FORT WORTH
Previous to his suicide in jail, there have been loads of clues that Dean Ray Stewart, 50, suffered from severe psychological instability, his brother mentioned.
Documentation from police bears that out.
Members of the family contend that police have been conscious of their relative’s psychological issues, and may have taken him someplace the place he may have acquired applicable mental health treatment or monitored him extra intently whereas he was within the Tarrant County Jail.
“He didn’t have his medicine,” Dean Stewart’s brother Kerry Stewart advised the Star-Telegram. “It wasn’t like he was a loopy individual. When he was on his medicine, you’ll by no means know. How may they, why would they’ve put somebody in jail realizing that this was his state of affairs?”
Dean Stewart was pronounced lifeless on April 26, and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Workplace listed his explanation for dying as hanging and the way of dying as suicide. He was arrested on April 5, a suspect in a street rage taking pictures the place the sufferer was unhurt, police data say.
The Texas Rangers have concluded their investigation into Stewart’s suicide, which didn’t result in any arrests, in response to Lonny Haschel, Texas Division of Public Security spokesman. The Star-Telegram has requested a duplicate of the Texas Rangers’ report however hasn’t acquired it as of Thursday.
The Texas Fee on Jail Requirements revoked the Tarrant County Jail’s certification for six days as a result of the investigation into Stewart’s dying decided officers have been late making an statement test, in response to the Sheriff’s Workplace and the fee.
“They have been discovered to haven’t performed 30-minute face-to-face statement checks, that are required in sure areas of the jail,” mentioned Brandon Wooden, govt director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in an announcement Thursday that Stewart’s suicide “continues to be below investigation procedurally.”
“Our personal evaluation and the evaluation by Jail Requirements revealed a late required statement test,” the Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned. “We take this very critically and the interior investigation is ongoing. Due to the missed test, we have been discovered to be out of compliance with Jail Requirements on Might 21, 2020. This can be a routine response by TCJS when requirements in a jail are discovered to be out of compliance. We submitted a robust plan of motion to resolve the difficulty instantly and TCSO was re-certified as of Might 27, 2020, assembly our required requirements.”
Wooden mentioned the state is also investigating an incident that occurred in mid-Might, the day a child was born within the jail. He declined to say if the investigation was concerning the beginning.
The Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned the pregnant inmate was in a medical cell alone and didn’t inform officers when she went into labor. A corrections officer quickly found the child had been born and “fast motion was taken to guard the mom and baby,” the Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in a information launch.
Indicators of psychological sickness, ‘paranoid schizophrenia’
Dean Stewart exhibited a number of indicators of psychological instability throughout his interview with police the day he was arrested. The 50-year-old was accused of and admitted to taking pictures at a driver he believed labored for one more man who was torturing individuals, in response to an interview with a Euless Police Division investigator.
Dean Stewart advised police that helicopters and drones have been following and listening to him, the police report mentioned. Stewart mentioned he believed that individuals and listening units have been hidden in his home, the report mentioned.
Dean Stewart additionally advised the Euless police officer who interviewed him after his arrest that authorities drones have been getting used to unfold viruses, together with the coronavirus, and that he had inspired authorities to check the realm the place he lived for radiation, however that nobody would hear, the report mentioned.
Police from two different departments recorded a number of encounters with Dean Stewart, in response to the Euless police report.
Haltom Metropolis law enforcement officials took Dean Stewart in for psychological well being evaluations at the very least 4 occasions in 2019, mentioned Eric Peters, Haltom Metropolis police spokesman. Throughout a kind of encounters, a shotgun Dean fired into the attic of his mom’s residence was confiscated, Peters mentioned.
“I needed to go up and repair my mother’s roof after that,” Kerry Stewart remembered. “He (Dean Stewart) would name me early within the morning and inform me to return over and produce my gun. He mentioned there have been individuals hiding within the attic that have been attempting to get him.”
North Richland Hills law enforcement officials additionally reported a number of encounters with Dean Stewart. One encounter on Aug. 31, 2018, concerned a gun seizure and an emergency psychological well being detention, a police report mentioned. In line with the report complement, Dean Stewart acquired a analysis of main melancholy with psychotic options from John Peter Smith Hospital medical professionals.
Throughout a search of Dean Stewart’s automobile, officers discovered a .45-caliber handgun and two loaded magazines which have been seized.
A North Richland Hills officer wrote in his report that Dean Stewart was fired by an employer who met resistance after attempting to get him psychological well being assist. One member of the family additionally mentioned that Dean Stewart resisted searching for psychological well being therapy, in response to the report.
The report mentioned {that a} member of the family advised a police officer that Dean Stewart had been hooked on methamphetamine previously and was taking Ritalin, which he had by no means wanted earlier than.
“He and his deal with are each flagged for officer security,” the report mentioned.
In July 2018, an officer met Dean Stewart at a Quik Journey close to his condo on a suspicious circumstance name, a police report mentioned. Dean Stewart advised the officer that the corporate the place he was an accountant was laundering cash with members of MS-13, and that he feared for his life, in response to the report.
Later the report says Dean Stewart advised the officer he was being watched by cartel members, however that he saved a gun on his night time stand and took it within the automobile with him so he may very well be prepared for them once they got here.
