Mary Stuart, cold case reopened

◼ Cold disappearance case reopened by DA's office
A nearly 32-year-old case involving the disappearance of a Honeydew woman and her two children has regained momentum, according to Humboldt County District Attorney's Office investigators who announced Tuesday they have new leads and are looking for more.
Mary Stuart, 32, and her two daughters, Fannie, 1, and Jessie, 2, disappeared from Honeydew on Dec. 10, 1977, after they left to get groceries. The family's station wagon was found a few miles from their home on Jan. 19, 1978, on an old logging road. Groceries were still in the car and the car's gas line was broken, according to a Jan. 20, 1978, Times-Standard story following the investigation.
The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office initially reported that there was no evidence of foul play and no sign of a struggle near the car, according to the story.
Chief Investigator Mike Hislop said the District Attorney's Office picked up the case from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office about eight months ago and found new leads within the last few weeks. Foul play is suspected....

The lead suspect is Mary Stuart's husband, Byron M. Stuart, who died Oct. 3, 1996 -- at the age of 48 -- in Santa Rosa, according to the Sonoma County Coroner's Office....

Good luck.