Man sentenced to 42 years for Belmont murder

A jury found Stewart guilty of second-degree murder in February for the shooting death of Dejohn Jones, 24, on Aug. 5, 2017.

Stewart, a Menlo Park resident, in court said he takes full responsibility for what he did and apologized to the victim’s mother, Wagstaffe said, adding Judge Stephanie G. Garratt before announcing the sentence described the crime as “senseless and tragic.”

Stewart, who has been credited 2 1/2 years for time served, will have to serve 40 years until he is eligible for a parole hearing, Wagstaffe said. 

Stewart murdered Jones at the apartment of Jones’ ex-girlfriend, Jolie Harris, located at 566 Ralston Ave. At around 5 a.m., Jones stopped by the one-bedroom apartment to retrieve his TV shortly after he and Harris ended their relationship. Jones was with his sister and cousin at the time, and in the apartment were six of Harris’ friends, including Stewart.

The shooting occurred after Jones walked by Stewart and paid him no attention, which angered Stewart, who “had to be the toughest guy in the room,” Deputy District Attorney Vishal Jangla said during the February trial.

Defense attorney Connie O’Brien during the trial said an argument over Jones’ 5 a.m. arrival at the apartment escalated into a fight and struggle over Stewart’s gun.

The autopsy revealed Jones suffered from four gunshot wounds: two wounds in the back, one in the top of the head and one in the arm, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Stewart in February was also found guilty of witness intimidation for threatening Harris while in prison.

Over a three-week period in multiple jail phone calls, Stewart attempted to dissuade Harris from cooperating with police by reminding her of “the code of the street for those who cooperate with the other side” and told her his family would be looking for her if she continued to cooperate with the investigation, according to the District Attorney’s Office.