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Every 33 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.680 week another fascinating author talking about the most shocking and 34 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:29.959 infamous killers in true crime history. True Murder with your 35 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:42.319 host journalist and author Dan Zupanski, Good. 36 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:47.239 Evening, nobody means no crime, which makes this the perfect murder. 37 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:51.799 Doug Stewart even has an ironclad alibi. He's been seen 38 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:55.359 hundreds of miles away when his lovely wife, Venus vanishes. 39 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:59.560 What better plan could any murderer hope for? But Doug's 40 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:03.280 forgotten one thing, the power of a mother's love. Venus's 41 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:06.920 mother believes her daughter's husband lured her outside. They fought, 42 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:10.599 he won. Venus's mother wants her daughter back, dead or alive. 43 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:14.120 Never Forgive, Never Forget tells the true story of a 44 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:16.599 woman whose fear of her husband seems to turn out 45 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:19.439 to be justified. It's also the story of a mother's 46 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:22.319 quest to win the return of her child, her best friend, 47 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:25.400 even if it's only to bury her. The Disappearance of 48 00:02:25.479 --> 00:02:28.319 Venus Stewart is a shocking true crime story that rocked 49 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:32.960 southwest Michigan and eventually the nation. Hundreds of volunteers spent 50 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:36.080 thousands of days searching for the mother of two young girls. 51 00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:39.800 The police and her mother were sure Venus's husband killed her, 52 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:42.759 but he was in Newport News, Virginia when the crime 53 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:46.960 was committed in Michigan. The neighbor's song uses credit cards 54 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:49.639 and even paid on his account at his lawyer's office. 55 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:52.039 And it wasn't just a day that Venus disappeared that 56 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:54.960 her husband was seen in Newport News. He was spot 57 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.280 at the next day too. How can anyone be in 58 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:01.240 two places at one time. Here's something else. No corpse, 59 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:04.039 that's right, The police don't have a body. How can 60 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:07.520 investigators even be sure Venus is dead? Her mother had 61 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.520 to wait more than eight long years before finding out 62 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.400 what happened to her child. A community rose up to 63 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:17.280 stand by Teresa Macombe and her mission to learn the truth, 64 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:21.000 and after searching for Venus hundreds of times, they stood 65 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:24.599 by Teres at the very end. Never Forgive, Never Forget, 66 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.759 a shocking true crime story, is a hard hitting tale 67 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.680 of a mother's undying devotion and love for her child 68 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:34.639 and two police officers refusal to give up. It's a 69 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:37.479 story that you will never forget. This scripting book will 70 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:40.159 also leave you with a question, if you were Venus's mother, 71 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:43.080 did you ever forgive? The book that we're featuring this 72 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:46.639 evening is never forgive, Never forget, a shocking true crime 73 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:50.080 story with my special guest, journalist and author Rod Cackley. 74 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:52.599 Welcome back to the program, and thank you again for 75 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:54.360 this interview, Rod Cackley. 76 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:56.599 Hie Dan, thanks for having me. I appreciate it. 77 00:03:56.680 --> 00:04:01.039 Welcome back and congratulations on this extraordinary Thank you. 78 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:02.520 It is quite a tale, isn't it. 79 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:06.639 Yes, it is. Let's get to the introductions right away 80 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:11.319 with Venus Stuart, her husband Douglas Harry Stuart, and this 81 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:16.240 is twenty and ten. But previously you write about their 82 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:19.319 marriage when he had married Venus in two thousand and two, 83 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:24.000 and their life in Schoolcraft, Michigan, not far from her 84 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:28.879 parents home. Tell us about their marriage, their children and 85 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:34.079 their parents, Teres and Larry McComb, and how Venus ends 86 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:37.800 up living with them. Tell us about the court petitions 87 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:43.199 and their marriage and the background on Venus and Douglas Stuart. 88 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:47.079 Okay, Douglas, as you said, Douglas. Doug married Venus in 89 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:50.720 two thousand and two and they settled down in Schoolcraft, Michigan. 90 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:53.160 They had a home not far from her parents' home. 91 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:55.839 Two daughters, Brooks who was born in two thousand and 92 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:59.720 four and Rachel, who followed her older sister in two thousand. 