Hidden True Crime - He Watched Intruder Live on Camera—And Couldn’t Stop It | Ashley Stewart Case

Episode Date: February 18, 2026

He watched it happen live. On a weekday afternoon in suburban Illinois, Adam Stewart opened his security app and saw a man rush into his garage behind his wife just before the door shut. Minutes later, 41-year-old Ashley Stewart was found unresponsive inside their Oswego home. In this episode, we break down the January 27, 2026 attack — the surveillance footage, 911 call, alleged GPS tracking device, prior police responses, and the divorce and bankruptcy proceedings that were unfolding just days before. Sponsor: Rula- Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts at Rula for just $15 per session with insurance at https://www.rula.com/HIDDEN #rulapod About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You're absolutely helpless. You can scream, but no one will hear. You can't run after this person. You're too far away. You can call 911, but will they make it in time? Time is all you have. This is a breaking case that we're going to unpack today, all starting with a simple notification,

a routine weekday afternoon in late January 2026, just less than a month ago in a quiet subdivision. School had not yet let out for the day. Snow sat in patches along driveways. I mean, really, this was an ordinary day. Nothing about this day felt any different than another typical January day in suburban Illinois. But then Adam Stewart, a doting husband and father, opened his home. security app and saw something he could not unsee, his wife's car pulling into their garage and a second figure moving in fast behind her. He watched in horror as the garage door shut behind both

his wife and the person who entered his garage and his entire family's future changed in minutes. We need to talk about this developing case. So in this episode, we're going to watch walk through how we got here. Not just those final minutes, but the years prior, everything you need to know. The first marriage before Adam. And we'll talk about the unraveling of that first marriage, the finances, the court orders, the posts online, the reports to police, the details that, in hindsight, waved like major red flags. This is the story of 41-year-old Ashley Stewart of Oswego, Illinois. And before we jump in, I do just want to point out that over the last few weeks, we've been talking a lot about the tragic case of Monique and Spencer Tepey. The couple were allegedly

murdered by Monique's ex-husband, Michael McKee, Dr. Michael McKee. He was a successful vascular surgeon, and he looked the part. But now he's been charged with murder. The case, the Tepe case, has forced us to confront some deeply uncomfy things. And one of those being the idea of ongoing abuse long after someone leaves a relationship. And also, that abuse is so often hidden, so often unbelievable to those on the outside looking in. And, you know, on paper, Monique Tepey and Michael McKee's divorce appeared relatively routine. There weren't any major financial battles or years of dramatic court hearings like other divorces that we see in high conflict relationships. So from the outside, it looked like two people who had simply chosen to move over.

on. But what we learned in the Tepe case was just how much was happening beyond the basic looking paperwork, right? And we're now asking what happens when control doesn't end just because a marriage does? What happens when resentment lingers? What happens when one partner remarries and moves forward, but the other, the other ex-partner, it turns out, never does move on in the same way? So this case has chilling similarities. But I also think some key differences too, both involve previous marriages marked by allegations of control and abuse, and both involve women who rebuilt their lives and ex-husbands with professional, successful, and carefully curated public personas.

Both involve children caught in the middle of tragedy. But unlike Monique and Michael, divorce, which outwardly appeared uneventful. The divorce in this case, in Ashley's case, was anything but. This one involved significant money in their divorce. Court orders, bankruptcy filings, allegations of stalking, public accusations on social media even, and looming court dates in the distance scheduled. So this was not the TEPI divorce. This was something completely different. And once again, though, like the Teppy case, we're left asking the same hard question. What can resentment turn into when it has time to fester? Because sometimes the most dangerous part of an abusive relationship

is not when you are inside of it. It's when you leave. I'm Lauren Matthias, and this is hidden true crying. In January 2026, Ashley was 41 years old. She was living in the Prescott Mill Town Home Subdivision in Oswego, which is about 40 to 50 miles west of Chicago. It's the kind of place, honestly, the family's move for stability, right? The sidewalks, clubhouses, and neighbors who recognize each other's cars. It's that type of place. Ashley was very busy. She was a mother to six children, yes, six. Five of those children were from her first marriage to a man named Ryan. We'll get to him in just a moment. And then after her divorce to Ryan, she remarried Adam. And her husband, Adam Stewart, had three children of his own from a previous marriage as well. And so once the two families became one,

