328. Finding Venus Stewart - The Xbox Murder

Summary

Murder With My Husband – Episode 328: Finding Venus Stewart – "The Xbox Murder"

Date: July 6, 2026
Hosts: Peyton Moreland & Garrett Moreland
Podcast Description: A true crime podcast where Peyton, a true crime enthusiast, and her husband Garrett, a skeptic, discuss dark cases from an engaging, personal perspective.

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Peyton and Garrett delve into the chilling case of Venus Stewart, a 32-year-old mother who disappeared from rural Michigan in 2010. The episode explores the complexities of family violence, manipulation, and the role of technology—particularly video games—in bringing about her tragic fate. Central to the story is the extraordinary detail that her killer would only reveal her final resting place in exchange for an Xbox. The discussion invites listeners to grapple with difficult ethical questions about justice, closure, and the lengths to which authorities should go to bring peace to victims’ families.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal News and Episode Setup

• Peyton announces her pregnancy and both hosts express excitement and gratitude to fans.
  • "The announcement is that I'm pregnant." (03:08, Peyton)
• They segue into today’s case and pose an ethical question about bribery in criminal investigations.
  • "Is bribery a line that should never be crossed or is it a tool we should be trying to utilize more often?" (05:12, Peyton)

---

2. The Life and Disappearance of Venus Stewart

Background

• Venus grew up loved and somewhat sheltered. Her early naivety was reflected in her trusting nature—such as believing a teen boyfriend’s tall tales.
• After studying criminal justice (but abandoning dreams of being a cop due to discomfort with guns), Venus met Doug Stewart, a Marine, and married him on their third date—just four days after meeting.
  • "On their third date, four days later, they got married." (08:44, Peyton)

Family Struggles and Doug’s Addiction

• Doug leaves the military for Venus; they settle in Michigan, have two daughters, and reverse traditional roles—Venus works while Doug is a stay-at-home parent.
• Doug succumbs to an Xbox video game addiction, neglecting family responsibilities, which strains the marriage.

Relocation and Further Marital Decline

• After multiple separations, the family moves from Michigan to Newport News, Virginia, hoping for a fresh start.
• Despite attempts to mend, Venus ultimately returns to Michigan in early 2010 with their girls, seeking space from Doug.

---

3. April 26, 2010: The Disappearance

• On the morning of her disappearance, Venus leaves for the mailbox and never returns.
• Her father finds her car, phone, and keys at home, with only her daughters present. The police are contacted immediately.
  • "Once Larry sees that Venus's keys and purse are still in the house and her car is still parked in the driveway..." (17:55, Peyton)

Initial Investigation and Family’s Suspicions

• Evidence of a struggle (disturbed gravel, Venus’s hair tie, an unfamiliar tarp wrapper) is found outside the family home.
• Venus’s family suspects Doug, citing a custody battle and Venus’s recent protection order against him. The day before, Venus expressed fear Doug might harm her.

---

4. Doug’s Suspicious Alibi and the Xbox Connection

Doug Stewart’s Alibi

• Doug claims to be in Virginia all day; secretaries at his attorney’s office vouch for him, and surveillance seems to confirm it.
• Police find a Walmart receipt for a tarp, hat, and gloves in Doug’s messy truck—matching evidence found at the scene (27:41–27:45, Peyton/Garrett).
  • "He's buying a kill kit, you know, minus the rope and tape, and just wearing the weirdest outfit." (27:45, Peyton)

Alibi Breakdown: Ricky Spencer

• Investigators trace a mysterious number in Doug’s phone history to Ricky Spencer, a 20-year-old college student he met on Xbox Live.

• Ricky confesses to helping Doug build an alibi by impersonating him—visiting Doug’s attorney and using his credit cards the day of the murder.

  • "Doug asked Ricky Spencer to dress up in his clothes and go to his attorney's office..." (36:34, Peyton)

• Ricky claims Doug manipulated him by falsely alleging Venus abused their children.

---

5. Legal Outcomes and Search for Venus’s Body

• Doug is arrested and, despite circumstantial and testimonial evidence, Venus’s body is not found.
• Doug maintains his innocence and blames Ricky.
• The family and law enforcement make repeated appeals for the location of Venus’s remains.

The Ethical Dilemma: Xbox as a Bribe

• Doug eventually offers to reveal Venus’s burial site in exchange for an Xbox in prison.
  • "He wants...an Xbox in prison so he can play video games. He said, I'll tell you where she's buried if you get me an Xbox." (42:07, Peyton)
• After initially refusing certain demands, authorities agree to provide an Xbox (no internet access) for the location of Venus’s body.

---

6. Discovery and Aftermath

• On October 22, 2018—over 8 years later—Doug leads authorities to Venus's grave in exchange for his Xbox.
  • "After that, Doug agrees to an exclusive interview with News Channel 3 and admits, Fine, I am the one who abducted, murdered, and buried Venus Stewart." (42:23, Peyton)
• Venus’s remains are recovered and laid to rest. The case brings bittersweet closure to her family; her father passes away before her body is found.
  • "That same day also happened to be the birthday of one of Venus and Doug's daughters." (45:14, Peyton)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Doug’s Xbox obsession:

  • "Doug succumbs to an Xbox video game addiction, neglecting family responsibilities, which strains the marriage." (summary)
  • "What an absolute loser. Like what? I hope you're listening to this because you're a loser." (45:35, Garrett)

• On bribery and justice:

  • "Without that little bit of bribery or incentive for the Xbox...it's possible that the ending to Venus's story would still be a mystery today." (45:41, Peyton)

• On prison Xbox rules:

  • "He only has 30 minutes a day to play. Oh. Which to me is just like you're 12." (45:18–45:29, Peyton)

• Ethics question invocation:

  • "Is bribery a line...or is it a tool we should be trying to utilize more often?" (05:12, Peyton)

