In the early hours of Tuesday, March 10, 2026, the quiet community of Bayville, New Jersey, was shattered by a tragic act of violence that claimed the life of 61-year-old Allan Russell and two of his family members. The incident unfolded around 5 a.m. on Fairwood Drive when neighbors were startled by the sound of gunshots.
Responding to reports of shots fired, Berkeley Township police arrived at the Russell residence to a harrowing scene. They observed a male entering the home, followed by the sound of more gunfire from within. The Ocean County Regional SWAT Team was called to the scene and upon entering the house, they discovered the bodies of Allan Russell and his 60-year-old wife, Michelle. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation revealed a grim sequence of events. The gunman was identified as 37-year-old Vaughn Stewart of Maplewood, the estranged husband of the Russells' daughter, 38-year-old Deonna Stewart.
Deonna had been living with her parents along with her three children. Authorities determined that Vaughn Stewart had forced his way into the home and shot both of his in-laws. He then chased his wife down the street, shooting and killing her approximately 50 yards from the residence.
After killing his wife, Stewart returned to the Russell's home and took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Miraculously, the three young children of Vaughn and Deonna Stewart, who were inside the house during the entire ordeal, were found unharmed. They are now in the care of the Department of Child Protection and Permanency. The incident was a devastating case of domestic violence that ended in a triple murder-suicide, leaving a family and a community in mourning.
