Stewart gets life in Chumney murders

COSHOCTON - Jeffery C. Stewart, 22, of New Philadelphia, was sentenced to life in prison without eligibility for parole until he serves at least 50 years in the Jan. 21, 2015, deaths of Doyle and Lillian Chumney, of Strasburg.

"I don't anticipate him ever being released from prison, and if he would, he would be close to 90 years old," Coshocton County Prosecutor Jason Given said Monday.

Judge Robert Batchelor on Monday sentenced Stewart to serve separate life terms on each of two aggravated murder charges in the Chumneys' deaths. Stewart will not be eligible to apply for parole before serving at least 25 years in prison on each count. The terms are to be served consecutively.

Batchelor also sentenced Stewart to serve 10 years each on two counts of kidnapping, and single counts of aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and aggravated arson, all first-degree felonies. Those sentences are to be serve concurrently with the life terms.

Stewart pleaded guilty to those charges Monday in what had been scheduled to be a pretrial in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court. He had been scheduled to stand trial next month in the Chumneys' deaths.

Robert Clark evades death penalty in Chumney case

Batchelor accepted those pleas, found Stewart guilty and passed sentence Monday.

Coshocton County Public Defender Jeff Mullen said the sentences followed a joint recommendation from both the defense and the prosecution. Stewart attended Monday's hearing, but he said nothing in his defense.

Prosecutors dismissed eight counts of aggravated murder, which had focused on separate aspects of the killings.

"All this was done with the full support of the Chumney children," Given said.

Chumney family members attended Monday's sentencing, but made no statements, Given said.

Co-defendant Robert R. "Bobby" Clark, 30, of Dennison, is serving two life sentences without parole in the Chumneys' deaths and concurrent 11-year terms on two kidnapping charges and single counts of aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and aggravated arson. He pleaded guilty to those charges in August.

Authorities said Clark and Stewart broke into the Chumneys' home in Tuscarawas County on Jan. 21, 2015, before robbing, abducting and then killing them. A motorist discovered their burned-out car the following morning near Bakersville, northeast of Coshocton, just inside Coshocton County. Investigators found their bodies inside the car.

While officials said both Doyle Chumney, 88, and Lillian Chumney, 79, had been shot, Coshocton County Coroner Robert Gwinn later reported Lillian Chumney may have still been alive when the car was set on fire.

Strasburg Police Chief Robert Kutcher said the incident began as a home invasion and burglary. Investigators think a television set was stolen, he said, but were unable to determine what else may have been taken.

"The crime occurred in three counties, but it ended here," Mullen said.

Law enforcement officials arrested Stewart a few days later after identifying him on a surveillance camera at a gas station. Authorities later arrested Clark in Mohave County, Arizona, after a nationwide manhunt, Given said.

jwilliams6@gannett.com

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