• Ricky's manipulation by Doug:

  • "Doug had told Ricky that Venus was abusing their daughters and that their lives were in danger..." (36:34, Peyton)

---

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |:---------:|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:08 | Pregnancy announcement (hosts’ personal news) | | 05:12 | Ethical dilemma: Bribery and justice | | 07:40 | Early life and marriage of Venus | | 10:44 | Doug’s addiction and family breakdown | | 16:00 | Morning of Venus’s disappearance | | 20:15 | Venus’s fear of Doug; past protection orders | | 26:09 | Walmart receipt discovery and kill kit discussion | | 33:10 | Introduction of Ricky Spencer/Xbox Live connection | | 36:32 | Ricky flips, confesses to role in fake alibi | | 39:10 | Doug's conviction but absence of Venus’s body | | 42:07 | Doug demands an Xbox in exchange for location of Venus’s remains | | 43:34 | Doug’s confession and body recovery | | 45:41 | Closing thoughts on bribery, justice, and closure |

---

The Hosts’ Final Reflections

• Garrett:
  "This is so sad. I mean, I feel so bad for those daughters, for those kids...It's just absolutely awful that their dad killed their mom." (45:54)
• Peyton:
  "Thank you guys so much for listening to today's episode and we will see you next time with another one." (46:08)

---

Takeaways

• The episode explores not only the tragedy of Venus Stewart’s murder but also the intersection of technology, manipulation, and justice.
• It presents the moral complexities of offering comfort or “bribes” to obtain closure in cases where conventional appeals fail.
• The moving, at times irreverent, tone from Peyton and Garrett adds humanity to the facts—reminding listeners of the devastating impact on families, and the sometimes absurd, unsettling actions of perpetrators (e.g., Doug prioritizing his Xbox above all else).

---

For those who haven't listened, this episode offers both a thorough, emotional narrative of Venus Stewart’s case, and food for thought on the ethics of bargaining with evil for justice.

Transcript

[Peyton Moreland]

All right, you guys, we are getting into a sponsor and I'm actually really excited to talk to you about this because I used this product before they became a sponsor of the show, which is always amazing. But it is Jones Road beauty. Now, if you're a girl or a guy and you wear makeup, you understand the difficulty of cakey makeup, of it just not sitting on your face. Right. It is literally the most annoying thing.

[Garrett Moreland]

Also, I mean, I don't wear makeup, but I can't imagine that's comfortable.

[Peyton Moreland]

No, because you can just feel it.

[Garrett Moreland]

Feel it. Right?

[Peyton Moreland]

Feel it all day.

[Garrett Moreland]

I know what I'm talking about.

[Peyton Moreland]

But Jones Road, all of their products are. They feel so good on your skin. But specifically, I love their miracle balm. You can use it as a highlighter, a blush. You can put it on your lips. Honestly, I put it like cheek, forehead, chin, nose. It is so seamless. You just rub it on. I use it in place of foundation. Honestly, it is so smooth. It is so soft and it's quick. That's the thing. It's like not a ten step process. I just take their miracle balm, I put it on over my typical skin care and it's amazing. And honestly, once I started, like simplifying my routine with the miracle balm, obviously there are days where I want a little coverage and that is where all the other Jones Road products come in. Because I can kind of just mix the two together. They just came out with a foundation stick, actually, and it mixes so well with the miracle bomb. But it's not like 10 more steps, if you know what I mean.

[Garrett Moreland]

Modern day makeup that's clean, strategic and multifunctional for effortless routines for a limited time, our listeners, you guys are getting a free full size mascara on their first purchase when they use code MWMH at checkout. Just head to jonesbrodebeauty.com and use code MWMH at checkout. After you purchase, they will ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show sent you. Go check it out.

[Sierra Miller]

Hi, it's Sierra Miller. I can't wait for you to check out my new collection of shoes and accessories at Designer Shoe Warehouse. If you love shoes as much as I do, then trust me, I got you. From cute sneakerinas to the perfect flip flops to stunning heels, these shoes are all style, no drama. It's a girls girl summer. And DSW has just the shoes shop the Sierra Miller Collection right Now at your GSW store or dsw.com

[Peyton Moreland]

you're listening to an Ono Media podcast. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the podcast. This is Murder with my husband. I'm Peyton Moreland.

[Garrett Moreland]

And I'm Garrett Moreland.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he's the husband.

[Garrett Moreland]

And I'm the husband.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, if you don't follow us on social media, you missed a very big announcement, but we are here to tell you guys now. And the announcement is that we're retiring.

[Garrett Moreland]

We are retiring.

[Peyton Moreland]

The announcement is that I'm pregnant.

[Garrett Moreland]

Peyton is pregnant with my child.

[Peyton Moreland]

If you've been watching on Netflix or maybe even listening, you can hear the change in my voice. But hi. But if you've been watching on Netflix, you definitely have probably seen the changes in my body. I'm inflamed, I'm swollen, I'm gaining weight, but I'm happy. And I'm pregnant and I've been sick, so that's why I've been looking like that. Some of you definitely caught on, but, yeah. We're so excited.

[Garrett Moreland]

We are. We're. Hi. Hi. We're both sorry. Daisy hasn't seen me all day, and I got home and went straight to recording, and she is very excited to see me. We are. We're extremely excited. We're both very excited. We're both very busy. We're both very excited.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. It feels like I'm so happy to finally be able to tell everyone because, you know, you guys are a huge part of our lives, and this has been a big part of our lives. So it's nice to just have everyone clued in. We don't have to hide anything anymore. And if you did see the announcement on social media, thank you for making such a fun thing fun for us that day. It was so fun to be able to celebrate with all of you. And yeah, thank you so much for your support and your understanding. And we love you.

[Garrett Moreland]

And pretty soon, we're gonna have a baby.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. Would you say that's your 10 seconds?