“He’s demonstrating indicators of paranoid schizophrenia,” the officer wrote in his report.
Earlier, Dean Stewart mentioned he isn’t schizophrenic, however “is aware of he’s paranoid,” the report mentioned.
In 2018 and 2019, North Richland Hills officers had 5 encounters with Dean Stewart, in response to police paperwork.
“They (police) knew about my brother’s state of affairs,” Kerry Stewart mentioned. “They needed to know.”
Highway rage taking pictures
The sufferer in Dean Stewart’s alleged aggravated assault with a lethal weapon case known as 911 about 4:45 p.m. on April 5 and mentioned that he believed he was being adopted by a person carrying a black masks. Dispatch advised the caller to drive to the police station, in response to the report.
Moments later, the person mentioned his automobile had been rammed by a Ford Fusion and that the driving force had shot at him, mentioned Brenda Alvarado, Euless police spokeswoman.
“He (the sufferer) got here to the station to report what occurred and one in every of our officers discovered the suspect automobile a brief distance away from the place the incident occurred,” Alvarado mentioned.
Previous to being locked up, Dean Stewart was requested if he had ever been handled for or identified with a psychological sickness or if he had ever considered or tried to commit suicide, the report mentioned. Dean Stewart was requested a sequence of medical and psychological well being questions on the day he was arrested, and he answered “no” to all, in response to Euless Police Division data.
However the day after his arrest, investigators have been advised by Dean Stewart’s former leasing agent that the alleged sufferer of the street rage assault lived in Dean Stewart’s condo constructing and that Stewart had been evicted in November 2018 because of “extreme calls to police regarding his paranoid exercise,” Euless police report data present.
‘That was my solely brother’
His brother, Kerry Stewart, has many questions on Dean Stewart’s suicide.
It was his understanding that his brother was on the psychological well being pod throughout his time on the Tarrant County Jail, Kerry Stewart mentioned. The specialty space has room for 48 inmates, in response to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Workplace.
Citing ongoing investigations, the Sheriff’s Workplace and the Texas Rangers have declined to touch upon the place within the jail Dean Stewart was housed, what he used to hold himself or how he obtained one thing that he may cling himself with.
If his brother was within the psychological well being pod like Kerry Stewart mentioned he believes, jailer checks are required at 15- or 30-minute intervals, in response to state jail requirements, Sheriff’s Workplace spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Gabbert wrote in an e mail.
“Nonetheless, we attempt to exceed this by doing them extra steadily,” Gabbert’s e mail mentioned.
Kerry Stewart mentioned he would additionally wish to understand how his brother was in a position to kill himself whereas contained in the jail.
“I’ve by no means handled something like this, nor ought to anybody should,” Kerry Stewart mentioned. “There are such a lot of unknowns. There are such a lot of issues that don’t appear to make sense.”
And the brother mentioned he by no means acquired a narrative that was happy him relating to the assault that landed Dean Stewart in jail.
“My brother was a really sensible man and he was in accounting for years and had accomplished some authorities accounting,” Kerry Stewart mentioned. “That was my solely brother.”
Kerry Stewart mentioned that his brother had some points with medication previously. Dean Stewart was convicted on a driving whereas intoxicated cost in 2013 and was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 18 months’ probation.
Dean Stewart harm his again portray homes, his brother mentioned. His constant ache might have contributed to a need to be medicated, Kerry Stewart mentioned.
“I’ve personally taken him to a rehab facility. I feel he was hooked on ache capsules, however that also doesn’t imply suicide.” Kerry Stewart mentioned. “I don’t know of any of his associates who would have given him a gun.”
Though their investigation was closed as of Thursday, officers with the Texas Rangers have declined to remark regarding Dean Stewart’s jail standing or whether or not he was on suicide watch.
‘As joyful and as calm as something’
Jimmy Ray Stewart mentioned the final time that he noticed his son, Dean Stewart, was a few month earlier than Tarrant County officers say he killed himself.
His son appeared joyful and his suicide stays a shock, the 79-year-old father mentioned.
The daddy mentioned his son ready dinner for him and his spouse the final time they met.
Dean Stewart “went and acquired the groceries and got here in and stuck dinner for us and he was all proper,” the daddy mentioned. “He was completely nice, as joyful and as calm as something. … I actually don’t know what occurred. Not one of the stuff I’m listening to makes any sense.”
Jimmy Stewart mentioned he has not heard a lot concerning the investigation into his son’s suicide or the aggravated assault that landed him in jail and is ready for extra info. In the course of the practically three weeks when Dean Stewart was in jail, relations mentioned they didn’t have entry to him because of the restrictions Tarrant County officers imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dean Stewart had gone via some issues previously, a divorce 10 years in the past, drug points, however nothing that gave any forewarning that his suicide was imminent, relations mentioned.
“He actually liked his youngsters and no matter he had he would spend it on them,” Jimmy Stewart mentioned. “However he by no means acquired his household again collectively.”
Mitch Mitchell is an award-winning reporter protecting courts and crime for the Star-Telegram. Moreover, Mitch’s previous protection on municipal authorities, healthcare and social providers beats enable him to carry expertise and context to the tales he writes.