Friday, June 12, 2009

Man charged with murder in girlfriend's 2001 death

By Zeke MacCormack - Express-News

More than 71/2 years after Cristina Stewart was shot dead at the Round Mountain home of her boyfriend, Doyle Weeks, he was booked this week on a murder charge.

Weeks, 44, surrendered at the Blanco County Jail Wednesday and was released under $100,000 bond, Blanco County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Bob Shelton said Thursday.

Weeks was indicted June 3 in the Nov. 25, 2001, death of Stewart, 30, from a single gunshot to the head, Shelton said.

The original autopsy didn't conclude her death was a homicide, said Shelton, who revived the dormant case last July.

Based on new investigative findings and new tests on evidence, he said, the Travis County medical examiner's office concluded last fall that Stewart was a homicide victim.

Weeks' attorney, Keith Hampton, said he's seen nothing to shake his belief that Stewart killed herself.

“She had lots of problems,” he said of Stewart, predicting, “In the end, everyone is going to conclude it was suicide.”

He said Weeks was outside the home he shared with Stewart when he heard a gunshot and found Stewart dying inside.

Weeks, an engineering inspector who's single, couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

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