[Garrett Moreland]

Probably. I mean, we. We're having a baby. We're having an actual human baby. Daisy's our baby, though, but we're having another baby.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. We're our second. Our second baby.

[Garrett Moreland]

And we're excited and it's going to come fast and it's going to be crazy, and we're going to have to figure out how to run a bagel shop and. And do our recordings and it'll be

[Peyton Moreland]

interesting, but I think we got it.

[Garrett Moreland]

We got it.

[Peyton Moreland]

We always got it.

[Garrett Moreland]

Anyways, that's the news. That's the big announcement. Is that. Was that anticlimactic?

[Ad Voice]

No.

[Garrett Moreland]

No, no. Very hyped up. Very good.

[Peyton Moreland]

Very hyped up.

[Garrett Moreland]

Thank you for listening. Thank you for supporting. On that note, let's hop into today's case.

[Peyton Moreland]

Our sources for this episode are wwmt.com thirteennownnews.com sturgisjournal.com oxygen.com, cbs news.com Detroit Free Press, nbcnews.com mlive.com ABC News, fox17online.com and caseloffine law.com now today I have an ethics question for you. When it comes to dealing with suspects or even convicted felons, should bribery be something that's considered when looking for answers? And I'm not talking about making a deal for a lighter sentence. I'm talking about something tangible, a benefit, a comfort, something that makes life a little bit better in exchange for information. If you really believe this information could bring closure to a family, if it could finally end a devastating chapter in a heartbreaking story, should we abandon our morals and ethics just a little and let bribery have a seat at the table? Yes, because not all is fair when it comes to crime and consequences. Sometimes people play dirty. So the thing I want you to sit with today is when it comes to justice, is bribery a line that should never be crossed or is it a tool we should be trying to utilize more often? Now, today I'm taking you to an area of rural Michigan called Colon Township. And there we are meeting a 32 year old mother of two named Venus Stewart. Now, Venus grew up in this quaint little country area with her dad, Larry, and her mother, Terese. She was born on August 4, 1977, as Venus Rose McComb. And her mom worshiped her like the tiny little goddess that she imagined her to be, which was how she even got the name Venus to begin with. Venus's parents said growing up she was always sweet, kind and trusting type. But as she grew up, that naivety kind of became one of her faults. Therese, her mother, clearly remembered Venus coming home one day crushing over this boy that she had just met. And she later told her parents that the reason she found him so interesting because he was in the mafia. Now, it turns out he was just working at the local McDonald's and he wanted to seem a little cooler.

[Garrett Moreland]

Hey, the local McDonald's probably feels like the mafia sometimes, but apparently love McDonald's.

[Peyton Moreland]

This might have been a pretty formative experience for Venus because after high school, she chose a field of study that would require her to be more vigilant, sharp witted and guarded than ever. She actually Went on to study criminal justice, hoping to one day become a police officer.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

However, once she realized she would probably have to carry a gun, and she absolutely hated guns, she decided to find another path. And in the meantime, life offered her up a pretty charming distraction. Okay. One by the name of Doug Stewart. Now she's graduated, she's figuring out what to do with her life, and she meets Doug, Venus's friend from work. Thought it would be good to set her brother up with Venus. She knew Venus liked a guy in uniform, and her brother Doug was a Marine. So on their first date, they went out to a movie. And on their third date, four days later, they got married.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, Venus's parents didn't seem thrilled about this four days, for obvious reasons.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's crazy.

[Peyton Moreland]

And neither did Venus's older brother, Dustin. But, I mean, they were adults. They made the choice, so everyone makes them most of it. And they welcomed Doug into their family. But a year into the marriage, there was a bit of a hiccup. Venus didn't like the idea of Doug being deployed and moving around the world for his job. And she had this feeling something terrible was going to happen if he stayed in the military. So Doug ends up leaving the Marines in 2003 for Venus, and together they settled into a quieter life and began building their family. They moved to Schoolcraft, Michigan. This is about a half hour away from where Venus grew up. Both of them take modest jobs. Venus is a bank teller and Doug as a waiter at Applebee's. And then in 2004, they have their first daughter, and a second girl comes along two years later in 2006. And becoming a mom, Venus wanted to devote everything to her girls. But a stay at home mom wasn't really in the cards at this stage for their family. She was actually the breadwinner for the family. She made more money than Doug. So the couple decided he would actually take on the role of the stay at home parent while Venus went to work. But this ends up leading to a pretty bad habit for Doug, because as he's staying home watching the girls, raising the girls, he's not really watching them. He starts playing video games to the point where it takes precedent over a lot of other things in their life. So instead of looking for a new job when it was time for him to go back to work because the girls got old enough, Doug spent those hours playing Xbox and losing himself in the virtual world. And over time, this takes a toll on their marriage. Venus begins to feel lonely, like she was the one doing everything as the parent and the wife. And that led to cracks, and the cracks became fights, and then talks of separation and divorce. But we don't quite make it there because around 2009, it seems like things were finally looking up. They had decided for a fresh start. They're like, let's move to a new location. Maybe it'll help our marriage bring a renewed sense of adventure. So Venus pitched places like Williamsburg, Virginia and Orlando or Miami, Florida, mainly because she loved amusement parks. She wanted to be somewhere close to them. And this way they could take their kids there pretty regularly, Just have a little place to escape on the day to day. So they ended up in a town called Newport News, Virginia. And this was just 18 miles away from an amusement park called Bush Gardens.

[Garrett Moreland]

Ooh, I've never been. Have you been to Busch Gardens? You have?

[Peyton Moreland]

Yep.

[Garrett Moreland]

Wait, really?

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

When?

[Peyton Moreland]

In high school.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, I never been.

[Peyton Moreland]

It was like on one of our trips to Florida or something. So after moving to an apartment there, Doug actually finds a job as a truck driver. And according to him, things were starting to mend between the couple. Venus had found religion, Something that was very important to her brother Dustin. He'd actually been trying to get her to go to church for a while. So that Same year in 2009, 30 year old Venus even got baptized for the first time. So they've moved. Things are exciting. But months after settling in, it seemed like things were starting to return to their old ways. Venus was no longer happy and decided it was once again time to take a break from Doug. And in an effort to do that, she actually moved back in with her parents around February of 2010, bringing their two girls, who were almost 6 and 4, with her. She figured the 700 miles between her and her husband would be enough space to figure out their next steps. But just two months later, in April of 2010, that future became very unclear.

[Garrett Moreland]

All right, we're jumping into an ad and I don't wear glasses, but Peyton wears glasses and she's always worn glasses. And I feel like it's become part of our relationship. I feel like when you wear, when you marry someone or you're in a relationship with someone that wears glasses, you

[Peyton Moreland]

realize the life of glasses.

[Garrett Moreland]

You do.

[Peyton Moreland]

And my favorite glasses are Warby Parker. I actually get asked this question a lot about, I have a lot of different lenses that I wear on murder with my husband. These ones that I'm wearing right now are Warby Parker and every other pair you've seen me wear are Warby Parker. They are so cute. One of my favorite things about Warby Parker is their virtual try on. So you can literally get on virtually try on the frames. I personally have a wider face and so it's nice for me to see how wide the frame is going where it's sitting on my nose. It makes it so easy. And another thing I love about Warby Parker is it's basically a one stop shop. I do everything through them. I can do it all online. I can go in store. They're the best.

[Garrett Moreland]

Warby Parker is also covered by major insurance plans. So make sure you check that out. I know as well. Like can't you do it like you were saying? You do it all online. You don't and you, it makes easier so you don't have to go into a doctor and do like this, you know.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. So normally if you wear glasses, you know, or contacts, honestly you know that like you have to make, find out, find a doctor, make an appointment. Going constantly at Warby Parker you can basically do it all there. You can literally go into any store and get an eye exam right there. So then you can just order your glasses contacts from there and they make it so seamless.

[Garrett Moreland]

Right now buy one pair of glasses and get 20 off any additional pairs at warbraker.com husband that's 20 off at any additional pairs when you purchase one pair at w a r b y parker.com husband all right, we're jumping into an ad and it is physician's choice.

[Peyton Moreland]

I thought being bloated and gassy was normal until I started taking a probiotic. And better health really does start in the gut. You hear it all the time. Gut health. And that is why I want to tell you about Physicians Choice 60 billion probiotic. It is the simplest thing I could stick to. One capsule per day of Physician's Choice 60 billion probiotic for my gut health.

[Garrett Moreland]

Big fans of probiotics. They've helped me a lot. I have some crazy stomach issues in probiotics honestly have really helped normalize a lot of things. So you guys really need to check out Physicians Choice.

[Peyton Moreland]

It supports gut, immune and digestive health to feel less bloated, less gassy, more regular and lighter. Go to Amazon or physician's choice.com and use code PC podcast 10 for 10% off your entire order. That is PC podcast 10 for 10% off.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's also the number one best selling probiotic on Amazon for a reason with more than 140,000 reviews. Best results after a month of use. So invest in your gut, subscribe and save up to 40% off your order. Also, find physician's choice at all your favorite retailers.

[Peyton Moreland]

By April 26, Venus was finding some peace back in Colon, Michigan. She had gotten a job at a local grocery store. The girls really seemed to be enjoying this time being around their grandparents. But that morning, around 8am, Venus's dad wakes up to just a lot of noise coming from the front living room. It's the little girls. They're yelling. They're playing loudly. Now, this is weird because Venus's dad, Larry, is a truck driver now. So was her husband in his second job. But this is her dad. He's a truck driver who works really long hours. So he gets home late and then sleeps in. And Venus usually does a good job of keeping the kids quiet so they don't wake Grandpa up. Only that morning doesn't seem to be the case. So Larry gets up and he goes out to the living room to tell the girls to stop making noise. He's going to reprimand his grandkids. But when he gets to the living room, he realizes that Venus, his daughter, isn't there. Just her daughters are. And they say, oh, mom went out to get the mail and she hasn't come back. Now, this is a little worrisome to Grandpa Larry. There's no reason why Venus would wander outside in her pajamas for the mail and not come back to get her kids. So he ends up calling his wife, Therese, and she goes, well, the last time I saw Venus was around 6am when I left for work to her restaurant job that morning. But she hadn't heard from her since. And as far as she knew, Venus didn't have any plans for that day. So once Larry sees that Venus's keys and purse are still in the house and her car is still parked in the driveway, but she's been gone and she's not answering her cell phone. That's when they decide to call 911.

[Garrett Moreland]

She's just not there. Yeah. Is there a vehicle missing or anything?

[Ad Voice]

No.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, it doesn't take long for Michigan State Police to arrive at the McComb house. And one of the first things Larry Grandpa shows them is this part of the yard that seems suspicious. So according to him, there's limestone gravel from the driveway basically all over the sidewalk, kind of like someone had kicked it up, like it looked disturbed. And there are these bare spots in the driveway that expose the dirt. And he tells police, does it not look like someone was, like, kicking their feet in a struggle? Like pushing hard enough to, like, move the rock Enough to see the dirt. Now, a lot of times in these cases we see police say, you know, you gotta wait 24 to 48 hours. But in this case, it's not even a part of the conversation, because when the police respond, they can just tell from the circumstances that something's going on, something happened. Yeah. They're like, we don't think this mother just wandered off willingly in the morning, leaving her kids there. Something clearly happened. So they keep scouring the perimeter of the house and they find a couple other things that stand out. They find Venus's pink hair tie. And in the backyard of the home, they find some plastic wrapping from a tarp. Now, this is something the family didn't own, and they don't know where it came from, which is why it stands out to police. So they take it in as evidence and they continue to search for 32 year old missing mother Venus, but with no use from her cell phone or credit cards. As time goes on, they start thinking this might not be a missing person's case and we might be looking at like a homicide. Now, naturally, the first thing they hear from the parents when they're like, hey, tell us everything we can know about Venus, they say, well, she's in the middle of a separation from her husband. And interestingly enough, just a week before her disappearance, Venus had apparently won custody of their two daughters. So when police hear this, it's a huge red flag for obvious reasons. And it's also why her family immediately tells police that they suspect Doug is involved. In fact, when police arrived at the home, they noticed her mom, Therese, just saying over and over again, he took her. He took her.

[Garrett Moreland]

What?

[Peyton Moreland]

Talking about her husband. Yeah, okay.

[Garrett Moreland]

Huh.

[Peyton Moreland]

Which might have been partly based on the strange prediction Venus herself had the day before she went missing. So this is the complete day before. According to her dad, Venus told him she had a feeling that Doug was going to come harm her. And he's like, what are you talking about? And she's like, I don't know. I just feel it deep inside my bones.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay?

[Peyton Moreland]

And now the next morning, she's missing.

[Garrett Moreland]

Which I agree with, I'm sure is a feeling, but there's. There had to have been some conversation or something that also sparked this to an extent.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, here's the thing. Apparently Venus had gotten an order of protection from Doug two months back in February when she left the home. But that wasn't the first time. When the couple first decided to file for divorce back in 2008. And since then, Venus had filed for a Bunch of protection orders, but never followed through with any of them, obviously. Or the divorce. But this time appeared to be the final straw for Venus because now she had disclosed to friends and family that she believed Doug had been molesting one of their daughters.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay, wow.

[Peyton Moreland]

So, okay, as they're like giving all this information to police, he does seem like a suspect. But the question on everyone's mind was, was Doug actually capable of kidnapping and murdering his almost ex wife?

[Garrett Moreland]

You know what's crazy is that the stat on it I know is pretty high. I don't know, I don't know the exact percentage but like 70% of or 80% of kids that are sexually abused, it's, it's usually somebody within the family.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. Someone they know.

[Garrett Moreland]

Like that's cr. That's so sad. It's crazy.

[Peyton Moreland]

So Venus's family is still holding out hope that maybe Venus is alive. That Doug had just taken her hostage and was trying to manipulate the situation. Trying to win her back maybe. However, the police weren't as optimistic. Almost immediately, they initiated a search for Venus, checking the miles of countryside around her parents home. And they started desperately trying to get in touch with Doug Stewart. So remember, Doug is 700 miles away, apparently in Newport News, Virginia at the time that Venus goes missing. And while the family is calling him continuously on the day Venus goes missing, there's no answer until detectives finally reach him that night. And so he answers and they're like, hey, do you know where your wife is? And he's like, no, I've been in Virginia all day. I haven't left the state and I can prove it. He told police about a couple errands he ran that day, including one to his lawyer's office that morning at 9:30am which would have only been about an hour after Venus disappeared. This obviously would make it not possible for him to have done both. He said he stopped in to drop off a payment for his custody dispute. And while his lawyer wasn't there, the two secretaries were and they could vouch for him. So the local FBI actually calls and follows up on that. And sure enough, these two women are like, yeah, he came in and dropped off a payment. We have it right here. Plus, when they check the surveillance footage from his apartment building, it shows that his car is in the garage most of the day. So now police are second guessing the husband theory. If he really was all the way in Virginia with a solid alibi, does that mean something else random happened to her? Well, not far from the McCombs house is a lake and the police get a couple of leads over the next few days about it. A few locals call in to say, hey, we've noticed this strange character lurking around the lake around the time Venus disappeared. Maybe they're connected. And then another tip comes in saying two witnesses saw him there again the night before Venus disappeared. So police are like, hey, we've had a couple tips about this strange guy. And then she goes missing. We'll look into it. So they end up dredging that lake over the next few days, but they don't find anything. Like they don't find a body, they don't find any clues. Instead, family and search parties continue looking for 32 year old Venus throughout the area with helicopters and search dogs. You know, who isn't at the search though? Or who hasn't even, like, I know. Come down to check on his girls with their mother. Missing Doug Stewart. But at the same time, he has no problem giving a media interview saying he's very concerned.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh my gosh.

[Peyton Moreland]

Despite the issues in their marriage, he still loves her. So the more police talk to Doug, the more confused they're getting about the situation. And honestly, his alibi. Which is why Michigan police actually team up with local detectives in Newport News. They're like, listen, we know he, he has an alibi. We've kind of looked into it, but can like, we still feel like that he might be involved. So a few days after her disappearance, they knock on Doug's door and they're like, hey, we have a warrant to search your house. Basically, they're hoping to find any sign that Venus has been back at the apartment with him. Clothes, toiletries, devices, anything. But instead, they walk away with some of Doug's computers and no trace of Venus. But they're not done because the warrant also allows them to search Doug's truck. And it's in the truck that things start to go sideways. Now, when police open Doug's truck, they find that it is a total mess. There's old food on the floor, there's trash everywhere, crumpled up papers and receipts. But one of the receipts really stood out. It was from Walmart. And Garrett, can you just guess what's on this receipt in the truck?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yes, I will. Ready?

[Peyton Moreland]

Everyone else will too. Go ahead.

[Garrett Moreland]

Shovel.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yep.

[Garrett Moreland]

Rope?

[Peyton Moreland]

No.

[Garrett Moreland]

Duct tape?

[Peyton Moreland]

No.

[Garrett Moreland]

Tape. Tarp.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yes.

[Garrett Moreland]

Bleach. Cleaning supplies.

[Peyton Moreland]

Gloves.

[Garrett Moreland]

Gloves. Nope. Hat? A hat. Yes, that's it.

