Court docs say family members helped lead police to Imperial Stewart homicide suspects
New details from the investigation into the disappearance of 17-year-old Imperial Stewart show how Columbus police suspected early in their investigation that the missing teen was dead.
Sworn statements from detectives on the case as they sought search warrants for evidence outline the early days of the investigation and how Michael Bowles, 20, and his younger brother, 18-year-old Mi'Quel Bowles, quickly found themselves the focus.
The statements were part of search warrants filed in Franklin County Municipal Court by detectives looking to gather additional information from electronic devices and medical records. Here's what those statements say about the case.
Around 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 20, the day Stewart disappeared, Stewart's mother saw him leave their home on Ivyhurst Drive on the city's Northeast Side and get into a black Chrysler 300 with someone she knew as "Kel." Police later identified "Kel" as Mi'Quel Bowles.
Stewart's mother, Cierra Zebib, told detectives she thought at least one other male was in the car, and she believed they were going to a store called Limbo Laces, located at 1843 Huy Road, to sell shoes.
Less than two hours later, around 7:30 p.m. that night, Columbus police got a call about a shooting on the 600 block of North Dawson Avenue on the city's East Side. Mi'Quel Bowles was found with a gunshot wound and taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center for treatment. Detectives took his phone as evidence, according to the sworn statements.
The court records say Mi'Quel Bowles was uncooperative with detectives and refused to provide information, however, his uncle did give some details to investigators. According uncle, Mi'Quel was dropped off in a black Chrysler 300 driven by his older brother, Michael Bowles. Another person, "J," was also in the car, according to the uncle.
Police later identified "J" as a 16-year-old male who now face delinquency charges of murder and obstructing justice. The Dispatch is not naming him at this time because he is not charged as an adult.
On Sept. 21, Zebib filed a missing person report because Stewart never came home and did not contact her about where he would be, which he usually did, according to court records. The sworn statement said Stewart had not been seen or heard from after being captured on surveillance camera about 6:40 p.m. riding inside the black Chrysler 300 at a gas station on Cleveland Avenue.
Two days after the missing person report was filed, on Sept. 23, Columbus police got word about social media posts from a 15-year-old who knew the Bowles brothers. The social media posts referenced Stewart being dead, according to court records, and said "Rest in Peace."
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The sworn statement said Zebib told detectives that the 15-year-old called another of her children and told them Stewart was dead and "his body was in the woods."
On Sept. 25, Columbus police released information publicly about Stewart's disappearance and identified the Bowles brothers as persons of interest in the case. Police also released information about the black Chrysler 300, despite the vehicle being found around 6:30 a.m. that morning in Fairfield County.
Someone set the car on fire, according to court records, but detectives were able to determine the vehicle's VIN, which showed Michael Bowles bought the car on Sept. 11.
Detectives interviewed three relatives of the Bowles brothers following the car's discovery. All three reportedly told detectives that after Mi'Quel Bowles had been shot and taken to the hospital - and after police had left the home - Michael Bowles called for help with the Chrysler.
The vehicle, which the relatives went to retrieve from where it was parked on Busch Boulevard on the city's Northeast Side, had blood in the backseat. The Chrysler was driven back to the home on Dawson Avenue, where Michael Bowles allegedly admitted to his relatives that he "had shot and killed someone and that one of the bullets had gone through the victim and struck his brother Mi'Quel," according to court records.
Michael also told his family members he had "disposed of the body" but would not say where, according to records.
Court records said the family members, none of whom faced charges as of Thursday, told Michael to dump the car somewhere, but Michael refused. At that point, according to statements detectives attributed to family members, the brothers' mother, Tywisha Peterson, arrived at the home with another of her sons, where the conversation about what to do with the car continued.
Peterson's other son, a 15-year-old, allegedly suggested burning the car, according to court records. Michael Bowles was reportedly picked up by a female driving a black SUV. The 15-year-old and the 16-year-old known as "J" reportedly drove the Chrysler away from the Dawson Avenue home, according to the detective's sworn statement.
Additional details included in the statements from detectives said a selfie was found on Mi'Quel Bowles dated Sept. 20, the day Stewart went missing. In the photo, Bowles is posing with a firearm.
On Tuesday evening, detectives found Stewart's body near Sunbury Road and Agler Road, according to Columbus police. The Franklin County Coroner's office is doing an autopsy to confirm who the remains belong to, but police and Stewart's family have said they believe the remains belong to Stewart.
As of Thursday, six people are facing charges in the case.
Michael Bowles has been charged with murder and is being held in the Franklin County jail on a $5 million bond.
Mi'Quel Bowles, 18, has been charged with felony obstructing justice and is being held in jail on a $500,000 bond.
Tywisha Peterson, 40, is charged with felony obstructing justice and is being held in the jail on a $500,000 bond.
Genee Dumas, 39, is charged with obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence for reportedly trying to smash her daughter's phone while detectives were interviewing her. She was released on her own recognizance.
Dumas' 17-year-old daughter faces delinquency charges of obstruction and tampering with evidence in Franklin County Juvenile Court.
The 16-year-old is facing delinquency charges of murder and obstructing justice and is currently being held in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Facility.
Anyone with information related to the investigation, which remains ongoing, is asked to call detectives at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS. All calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.
bbruner@dispatch.com
@bethany_bruner
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Court docs say family helped lead police to Imperial Stewart suspects
