Contact Rex Hall Jr. at rhall@kalamazoogazette.com or 269-388-7784.

Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/...pic=17702&st=0&
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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Jury selected in Stewart murder trial


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St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough will try to prove …
Missing mom 'wouldn't leave on her own'


Updated: Wednesday, 23 Feb 2011, 8:43 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 23 Feb 2011, 7:55 AM EST

* By Dani Carlson

CENTREVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - Ten months after Venus Stewart vanished from outside her parents' Colon Township home, the murder trial of her estranged husband, Doug, began in a St. Joseph County court Wednesday.

A jury of 14 people, including two alternates, was selected late Tuesday afternoon. But moments before the trial began, one juror was removed, and the case will go forward with only one alternate, Judge Paul Stutesman ruled.

In his opening statement, Prosecutor John McDonough laid out what he called a "road map" to the crime. He said though Venus Stewart's body has not been found, it will be up to the jury to decide beyond a reasonable doubt that she is dead.

"The body of Venus Stewart need not be recovered to prove her death," he said to the jury.

McDonough said the early witnesses to testify will be Venus Stewart's family and alleged accomplice Richard Spencer. The 20-year-old Delaware man has been given immunity by McDonough in exchange for his testimony. The prosecutor reminded the jury, Doug is on trial, Spencer is not.

Stewart's attorney asked for a mistrial following McDonough's opening statements, claiming the presentation was inappropriate. Stutesman denied the motion.

The defense laid out its belief that the entire prosecution case is "guesswork."

"Guesswork is not good enough in any criminal case, most especially in a case like this," he said.

At 11:39 a.m., the first witness in the trial was called. Linda Baker, a victims advocate for the St. Joseph County prosecuting attorney office, took the stand. About an hour later, Michigan State Police detective Mike Scott -- the lead investigator in the case -- testified.

At one point, Stutesman reminded the jurors not to consider anything about the trial that's not presented in court.

The prosecution's first piece of evidence was a photo of Venus' parents' home, presented just before 1:30 p.m. After an objection from the defense, Stutesman told the prosecution not to refer to an area of disturbed rocks at the home as a "scuffle area."

McDonough showed photos of the home and the alleged abduction scene to the jurors. Michigan State Police Trooper Aaron Steensma was the first officer on scene when Venus vanished. He said he found her purse inside the home, with credit cards and a driver's license inside.

Jurors had the option of asking each witness some questions after both attorneys had finished.

The defense attorney asked Steensma if he ever found evidence as to where Venus is, or if he has seen her. He answered no to both questions.

Jurors asked him if Venus' parents were with him when he entered their Colon Township home. Steensma was dismissed for the day around 3:20 p.m., but is expected to return to the stand.

Later, the discussion centered around a Walmart all-purpose tarp wrapper found at Venus' parents' home, the day she disappeared.

A state police trooper explained the discoloration on the wrapper, saying it was caused by a technique used to get fingerprints off the wrapper.

"I appreciate the vigor of both sides ... control yourselves," Stutesman said at one point.

The trial is expected to last through the week of March 11. Stutesman issued a gag order in the case several months ago, in an effort to keep information to a minimum before the trial began.

Doug is being held at the St. Joseph County jail on a $4 million bond.


Stay with 24 Hour News 8 for complete coverage of the Doug Stewart murder trial.



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Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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monkalup
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http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mi...eave-on-her-own

Missing mom 'wouldn't leave on her own'
Stewart's parents suspect husband's involvement

Updated: Wednesday, 28 Apr 2010, 12:05 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 27 Apr 2010, 10:34 PM EDT

* By Jessica Leffler

COLON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Although the estranged husband of a missing Colon Township woman says he has nothing to do with his wife's disappearance, Venus Rose Stewart's parents are skeptical.

Larry and Therese McComb say their daughter came outside the family's St. Joseph County home to take the mail out, then vanished. Stewart, 32, was last seen in her pajamas outside the residence around 7 a.m. Monday.