93 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:03.319 Now the Stuart's marriage cheetered on the edge of a 94 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:07.480 nasty divorce. In two thousand and seven, Venus accused Doug 95 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:10.800 of being violent. In court three times, she petitioned for 96 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:13.839 protection three times. She pleaded for help. In fact, the 97 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.000 last time, on the last petition, she scrawled the world 98 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:20.920 help h ELP at the bottom of the petition in 99 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:25.079 big bold, frantic letters with the number two pencil. When 100 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.839 that failed, that's when she left Doug and went to 101 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.480 girls and went to her parents' home. The mccomb's home, 102 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:35.680 the home of Larry McComb and Therees MacComb, not far 103 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:39.079 away in Colon Township, southwest Michigan, by the way, is 104 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:42.720 a very made up of small towns, a very rural area. 105 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:47.879 Everyone knows everyone. It's just a typical small town existence there. 106 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:50.720 For Venus and her kids. At her parents' home. 107 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:54.720 Now we talked about the court petitions and now she 108 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.519 was fearing for her own safety. But she had also 109 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:01.759 made an allegation regarding the dogs three and five years old. 110 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:04.560 Yeah, she accused Doug of molesting one of the girls. 111 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:07.959 No other way to put it. She really made a 112 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:10.839 lot of allegations against Doug. Now, Doug is kind of 113 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.639 the all American guy, though he's an ex marine, a 114 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:17.920 lot of friends, everybody loves this guy. But Venus is 115 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:21.279 saying there's a whole lot that they don't know, including 116 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:22.920 a charge of molestation. 117 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:26.839 Now, he's familiar with the area even though in laws 118 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:29.160 lived there, but he had prior worked in the area, 119 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:31.959 so he's familiar with the area. And then you take 120 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.439 us to April twenty fifth, twenty ten. What is Douglas 121 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:39.360 Stewart doing and where is he on that day? 122 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:42.240 Right now, Douglas Harry Stewart in this story is driving 123 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:45.680 north through Ohio. He's on the Ohio Turnpike. He's in 124 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:48.839 a silver Dodge Ram pickup truck. It's been a tough drive. 125 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:51.600 He's been behind the wheel for almost ten hours straight 126 00:06:51.639 --> 00:06:54.040 and he still has two hours to go at least. 127 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:57.279 That's how he feels. Now, now you have to look 128 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.439 at this from Doug's point of view, I guess he 129 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:02.839 feels She's on a mission. And remember he's an next Marine, 130 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.720 so his life is all about mission centric. He needs 131 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:09.959 to complete this mission. He is out to right or wrong, 132 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:12.399 not just one wrong in his mind, but a lot 133 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:15.639 of wrongs. He thinks that Venus has been lying about him. 134 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:18.519 She's been telling everybody who's violent that she fears for 135 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:20.680 her safety. She even has gone to the coups to 136 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.519 try to get them to get him away from her, 137 00:07:22.600 --> 00:07:25.560 away from her and the children. That's what really bothers 138 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.519 Doug the most is the daughter losing the girls. She 139 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.000 has no right at all. He believes Venus has no 140 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.079 right at all to do what she's doing. So he's 141 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:35.800 on the Ohio Turnpike. It's late at night, he's been 142 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:38.560 driving for ten hours, has another couple of hours to go. 143 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:42.079 Finally he pulls off at an Egbood and there he 144 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:44.879 sees a Walmart store. Now he goes into the Walmart 145 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:47.920 store and he gets some supplies because again, he has 146 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:49.879 this mission. He knows what he's going to do, or 147 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.120 at least what he wants to do. So he goes 148 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:55.399 into the walmart. He picks out a turp, dirty pair 149 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:58.439 of work gloves, a new baseball cap, and a shovel. 150 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:01.240 Then he pulls out his credit card and uses the 151 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:05.399 credit card as a register to purchase those items, takes 152 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.959 them all back to his truck, gets back in the truck, 153 00:08:08.279 --> 00:08:11.519 back on the turnpike, and he's headed into Southwest Michigan. 154 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:16.160 At that walmart, what's noted mayme I little jumping ahead, 155 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:19.040 But what's noted at that time was that he also 156 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:23.040 had an unusual request along with the things that he purchased. 