A home on a quiet residential street in Oswego, Illinois, became the scene of a brutal crime on Tuesday afternoon, January 27, 2026. At approximately 1:10 p.m., the Oswego Police Department received a frantic 911 call from a man who had observed a terrifying scene unfold on his home surveillance system.
The caller, who was not at the residence, reported seeing a man he believed to be his wife’s ex-husband running after her into the garage of their home in the 400 block of Valentine Way. He told dispatchers he believed his wife was in immediate danger.
Police officers responded immediately to the address on Valentine Way. Upon entering the residence, they discovered 41-year-old Ashley A. Stewart unresponsive inside her home. Paramedics from the Oswego Fire Protection District responded and, tragically, pronounced Stewart dead at the scene. The Kendall County Coroner’s Office later conducted an autopsy, which determined that Stewart died from multiple stab wounds, officially described as multiple sharp force injuries.
The investigation quickly focused on the ex-husband seen on the surveillance footage. Police identified him as 44-year-old Ryan D. Dodd of Aurora, Illinois. Investigators determined that Dodd had followed Stewart as she entered her home and attacked her with a knife, fatally stabbing her.
A key witness aided police by reporting they had seen a man running southbound across Wolfs Crossing Road near the scene. Officers located a vehicle matching the suspect’s description, conducted a traffic stop, and took Dodd into custody less than half an hour after the initial 911 call.
Oswego police formally announced charges against Ryan Dodd on Thursday, January 29. Dodd faces multiple serious felony charges, including first-degree murder, home invasion, armed violence, residential burglary, and aggravated stalking. He was processed and booked at the Oswego Police Department before being transferred to the Kendall County Jail, where he remains in custody. Dodd’s first court hearing is scheduled for Friday, January 30.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Oswego community has been left reeling. Ashley Stewart is remembered by friends and family as a beloved community member known for her kind heart, vibrant spirit, and unwavering love for those around her. The police have asked residents in the Prescott Mill, Hudson Pointe, and Echelon Oswego neighborhoods to review any personal surveillance footage from the time of the incident and to check their yards and garbage cans for any items that could be linked to the investigation.
The case underscores the devastating consequences of domestic violence. The Oswego Police Department’s investigation, which utilized home surveillance footage and a swift witness report, led to a rapid arrest. As the legal process begins for Ryan Dodd, the community is left to mourn the profound loss of Ashley Stewart, a life taken far too soon.