She was staying with her parents after leaving her husband, Douglas Stewart. Police initially believed she was with him, but Douglas was located in Virginia without Venus.

"I am a good citizen, a good person," he told 24 Hour News 8 by phone Tuesday.

But Venus' parents fear the worst.

"This is numbing," Larry McComb said. "You go from numbness to hysteria."

He said he immediately noticed what looked like the remnants of a scuffle in the gravel of his otherwise-perfect yard.

"You can see where there's a footprint or two," McComb said. "And my daughter's footprint was up on the tank here.

"So, they figure he parked his car there, snuck behind the woodpile, and when she came out to put the mail in the mailbox, he grabbed her. She didn't make it to the house."

24 Hour News 8 obtained court documents that detail the couple's relationship.

In 2008, Venus requested a personal protection order against Douglas, saying: "I am scared to death and every day I live in constant fear. I am constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering when he will appear again."

She had left her husband before, but most recently, this February, her parents said.

Douglas lost custody of the couple's children to Venus. The McCombs said to their daughter, being a mother was everything.

"I was surprised she didn't wake me up to tell me to take care of the kids before she put the mail in the mailbox," Larry McComb said. "I wish she would have."

Venus' parents and friends are posting signs in an attempt to find her. The doting mother would never willingly leave her 3- and 5-year-old behind, they say.

"She was the best mommy in the world," Therese McComb said. "And I know she would never leave on her own. There's no way. She would never leave on her own."
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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Stewart attorney raises judge issue
Jury selection set for Feb. 18

Updated: Saturday, 29 Jan 2011, 7:37 AM EST
Published : Friday, 28 Jan 2011, 10:55 PM EST

* By Dani Carlson

CENTREVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - For the second time, Doug Stewart's attorney claimed the judge assigned in Stewart's trial for murdering his wife, Venus, talked about the case with the prosecutor out of court.

Stewart's attorney raised the issue in court Friday on a day the judge was to make a ruling on whether to allow statements Venus allegedly made about Doug to her family and friends.

Doug will stand trial for the death of his estranged wife Venus, who disappeared April 26, 2010 from her parents' Colon Township home, where she was staying. Her body has not been found, although police and investigators say they're confident she is dead.

The issue allowing hearsay statements was raised in November , and an evidentiary hearing was set.

However, the defense once again raised the issue of ex parte communication between judge and prosecutor. But the last time this issue was raised, several courts ruled there was no wrongdoing.

Instead of ruling on the admission of Venus' statements, the judge said he would release a written ruling soon.

Jury selection in the murder case is slated to begin Feb. 18. Doug Stewart remains behind bars on $4 million bond.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mi...ses-judge-issue
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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monkalup
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http://www.woodtv.com//generic/news/The-Venus-Stewart-case
multiple videos here
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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http://www.sturgisjournal.com/community/ce...f-disappearance

Day of disappearance
Venus Stewart’s parents testify at trial.Zoom Photos. Terry Katz/Journal.Larry McComb, father of Venus Stewart, fought back tears as he described the morning his daughter disappeared.


By Terry Katz katz@sturgisjournal.com
Sturgis Journal
Posted Feb 25, 2011 @ 02:36 AM


