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An Email Told Us to Watch this Story Closely.... #truecrime #crimejunkie

February 15, 2026 / 02:38

This episode covers the tragic story of the Day Stewart family, focusing on the fire that claimed their lives and the community's response. It discusses the aftermath of the incident, including the funerals held in Chicago and the support from the Chicago Fire Department. The episode also reveals a tip that suggests there may be more to the story than a simple accident.

Listeners hear about the overwhelming community support for Shawn Stewart, including memorials filled with stuffed animals and flowers. The Chicago Fire Department initiated a fund to assist the family during this difficult time.

The narrative shifts when the host shares an email tip that hinted at deeper issues surrounding the fire. The host decided to investigate further, leading to the assignment of reporter Jenna Mel to look into the case.

Jenna's findings reveal that Summer Stewart had plans to leave Shawn just before the fire occurred, raising questions about the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. This new information prompts further investigation into the events that transpired.

The episode concludes with a sense of urgency to uncover the truth behind the fire and its impact on the family and community.

TLDR

The episode reveals a tragic fire that killed the Day Stewart family, hinting at deeper issues surrounding the incident.

Episode

2:38
00:00:00
So by August, this case is closed and family and friends of the Day Stewart family are left reeling. Local headlines
00:00:09
ran with stories about Shawn's unimaginable loss and the whole community really rallied around him. I
00:00:15
mean, strangers and neighbors covered their soot blackened back porch with stuffed animals and flowers [music]
00:00:21
while the Chicago Fire Department launched the Steuart family fund to raise money for Shawn. And there was a
00:00:27
massive showing for the two separate funerals held in Chicago. One for the public, which the fire department showed
00:00:33
up for in droves and another that was a Jehovah's Witness service to honor Summer's religion. There were even two
00:00:40
celebrations of life back on the West Coast where Summer had a lot of friends and where her sister lives. But while
00:00:46
people were grieving across the nation for this senseless loss, someone in the Chicago area was emailing me. The tip
00:00:56
was it was vague and the source said that they couldn't go on record, but they told me to pay attention to this
00:01:03
story as it unfolds because though it looks like a tragic accident on the surface, there might be more if I dug
00:01:11
deeper. >> That is like such an Ashley Bait email. That's like the perfect way to kidnap
00:01:16
you. Honestly, >> it was. But listen, at that moment, I didn't jump. I did what the tipster told
00:01:22
me to do. I waited. I watched to see how this unfolded, but it didn't. The story
00:01:28
just kind of faded from the headlines in 2023 and 2024. And in the chaos of running two weekly shows, I almost
00:01:36
forgot about it. Almost until March of last year. That's when I put our reporter Jenna Mel on this case.
00:01:44
>> Wait, like just off of this email 2 years ago or was there like something else that kind of like piqu your
00:01:50
interest? Something happened? >> Nothing else. just email >> and then this feeling that I had. So I
00:01:57
asked Jen like go talk to Summer's family, pull some records, tell me if there is a there there. See if you can
00:02:03
find any indication that we should keep digging. I mean maybe this is totally off base. And you want to know the first
00:02:10
thing she came back to me with? It turns out Summer was planning on taking the kids and leaving her firefighter husband
00:02:18
Shawn on March 8th, but she never got the chance because the day before she was set to leave, a fire broke out in
00:02:28
her home that killed them all. So, as you can imagine, we kept digging and you will not believe what we

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 90
    Most heartbreaking
  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
    Biggest twist
  • 75
    Most intense

Episode Highlights

  • Community Support for the Steuart Family
    The community rallied around Shawn after the tragic loss, covering porches with tributes.
    “Strangers and neighbors covered their soot blackened back porch with stuffed animals and flowers.”
    @ 00m 15s
    February 15, 2026
  • A Mysterious Tip
    An anonymous email hinted that there might be more to the story than a tragic accident.
    “There might be more if I dug deeper.”
    @ 01m 06s
    February 15, 2026
  • Summer's Plans Revealed
    Investigating further, it was discovered that Summer planned to leave her husband before the tragedy.
    “Summer was planning on taking the kids and leaving her firefighter husband.”
    @ 02m 15s
    February 15, 2026

Episode Quotes

  • Strangers and neighbors covered their soot blackened back porch with stuffed animals and flowers.
    An Email Told Us to Watch this Story Closely.... #truecrime #crimejunkie
  • There might be more if I dug deeper.
    An Email Told Us to Watch this Story Closely.... #truecrime #crimejunkie
  • Nothing else. Just email and then this feeling that I had.
    An Email Told Us to Watch this Story Closely.... #truecrime #crimejunkie
  • Summer was planning on taking the kids and leaving her firefighter husband.
    An Email Told Us to Watch this Story Closely.... #truecrime #crimejunkie

Key Moments

  • Community Grief00:06
  • Mysterious Email00:52
  • Summer's Departure Plans02:15

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown