Anniebell Stewart has bittersweet news for her slain nephew, Glen, who was supposed to turn 18 today: The police say they?ve caught your killers.
“I?m overwhelmed with joy,” said Stewart, 22. “Although the arrest cannot bring Glen back, it?s a relief. God is a good God. Justice has prevailed. I?m so excited. This brings a very good sense of closure on his birthday.”
Baltimore County police on Monday said they arrested Joseph Payne, 24, Jason Bond, 23, and Desmond Jones, 19, all of Baltimore, and charged them with first-degree murder in Stewart?s killing.
Police said the arrests were possible after Anniebell Stewart last week called for witnesses to come forward and turn in her nephew?s attackers.
Stewart?s burned body was found in a wooded area of Villa Nova Park in the Woodlawn area of Baltimore County on Aug. 27 at 2:03 a.m. He had left his aunt?s Northwest Baltimore home five hours earlier to walk to the corner store for a soda ? an eight-minute drive from the spot where his body was found.
An autopsy revealed that Stewart was shot multiple times before being set on fire. Detectives said they have not yet determined a motive.
After Anniebell Stewart spoke out last week, police said they received “several anonymous phone calls” indicating Payne was involved in the murder.
Using phone records, police were able to trace Payne?s location the night of Stewart?s murder to a cell phone tower half a mile from the crime scene. Bond?s and Jones? phones also were traced to that tower during the same time period, police said.
The suspects? phones were not picked up by the tower in question any other time in August ? meaning it was the only time that month they were near the crime scene, police said.