Ashley and Adam, had their youngest child together, a beloved baby boy who was now two years old. Their home was a blended household of chaos. It was filled with teenagers, younger kids, and this busy toddler. In other words, busy and loud, but with a lot of love. So who was Ashley beyond a bustling household? Well, friends describe Ashley in glowing terms. One friend named Robin, she told NBC Chicago, and I'll quote this, Ashley was a beautiful, genuine life. life spirit. She would drop anything she needed to do to help out anybody. She really, really loved her family. She loved her kids. Nobody could ever, ever mistake how much love she put into her family. Another friend called her a beacon of light. Ashley was also known for being outspoken online, standing up for what she believed in. She supported the natural birthing community and advocated for what she described as medical freedom. And according to friends, she was pursuing a law degree and often try to help other women navigate abusive relationships. In fact, I'll just

say this, I think to really set the stage here and to understand the emotions in this case and the emotions are very important in trying to understand what's hidden in this case. I think it's really important to read some of Ashley's outspoken online words. Because on November 20th, 2021, I'll read this. Ashley posted, quote, I've been in therapy twice a week. since March, learning how to live and function within the aftermath of 21 years of abuse cycles. Before that, I went to therapy once a week for two years to learn how to recognize the abuse and accept that the person I was married to didn't love me at all, but was very intentional and planned the ways he inflicted pain.

Even with all that therapy, every single day I'm stuck with moments of confusion and realization of how my life has transitioned and how differently I live it now. I look back and can clearly see the gaslighting, love bombing, manipulation, stonewalling, etc. But when I was in it, I didn't see it. I know that sounds weird, but that's all I ever knew. I thought, and I was told I was the crazy one. There was something wrong with me. I needed help, et cetera.

I remember my ex saying to me once, it's not like I hit you. No, he didn't hit me. He just tried to purchase a controlled substance in my name to use on me, or to try and frame me with. No, he didn't hit me. He just lied to the court and legally kidnapped my babies for three weeks while I was recovering from two broken legs. No, he didn't hit me. He just controlled the finances and blocked me from them when I told him I wanted a divorce and that no one believed his lies anymore. No, he didn't hit me. He just cheated repeatedly, lied constantly in so many other things, some of which I may never share. I wish.

I wish I knew 21 years ago what I know now because the signs were there even back in high school, but I can't. So I promised myself to take one day at a time healing and growing with each step, to share my experiences in hopes someone else can benefit from them and to teach my daughters to love themselves enough to walk away from anyone or anything that treats them less than they deserve." It's powerful. And in another post, Ashley writes, sharing my real raw truth because so many ladies need to hear it like I did. I loved him through multiple affairs, alcohol addiction, porn addiction, daily gaslighting, lying and manipulation, repeated abandonment when I was sick, had just given birth, etc. Emotional neglect, constant sabotage of anything that I took joy in was good at, etc. telling people, including our children, that I was crazy, being so drunk when I miscarried Lily Grace that he didn't realize what was going on and I had to experience my baby slipping from my body

alone, ordering a controlled substance in my name and gaslighting and lying about it. My attorney and therapist said it was to either use himself, use on me, or frame me as a bad mother. I have his confession. Withholding food and water from me during the time my legs were broken and I've been. was in a wheelchair, moving his things out for a month and involving our children telling them, if you tell mommy, you can't go with me while I was still recovering from breaking my legs and unaware of what was going on, intentionally causing me emotional distress only to record it as proof that I was unstable, me asking for a divorce, him saying he wanted to work on things,

and then filing himself before I could, lying in court to get an order of protection which caused my babies to be separated from me for three weeks. He later admitted to lying and the order was vacated. Every other dirty divorce trick, including withholding or blocking me from money during the first part of the divorce and so much more. If you see any similarities or can relate to any of this, I'm going to tell you what my therapist told me. He doesn't love you. You are not crazy. This is abuse. there are attachment wounds that need to be healed. You deserve so much more. End quote. Wow. Right. Outspoken. Those are her own words. Those are her allegations, shared publicly, very detailed, very specific with what she claims is abuse. Sounds like coercive control. Her allegations.