[Peyton Moreland]

Now, if you remember, there was something out of place at the McCombs house. It was fun. Plastic wrapping for a tarp in the backyard. But they're like, we have no idea where this came from. Well, now that they see this receipt and see that Doug bought the same exact size and brand as the one they found in the backyard, they're like, we're looking into this. But the Walmart was down in Vanwort, Ohio. This is about 2 hours southeast from where Venus was living, which is strange. And the police weren't able to make out the date on the receipt because it had been crumpled. So a few detectives call down to that Walmart. They're like, hey, we just need to ask about this purchase. And they tell them when it was made. April 25th. That was a day before Venus disappeared from her family home. And they also asked the Walmart if they have security footage from the time of the purchase. And Walmart's like, yeah, here you go. They happily send it over, and sure enough, there's a video of Doug Stewart shopping there around that time. One employee also said they remembered him because of the strange outfit he had on. Apparently, he was wearing this Hawaiian shirt with totally mismatched swim shorts.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay, so she was like, I can, like, picture in my head exactly what he's wearing.

[Peyton Moreland]

She's like, he's buying a kill kit, you know, minus the rope and tape, and just wearing the weirdest outfit. So it stuck out. So at this point, they pretty much are like, what are the chances that he has this receipt? We have him on footage, and then this tarp is found there. And he's also the ex husband that everyone is pointing the finger at. Yet something is screaming inside of these detectives, saying, we are still missing something, because Doug still had a really solid alibi for the day she went missing. People saw him in Virginia. So investigators wonder, is it possible that Doug was working with someone else to kidnap his wife? Like, did he buy all the tools and then hire a hitman to kidnap and kill his wife? There has to be something else going on. So they don't charge Doug yet. First, they're going to circle back to the alibi. So if you recall, Doug claimed he went to his lawyer's office on the day of Venus's disappearance around 9:30am to pay them for their representation in the child custody case. The secretaries, when police called, they were like, yep, he was here. But detectives are wondering, could they have, like, lied, made some sort of arrangement, lied about the time? Do they know him? Or was it someone other than Doug who came in and made that payment that day, but said his name was Doug? I mean, it's not like he actually spoke to his own Lawyer, Just the secretaries. Well, when they asked the secretaries to describe Doug, they're like, he was wearing a baseball hat with a hoodie over it and he had on big aviator sunglasses. And police are like, so you didn't actually even see his like real face or his hair or anything. And when they asked the women, okay, well, are you positive it was Doug Stewart, like, who he was claiming to be? Are you sure? And they're like, no, we can't really be positive. They had never met him before that day, so they really had nothing to compare him to. They had no reason to believe this guy wasn't who he said he was. So now police are thinking option two is more likely that someone had come in and made the payment for Doug to secure his alibi while he was kidnapping his wife. Okay, question was who? All right, everyone, we are jumping into some ads and I want to talk to you about article. Article makes it effortless to create a stylish, long lasting home at an unbeatable price. And if you have ever watched my other true crime show into the dark, you have probably seen my mid century modern bookcase that's in the back of my set. Yeah, that was from Article. Delivered straight to my home. Amazing quality. Looks so good. But at a good Article takes great care in curating its collection, focusing solely on high quality, meaningful pieces that will stand the test of time. There's no filler. Every item is chosen for its craftsmanship, design and lasting value.

[Garrett Moreland]

Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of a hundred dollars or more. To claim, visit article.com husband and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout. That's article.com husband or for $50 off your first purchase of a hundred dollars or more.

[Peyton Moreland]

All right, you guys, I'm back again to talk to you about quints. The clothes I reach for again and again in the heat of summer are the ones that are comfy, breezy, yet elegant and classy. High quality. And that's why I keep coming back to quints. They make refined basics from high quality fabrics like European linen, organic cotton and washable silk. You guys know I love, love, love my silk skirts from Quint. I've had them for years. I still wear them basically weekly at this point. I have cashmere sweaters that cost less than from other places because quince is amazing. They cut out the middleman. They pass the savings on to you, which is why you are getting such high quality things for a lesser price. Honestly. They also have like jewelry, makeup, bags, shoes, and I, I Promise you everything you get from Quint is going to be great quality. And it's not just apparel. Quince also offers elevated essentials for your home, from bedding and bath to kitchen essentials and furniture. So make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com husband for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Quince Q-U-I-N C E.com husband for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com husband so they decide to get a warrant for Doug's phone records. And they find that just a few days before Venus went missing, Doug had started chatting a lot with a brand new number. And then the day before Venus disappeared, Doug's phone was actually turned off for most of the day. Which is so interesting because, you know, back in the day it was like, oh, your cell phone's going to get you in trouble. It's going to show that you murdered people. So people killers started turning their phone

[Garrett Moreland]

off, but now it's more of a red flag.

[Peyton Moreland]

But now it turned off. Why was your phone off for 24 hours?

[Garrett Moreland]

What are you doing turning your phone off?

[Peyton Moreland]

Yes. It's almost backfired and become like a. Yeah, well, they turn their phone off. Who, who does that now?

[Garrett Moreland]

I agree.

[Peyton Moreland]

So it turns off and it doesn't turn back on until the following evening. And after that, the calls to that mysterious number start coming in and out again. Well, detectives easily trace the unknown number back to a small town in Delaware called Bear. And they find that this number belongs to a 20 year old college kid.

[Garrett Moreland]

What?

[Peyton Moreland]

Who still lives with his parents, a kid named Ricky Spencer.

[Garrett Moreland]

Well, he's gonna crack super fast.