157 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:25.079 What was that unusual request for? 158 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.800 He wanted to get line. He was looking for line, 159 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:30.680 and what do you use line for? Anybody who watches, 160 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:33.279 you know, a gangster movie knows that's the way you 161 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.039 want to get rid of the body, to make the 162 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:39.279 body disappear. So he really has everything he needs to 163 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:40.600 make the body disappear. 164 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:44.720 You take us to April twenty six, twenty ten, and 165 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:49.919 the beautiful Venus Rose Stewart, this mother of two small children. 166 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:52.679 He's just in their pajamas and slippers. It's not too 167 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:56.080 cooled out, But tell us what she's expecting that day, 168 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:57.759 why she's even outside. 169 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:01.759 Yeah, it's April twenty sixth April in southwest Michigan at 170 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.879 one of those times when you really never know what temperatures, 171 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:07.240 what the weather's going to bring. You might start your 172 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:09.759 day in pajamas and slippers and then have to put 173 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:11.720 on a heavier coat at the end of the day, 174 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:14.399 or it might be reversed. She's going out in the 175 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.200 early morning. It's there might be a little light snow coming. 176 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:19.919 She's going out to get a package that she thinks 177 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.279 might be coming today. As a matter of fact, she's 178 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:25.440 expecting it because of delivery driver called to make sure 179 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:29.039 he had the correct address and directions. And at this point, 180 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:32.000 Venus and her kids are living with her parents, so 181 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:34.879 she could use some good news. She's really looking forward 182 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:38.200 to getting this package. She walks out by herself to 183 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.840 the mailbox. Again, this is a rural setting, so she's 184 00:09:40.919 --> 00:09:43.240 walking really to the street on the road in front 185 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:46.000 of the house to see if the package is there. 186 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:49.320 When she goes out towards this mailbox, which is at 187 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:51.679 the edge of the property, it's not right attached to 188 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:55.200 the home, she spots a truck that she's very familiar with. 189 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:58.120 Yeah, she sees the silver Dodge Ram. It looks like 190 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:01.519 Doug's truck. She's really you know. She has said before 191 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:04.559 too that in one of those restraining orders, she wrote, 192 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:07.559 I'm tired of living in constant fear, and I'm afraid 193 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.759 of what this is doing to my children. I'm scared 194 00:10:09.799 --> 00:10:12.039 to death, and every day I live in constant fear, 195 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:15.279 and I'm constantly looking over my shoulder wondering when he 196 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:17.519 will appear again. Well, then she looks over to the 197 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.120 side and sees that silver pickup truck. It looks just 198 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.519 like Doug's truck. She knows the vehicle, she knows who's 199 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:27.360 driving it, and even the worse Venus knows why it's 200 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:30.039 parked in front of her parents' home. Suddenly, the quiet 201 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:31.960 of the early morning, the dew on the grass, and 202 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:35.639 the privacy offered by this rural neighborhood isn't as reassuring 203 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:38.240 as it once was. She glances to the right, to 204 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.480 the left, and back over her shoulder. None of the 205 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.679 neighbors can see her, and worse, Venus knows none of 206 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.759 them will hear her, no matter how loudly she screams. 207 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:50.519 Instead of the mailman with a package, Doug is waiting 208 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:54.080 for her, her estranged husband, and she runs, He chases her, 209 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:57.200 grabs her. She fights with every ounce of muscle, every 210 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:00.159 fiber of her soul. Venus is battling for herself, for 211 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:02.600 her kids, for everything. But she can't hold out. She 212 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.919 just isn't strong enough. Doug is an ex marine. He 213 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:08.399 pulls her into the truck. There he grabs her by 214 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:11.000 the back of the next wheezing her car out of artery. 215 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:15.120 Hard like advice until she loses consciousness. Her last thought, 216 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:19.240 Please Lord, referring to her girls, Please Lord keep them safe. 217 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:23.960 Now you take us quickly to a person named Colleen Bateman. 