Bio

Kenneth Manuel Stewart Jr. was born in 1955. He grew up in Virginia and by his early adult years, he faced difficulties with substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol. However, things started to change in the mid-1980s when he married Cynthia Schultz in 1986. This marriage seemed to help him turn his life around. He stopped abusing drugs and alcohol and found steady employment.

Kenneth and Cynthia welcomed a son, Jonathan, in late 1990. The birth of their child brought excitement and hope to the couple. However, as time passed, their relationship deteriorated. They began to argue frequently and eventually separated. Kenneth faced restrictions regarding visits with Jonathan. He was not allowed to visit his son alone and could only see him when Cynthia was present.

Kenneth had hoped to reconcile with Cynthia and restore their marriage. This hope turned into frustration, as he felt limited by their separation and the visitation rules. As tensions rose, Kenneth struggled to cope with the changes in his life.

Murder Story

On May 12, 1991, Kenneth Manuel Stewart Jr. committed two murders at his home in Bedford County, Virginia. He shot his wife, Cynthia Schultz Stewart, twice in the head with a .25-caliber pistol. After killing his wife, he proceeded downstairs and shot their 5-month-old son, Jonathan, also twice in the head.

After the murders, Kenneth arranged the bodies in bed to make it appear as if Jonathan was cradled in his mother's arms. He then took Cynthia's car and drove to New York. Before leaving the area, he discarded the pistol in tall grass beside the road.

Cynthia's mother, Ruth Schultz, discovered the bodies later that day when she went to visit her daughter. The events surrounding the murders led to Kenneth's arrest. During the trial, prosecutors presented that Kenneth had acted deliberately and premeditated the killings.

In 1992, Kenneth was sentenced to death on charges of capital murder for the death of Jonathan and first-degree murder for the death of Cynthia. The evidence presented indicated that he was sane at the time of the murders and capable of standing trial.

Kenneth was executed by electrocution on September 23, 1998. Before his execution, he expressed reasons for choosing this method instead of lethal injection, which he felt reflected his beliefs about death and suffering. He did not provide a last statement prior to his execution, which took place in the electric chair at the Greensville Correctional Center.