'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 1989 murder of Carol Stuart is one of the most shocking and tragic crimes ever done in Boston. Carol was a young, pregnant lady who was shot point-blank while driving home with her husband, Charles Stuart, after attending a birthing class.
The case initially made headlines across the country because of the heinous nature of the crime and the subsequent manhunt for the alleged perpetrator, whom Charles described as being a Black man. However, as the investigation rolled on, that truth unraveled to expose a far more chilling and sinister reality.
The Yuppie Murder revisits this terrifying shooting of a young, married couple, Charles and Carol Stuart, during what was initially reported as a robbery. It is set to air on Saturday, August 17, 2024, on Investigation Discovery at 10:00 p.m.
Trending
This article reviews five chilling facts about Carol Stuart's murder that remain in the public conscience, creating a window into the dark motives and acts responsible for this cruel event.
5 unforgettable details about Carol Stuart's murder
1) The false accusation that sparked a manhunt
One of the most haunting facts about the murder case of Carol Stuart was her husband, Charles Stuart's false accusation. In fact, on the night of October 23—after he had been shot in the abdomen—Charles frantically dialed 911 and reported to the police that a Black man had ambushed them at a traffic light in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood.
He gave a detailed description of the alleged assailant, and the manhunt was on in earnest—in the largely Black neighborhoods of Boston. This was a lie that not only derailed the investigation by sending the investigators to what would become a dead end but also spiked a racial conflict in the city.
Innocent black men got stopped, and put through questioning and assault by police. One of those men who got the misidentification was Willie Bennett.
2) The role of Charles Stuart's brother
Another shocking detail surrounding the case was the involvement of Charles Stuart's brother, Matthew Stuart. Unbeknownst to Matthew, he became an accomplice in the cover-up of this heinous crime. His brother convinced him to dispose of a bag that, allegedly had stuff associated with insurance scamming.
This bag contained the murder weapon along with Carol's jewelry and many other pieces of damning evidence. Though unwittingly, Matthew's cooperation helped Charles preserve his innocence by helping with the destruction of evidence.
Subsequently, as the investigation proceeded and things began to fall into place, Matthew proved to be a very imperative witness in bringing out Charles's guilt.
3) Financial motive for the murder
One of the most jolting revelations that came out in the Carol Stuart murder case was the financial motive that propelled Charles Stuart into committing such a heinous act. Investigations revealed that Charles was taking extreme umbrage over the prospect of raising a child and its associated expenses.
He was, reportedly, quite disgruntled about Carol's decision to let the baby live, since he felt the expenses related to parenthood would put their affluent lifestyle under severe strain. To maintain his financial security, he schemed out a plan to murder his wife and unborn child.
After he killed Carol, he would have collected a hefty life insurance payout, which he believed would solve all of his financial problems once and for all.
4) Carol's and her baby's tragic end
The death of Carol Stuart and her baby was an added layer of tragedy to this horrible crime. Indeed, after the shooting, Carol was rushed to the hospital, where doctors performed an emergency Cesarean section as a final resort to save her unborn child. Unfortunately, Carol died from the injuries sustained.
Her prematurely born baby also died 17 days after delivery. The fact that both mother and child were killed made the case all the more tragic and difficult for the public to fathom the brutality involved.
5) Charles Stuart's suicide and its aftermath
As the investigation into Carol Stuart's murder picked up steam, the evidence began pointing directly at Charles Stuart as the prime suspect. Feeling the mounting pressure and likelihood that he would be caught in his perpetuation of a house of cards of lies, Charles took a last and desperate measure to avoid his punishment.
On January 4, 1990, Charles Stuart jumped from Tobin Bridge into the Mystic River to his death. His eventual suicide, though effectively closed the case, remained with many unanswered questions. It denied the public and Carol's family the chance to see justice served through the courts, all the while adding another degree of tragedy to the case.
The murder of Carol Stuart is one of the coldest and most confounding crimes ever to have struck Boston. The case remains vivid not only concerning its heinous crime but also because of the shocking betrayal on the part of a man who should protect his family with love.