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She mentioned high school in that post. So we know that this relationship went back to high school. But what we can see, let's go back to when Ashley was Ashley Dodd, Ashley and her ex-husband. Ryan Dale Dodd, right? So both graduated from that same high school, clearly where they met in Greenville, Michigan. And he was a couple of years older. He graduated in 2000. She graduated in 2002. They married in October 2004. So that's when she became Ashley Dodd. And just two years after she graduated high school, she was married. She was young. And so was Ryan when they got married,

not as young as Ashley, but young. And while Ashley focused on motherhood, Ryan grew professional. Currently, right now on his website, 44-year-old Ryan describes himself as a U.X strategist and product design leader. On his website, he writes specifically, as a U.X strategist and product design leader, my focus is on creating user-centered digital experiences that are intuitive, engaging, and meet the needs of both users and businesses. Through research, strategy, and design, I help organizations create products and services that are both functional and delightful to use." End quote. It's kind of confusing to understand exactly what he does after reading that, but, you know, not everyone's a great marketer. But he does list, even though I'm still trying to understand exactly what he does for his clients, he lists major clients, including Walmart, Marriott Bonvoy, and Caterpillar, Inc.

and he shows where he has made apps or done graphic design for them or websites and he describes himself as a human-centered design specialist and alongside his design and technology work so it looks like it's apps and websites and he also though this is an interesting side hobby he has so more recently ryan has been posting politically charged reels on a channel and an instagram account called veritas vanguard's and on various vanguard. This is where he says he is decoding the data behind the headlines and asks people to follow the money, not the noise. All right. Let's talk about something delightful that happened this weekend. And by delightful, I mean absolutely terrifying for anyone who enjoys, oh, I don't know, democracy. Trump, you know, the twice-impeached president who literally incited an insurrection just threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act against peaceful protesters. Ryan's writings also, extend into books and creative projects, including a book called the AI-driven designer,

a political book called The Autocrat Next Door, Trump's First 100 Days, a graphic novel titled Hippie Johnny and the banality of Life, and a romance novel called Under the Cedar Tree. Wide variety. So from the outside, honestly, it looks like a Renaissance man. To me, he appears professionally articulate. certainly publicly expressive and very outspoken, writing about politics, society, technology, and relationships, romance novels. But behind this public persona and what seems like absolute professional success, in February of 2021, again, both he and Ashley filed for divorce after

nearly 20 years together. Remember, Ashley states that she asked for a divorce, but he filed first. That's her allegation. But the divorce was finalized in August. of 2022 less than four years ago at the time of this recording. And as part of the marital settlement, Ryan agreed to pay Ashley $2.2 million over 10 years. That broke down to monthly payments of $18,33, to be exact, starting September 1, 2022. Ashley was listed as the primary caretaker of their five children who were born between 2002 and 2014. During their marriage, she was not employed outside the home. She focused on the children. She had to raise the children and relied on financial support from Ryan to raise their five children. And after

Ryan and Ashley's divorce, Ryan remarried in August of 2024 to a woman named Michelle Vickman. He moved on and he seemed to have found love again. And Ashley, Ashley also went on to remarry Adam. She remarried Adam Stewart and became Ashley Stewart. And from social media posts, it seemed they both again moved on and that they were happy in their new relationships. But then in November of 2025, just a few months ago, Ryan filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. And on December 19th, 2025, just a month ago, during an emergency hearing, hearing a judge ordered Ryan to pay $15,000 per month in temporary child support. The documents

describe this as an upward deviation from statutory guidelines based on his income. The first payment was due December 22nd, but by January 23rd, court documents state that he had not paid the January amount. The documents also say, and I'll quote this, Ryan's failure to abide by the terms of the order is willful and contemptuous. They also state, Ryan has the ability to comply with this order, and his failure to do so has caused hardship for Ashley, end quote. A hearing related to the divorce in financial matters was scheduled in Will County for January 28, 2026. So then we move into the weeks leading up to January 27th. Court records allege that a GPS tracking device was planted under Ashley's 22 Black Ford Explorer. Investigators say it was magnetically attached under the rear

bumper and appeared to be motion activated. According to court documents, an analysis of Ryan's phone revealed internet searches about how to hide a GPS tracking device on a Ford Explorer. Police documented four alleged surveillance incidents between December 14th and January 21st. On December 14th, officers responded to what was described as a domestic incident when Ryan allegedly showed up at Ashley's home unannounced. Court record state, quote, Ryan was spoken to by officers and advised not to return, end quote. So no formal report, though, was taken at that time. But on January 21st, Ashley reportedly saw information about obtaining an order of protection from her ex-husband, the father of her children, but court records note that she didn't make a formal report at that time.

And then came Tuesday, January 27, 2026. At approximately 9.43 a.m., police responded to a report of someone urinating behind garages near a.m. clubhouse in the Prescott Mill subdivision. An officer also noted a brown SUV in the area that was believed to belong to the person involved. All right. So we have a subdivision with a dude urinating and a brown SUV that likely belongs to said man, 943 a.m. Right. But then at around 1133am, police receive another call. It's getting a little scarier. A person wearing a face mask was reportedly hiding near one of the townhomes and possibly carrying a large knife. Yeah, things are escalating. Now it's getting scary.

