Stewart Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder of Wife

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that Gerard Stewart has pleaded guilty to Second-Degree Murder in the 2018 killing of his wife, Julie Ann Stewart. A jury previously found Stewart guilty of Tampering with Evidence associated with the same crime. With the plea, Stewart now faces up to life in Florida State Prison. The Honorable London Kite sentenced Stewart to 40 years in Florida State Prison during a June 10, 2022, hearing.

On June 15, 2018, Stewart’s neighbor called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office stating Stewart told him he had killed his own wife and placed her body in the trunk of his car. Law enforcement and first responders arrived at the scene where Stewart pulled his car out of the garage, exited the vehicle, and went inside his home. Stewart was arrested and told officers he killed his wife by stabbing her two- to three times, but an autopsy revealed 13 wounds, including her throat being cut. Stewart told officers his wife told him she was going to take everything, including their son, from him in their upcoming divorce. He then told them that after killing his wife, he wrapped her inside trash bags secured with tape and placed her in the trunk of his vehicle. The investigation revealed text messages that showed Stewart knew of his wife’s plans several days before the crime.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Ashley Terry, Cameron French, and Jennifer Braunstein.