Illinois Man Charged with Murder in Ex-Wife's Fatal Stabbing After Garage Confrontation
OSWEGO, Ill. — A 44-year-old Aurora man has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his ex-wife last weekend, a violent attack that unfolded in the victim's garage and home, authorities announced.
Ryan Dodd was taken into custody on Jan. 27 shortly after the attack and formally charged on Jan. 29 with five counts of first-degree murder, along with home invasion, armed violence, residential burglary, and aggravated stalking. He remains held without bond at the Kendall County Jail.
The victim, 41-year-old Ashley Stewart, was found unresponsive inside her Oswego residence shortly after 1 p.m. on Jan. 27. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. According to the Kendall County Coroner’s Office, a forensic autopsy completed Jan. 29 determined Stewart died from multiple sharp force injuries.
Police said the incident came to light when Stewart’s husband, Adam Stewart, viewed real-time home security footage showing a man—believed to be Dodd—chasing Ashley into the family’s garage. Adam Stewart immediately called 911.
“The investigation determined that Dodd, who was the victim’s ex-husband, followed her as she entered her residence and attacked and killed her with a knife,” the Oswego Police Department stated in a Jan. 30 update.
Officers located Dodd driving nearby approximately 30 minutes after the 911 call and took him into custody without incident.
The case highlights the persistent dangers of intimate partner violence, particularly during separations. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a significant proportion of homicides against women are committed by a current or former intimate partner.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support Adam Stewart and the six children Ashley leaves behind, including the couple’s two-year-old son. “Ashley’s husband, Adam Stewart, is now navigating the unimaginable: grieving the loss of his wife while becoming the sole provider and primary caregiver,” the page reads.
Community Reaction
Neighbors and local residents expressed shock at the violence in the typically quiet suburb. “This is a tight-knit community. Something like this shakes everyone to the core,” said Michael Torres, a longtime Oswego resident and small business owner. “We need to rally around that family now.”
Linda Chen, a family advocate at a local women’s shelter, offered a more pointed critique: “This wasn’t a random act. It was the horrific culmination of stalking and escalation that, tragically, is all too common. Systems need to do better at protecting victims before it reaches this point. We’re failing them.”
David Miller, a former colleague of Ashley Stewart, remembered her as a devoted mother. “Her kids were her world. The senselessness of this is just devastating,” he said.
The Oswego Police Department’s investigation remains ongoing. Dodd is scheduled for an initial court appearance later this week.