On the evening of his 33rd birthday, Thaddeus Stewart was fatally shot in Huntsville, Alabama. The incident occurred on Monday, March 24, 2025, in the front yard of a residence on Turf Avenue. Stewart, a Black male, was reportedly visiting friends to celebrate his birthday when an argument escalated into gunfire. Officers responded to reports of a possible shooting in progress around 9 p.m. and found Stewart with a gunshot wound.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The Huntsville Police Department's Major Crimes Unit immediately began an investigation into the homicide. Their preliminary findings suggested that Stewart had been involved in an altercation with another individual shortly before the shooting. This led investigators to identify Marvin Dequent Kendall of Huntsville as a person of interest in the case.
Marvin Dequent Kendall was located by the Gulf Coast Regional Task Force and brought in for questioning by the Huntsville Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division. Following the interview, Kendall was arrested and charged with the murder of Thaddeus Stewart. He was subsequently booked into the Madison County Jail and initially held without bond. Later, his bond was set at $75,000.
Thaddeus Stewart, known to some as 'Jeff Roy,' was remembered by his family as a loving and devoted father and husband who was known for his goofy and kind-hearted nature. He was a graduate of Butler High School where he was active in JROTC and played both basketball and football. Stewart was also a skilled mechanic who ran his own business, 'Jeff's All Kinds of Work,' through which he often helped those in the community who couldn't afford vehicle or home repairs. His family expressed their hope for justice to be served in his death. He is survived by his wife, Tenae Young Stewart, and his three children, Ta'Niya, TeMia, and Thaddeus Stewart, Jr. His son, Tanner, preceded him in death.
