Robert Kenneth Stewart

Robert Kenneth Stewart was born September 12, 1963. On March 29, 2009 Stewart entered Pine Lake Rehab Center and Nursing home in Carthage, North Carolina and opened fire on both patients and nurses. Stewart was armed with both a shotgun and a handgun. He began his crusade by opening fire on his wife’s car outside of the building, blowing holes in the doors and shattering the windows. His wife was a nurse in the nursing home who had recently left him because of his violent behavior and excessive drinking.

Stewart went through the hallways shooting anyone he crossed paths with. He killed eight people and wounded one police officer during the course of his murder spree. Among the dead were Jerry Avant Jr. (39 year old nurse), Louise DeKler (98), Lillian Dunn (89), Tessie Garner (75), John Walter Goldston (78), Bessie Hedrick (78), Margaret Johnson (89), and Jesse Vernon Musser (88).

After committing the violent murders, Stewart was finally confronted by a police officer who warned him to drop the gun. Stewart fired upon the officer, hitting him in the leg and foot. The officer returned fire and clipped the gunman in the shoulder, incapacitating him. Stewart was convicted for all eight murders and currently faces 142-179 years in federal prison.

Stewart’s wife escaped unharmed by hiding in a bathroom in the Alzheimers ward which was protected by a pass code. When questioned about the murders, Stewart claims he doesn’t remember what happened because he had taken six nerve pills earlier that day.