A man is found in a driveway with several gun shot wounds
On the evening of Thursday, April 17, 1997, the sound of gunfire shattered the peace in the 5500 block of Diamond Springs Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Responding to several reports, police arrived at approximately 6:00 p.m. to a grim discovery. Lying in a driveway was a man who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics were called to the scene, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced deceased. The victim was later identified as 39-year-old Rudolph Stewart Jr., a Black male.
Stewart was a longtime resident of Virginia Beach and an employee of the city's landscaping department for 17 years. He was also a member of the Morning Star Baptist Church. His body was transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy confirmed that his death was a homicide caused by the gunshot wounds.
The initial investigation provided a fleeting glimpse of a potential suspect vehicle. Witnesses reported seeing a blue Toyota speeding away from the area immediately following the shooting. The car was last seen heading east on Aurora Drive. Despite this lead, the case has grown cold over the years.
To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Rudolph Stewart Jr., and the case remains an active and unsolved homicide. The Virginia Beach Police Department continues to seek information from the public that could lead to the identification and apprehension of the individual or individuals responsible for his death. The sudden and violent end to his life left the community in a state of shock and mourning.
