By: Richard L. Smith
A violent early-morning rampage in Berkeley Township left three members of the same family dead before the suspected gunman turned the weapon on himself, authorities said.
According to a statement released by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, Berkeley Township Police were dispatched to a residence on Fairwood Drive at approximately 5:00 a.m. on March 10, 2026, after receiving reports of gunfire.
When officers arrived, they observed a man entering the residence and soon heard additional gunshots coming from inside the home.
The Ocean County Regional SWAT Team was called to the scene and made entry into the residence.
Inside the home, officers discovered two victims who had been fatally shot.
Authorities later identified them as the homeowners, Allan Russell, 61, and Michelle Russell, 60. Three minor children were also located inside the residence but were unharmed.
As officers continued clearing the residence, they located a man identified as Vaughn Stewart, 37, of Maplewood, suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Stewart was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Investigators expanding the crime scene outside the residence located another victim roughly 50 yards away on the side of Fairwood Drive.
That victim was identified as Deonna Stewart, 38, of Berkeley Township.
Authorities said the investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Berkeley Township Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined that Deonna Stewart lived at the Fairwood Drive home with her parents, Allan and Michelle Russell, along with three children.
Officials said Vaughn Stewart and Deonna Stewart were the parents of the children but had been living separately.
Investigators determined that Vaughn Stewart entered the residence and shot Allan and Michelle Russell before chasing Deonna Stewart down the street, where he fired multiple shots, killing her. 
Authorities said Stewart then returned to the home and took his own life.
The three children were not injured and are currently in the care of the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.