In the quiet, pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, March 10, 2026, the peaceful neighborhood of Fairwood Drive in Bayville, New Jersey, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. The tragic events that unfolded left three members of a family, including 38-year-old Deonna Russell-Stewart, dead in a horrific act of domestic violence. Deonna, a mother of three, had been living with her parents, Allan and Michelle Russell, aged 61 and 60 respectively, after separating from her husband, 37-year-old Vaughn Stewart of Maplewood.
The violence began around 5 a.m. when Berkeley Township police were dispatched to the Russell's home following a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers witnessed Vaughn Stewart entering the residence and heard more gunshots from within. The Ocean County Regional SWAT team was called to the scene and, upon making entry, discovered the bodies of Allan and Michelle Russell, who had been fatally shot. Their three young children were found unharmed inside the home.
As authorities continued to secure the scene, they found Vaughn Stewart with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head; he was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The investigation quickly revealed the full scope of the tragedy. Officers canvassing the area found Deonna Russell-Stewart's body approximately 50 yards from her parents' home, lying on the side of Fairwood Drive. It was determined that Vaughn Stewart had first shot and killed his in-laws inside their residence. He then chased Deonna down the street, firing multiple shots and killing her before returning to the house to take his own life. Neighborhood surveillance cameras reportedly captured Deonna's desperate flight as she screamed, "Murderer!"
Further investigation into the couple's history revealed a prior incident of domestic violence. Just a month before the killings, Vaughn Stewart had been charged with making terroristic threats, harassment, and simple assault after an altercation with a female family member. During that incident, he allegedly threatened to "murder her and her family." Despite these charges, prosecutors had not requested that he remain in pretrial detention. Deonna had reportedly filed for divorce in April 2024, but the case was dismissed in January 2025. Following the tragic murder-suicide, the three orphaned children were placed in the care of the Department of Child Protection and Permanency. A GoFundMe campaign was established by a coworker of Allan Russell to help cover funeral expenses for the three victims and to provide for the future care of the children.
