In the quiet woods near Skykomish, Washington, the life of a 34-year-old Caucasian male, Brandt Conrad Stewart, came to a tragic end on December 22, 2019. His body was discovered by a hiker the following morning along a desolate logging road. The King County Medical Examiner's Office would later determine that Stewart had been shot in the head, ruling his death a homicide.
At the scene, there were no immediate signs of a struggle, but his wallet and backpack were missing.
Stewart, a father to a young daughter, had been grappling with homelessness and mental health challenges, including bipolar disorder and depression. Despite these struggles, his family remembered him as a kind and generous person who deeply loved his child. In the days leading up to his death, he had been living in the Snohomish area. His family grew worried when they didn't hear from him on Christmas.
The investigation into Stewart's death led detectives to a crucial piece of surveillance footage from a mini-mart in Snohomish. The video showed Stewart getting into a red Ford Mustang with another man the day before his body was found. This man was identified as 35-year-old Jeremy Tod Staeheli. Authorities tracked Staeheli to northern California, where he was arrested. In his possession, police found a 9 mm handgun.
During questioning, Staeheli admitted to owning both the Mustang and the handgun. He claimed that he had shot Stewart in self-defense, alleging that Stewart had threatened him with a knife. However, the physical evidence at the scene contradicted his account. Investigators noted that Stewart's hands were in his pockets, with a small, unopened knife found in one of them. This discovery cast significant doubt on Staeheli's claim of self-defense.
Jeremy Tod Staeheli was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. After initially being found not mentally competent to stand trial, he later pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree murder. In September 2022, Staeheli was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison for the death of Brandt Conrad Stewart.
