Charles Stuart (murderer)
| Charles Stuart | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 18, 1959 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | January 4, 1990 (aged 30) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Other names | Chuck |
| Occupation | Manager of Kakas Furs (at the time of his death in 1990) |
| Criminal charge | Two counts of first-degree murder |
| Spouse(s) | Carol DiMaiti (m. 1959–89) |
| Children | 1 |
| Conviction(s) | Committed suicide upon indictment |
Charles "Chuck" Stuart (December 18, 1959 – January 4, 1990) was an American suspect in a 1989 Boston area murder that generated national headlines. Stuart falsely alleged that his wife and unborn child were shot and killed by an African-American assailant. Stuart's brother confessed to police that the crime was committed by Stuart to collect life insurance, and Stuart subsequently committed suicide.
In 1989, Charles 'Chuck' Stuart was serving as the general manager for Edward F. Kakas & Sons, furriers on Newbury Street. Stuart's wife, Carol (née DiMaiti, born March 26, 1959, in Boston), was a tax attorney, and pregnant with the couple's first child. On October 23, the couple were driving through the Roxbury neighborhood after attending childbirth classes at Brigham and Women's Hospital. According to Stuart's subsequent statement, a black gunman with a raspy voice forced his way into their car at a stoplight, ordered them to drive to nearby Mission Hill, robbed them, then shot Charles in the stomach and Carol in the head. Stuart then drove away, despite his injuries, and called 911 on his car phone.
On the night of the crime, the CBS reality television series Rescue 911 was riding with Boston Emergency Medical Services personnel. The crew took dramatic footage of the couple being extricated from the car: Carol can be seen "in profile, her pregnancy prominent, being wheeled to the ambulance." Other footage included Charles Stuart straining to speak with ambulance workers, and graphic scenes of his rushed entry to the hospital's emergency room.
Carol Stuart died just hours after the shooting, at approximately 3:00 a.m. on October 24. Her funeral took place four days later at St. James Church in her native Medford. Shortly before her death, doctors delivered her baby by caesarean section, two months premature. Baptized in the intensive care unit, the child was given the name Christopher, according to Charles and Carol's prior wishes. Christopher had suffered trauma and oxygen deprivation during the shooting, and died seventeen days later. A private funeral service was held for Christopher on November 20, 1989.
...
Wikipedia