So officers searched, but they did not locate anyone at that time. But later security footage would place a vehicle associated with Ryan in the area. Investigators would also later release surveillance images that appear to show him, Ryan, hiding behind bushes in the neighborhood. So just after 1 p.m., Ashley pulled into her garage on Valentine's Way. Adam, again, he was not home at the time. And for reasons not yet detailed publicly, he opened that live feed from their home security camera. It's possible he got that motion notification, right?

And he just wanted to make sure she got inside okay. I'm sure he was checking, especially given the recent issues she'd been having, right, with Ryan. So Adam saw Ashley's vehicle pull in and then he saw a man, run into the garage right after her. Can you imagine that? And then that happens right before the garage door closes. He called 911, tells dispatchers he believes his wife's in danger, and that the man appeared to be her ex-husband, Ryan. Officers were dispatched right away immediately. While they were en route, a witness reported seeing a man running southbound across a busy road. called Wolf's Crossing. Several neighbors later said they saw the man believed to be Ryan in the

area that day, with some even taking photos. One neighbor, Nick Plunkett, he said, my wife came to me and said that she had seen him in our front yard. I guess he actually came up to her house and was staring into our house. So after she told me that, I just looked at my window trying to find where he went. I saw him between this complex and the complex next door. end quote. Plunkett added that this wasn't the first time they'd seen him in the neighborhood either. He said, a month ago, we caught him crawling through our neighbor's bushes on all four legs, crawling with a big knife. So we thought that was really weird. And then I went outside and contacted him and asked what he was doing. And he'd claimed that he had lost a white chitzu.

Strange, right? So when officer, The officers arrived that day after getting the 911 call about Adam's wife being in danger. They entered the residence and they quickly found Ashley, but they found her unresponsive. And tragically, paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. Police later stated that the investigation determined that Dodd, Ryan Dodd, who was the victim's ex-husband, followed her as she entered her residence and attacked and killed her with her. a knife. A manhunt began almost instantly. Drones were deployed, K-9 units assisted, an officer's search for the Brown SUV described earlier in the day. He was parked right over here

by the clubhouse earlier, or if anyone else, he might be. And at approximately 1.37 p.m. About 27 minutes after the 911 call, an officer spotted a vehicle matching the description traveling southbound on Harvey Road, not far from Ashley's neighborhood. A traffic stop was conducted when the driver was identified as Ryan Dodd. He was taken into custody without incident. Ryan was then processed and booked at the Oswego Police Department and then transported to the Kendall County Jail where he remains in custody. At the time of this recording, that is where he is right now. Investigators later shared a photo that allegedly shows Ryan walking around the neighborhood after the incident, which further tightened the timeline they believe places him at the

scene. The following day, detectives executed a search warrant at Ryan's home in Aurora. Court record state, quote, detectives located a black garbage bag inside of the attached garage containing clothing that matched the suspect in the victim's video during the murder, end quote. The bag reportedly contained a large fixed blade of knife and clothing. and clothing matching what was seen in surveillance footage down to the socks and undergarments. Police also later reported locating a knife with a red substance on the blade. The Kendall County coroner determined that Ashley died from multiple sharp force injuries, indicating that this was a brutal attack.

On January 29th, after consultation with the Kendall County State's Attorney's Office, Ryan Dodd was charged with first-degree murder, home invasion, armed violence, residential burglary, and aggravated stalking. He's being held without bond at the Kendall County Jail, and if convicted, he faces life in prison. And right now, these are allegations. Ryan is charged but not convicted, but what we know is this. There were years of conflict, alleged financial strain that actually included bankruptcy. We've read Ashley's public action.

of abuse. And there's this alleged surveillance. Neighbors who say they saw him lurking in Bush's weeks earlier on all fours, weird, a pending court date and surveillance images that investigators say place him hiding in the neighborhood the morning of the attack. And then in the middle of a weekday afternoon in suburban Illinois, a family is changed forever and a woman loses her life. A GoFundMe page was organized to help support Ashley and Adam's family. The page says, her loss has left in immeasurable void in the lives of those who loved her. Ashley's husband, Adam Stewart, is now navigating the unimaginable, grieving the loss of his wife while becoming the sole provider and primary caregiver for their two-year-old son, his son, Siler, as well as Ashley's young

children, who are now without either biological parent. And this is where we circle back. circle back into the teppy murders because it seems as though the alleged motive is that Michael didn't want to move on from monique right if we're thinking of the teppy case and the alleged murderer michael mckee he reportedly told monique during their marriage that she would always be his wife and that he had always fined her even after a divorce he was still single while monique remarried and built a new life with spencer tepey They had children, and by all accounts, Monique had moved on and was happy. And if those allegations are true, though, that Michael McKee told Monique that she'd always be his wife,

the motive there appears rooted in control in that sort of inability to accept that she'd moved on without him. Ego. You know, Dr. John talked about it a lot as well. But in this case, the motive feels slightly different. I have a lot of questions. It wasn't just Ashley who remarried. Brian also remarried, right?