Centreville, Mich. — Therese McComb last saw her daughter, Venus Stewart, at 6 a.m. April 26 as she left home in Colon to go to work.
McComb kissed her 32-year-old daughter goodbye. Two hours later, after receiving a phone call from her husband, Larry McComb, Therese stopped what she was doing at Corner Cafe in Sturgis and headed home in her white pickup truck.
By the time she got home, her husband, Larry, was already driving throughout the neighborhood searching for Venus. A Michigan State Police officer was just arriving.
Therese and Larry McComb each fought back tears Thursday as they responded to the prosecutor’s questions in the St. Joseph County courtroom of Chief Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman.
Douglas Stewart sat between his attorneys and listened to his in-laws, but showed no emotion.
Stewart, 29, Venus Stewart’s estranged husband, is on trial for first-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Police and prosecutors believe Stewart abducted his wife outside the McComb home, killed her and disposed of her body.
Therese McComb told jurors that it was not like her daughter to disappear. She said Venus was her daughter and her best friend. Hardly a day passed without talking at least once on the phone, she said.
Prosecutor John McDonough asked Larry McComb what he recalled about the morning of April 26.
At the time, Larry was a truck driver who was not employed. He said his wife always left home for Sturgis around 6 a.m. He would make an effort to get up early to join her for coffee. On that day, Venus Stewart was awake then, too.
McComb said that when his wife left for work, he went back to bed, but was awakened a short time later by his dog, Frank, who was barking.
Frank, a male Doberman, was raising a ruckus in the backyard. McComb said he assumed the dog was barking at a neighbor and ordered him to shut up.
When he fell asleep the second time, he was awakened by Venus’ daughters, who were making noise in the family room. He got up to look for Venus.
When he didn’t see her with the girls, he checked a downstairs bedroom and the laundry room. Still, no sign of her. His daughter’s purse, phone and wallet were in the house.
McComb said he decided to call 911 to report a missing person.
Therese McComb said her daughter lived for her children and she would not leave them behind under any circumstances.
Venus did not have a vehicle to drive. Hers was still with her estranged husband in Newport News, Va.
The question of Venus Stewart’s loyalty to her children came up when defense attorney Kymberly Schroder asked Therese about why two teen-aged grandchildren also lived with them.
Therese said she had a daughter, Tiffany, in addition to Venus. Tiffany’s teen-age children, ages 14 and 17, have lived with the McCombs for more than 10 years.
In testimony earlier Thursday afternoon, a mother and daughter who lived on a nearby street described a man they saw in a field. Teresa Thompson and her daughter, Leanna Thompson, 12, described a suspicious man they had seen standing next to a pickup truck in an adjoining field.
Teresa Thompson told McDonough said she was concerned because it was so early in the morning (about 6:30 a.m.) and she was home alone with the children.
She watched him from the window of the mobile home for at least 10 minutes, she said. She said the man was wearing a ball cap pulled down on his face, a jacket and blue jeans. Shortly after 7 a.m., he was gone, she said.
Leanna Thompson said the man seemed to be swaying back and forth and looking down at the ground.
A third day of testimony was to begin today with the prosecution’s key witness, Ricky Spencer of Bear, Del., expected to take the stand.

Copyright 2011 Sturgis Journal. Some rights reserved
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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[ *  *  * ]
Doug Stewart guilty of murdering Venus Stewart :D
Published: Friday, March 11, 2011

The jury in the Doug Stewart trial weighed the evidence they were given in the case for about four hours before its foreman stood and delivered the verdict Friday.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 18.

Doug Stewart faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

snip
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....ering_venu.html
and Justice for all ....
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http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mi...rder-sentencing


Doug Stewart gets life in Venus' murder
Sentencing took place Monday morning

Updated: Monday, 18 Apr 2011, 8:25 PM EDT
Published : Sunday, 17 Apr 2011, 5:04 PM EDT

* By Dani Carlson

CENTREVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - Shackled and in prison garb, Doug Stewart once again showed no emotion as he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the premeditated murder of his wife, Venus, nearly one year ago.

Stewart, who stayed silent during his murder trial, did speak at his sentencing, but only briefly. And he did not admit anything about Venus being dead.

"All I have to say is I'm innocent," he told the court. "I did not do these crimes. "I ask that the court or the police, I'm not really sure of the chain of command or how it works, continue to look for my wife, if not for me, then my children need to know what happened to their mother."

Prosecutor John McDonough said that if Stewart had "any goodness in his heart, please tell us where his wife's body is. Please do the right thing for those two little girls."

But he remained tight-lipped to no one in the family's surprise.

"That was kind of what I was expecting, but I was hoping otherwise," said Venus' brother, Dustin Jasper, outside court.

