Surveillance video captures fatal Martinez stabbing of 68-year-old man
Surveillance video captures Martinez fatal stabbing
Surveillance video captured the moments a suspect fatally stabbed 68-year-old Todd Stewart in Martinez on Thursday.
MARTINEZ, Calif. - Surveillance video captured the frantic screams of a 68-year-old man who was fatally stabbed Thursday afternoon outside his home in Martinez.
The attack
What we know:
The footage from a neighbor's surveillance camera shows the victim, identified as Todd Stewart, tussling with an unidentified assailant. Stewart, who was wearing a blue shirt, can be heard screaming in pain as the suspect, wearing a dark vest, stabs him several times on his front lawn.
The Martinez Police Department received multiple 911 calls around 5:09 p.m. reporting a stabbing in front of a home on Francis Court. Officers arrived to find Stewart, who died at the scene.
Martinez stabbing leaves 68-year-old man dead
Authorities said Todd Stewart, 68,was stabbed to death outside a home in Martinez on Thursday afternoon.
Search for the suspect
The suspect fled in a Cadillac SUV. Photos show him wearing dark-colored jeans, a gray shirt, and a protective vest.
Authorities have not located the suspect or released additional details about his identity.
Police have not said whether Stewart and the suspect knew each other or were strangers.
A motive for the attack remains unknown.
Community grieves
What they're saying:
Neighbors described Stewart as a warm, funny, and generous man who was married with two daughters. He had lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years and had recently finished renovations on his home.
"He was the most mild-mannered person and the most helpful in the court," said Stewart's friend. "It's still unbelievable. I look across the street, and I expect him to come out and wave."
Residents said they were shocked by the violence and said that such a crime is unheard of in their quiet, tucked-away cul-de-sac.
" I always call it our little cocoon because usually, nothing ever happens," said the victim's neighbor, Jackie. She wished to withhold her last name.
Residents said the suspect pulled up and waited in his vehicle for a bit before exiting and repeatedly stabbing Stewart, even after the victim was on the ground.
"I haven't digested the fact that he's not here anymore yet," said Jim.
The Source: This story was written based on interviews with residents in the Martinez neighborhood, surviallnce video, and information from police.