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Insets: Ryan Dodd (Oswego police) and Ashley Stewart (GoFundMe). Background: The 400 block of Valentine Way in Oswego, Illinois, where Dodd allegedly killed Stewart (WMAQ).
An Illinois man is facing grave charges after allegedly pursuing and fatally stabbing his ex-wife in a harrowing incident captured on security footage. The woman’s current husband reportedly witnessed the tragedy unfold via surveillance cameras.
Ryan D. Dodd, aged 44, has been charged with first-degree murder, home invasion, armed violence, residential burglary, and aggravated stalking, following the death of 41-year-old Ashley Stewart in Oswego, a town situated roughly 40 miles west of Chicago.
Police were dispatched shortly after 1 p.m. on Tuesday to a residence on the 400 block of Valentine Way, responding to an ongoing home invasion. Stewart’s husband had immediately called 911 upon observing a man chasing his wife into their garage through the home’s security system. Officers arrived swiftly; however, Stewart was found deceased, succumbing to multiple stab wounds. Her husband identified the suspect as Dodd, her ex-husband.
Approximately 30 minutes after the incident, law enforcement apprehended Dodd when an officer recognized his vehicle. The investigation suggested that Dodd had tracked Stewart into her residence before launching the fatal attack. Authorities released surveillance images depicting Dodd allegedly lurking behind bushes. Official charges were filed on Thursday, and Dodd remains incarcerated at the Kendall County Jail without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 9.
Ashley Stewart is survived by six children, including her youngest, a 2-year-old son.
“She was a devoted wife and loving mother, and her loss has left an immeasurable void in the lives of those who loved her,” a GoFundMe said.
One of her friends told local NBC affiliate WMAQ that Stewart always put her family first.
“She really, really loved her family. She loved her kids,” Robin Ross said. “Nobody could ever, ever mistake how much love she put into her family.”
Ross called her friend a “genuine, beautiful life spirit” who had a “bright future ahead of her.”
“She would drop anything she needed to do to help out anybody, no matter,” Ross said in an interview with WMAQ.