In a Hitchcockian world, strangers on a train meet, one becomes obsessed with the other and in a typical movie-making misunderstanding, the outcome is murder.
In real, not reel, life, Richard Spencer testified earlier this month, as reported by The Santa Ana Examiner, that he met his "double," Douglas Stewart via an online video game during the summer of 2008. When the two finally met in person, some two years later, Richard Spencer wanted to impersonate Stewart, to the point of murdering the wife of his "best friend or almost like an older brother."
Stewart, the friend requiring someone to "play him," told Spencer that his ex-wife, Venus Stewart, was harming the couple's children. Spencer also said that Stewart was planning on killing his own wife. That idea quickly turned to Stewart allegedly asking Spencer to do the deed.
Spencer said he was given "shoes, socks, pants, hoodie, cell phone, the house key and the couple's credit card."
Venus Rose Stewart, 32, has been missing for two months from Colon Township, Michigan. "No word, sign, anything." Lieutenant Mike Rasko reported to news. "There is evidence of a struggle. We do not believe she left of her own free will." Police had found a clear plastic bag that had been used to transport a tarp and neighbors reported seeing a 4-door truck driven by a man answering Doug Stewart's description.
Venus had filed a restraining order because she had been afraid both for both herself and for her children, and had attested, from the beginning, that Doug was going to kill her. As is the case in some divorce and child custody battles, Doug had filed a similar restraining order against Venus.
The couple had two daughters, aged three and five, and all three had lived with Venus's parents at the time of the abduction. The Spencer's had never finished their divorce proceedings though they filed for divorce in 2008.
Douglas Stewart, 29, is now standing trial for her death at the same time he is seeking custody of his two children. His request has been denied until the investigation is complete, and, the custody of the Stewart children must be overruled as a motive.
Stewart's alibi for April 26 and the days preceding Venus's disappearance, is now in question. Police from Michigan State, after searching Stewart's car, truck and his parent's Michigan home, have found blood, tire tread marks compatible with the scene and an Ohio Walmart receipt for a tarp, gloves and shovel dated the day before his wife's abduction.
Spencer has said that pretending to be a mailman with a delivery, he called Venus to the mailbox outside of her parent's home in Colon Township on April 26, and put her into a headlock grip when she struggled.
Therese McComb, Venus's mother, said that her daughter went to the mailbox in her pajama and slippers, never coming back.
Remarkably Spencer has immunity for his testimony, but may face criminal charges.
Was it Spencer or Stewart? Inarguably the "good friends" should have just stayed on line playing a safe video game instead of a real one.
If you are suffering in a child custody or divorce, contact a Family Law Attorney close to you.