On the evening of April 17, 1997, tragedy struck in the 5500 block of Diamond Springs Road in Virginia Beach. Rudolph Stewart Jr., a 39-year-old Black male, was found lying in a driveway, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The call came in to the Virginia Beach Police at approximately 6:00 p.m., with several reports of gunfire in the area. Paramedics who arrived at the scene pronounced Stewart deceased. His body was then taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy confirmed that his death was a homicide.
Stewart was a longtime resident of Virginia Beach and a familiar face in the community. For 17 years, he had been an employee of the city's landscaping department. He was also a member of the Morning Star Baptist Church. His sudden and violent death sent shockwaves of grief and disbelief through the community that knew him.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, a crucial piece of information emerged from witness accounts. A blue Toyota was seen speeding away from the scene shortly after the gunshots rang out. The vehicle was last seen heading east on Aurora Drive. Despite this lead, the investigation into Rudolph Stewart Jr.'s murder has remained a difficult one. To this day, the case remains unsolved, and no arrests have been made in connection with his death.
The Virginia Beach Police Department continues to keep the case open and active. They have persistently urged anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward and assist in bringing closure to a case that has remained a painful open wound for Stewart's family and the wider Virginia Beach community. The search for a suspect or suspects continues, with the hope that one day, justice will be served for Rudolph Stewart Jr.
