In the late summer of 2015, the life of a young Indianapolis man was tragically cut short, leaving a family heartbroken and a community searching for answers. On the evening of August 12th, police were called to the 3400 block of Waterfront Drive with a report of a person possibly shot. There, they discovered 24-year-old Markus Deon 'Stew' Steward suffering from a gunshot wound to his head. Despite the efforts of first responders, he succumbed to his injury.
Markus was a Black / African American male.
In the days that followed, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's homicide investigators began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to Steward's death. Their investigation led them to release a composite sketch of a man believed to be connected to the fatal shooting. The individual was described as being in his late 20s to early 30s, with a height between 5'6' and 5'8'. Authorities also noted that the person of interest was known to spend time at the Wildwood Apartments, situated near West 34th Street and North Guion Road.
Despite the release of the sketch and a public appeal for information, the case has grown cold over the years. No arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Markus Steward, and his killer remains at large. The investigation officially remains open, with law enforcement still hopeful that a crucial tip from the public could help bring a resolution to the case and deliver justice for Markus and his grieving family. The community continues to remember the young man whose life was violently taken, a stark reminder of the lasting impact of unsolved violence.
