A Missouri man has landed behind bars after what was first thought to be a suicide turned into a homicide investigation.
David Alan Stewart, 40, is now facing serious charges, including first-degree murder and armed criminal action, following the death of 48-year-old Jerry McLay. The tragic incident unfolded in Rich Hill, a small town about 75 miles south of Kansas City. In a separate case, Stewart is also charged with three counts of receiving stolen property in another county.
The story began on November 14, 2024, when deputies from the Bates County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call and found McLay dead in his home. He was on the couch, with a gunshot wound to the head. Initially, authorities labeled it a suicide, but something didn’t sit right. There was no weapon or shell casing found at the scene, which immediately raised eyebrows.
Detectives later discovered a security camera in an upstairs window of McLay’s house, pointing toward the front yard. The footage revealed some puzzling details. Around 12:20 p.m. on November 13, McLay is seen driving away in a red truck. Minutes later, the same truck returns, followed by a gold SUV.
At 12:32 p.m., the SUV leaves but comes back 20 minutes later. Investigators say the footage shows someone resembling Stewart driving the SUV, with one of the windows rolled down. At 12:55 p.m., a sound that investigators believe was a gunshot is heard on the video. The SUV then leaves for good at 12:57 p.m. After that, nothing unusual appears on the footage, apart from a mail carrier dropping off a package the next morning.
Further digging uncovered text messages between Stewart and McLay on the day of the incident. Stewart allegedly messaged McLay, saying, “My apology man I’ll be right back. Apparently, I forgot the money at home.” McLay responded with a simple “Ok.”
Months later, Stewart found himself in more trouble when authorities discovered he had pawned several stolen guns, including firearms reported missing from Nevada and Arizona. Some of the stolen items were linked to a home in Bates County.
On January 13, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stewart’s home while investigating the stolen firearms. Two days later, he was arrested. During questioning, Stewart admitted to being at McLay’s house the day he died, claiming he had gone there to buy drugs. That admission, along with the other evidence, led to the murder charge.
Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson emphasized the importance of treating every suspicious death as a potential homicide until proven otherwise. “This case has been very labor-intensive over the last two months,” he said. “I’m proud of the determination and dedication of my team and other agencies involved. Our thoughts go out to Jerry McLay’s family. There’s still work to be done, and justice won’t be served until this case is resolved in court.”
Stewart is currently held at the Vernon County Jail on a $1 million bond as the investigation continues.
