Bio

Robert Kenneth Stewart was born on September 12, 1963, in Robeson County, North Carolina. When he was a young boy, his family moved to Eastwood in Moore County. His father worked as a house painter, while his mother had a job in an office at a paving company in Pinebluff. Stewart finished middle school in Aberdeen and attended Pinecrest High School, but he dropped out before graduating. He was described by classmates as a quiet loner who sometimes had a bad temper.

At the age of 18, Stewart got married for the first time. This marriage lasted only a few months. In 1983, he married 17-year-old Wanda Gay Neal, but their marriage also ended within three years. Stewart's behavior, including possessiveness and drinking, contributed to the breakdown of this relationship. Despite the troubled marriage, Wanda Neal’s family mentioned that Stewart had never physically harmed her.

After his first two marriages, Stewart tried again. In 1986, he married for a third time but still held feelings for Wanda. His third wife, Sue Griffin, recalled how Stewart would often compare her to Wanda, saying things like, "Wanda doesn't do it like that."

Stewart worked mainly as a house painter and owned his painting business. However, he faced financial issues and filed for bankruptcy twice. He also had a service record in the National Guard, where he served for six years but never rose above the rank of Private before receiving an honorable discharge.

In 1995, he became a member of the Clay Road Farm Hunt Club in Moore County, but his drinking and temper caused problems with the other members. As a result, he was eventually removed from the club.

After 15 years of marriage to Sue Griffin, Stewart divorced in 2001 and returned to Wanda Neal, promising her change. They remarried in June 2002. However, Stewart's controlling nature did not improve, and Wanda left him three weeks before an event that would change everything. Leading up to this time, Stewart displayed signs of distress, claiming to have ailments like prostate cancer and suggesting he needed to leave town.

Murder Story

On March 29, 2009, Robert Kenneth Stewart entered the Pinelake Health and Rehab nursing home in Carthage, North Carolina, and opened fire, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals. The victims included seven elderly residents and one nurse.

Stewart arrived at the nursing home around 10:00 a.m., initially shooting at his estranged wife's car in the parking lot. He then proceeded into the building with a shotgun and a handgun. Inside, he moved through the hallways, targeting residents, some of whom were in wheelchairs. He also shot Jerry Avant Jr., a nurse, who attempted to intervene and protect the patients.

The shooting lasted only a few minutes. During the incident, five residents died immediately, while two others later succumbed to their injuries. The only police officer on duty, Justin Garner, arrived at the scene and engaged Stewart. After being shot in the leg by Stewart, Officer Garner returned fire, hitting Stewart and bringing the shooting spree to an end.

When the shooting concluded, Stewart was hospitalized for his injuries. He later claimed he did not remember the events, stating he had taken several pills prior to the incident. Stewart was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder.

In court, Stewart faced eight counts of second-degree murder. On September 2, 2011, he was found guilty and sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 142 years to 179.5 years, ensuring he would spend the rest of his life behind bars.