In the early morning hours of January 21, 2021, the life of Michael William Stewart, a 39-year-old Caucasian male from Saint Paul, Minnesota, was tragically cut short. The overnight air on the city's East Side was pierced by the sound of gunfire, prompting several neighbors to call 911. When police arrived at the intersection of Payne Avenue and East North Street, just west of Swede Hollow Park, around 3:30 a.m., they discovered a grim scene.
Michael Stewart and another man, 21-year-old Alejandro Omar Rios, were found suffering from multiple bullet wounds. Both men were rushed to Regions Hospital, but their injuries proved to be fatal.
The exact circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear, but it is believed that an altercation that began at a house on Payne Avenue may have spilled out into the street. The suspected shooter reportedly fled the scene on foot before law enforcement arrived. Michael's wife, Ronda Stewart, believes that her husband and Rios had only known each other for a short time and may have been staying at the same residence. She shared that Michael had recently been released from prison and was actively trying to better his life and be there for his family. He was a father to their young son, and also had two other sons, Sammy and Emillio.
As of the one-year anniversary of the double homicide, no arrests had been made in the case, and a motive had not been publicly identified by the St. Paul police. Investigators have expressed their belief that someone in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood has information that could lead to solving the case and have urged them to come forward. Michael's family, left to grapple with their sudden and violent loss, have pleaded for justice. A reward of $1,000 has been offered for information that leads to an arrest, with the option for tipsters to remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers. The case of who killed Michael William Stewart and Alejandro Omar Rios remains an open and active investigation.