218 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:30.120 And she works in an attorney's office and in Newport News, Virginia. 219 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:32.200 And you say, Newport News is the city of about 220 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:34.559 one hundred and eighty thousand, so it's a big place 221 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:38.639 in comparison to Colon, Michigan. Certainly, what does she observe 222 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:39.360 that day? 223 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:42.120 And note, yeah, she looks up. A man is walking 224 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:44.679 into the attorney's office where she works. A beautiful day 225 00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:47.159 in Newport News, Virginia. Now this is where Doug has 226 00:11:47.159 --> 00:11:49.360 made his home after they split up, after he and 227 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:52.759 Benus split out. It's a beautiful day and she looks 228 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:55.240 up and there's a man coming into the office. She 229 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:57.879 thinks it's Doug. Looks just like Doug, but he's not 230 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.440 saying much. Actually, the guy says nothing at all. He 231 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:02.919 just gives her a slight smile and hands Colleen an 232 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:05.679 envelope with the name Doug Stewart written on the front. 233 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:09.799 That's not unusual, Doug is a client. Colleen returns to smile, 234 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.600 opens the envelope and inside there's one hundred dollar bill. 235 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:15.120 She has no Doug that well, but she's seen him 236 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:17.720 in the office before, and she tells her boss that 237 00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:20.919 a client is waiting him. Showing up, though unannounced, isn't 238 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:23.440 all that surprising either. Doug's making a payment. This is 239 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:25.759 what he does to pay off the attorney now, and 240 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.320 all clients do this, but Doug is doing this. But 241 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:30.519 she looks at Doug again after checking out that one 242 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:33.200 hundred dollar bill, and she sees the man who's wearing 243 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:37.360 green cargo pants, a hooded sweatshirt, and Aviator sunglasses. He's 244 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:40.240 also a little bit smaller than she remembers Doug, and 245 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:43.159 Colleen thinks to herself that Doug never wore clothes like 246 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:45.840 that when he came into the office. Cargo pants and 247 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:48.679 hoodie would actually be very out of terature for him. 248 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.200 Doug's always nicely dressed to see office casual I guess 249 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.159 that's how you would put it. And he always walked 250 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.000 with a military bearing. I mean military people when they 251 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.200 make their career in the military, they do have a 252 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:01.759 different way of life walking and holding themselves than the 253 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:05.200 civilians do. This guy with the envelope, he's dressed in 254 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.080 a cargo pants and a hoodie, and he's smaller than Doug. 255 00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:11.720 He's slouching, and he's not looking anyone directly in the eye. 256 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.200 He gives her the Colleen the envelope with one hundred 257 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:16.720 in it, and he walks out. He leaves quickly. That's that. 258 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:20.919 Colleen knows something's wrong. She thinks to herself, as couldn't 259 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:23.360 have been Doug. The door closes and she watches the 260 00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:26.440 man scurry away on the sidewalk outside the office. But 261 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:28.320 if it's not Doug, who is it? Who could it 262 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:30.559 possibly be? And why would Doug give this guy an 263 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:33.080 envelope with one hundred dollars inside as a payment? Who 264 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:36.159 pays a professional bill with cash? This just isn't right, 265 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.840 She's thinking, couldn't have been Doug, Colleen thinks. But if 266 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:41.200 not Doug, who and why did he come here today 267 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:44.440 of all days with one hundred dollars bill in an envelope? Well, 268 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:47.240 Colleen decides that she must be wrong. You know, Doug 269 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:50.120 walks out. Maybe that is Doug and she's just seeing 270 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:54.240 saying very anoptical illusion or whatever. Then this guy walks 271 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:56.639 out of the attorney's office, hops in his car, drives 272 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.840 a few blocks away to a shopping mall. Of there, 273 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:02.200 she goes into a several stores, makes some purchases, putting 274 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.399 them on his credit cards, Doug Stuart's credit cards. If 275 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:07.480 he's not Dun Stuart, he's taking his life and his 276 00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:10.519 credit cards and his driver's license too that he shows 277 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:13.080 his ID when he uses the credit cards. So it's 278 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:16.159 got to be Doug, right, But Venus saw Doug that 279 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:20.519 same day outside her parents home in Colon, Michigan. So 280 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.679 how could it be Doug? In Newport News, Virginia. 