[Peyton Moreland]

So police are like, oh, okay, who is Ricky? That's what they wanna know. He has no criminal history, no arrest reports. His dad is a successful vet with his own clinic. He's got what seems to be a pretty loving, stable home. And he lives 250 miles away from Doug Stewart. So how do they even know each other? Why are they calling each other? Well, on June 21, 2010, police stopped by the Spencer household unannounced to find out that shockingly, Ricky's not what they were expecting. He's clean cut, he's polite. Police are like, okay, this is why we're here. Tell us about yourself. And he shares one thing in common with Doug. Video games.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

That's how he got acquainted with Doug. According to him, the two met through Xbox Live. They had been playing and communicating together. For about a year and a half. Ricky said they didn't meet in person until fairly recently. It was actually April 1, 2010, when Doug invited Ricky down to stay at his place over Ricky's spring break. It's like, hey, college kid, come stay with me for spring break. So Ricky went down for about a

[Garrett Moreland]

week, by the way.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, for about a week to hang out. And he was like, it was fun. Doug showed me an awesome time. They played video games, they went to Busch Gardens, they had nice dinners, and 38 year old Doug even tried to take him to some clubs. But Ricky couldn't get in because he's not 21 yet. So police, when he tested.

[Garrett Moreland]

This whole thing is extremely strange, by the way.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, when he. When he says it to police, police literally say to him, like, Ricky, this is weird. Like, this is creepy.

[Garrett Moreland]

Who does this? That's.

[Peyton Moreland]

And Ricky somewhat agrees with them. He's like, he. He's nice. He is a little awkward. I think he's just lonely. Like, I think he's just lonely. He told me the story about his wife, that his wife had recently gone missing, that she was always playing weird pranks and things on him, and, you know, she's just missing now. And that was that. But Ricky tells the police after that visit, he didn't see Doug in person again. That was the last time. Only the police know that's a lie. On April 25, the day before Venus went missing, Ricky's phone was in Delaware. Ricky was too young to turn it off.

[Garrett Moreland]

Ricky, Ricky, Ricky.

[Peyton Moreland]

He didn't turn it off.

[Sierra Miller]

Okay.

[Garrett Moreland]

Involved. Yep.

[Peyton Moreland]

And on the 26th, it pinged a tower just north of Doug's place in Newport News. And when police bring Ricky down to the station for questioning, they confront him. They're like, you said you hadn't seen him, but we know you were there. They tell him Doug is a suspect in his wife's disappearance and murder. And if Ricky doesn't start talking, he will be, too. And like Garrett said, Ricky opens up. He's like, okay, okay, okay. I helped Doug with his plan. Doug had confessed to him that he was going to kill his wife and he needed help covering it up. And young Ricky agreed.

[Garrett Moreland]

Ricky, what the.

[Peyton Moreland]

Apparently, this is all he had to do. Doug asked Ricky Spencer to dress up in his clothes and go to his attorney's office on April 26 to hand over a payment. And then he had Ricky use his credit card at the movies and a fast food restaurant to further solidify his alibi. He's like, that's it. That, that's, you know, I was just there to create an alibi. And then after that, Ricky drove down and met Doug near Bethesda, Maryland, and gave Doug his clothes and credit cards back to him. Ricky said when they initially talked, he. He didn't think Doug was actually going to kill his wife. He's like, but I like Doug, so I just wanted to help a friend. Mainly because Doug had told Ricky that Venus was abusing their daughters and that their lives were in danger unless Doug stepped in to save them from their mom. So 20 year old Ricky Spencer is arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit manslaughter. And on June 22, 2010, the day after police first spoke with Ricky, Doug is arrested too. And they're like, hey, your little buddy, confess. Confess. He's charged with first degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit first degree premeditated murder. And meanwhile, a few more pieces are falling into place. For example, that tarp wrapper that was found in the McCombs backyard after Venus disappeared. They had taken it and fingerprinted it. And sure enough, one of the prints matched Doug Stewart. There's also a neighbor of Doug's who lives in the same apartment complex as him. And he comes forward to say about three or four days after Venus went missing, he had a conversation with Doug who complained to him about how awful Venus was. But meanwhile, Doug was covered with scratches and bruises all over his neck, arms and legs. So it's not looking good for Doug. Ricky, on the other hand, enters a no contest plea and agrees to be the star witness for the prosecution in Doug's trial. And in exchange, he's only going to get a sentence of one year in county jail for being the alibi. But Doug, he keeps insisting he had nothing to do with his wife's death. And he maintains that along with a not guilty plea when it comes time for his trial in February of 2011. Now, during Ricky's testimony at this trial, he told the jury about the plan Doug had laid out before him. How in addition to pretending to be him, Doug told him how he was going to commit the crime. According to Ricky, Doug had said he planned to choke Venus and bury her in a spot he had already picked out. After three weeks of testimony, Doug was convicted on all charges and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay, well, that was easy.

[Peyton Moreland]

It was a win. It was a win for the prosecution considering there's one giant piece of evidence still missing.

[Garrett Moreland]

The body Venus. Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

During the sentencing hearing, Venus's family begged Doug they're like, please just tell us. Tell us where she's buried. But Doug's like, I can't. I didn't kill her.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my gosh. I can't see, this is where. I think that this is where we should torture people. I don't know how else to say it. I don't know how to say it.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, it's not really fair.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

[Peyton Moreland]

So he said, quote, all I have to say is, I'm innocent. I did not do these crimes. I asked police to continue looking for my wife, if not for me, for my children. They need to know what happened to their mother. Now, after being sent to prison, Doug even wrote a letter to the prosecution and local media about what he believed happened. He said, I think my friend Ricky Spencer, who had never met my wife.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, my.

[Peyton Moreland]

Killed my wife. And he knew where the body was. In fact, in July of 2011, right after his sentencing hearing, Doug gives an interview to Dateline NBC to basically reiterate his innocence. And in it, he says he loved his wife and that all of Ricky's testimony against him on the stand was a lie. But the decision had been made. Doug's in jail for life. Over the years, he appeals, but meanwhile, officers visit Doug annually to see if he's changed his mind. They're like, can you please give us a location? Maybe offer some peace to your growing daughters or, you know, her family? It doesn't seem to be the case. Searches are still happening. Tips are still coming in. Over two dozen psychics contact authorities, but none of it goes anywhere. And during that time, the family. The family even hires a private investigator to try to look and see if there's any clues as to where her body could be. And they also start the Venus Foundation. It's a non profit dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence.

