In the early morning hours of March 10, 2026, a quiet street in Bayville, New Jersey, became the scene of a horrific tragedy. Michelle Russell, a 60-year-old woman, was shot and killed in her home on Fairwood Drive. The gunman was her son-in-law, 37-year-old Vaughn Stewart of Maplewood. The violence that erupted that morning claimed not only Michelle's life but also the lives of her husband, 61-year-old Allan Russell, and their daughter, 38-year-old Deonna Russell-Stewart, who was Vaughn Stewart's estranged wife.
The events unfolded around 5:00 a.m. when Berkeley Township police responded to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers saw a man entering the Russell's residence and heard more gunshots from inside. The Ocean County Regional SWAT Team was called to the scene and upon entering the home, they discovered the bodies of Allan and Michelle Russell, who had been shot.
The investigation revealed a grim sequence of events.
Vaughn Stewart had entered the home and shot both of his in-laws. He then chased his estranged wife, Deonna, down the street, shooting and killing her approximately 50 yards from the residence before returning to the house. Inside the home, officers also found Vaughn Stewart with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Tragically, the three children of Vaughn and Deonna Stewart were present in the home during the incident but were physically unharmed. They are now in the care of the Department of Child Protection and Permanency. The incident has been classified as a triple murder-suicide, stemming from a domestic dispute.
