Royal Oak homicide, April, 1988

[coloroflaw]

I came across this Detroit Free Press from April 26th, 1988

Does anyone remember this?

Seems like something this sinister would have gotten more coverage.

This is really all I can find - with the exception of one article from the next year, in 1989. It looks like John Stewart was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, while his accomplice was acquitted.

Any insights?

[dtowncitylover]

I may be of service as my aunt and uncle live across the street from the park and were living there then.

They always said the guy was homeless and the kids stole his welfare money. It seemed like a thrill murder.

[coloroflaw]

Hmm. Very interesting, I used to hang out in that park for many years and had never heard anything of the case. Surely a place like Royal Oak in 1988 would have wanted to quickly downplay this from the public eye, with it being behind the high school and all. Forty stab wounds seems to transcend any idea of a "thrill murder" though...

[Johnnny5]

Looks like a Joseph Archambault of the same age and also from Royal Oak passed away in 2012. As for the John Stewart, there's no one by that name in Michigan's prison system, so he may have passed away as well or ended up in Federal prison for some reason.

[coloroflaw]

http://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/oti...cNumber=200231

This is John Stewart.

[dtowncitylover]

I spent many a childhood summer day at the park in the 90s and always heard the story and even to this day I'll take walks, especially early dark to clear my head and never found it to be haunted...

[McNaughton]

His name is Johnstone Stewart. He is alive and in Prison for life. I knew him as a kid. Classic case of abusive father which led to recreational drugs, and eventually heroin. After he got on heroin he committed the murder.

[Dumpling]

I pretty much grew up in that there park but by 1988 I was
living in East Dearborn and working more than 60 hours
every week at a firm in Southfield. Can check with people
but probably would not be able to add anything more of
substance to this thread.