281 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:28.080 Let's get back to Larry McComb and Teres McComb. He's 282 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:32.120 at home and he's usually sleeping at seven thirty in 283 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:34.519 the morning, but he hears the kids making a lot 284 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:36.240 of noise the girl's making a lot of noise, and 285 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.200 he wonders where Venus is because he would she would 286 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:41.799 be taking care of the children at that time. So 287 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:45.679 he wakes and looks around and can't find Venus. 288 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:47.840 Yeah, you know, and this is he's not in the 289 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.279 best mood. He's a grandfather who just got woken up 290 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:52.799 by the grandkids, and he, you know, he knows Venus 291 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:55.279 would have kept the kids quiet for him, So he 292 00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:57.720 knows something's up right away. He goes into the kitchen. 293 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:00.559 Venus isn't there. Well, maybe she threw a lot laundry 294 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.080 in the washing machine, the washer dryer in her bedroom 295 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:06.360 or downstairs. So Larry goes there. Neither the washer nor 296 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:09.159 the dryer is running, and there's still no sign of Venus. 297 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.240 Now Larry's getting scared because he and his wife Teres, 298 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:14.759 they know, I mean, Venus has been talking to them 299 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:18.080 about her relationship with Doug, about his violence, and about 300 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:22.639 her accusation of molestation. So Larry, like any father would be, 301 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:25.559 is getting scared to death. Right now, still no sign 302 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:29.039 of Venus, and Larry's scared. Damn you, Doug. Larry thinks 303 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:31.960 Venus was finally able to get a personal protection under 304 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:34.399 from a judge who listened and believed. But what good 305 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.600 would a piece of paper do to protect his little 306 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:39.919 girl against an X marine, a warrior like Doug Stewart. 307 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:42.279 And now Larry hates to admit it, but it looks 308 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:45.519 like the worst has happened. See, not only is Venus missing, 309 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:48.759 but her keys, her purse, her phone, and her children 310 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:51.600 are still in the house. And on top of that, 311 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:54.919 the front door is open. But Venus is nowhere to 312 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:58.000 be seen. So Larry goes to the phone and calls 313 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:00.679 the cops. Michigan State Police troop by the name of 314 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:04.279 Aaron Steinsma, twelve year veteran of the MSPs, the first 315 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:06.840 to arrive on the scene. And now Aaron, the Trooper 316 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:09.799 Steinsma is going to be an important player in this 317 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:12.879 story down the line too. Theresa is awake by now 318 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:18.200 Venus's mother, Larry's wife. She's hysterical, she's crying, She's nearly screaming. 319 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:20.519 He took her, he took her, he took her, she 320 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:25.000 tells Trooper Stein'sma. Larry tells the trooper Teresa's talking about Doug. 321 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:28.159 They've been having problems, Larry explains, as Tom Lee is 322 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.440 a father Ken who fears the worst has happened to 323 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:33.639 his child. Well, now, Saint Joseph County Sheriff's deputies arrive 324 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:36.399 on the scene and together with the state trooper Steensma, 325 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:39.480 they don't waste a minute. They're out looking for venus 326 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:42.159 in the yard and in the in the area around 327 00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:43.000 around the home. 328 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:47.799 Now, what do Aaron Steinsma and does state the troopers 329 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:50.919 find there? You mentioned you write that there was a 330 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:54.000 plastic rapper. What was the plastic rapper for? And what 331 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:58.320 other evidence can they determine from the limited amount of 332 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.759 evidence that they find at this crime. I'm seen by 333 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:01.960 the mailbox. 334 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:04.799 They found evidence of a violent struggle by the mailbox. 