In September of 1987, the community of Lebanon, Missouri, was shaken by a series of brutal killings. A central figure in this tragic story is Carol Brewer, a 36-year-old female. She, along with her 43-year-old husband George Ray Brewer, and a 38-year-old man named Steven J. 'Steve' Vestal, fell victim to a hitchhiker they had offered a ride to.
The events began to unfold when the Brewers picked up a man who was hitchhiking.
This man was later identified as 36-year-old Howard Franklin Stewart. After murdering the Brewers, Stewart's spree of violence continued. He was then given a ride by Steven Vestal, whom he also killed. The bodies of the victims were discovered in different locations. George Brewer's body was found in a creek bed, while Steven Vestal was found in his pickup truck in a city park. All three victims had been shot to death with a. 22-caliber gun. The discovery of the bodies launched a multi-county investigation involving the Laclede, Dallas, and Webster County Sheriff's Departments, as well as the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Lebanon Police Department.
Initially, Carol Brewer was reported as missing, and for a time, was even considered a person of interest in the death of her husband and Vestal. However, the investigation took a significant turn when authorities in Texas contacted Missouri law enforcement. Howard Franklin Stewart, whose parents lived in Lebanon, had traveled to Texas after the murders in Missouri. Before taking his own life in Texas, Stewart went on another violent spree, killing his estranged wife, a friend of hers, and his former employer. It was during this time that he confessed to two acquaintances that he was wanted for killing three people in Missouri.
Missouri investigators traveled to Texas and confirmed the link between Stewart and the murders of Carol and George Brewer, and Steven Vestal. While the perpetrator was identified, the motive for the killings remained unclear to investigators, who speculated that Stewart was 'mentally unbalanced' and may have been dealing with drug, family, and job-related problems. The tragic case concluded with the death of the suspect, Howard Franklin Stewart, by suicide before he could be arrested and tried for the murders.
