Robert Stewart and the 2009 Carthage Nursing Home Massacre
Overview
Robert Kenneth Stewart carried out a mass shooting at the Pinelake Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carthage, North Carolina, on March 29, 2009. Stewart, who was 45 years old, entered the nursing home while heavily armed and opened fire in its hallways. Seven elderly residents and one nurse were killed. A visitor and a responding police officer were also wounded before the officer shot and stopped Stewart.
The attack occurred shortly before 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Pinelake was a 120-bed facility that cared for elderly residents, including people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other serious medical conditions. Employees were beginning their normal morning routines when Stewart arrived at the property. Investigators concluded that he had apparently gone there searching for his estranged wife, Wanda Neal, who worked as a nurse at the facility.
Events Before the Shooting
Stewart and Neal had a long and troubled relationship. They had married when they were young, divorced, and later remarried. In the weeks before the massacre, Neal had separated from Stewart and left their home. Relatives and acquaintances described Stewart as possessive and prone to angry outbursts. Neal reportedly left because she feared his behavior and no longer felt safe living with him.
On the morning of March 29, Stewart drove to Pinelake in a Jeep Cherokee. He was carrying several firearms, including a 12-gauge Winchester shotgun, a .357 Magnum revolver and a .22-caliber semiautomatic handgun. A camouflaged .22-caliber rifle was also found outside near his vehicle. The number and variety of weapons, together with the ammunition and other equipment he brought, became important evidence during his later prosecution.
The Attack in the Parking Lot
After arriving at the nursing home, Stewart fired into the unoccupied vehicle used by his estranged wife, breaking its windows. Visitor Michael Lee Cotten was driving into the parking area when Stewart fired at his vehicle. Cotten was struck in the shoulder but managed to escape from the car and enter the building.
Despite his wound, Cotten warned employees and residents that an armed man was approaching. His warning gave staff members a brief opportunity to lock doors, move patients and seek shelter. Emergency calls began reaching police at approximately 10:00 a.m.
The Shooting Inside Pinelake
Stewart entered the nursing home and moved through its corridors with his weapons. Employees attempted to guide residents into rooms and place them beyond his path. Many of the residents were unable to move quickly or protect themselves because of their age, medical conditions or dependence on wheelchairs.
Stewart appeared to be looking for Neal, who did not remain at her usual work location that morning. She had been assigned to the facility’s secured Alzheimer’s unit. After hearing gunfire, Neal hid inside a locked bathroom in that section of the building. Stewart was unable to reach her, and she survived without being physically injured.
As he continued through the facility, Stewart shot elderly residents in rooms and hallways. Some were sitting in wheelchairs when they were attacked. Employees continued trying to evacuate or conceal other patients while the gunfire moved through the building.
Jerry Avant Jr., a 39-year-old nurse, encountered Stewart during the attack. Avant attempted to intervene and protect the people under his care. Stewart shot and killed him. Avant was the only nursing-home employee killed and was later remembered for placing himself in danger while trying to stop the massacre.
Victims Killed on March 29, 2009
- Jerry Avant Jr., 39 — A nurse employed at Pinelake Health and Rehabilitation. He was killed while attempting to confront or stop Stewart inside the facility in Carthage, North Carolina.
- Louise DeKler, 98 — A resident of Pinelake Health and Rehabilitation who was fatally shot during the attack on March 29, 2009.
- Lillian Dunn, 89 — A nursing-home resident killed inside Pinelake during Stewart’s movement through the facility.
- Tessie Garner, 75 — A resident who was fatally shot at the Carthage nursing home during the massacre.
- John Walter Goldston, 78 — A Pinelake resident killed during Stewart’s attack on the facility.
- Bessie Hedrick, 78 — An elderly resident fatally shot inside Pinelake Health and Rehabilitation.
- Margaret Johnson, 89 — A nursing-home resident killed during the March 29 shooting.
- Jesse Vernon Musser, 88 — A resident of Pinelake who died after being shot during the attack.
Other People Wounded
- Michael Lee Cotten — A visitor who was shot in the shoulder while driving into the Pinelake parking lot. He escaped into the building and warned others that the gunman was approaching.