335 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:07.839 The ground is torn up. There are large gounges and 336 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:10.200 heel marks on the lawn, like you might leave if 337 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:13.240 someone was dragging you and you were resisting. The trooper 338 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:16.480 spot's a woman's footprint on the propane gas tank in 339 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.599 the front yard, like you would if you were being 340 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:20.599 held and you put your foot up against the tank 341 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:23.400 to try to force yourself free. The torn um sections 342 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:26.440 of grass and it looks like somebody was trying to 343 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.160 break a more muscular person's pull. The police designed and 344 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:34.160 it indicates a wild encounter between two combatants. So then 345 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:37.880 the troopers and the sheriff's luckies fan out and then 346 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:41.440 plastic grapher they found. That's a plastic cover for an 347 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:44.759 all purpose turf, one of the brands that Walmart sells. 348 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:48.480 Yeah, they find police find a neighbor who saw the 349 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:51.559 truck with the other state's plates parked in an empty 350 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:55.680 lot next to the Macomb property. So this Doug Stewart 351 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:58.680 becomes their primary suspect, doesn't he right? 352 00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:58.920 Right? 353 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.680 And another witness police that he was stopped by a 354 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:04.519 man who was soaking wet asking for a cigarette. Wow, 355 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:09.359 Now Doug Stewart is their primary suspect. Trooper's leading the investigation, 356 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:12.160 and they know where he lives. I mean, the Macombs 357 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.079 know where Doug is set up shop after they split 358 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:19.519 with the Venus, So they tell him about Newport News, Virginia. Immediately, 359 00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:23.119 the Michigan officers and the Saint Joseph County officers call 360 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:26.960 their colleagues in Newport News, Virginia and now you've got 361 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:30.119 and then so they're tracking. Then they realize that Doug 362 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:33.160 must have come up after the witness saw the truck. 363 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:35.720 They realized he must have driven up on the turnpike. 364 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:39.000 So they're talking to not onli Virginia police, but Ohio 365 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:42.279 police and others in Michigan. Everybody now is an all 366 00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:45.519 points bulletin looking for Doug Stewart and that silver Dodge 367 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:48.759 Ram pickup truck and of course Venus Stewart. They're still 368 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:50.680 holding out hope that they're going to find her alive. 369 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:54.200 Absolutely, you take us to April twenty eight, twenty ten, 370 00:18:54.680 --> 00:18:59.400 and now back in Newport News, neighbors and friends that 371 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.400 know Doug knowes something is a miss, especially a person 372 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:08.599 named James Weaver. What does James Weaver specifically observe from 373 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:11.480 Doug and what does Doug have to say about Venus? 374 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:14.240 Because by this time these neighbors have heard this is 375 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.559 a big story that Venus is missing. 376 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:19.599 Right, Venus is missing. Now, Doug has always talked about Venus, 377 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:22.440 and every neighbor who will spend a moment with him, 378 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:25.000 anybody who will listen, we'll hear the story from Doug 379 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:28.079 about how evil Venus is according to him. Now, this 380 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:30.599 day is a warm day, or remember we're in Virginia. 381 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.799 It's kind of day where you know, you open a 382 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:35.079 pack of cigarettes, and you're going to start sweating. Okay, 383 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:37.559 it's warm, it's kind of human. So everybody's in shorts 384 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:41.519 and t shirts. And this neighbor, James, that you mentioned. James, 385 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:44.960 he can't help noticing there are bruises and deep red 386 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:48.279 scratches on Doug's neck, on his forearms, and even on 387 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:51.799 his thighs. James has to wonder, what's this guy been doing. 388 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.160 Now the apartment complex has heard that Venus is missing. 389 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.279 She ran away with the girls through her parents somewhere 390 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.839 in Michigan. Everybody knows that, and now she's gone again. 391 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:03.039 This time it's different. The news reports that have aired 392 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:06.799 in Newport News, Virginia say Venus vanished from her parents' 393 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.799 front yard. So when Doug talks about his strange wife, 394 00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:13.319 everyone's listening a bit closer now to the latest rant 395 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:16.839 about Venus. It's not like anybody suspects him of anything yet. Still, 396 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.519 James isn't the only one who notices Doug looks like 397 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:22.000 he's been in a fight. They've all seen Doug around 398 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.960 the complex every day. No way he could have been 399 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:27.160 in Michigan. They saw him around the complex the day 400 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.440 that Venus vanished. The neighbors all agree on that except 401 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:34.559