[Garrett Moreland]

Dang. So they really still can't find her body?

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, here's the thing. Time goes on, and apparently things start changing for Doug in prison. He starts dropping subtle hints in conversations with other inmates, like, well, if I had killed my wife, that sort of thing.

[Garrett Moreland]

Why? I wonder why they do that. Because I feel like this isn't.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's gotta be like bragging.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's. Yeah, it's gotta be some. Some form of bragging because it's not just this case. I feel like it happens. Like it happens in a lot of

[Peyton Moreland]

cases where I also think their social structure is just different in prison.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

You know what I mean? So he's testing the waters and Then he tries to bargain with authorities. He's like, listen, I'll offer up what I know. I'll tell you what I've been withholding under a few conditions. He wants to be able to go to his parents funerals when they die. But more importantly, he wants an Xbox in prison so he can play video games. He said, I'll tell you where she's buried if you get me an Xbox. At the beginning of the episode, you said, yes.

[Garrett Moreland]

I just feel like there'd be a way easier way to get an Xbox. I mean, I say, yeah, give him

[Peyton Moreland]

the Xbox for the body.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, it's a freaking Xbox.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, if he starts talking to Ricky

[Garrett Moreland]

again, he's in prison. They can play Xbox in prison?

[Peyton Moreland]

I don't think so.

[Garrett Moreland]

Then why does he want an Xbox?

[Peyton Moreland]

I'll tell you what, they have TikTok, though, obviously in those inmates, TikTok not even more confused. Okay, so the authorities are like, absolutely no way are you getting to leave for your parents funerals. But we'll get you an Xbox if you tell us where Venus is buried. That's pretty much all it took. After that, Doug agrees to an exclusive interview with News Channel 3 and admits, Fine, I am the one who abducted, murdered, and buried Venus Stewart. Here's what he said happened. While playing video games, he started talking to an online friend, Ricky, about his issues with his wife. And that friend joke, maybe he should just kill her to solve his problems. Doug said, quote, what started out as a fantasy slowly turned into planning. In fact, Doug had actually attempted to murder his wife before that April day. Apparently there was another time when he was driving down to Michigan and he got pulled over on his way there. So instead of continuing his plan because there goes his alibi, he decided to go back to Virginia.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

He coordinated with Ricky Spencer and then tried again. He drove down to Michigan, hid outside the McCombs house, called the home saying he was from USPS and had a package. Venus walked down to the mailbox. Doug was hiding nearby. He jumped out and ambushed her. So her. Her little girls were right. She had gone to get the mail

[Garrett Moreland]

and never came back. So sad, by the way. This is absolutely horrible.

[Peyton Moreland]

He choked her, she fell unconscious. He drove to another location, and there when she woke up, they had a conversation. During that, Venus mentioned something that set him off, and he said he killed her. He carried her into the woods, buried her. So on October 22, 2018, this is 3,000 days of proclaiming his innocence. He then just randomly leads them to the site of her buried Bodge. All for an Xbox. It was in a wooded area about 15 miles away from the house. It was a place that Doug knew. He had actually previously cut wood on the owner's property in the past. And Doug knew exactly where on that property to go. Even eight years later, he left two tree stumps marking Venus's grave. And Venus's family felt he showed zero remorse during all of this. He led police there stone faced, no emotion, like it was just another day. And by 8pm that night, officers cleared the area and had recovered Venus's body. That same day also happened to be the birthday of one of Venus and Doug's daughters. Venus's dad Larry, the person who actually first realized she was missing, died before her body was recovered. He never got to lay her to rest. But at least her daughters, who are now in their 20s, have a place to visit their mother. She was finally buried on December 15, 2018, next to her father. And it turns out Doug will get to spend the rest of the days with the one thing he loved most in this world. An Xbox. Though the prison does have some rules. No Internet connection, meaning he can't talk to anyone. So he's not talking to Ricky.

[Garrett Moreland]

Bro, I'd get so bored not having an Xbox and playing with other people.

[Peyton Moreland]

Wait, and get this. He's a grown man, right? My Internet, like late. Like he's, he's grown. He only has 30 minutes a day to play. Oh. Which to me is just like you're 12.

[Ad Voice]

You're 12.

[Peyton Moreland]

You're literally 12. Like your parents, like your parents are like only 30 minutes on the Xbox today.

[Garrett Moreland]

So embarrassing. What an absolute loser. Like what? I hope you're listening to this because you're a loser.

[Peyton Moreland]

But without that little bit of bribery or incentive for the Xbox, whatever you want to call it, it's possible that the ending to Venus's story would still be a mystery today and they would have never found her body. And that is the murder of Venus Stewart.

[Garrett Moreland]

This is so sad. I mean, I feel so bad for those daughters, for those kids. My apologies and heart out to them is just absolutely awful that their dad killed their mom.

[Peyton Moreland]

It's devastating things.

[Garrett Moreland]

They don't have a dad and they don't have a mom. Like, just horrible.

[Peyton Moreland]

Thank you guys so much for listening to today's episode and we will see you next time with another one. I love it.

[Garrett Moreland]

I hate it.

[Peyton Moreland]

Goodbye.

[Ad Voice]

Insurance isn't one size fits all. That's why customers have enjoyed Progressive's name your price tool for years now with the name youe Price Tool. You tell them what you want to pay, and they'll show you options that fit your budget. So whether you're picking out your first policy or just looking for something that works better for you and your family, they make it easy to see your options. Visit progressive.com, find a rate that works for you with the name your Price Tool Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and Coverage Match limited By state law.