"When he makes a statement tomorrow (Monday) we really don't want to hear anything he has to say, other than where my sister's at," Jasper said on Sunday in a phone call with 24 Hour News 8. "If he has any heart for his daughters, his family, then he'll end all this."

"It isn't a matter of forgiveness. It's a matter of closing everything."

After the sentencing, Venus' mother, Therese McComb added, "I'm not surprised that he didn't take any responsibility because that's just the way he is. I mean I just wish he understood what his daughters were going through. I can't believe he doesn't miss her."

For McComb, her main concern now are the two young girls.

"They talk about their mom. They miss her, they wish they could go to Heaven and see her, and why doesn't she call us from Heaven," she said.

The jury also found Doug guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, a conspiracy the jury believed he had with college student Ricky Spencer, and carried out in Delaware, Virginia, Ohio and Michigan.

The family plans to have a funeral for Venus on April 26 - the one year anniversary of her disappearance. It will begin at 5 p.m. at the Firm Foundation Ministries, 651 E. Main Street in Centreville. Details of a trust fund for Venus' daughters will be announced soon.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Mo..._120687449.html
Updated: 7:07 AM Apr 27, 2011
Mother-of-two remembered on the one-year anniversary of her disappearance
St. Joseph County, Mich.
On the one-year anniversary of her disappearance Venus Stewart's family has finally put her to rest.
Posted: 6:54 AM Apr 26, 2011
Email Address: newscenter16@wndu.com

On the one-year anniversary of her disappearance Venus Stewart's family has finally put her to rest.

They held a funeral service Tuesday night at a small church in Centreville for the 32-year-old mother of two. Family and friends showed up to officially say goodbye to Venus.

A judge just sentenced her estranged husband, Douglas Stewart, to life in prison for her murder earlier this month. He never admitted to killing her nor told them where they could find her body.

Evidence presented by the prosecution showed Douglas conspired with a college student in Virginia to commit the crime.

Stewart was last seen on the morning of April 26, 2010 outside her parents' Colon Township home in her pajamas.

Hundreds packed the church for the funeral, many of which wearing purple, Venus’ favorite color.

"I think it's affecting everybody. She was just an innocent girl trying to do better and get a better life for her girls and something terrible like this happens. It's horrible. It definitely brings everybody together," said family friend Brandy Aucunas.

Her brother tells us he has complete confidence that one day, they'll find Venus' body.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


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http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index....emember_ve.html

Hundreds gather to remember Venus Stewart on anniversary of her disappearance
Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 6:00 AM Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 8:46 AM
Jef Rietsma | Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette By Jef Rietsma | Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette The Kalamazoo Gazette
| Special to the GazetteVenus Stewart's mother, Therese McComb, holding the hand of Stewart's oldest daughter, Brooke, exits a memorial service for Stewart with others Tuesday at Firm Foundation Ministries in Centreville.
CENTREVILLE — Venus Stewart was remembered Tuesday as a strong woman and affectionate mother whose legacy will live on in many ways, primarily through her two young daughters.

Pastor Don Smith told a crowd of about 300 people during a memorial service Tuesday that Stewart was someone who inspired those who knew her to be great.

“Her work on earth is done and we can look back and see that Venus was a great mother, a great daughter, a great granddaughter, a great aunt, a great person and a great wife,” said Smith, pastor at the Centreville-based Firm Foundation Ministries.

“She was a great wife because when most folks would have quit on a marriage a long time ago, she said, ‘No, I want to be a great wife.’ I will not fault her for that.”

The public event was staged on the same date that she was last seen and was presumably killed by her estranged husband, Doug Stewart, in 2010. Though Venus Stewart’s body has not been found, Doug Stewart, 30, was found guilty of murder earlier this year and last week was sentenced to life in prison.

“April 26 will never be behind us, no matter how many times it comes and goes on the calendar,” said Venus Stewart’s father, Larry McComb, who with his wife, Therese, have custody of the Stewart’s daughters, Brooke, 6, and Rachael, 4. “It never gets better.”

