MSP investigates 'Doug Stewart letter'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A hand-written note purportedly from convicted killer Doug Stewart is being investigated by the Michigan State Police to determine who sent the letter.

In a prison letter ostensibly written to the prosecutor and released to local media, convicted killer Doug Stewart maintains his innocence and asks that his accomplice, Ricky Spencer, be given a harsher sentence than his agreed-to plea deal of one year.

The letter, received July 12 at the WOOD TV8 offices, is addressed to John McDonough, the St. Joseph County prosecutor in the trial against Stewart, who was convicted in March and sentenced in April to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing his wife, Venus, in April 2010.

But the letter may not be from Doug Stewart, say St. Joseph County prosecutors.

McDonough told 24 Hour News 8 his office got a copy of the letter on Monday, but said the signature on the letter does not look like Doug Stewart's. He also said there are inconsistencies with the letter.

"Typically defendants who have appeal rights available and other things don't write letters to us that don't come from their attorneys," McDonough said in a phone interview. "In this case Mr. Stewart has been tremendously tight lipped about anything, so you know it was kind of shocking to us that he would write a letter and you know if you read through the letter, certain discussions that I had with Mr. Stewart's lawyers and other things you know I'm not going to get in any depth with arose my suspicions as well."

The text of the letter being investigated reads, in part:

"It has recently come to my attention that you have recomended (sic) a 1 year cap for Ricky Spencer," Stewart wrote in longhand. "I did not kill my wife, nor did I conspire to kill her. I have and forever do love my wife. Ricki's (sic) testamony (sic) was completely false. Knowing this, I truly believe that he must know where my wife currently is...

"If Ricki (sic) is allowed to serve a 1 year cap, he will forever hide the truth that Venus, her family, my children and I so desperatly (sic) need."

Stewart and Spencer met online playing XBox. Spencer was a college student in Delaware, Spencer lived in Virginia with Venus and their children. Spencer testified he pretended to be Doug Stewart in Virginia while Stewart went to Michigan to kill Venus.

She was staying with her parents in Colon Township and vanished in the early morning hours of April 26, 2010. She has not been seen since.

In exchange for testifying against Stewart, prosecutors promised Spencer would get no more than one year in jail in Michigan. However, he still may face charges in Delaware and Virginia. Spencer is to be in court in Michigan on July 22.

The letter continues.

"Please encourage and convince Ricki (sic) to tell you where my wife is. I do not care about the sentence Ricki (sic) will receive verse (sic) the truth that can be found."

He added he was "convicted wrongfully," and signed the letter,

"From a loving husband and father, Semper Fi

Doug Stewart"

According to the county prosecutor, if it turns out that someone other than Doug Stewart wrote the letter, that person could be charged with obstruction of justice, serving up to five years in prison.

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Inside woodtv.com

Letter purportedly written by Doug Stewart  (pdf)