- Corporal Justin Garner, 25 — The responding Carthage police officer who was struck in the leg by shotgun pellets while confronting Stewart inside the nursing home.
- Robert Kenneth Stewart, 45 — The gunman was shot in the chest by Corporal Garner and taken into custody.
Police Confrontation
Corporal Justin Garner was the only Carthage police officer on duty when the emergency calls were received. He arrived within minutes and entered the building while the shooting was still underway. Garner followed the sound of gunfire and found Stewart in a hallway at approximately 10:05 a.m.
Garner repeatedly ordered Stewart to drop his weapon. Stewart instead lowered his shotgun toward the officer and fired. Several pellets struck Garner in the leg. Although wounded, Garner returned fire with his service weapon and struck Stewart in the chest. Stewart fell and was disarmed, ending an attack that had lasted only a few minutes.
Six victims were pronounced dead at the nursing home. Several injured people were transported for emergency treatment, and two additional victims died from their wounds later that day. Stewart survived his chest wound and was placed under arrest. Garner and Cotten also survived their injuries.
Investigation and Apparent Motive
Investigators determined that Neal was likely Stewart’s intended target. He had fired into her vehicle before entering the building and appeared to search the areas where she normally worked. Her reassignment to the secured Alzheimer’s unit, combined with her decision to hide in a locked bathroom, prevented him from finding her.
Authorities searched Stewart’s home, vehicle and personal belongings. They documented the weapons, ammunition and preparations associated with the attack. Prosecutors argued that his actions demonstrated planning: he armed himself with multiple guns, traveled to Neal’s workplace, attacked her vehicle and entered the nursing home looking for her.
After the shooting, Stewart reportedly claimed that he had taken several pills and had little or no memory of what he had done. His mental condition and his use of prescription medication later became central issues in his criminal trial.
Criminal Charges and Trial
Stewart was charged with eight counts of first-degree murder and additional offenses related to the wounded survivors and his confrontation with police. Prosecutors initially prepared to seek the death penalty if he were convicted of premeditated first-degree murder.
His trial began in 2011. Defense attorneys argued that Stewart had been impaired by prescription medication, including the sleep medication Ambien, and was unable to form the deliberation and premeditation required for first-degree murder. Expert witnesses for the defense discussed the possible effects of the medication and Stewart’s mental state.
Prosecutors rejected the claim that Stewart acted without awareness or control. They emphasized his collection of weapons, his arrival at Neal’s workplace, the shooting of her car, his movement through the nursing home and his apparent attempt to reach the Alzheimer’s unit where she was hiding. The prosecution maintained that these actions showed purpose and planning rather than an unconscious or accidental episode.
Conviction and Sentence
On September 3, 2011, the jury found Stewart guilty of eight counts of second-degree murder rather than first-degree murder. He was also convicted of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and other offenses connected to the attack.
The judge imposed consecutive maximum sentences for the murder convictions and related crimes. Stewart received a combined prison term of approximately 142 to 179 years, with the maximum total commonly reported as 179 years, four months and 20 days. The sentence ensured that he would remain imprisoned for the rest of his life.
Aftermath and Remembrance
The massacre devastated the small community of Carthage and the families of the victims. Pinelake employees who survived were praised for attempting to move vulnerable residents away from the gunfire. Cotten was recognized for warning people inside despite being wounded, while Garner was credited with ending the attack before Stewart could reach more residents or locate Neal.
A memorial service for the victims was held in April 2009. Families, employees, emergency personnel and community members gathered to remember the seven residents and Jerry Avant Jr. The residents were remembered as individuals with families and personal histories rather than simply as casualties of the shooting. Avant was honored for his work as a nurse and his actions during the emergency.
The Pinelake attack became one of the deadliest mass shootings in North Carolina history. It also drew attention to domestic violence, workplace security and the special vulnerability of nursing-home residents during emergencies. Although Stewart apparently entered the facility to target his estranged wife, his actions resulted in the indiscriminate deaths of eight people who had no involvement in the couple’s conflict.