McComb said there was no question Brooke and Rachael would attend Tuesday’s memorial service. Friends of the family and relatives were asked during a potluck dinner afterward to share their memories of Stewart. McComb said he plans to share the completed video with the girls when they are old enough to recognize and appreciate the impact their mom had on so many lives.
K1224VENUS.JPGGazette fileVenus Stewart

Following a slide show — set to the Westlife song “I’ll See You Again” — Stewart’s mother told a weeping crowd her daughter was her best friend.

“I never could have gotten through this past year without the kindness of friends, family, strangers ... so many people who stood by us through the past year,” Therese McComb said.

She noted that there are times when she feels overwhelmed with grief, and in an instant it clears up. Those moments, McComb said, are times that she knows her daughter is with her.

Stewart’s brother and sister, Dustin Jasper and Tiffany Morris, also addressed the audience and reiterated how much they miss Venus. Stewart’s grandfather, Aerrol Jasper, drew a chuckle from the crowd as he recounted a time he was teaching her how to drive.

“She learned pretty quickly that left of center isn’t the safest place on a road,” he said.

Smith, who oversaw Stewart’s baptism a few years ago, said it is natural for people to grieve, but he also reminded that family, friends and a community need to move forward, nurture a healing process and honor Stewart’s memory.

“The two little girls there have a future before them, a family is alive and well and they have a future, the community has a future,” Smith said.

“In the midst of (marital strife), Venus didn’t lay down in a fetal position, she got up and made plans to go forward. Once the grieving is done, we have to move forward.”

Stewart was 33 when she was last seen at her parents’ Colon-area residence.

A trust fund has been set up for her daughters.
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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Ell
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Heart of Gold
[ *  *  * ]
LEONIDAS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan State Police have confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 a skull found in rural St. Joseph County is a fake.

MSP responded to the scene in the area of Jacksonburg Road Bridge in Leonidas Township, west of Union City, to investigate after a fisherman reported finding the skull in the river.

“It was very close to where Venus Stewart disappeared, so we were hoping. But it was a fake,” MSP 1st Lt. Chuck Christensen told 24 Hour News 8.

Christensen said an anthropologist inspected the skull and determined it was not real.

Venus Stewart disappeared from her parents’ Colon Twp. home in 2010. Her husband Doug was convicted of her murder. Her body has never been found.
http://woodtv.com/2014/08/03/msp-skull-fou...n-river-a-fake/
Ell

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Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
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Begood
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DATELINE
MAY 14 2015, 5:07 PM ET
Murdered But Without a Body, Family Still Searching for Answers

On April 26, 2010, Venus Stewart was abducted -- but her body has never been found. Her aunt, Mary Hopkins, says she feels the loss of her beloved niece every day. And Mary is doing whatever she can for her.

The case of Venus Stewart, whose estranged husband Doug was convicted of murder in 2011, aired on Dateline NBC Sunday night.

As producer of the program, I know how much Mary has taken Venus's loss to heart. From the beginning, she organized searches for Venus's body throughout the vast western Michigan countryside of fields, woods and farms.

And today, she and other dedicated friends and family are still searching, "about twice a month, as tips come in," Mary said in a telephone interview. The searchers look in places where Doug Stewart "rode his four-wheeler," she said, and wherever leads about possible shallow graves take them.

Besides frequent searching, Mary Hopkins is also working to keep Venus's memory alive. After the trial, Mary and Venus's parents -- Therese and Larry McComb -- started The Venus Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to domestic violence victims and their families.

According to The Venus Foundation website, "funds collected are used for education on domestic violence ... and distributing material, such as posters, information on steps to take when a person becomes missing ... and helping communities form search groups."


The Foundation hopes to use some of the money it raises to establish safe homes, where victims can live when they leave abusive relationships.

Mary said she hopes The Venus Foundation will help Venus be remembered as "more than a victim," not only for Venus, but for the two people she cherished most in the world -- her daughters, who were 3 and 5 when she went missing.

Since that day, her daughters have been living with Venus's parents.

To find out more about The Venus Foundation, visit
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