DeShaune Stewart, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity for killing two Dublin, Ohio, postal supervisors in 2017, is seeking release from a federal psychiatric facility. The Bureau of Prisons proposed transferring him to a facility in South Carolina, but federal prosecutors are strongly opposing the move, and a court hearing is set for August 14, 2026.

On December 23, 2017 on or about 4:30 a.m., Stewart arrived naked at the Dublin post office and fatally shot his supervisor, Lance Herrera-Dempsey, before driving to the apartment complex of Dublin postmaster Ginger Ballard and beating her to death.

In September 2019, Stewart was found not guilty by reason of insanity after psychologists determined he suffered a severe manic and psychotic episode during the attacks.

He was committed to a federal psychiatric facility, and a prior 2023 attempt at securing his release was denied by the court.

The Bureau of Prisons proposed moving Stewart to a residential facility in Columbia, South Carolina, asserting he no longer poses a “substantial risk”.

Federal prosecutors are opposing the transfer, arguing the move is “tantamount to releasing him into the community”

Prosecutors highlighted that no Ohio facilities would accept responsibility for his treatment and raised concerns about placing an individual with a violent, incurable history in an isolated, out-of-state facility

Stewart was facing discipline and likely termination from his job at the post office, court records say, and he targeted the supervisors he believed were responsible.
Stewart’s attorney and federal prosecutors agreed Stewart had a manic and psychotic episode that led to his actions.

Post office employees who heard or saw the shooting called 911. Many of them were hiding from the gunman, who police said is 24-year-old Deshaune Stewart. Stewart is in custody.

“I just happened to turn and look and one of our carriers came in and he looked, he looked naked,” said a 911 caller, who identifies himself as a post office employee. “He shot our supervisor in the shoulder and as soon as I seen that, we all scattered. I got out of there.”