Juniper Acres woman gets 6 years in boyfriend’s fatal shooting

A 54-year-old rural Crook County woman has been sentenced to more than six years in prison in the Thanksgiving Day 2017 fatal shooting of her boyfriend on the property they shared in the “off the grid” Juniper Acres subdivision, District Attorney Wade Whiting said Tuesday.

Tina Marie Hill, who had faced a first-degree murder charge in the killing of Dennis Allen Stewart, entered an Alford plea of guilt, was convicted of second-degtee manslaughter and received a 75-month prison term from Circuit Judge Michael Sullivan during a sentencing hearing on Monday, Witing said.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the evidence to be presented at trial likely would result in a conviction.

Because it is a Measure 11 crime, the sentence includes no eligibility for any form of early release from custody and a period of three years of post-prison supervision.

On Nov. 23, 2017, the Crook County Sheriff’s Office received a request for a welfare check on Stewart at a property in Juniper Acres, Whiting said.

Family members had not heard from Stewart for five days and were concerned for his well-being. Deputies contacted Hill, who also lived on the property, and noted she had two black eyes, the DA said.

The deputies asked if Stewart was okay “and she shook her head, indicating a negative response,” Whiting said in a news release.

Hill pointed toward a small cabin on the property and said she had not seen Stewart move in four days.

While approaching the cabin door, a deputy noticed a pile of blankets and wood boards piled at the front entrance. While moving the debris, the deputy found Stewart lying face down on the ground and deceased.

Stewart was found clutching a six-inch knife in a reverse-grip posture, with a .22- caliber rifle found next to his body. A blanket used to cover the entrance of the cabin had a large cut mark down the middle.

The region’s Major Incident Team was activated to investigate the cause of death. Hill participated in several interviews with law enforcement personnel over the course of two days. In each interview, Whiting said, Hill made numerous inconsistent statements and denied any knowledge of how Stewart had died.

An autopsy later confirmed Stewart was killed by a single gunshot wound to his upper torso from the .22-caliber rifle. A thorough investigation led by the Crook County Sheriff’s Office concluded the defendant had shot and killed Stewart. Hill was indicted by the grand jury and placed into custody shortly thereafter.

Through later court filings, Hill claimed she acted in self-defense. She alleged Stewart returned home on the evening of the shooting and was unable to gain access to the cabin because the defendant had nailed a blanket over the entrance in an effort to keep warm.

Stewart became very upset and started cutting through the blanket with a large knife. She said she picked up a nearby rifle in anticipation of a physical assault and the gun accidently fired, striking Stewart.

At the time of the fatal shooting, local law enforcement was already well-acquainted with Hill and Stewart from numerous domestic related calls. In 2016, Hill petitioned the court and was granted a restraining order against Stewart for domestic violence.

From November 2016 to August 2017, Stewart was arrested five different times for violating the terms of the restraining order by having continued contact with Hill.

When the term of the restraining order expired, the couple continued living together on the Juniper Acres property. Court records indicate Stewart had previously served a lengthy prison sentence for a past felony assault conviction.

Hill also had a history of committing domestic violence crimes against Stewart, the district attorney said. In the summer of 2016, she was arrested after Stewart called the police because she had thrown bleach in his face.

Two weeks later, she was again arrested when she fired multiple shots with a handgun at Stewart after a verbal dispute. Both charges were ultimately dismissed when Stewart refused to cooperate with prosecution and no other witnesses could be located.

Hill also had a prior domestic violence conviction in California for inflicting physical injury on a spouse. Court records, medical records and disclosures by Hill indicate she had been struggling with mental health and drug addiction issues for decades prior to this incident.

“Domestic violence-related deaths in Oregon continue to happen all too frequently,” Whiting said. According to a report issued by the Oregon Department of Justice, there were 37 deaths related to domestic violence in Oregon in 2016 and 32 more deaths in 2017. Nationally, it is reported that more than four people a day are killed by a domestic partner.

“Tragically, this relationship, filled with years of reciprocal domestic violence, ended with a similar result — the untimely death of Dennis Stewart,” the district attorney said in a news release about the case’s outcome.

During the sentencing hearing, the defendant gave a brief statement, apologizing to members of Stewart’s family and saying she was “sorry for what happened to Dennis.”

Whiting prosecuted the case, while Hill was represented by defense attorneys Tim Gassner and Dave Glenn.