Suspected serial predator facing rape, murder charges
A suspected serial predator in Springfield faces charges of murdering three people and raping seven more after police found three dead bodies at his home in June.
A Hampden County grand jury indicted Stewart Weldon, 40, yesterday on 52 different charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated rape and aggravated kidnapping, according to the district attorney’s office.
The litany of crimes Weldon will be charged with includes three counts of firstdegree murder, nine counts of aggravated rape, eight counts of strangulation, two counts of rape, five counts of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault with intent to rape.
Weldon committed these acts starting in spring 2017 before eventually being locked up this May 27, according to the indictment. The district attorney’s office said he preyed on 11 different woman over that time.
Springfield police initially pulled Weldon over for a broken taillight shortly after 11 p.m. on a Sunday in late May at the corner of Wilbraham Avenue and Wilbraham Road.
A female passenger told police Weldon had held her captive for the past month, raping her repeatedly and often beating her with a hammer. Police said she had serious injuries, including likely broken bones and infected wounds on her leg.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to get away,” she told police. Looking at Weldon in fear, she told them, “He’s gonna kill me!”
As she got into an ambulance, she said, “Thank you guys for saving my life. I didn’t ever think I was going to get away.”
Three days later, police received complaints that a foul smell was coming from Weldon’s 1333 Page Blvd. home, and they began to investigate. The cops found three dead bodies “in or around” the home, police said. Authorities identified them as Ernestine Ryans, 47, of Springfield; America Lyden, 34, of Springfield; and Kayla Escalante, 27, of Ludlow. The indictment says Weldon killed Escalante and Ryans sometime this spring, and killed Lyden sometime after she went missing last Aug. 1.
Weldon faces charges of beating all three women to death.
Weldon already had active warrants out for his arrest for assault and battery on a police officer and various traffic violations.