And so I don't necessarily know if this was fully about envy or jealousy in the traditional sense or him wanting Ashley back for himself. I mean, maybe he did. I don't know, though. I do think it's possible he may have felt resentment at the situation he felt he was put in due to his ex-wife and likely angry about the relatively high amount of child support, an alimony that he had to pay. But look as many as you have pointed out online where they are following this case. When you have five children, especially children who

were accustomed to a certain lifestyle that you provided for them when you were together as parents, that amount is going to reflect that reality. So we're still working here at Hidden True Crime on obtaining all of the divorce documents and other court records to get a fuller picture of the financial situation between Ashley and Ryan. I'm very curious. about the financial situation, but what we do know is that Ryan filed for bankruptcy. He was clearly used to living a certain lifestyle as well. I'm seeing a lot of entitlement as I dig in. While Ryan did wipe the majority of the social media before the murder, some things do remain, including photos of him and his current wife traveling, going on these lavish vacations.

Those are experiences he may not have been able to sustain as easily while paying significant monthly. support to his ex-y. This lavish lifestyle he felt he deserved could play into a potential motive, I think. And let me be clear, the money he's giving his ex-wife for his children, child support. We don't know, though. We don't know all of the motives, but it certainly could be financial as well. But we simply don't know. This is still a very developing case. And as we continue to learn more, we'll certainly have Dr. John weigh in as well. And then there's the tracker, right? Let's talk about the tracker, the alleged stalking. It's reminiscent of the Micah Miller case and the torment she faced from J.P. Miller, who she was attempting to divorce. And then there's the hiding in the bushes. Again,

going back to neighbor seeing him on all fours crawling around, this showing up unannounced. If this were strictly about finances, why plant a GPS device? What is this? Why lurk in the neighborhood? Why allegedly crawl through bushes with a knife weeks earlier? That piece complicates the motive for me and suggests something deeper than just money. I also wonder about mental health, but this screams coercive control. Coercive control is when a pattern of abusive behaviors meant to take away someone else's freedom or independent so that the abuser can feel in control, right? And one way to gain that control, honestly, is to simply make someone feel afraid. And if you want to make someone feel afraid, crawl on all fours in their neighborhood with a knife.

And what is the motive for stalking typically? The same thing. Power and control. A desire to intimidate the victim. But stalking can also. often be driven by obsession, which does bring me back to wondering about envy or jealousy. Maybe he was angry. He couldn't have her anymore. I don't know. Maybe he was angry simply because he couldn't control her. There's also the fact that Ashley was publicly vocal about the alleged abuse, about their marriage.

She shared detailed accounts. She used her voice to share what she believes happened in their marriage and about the abuse she suffered. And Ryan, during all of this, at that same time, she was being outspoken about their marriage. He was building an online persona trying to grow as an author and public figure. So if he felt that her allegations threatened his reputation, if that was a severe enough wound to his ego, could that be another addition to motive? We don't know yet. There is a lot of nuance here. There are still documents we haven't seen. there are still court proceedings ahead, and speculation never equals proof. What is hidden is something we are still learning as the case develops,

and something hidden true crime continues to follow. But at the end of the day, no matter what those hidden motives ultimately turn out to be, they are so selfish and tragic. There are six children left motherless, stepchildren, and a husband who are missing, Ashley, a family that has been torn apart. Just like in the Teppy case, there are children left without their mother. Families trying to process something that never should have happened. Two different cases, two different divorces, possibly two different motives. But the same devastating outcome when control, resentment, and alleged abuse don't end when the marriage does.

Ryan's next court appearance is on March 9th, and we will keep following this case until Ashley gets the justice she deserves. We hope you'll keep updated too. Thank you for listening. Thank you for subscribing and for following. We will keep you posted as this case unfolds. Before I switched to Wellfront, my APY was probably 0.1. Once I switched to Chiching, with a Wellfront cash account, earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. I can trust.

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