Lillian Chumney, a 79-year-old woman from Strasburg, Ohio, tragically lost her life on January 21, 2015. She and her husband, 88-year-old Doyle Chumney, were found deceased inside their burned-out vehicle the day after they were reported missing. Their home had been ransacked, and authorities determined that the couple had been kidnapped and murdered following a home invasion.
The investigation revealed that 30-year-old Robert Clark and 21-year-old Jeffery Stewart broke into the Chumneys' home, bound them with duct tape, and then drove them to a rural road in Coshocton County. Clark shot both victims, and Stewart later admitted that Lillian Chumney was still alive when their car was set on fire. Clark was arrested in early February 2015 in Mohave County, Arizona, after a nationwide manhunt.
Jeffery Stewart was charged with murder, kidnapping, and other related charges. He initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty, receiving a 50-year prison sentence. Robert Clark, who was implicated by Stewart's statement, received a life sentence without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to aggravated murder charges.
The case was prosecuted by the Coshocton County Prosecutor's Office with assistance from the Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section and the Tuscarawas County Prosecutor's Office. A multi-jurisdictional task force, including agents from the Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, was formed to investigate the crime. The Chumneys' family supported the plea agreement, expressing concerns about the stress of a lengthy trial and potential death penalty sentencing phase.
This brutal and senseless crime shocked the community and the nation, leading to the conviction and sentencing of both perpetrators. The Chumneys' family has since been seeking closure and justice for the loss of their loved ones.
