Crime & Safety

Murdered San Leandro Man: Parents Give Emotional Testimony

Robert Fields and another man were murdered in 2015. Family members gave emotional accounts of their loss as the killer was sentenced.

OAKLAND, CA — A 19-year-old Antioch man was sentenced at an emotional and lengthy hearing today to 15 years to life in state prison for fatally shooting two men in East Oakland three years ago.

Ishiah Stewart pleaded no contest on Aug. 9 to two counts of second-degree murder for the slayings of Robert Fields, 23, of San Leandro, and Avery Enoch, 27, of Oakland, who were fatally shot in the 2300 block of 88th Avenue at 10:06 p.m. on Sept. 9, 2015.

Authorities haven't disclosed a motive for the double murder.When Stewart entered his plea, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Allen Hymer said Stewart potentially could have faced up to 100 years to life in state prison if he'd gone to trial and been convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and all of the other charges against him.

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Stewart was arrested at his home in Antioch on June 3, 2016, after Oakland police said witnesses and physical evidence connected him to the fatal shootings of Fields and Enoch. The charges against him were filed on June 7, 2017.

At the sentencing hearing today, Fields' mother Cimphanie Stephens said, "Ishiah Stewart has murdered two young wonderful men."

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Stephens said, "It's been hard to eat and sleep every day of my life since my son was killed but I haven't seen any remorse from Ishiah Stewart."

She said Fields "leaves behind a 6-year-old boy who still asks what happened to his father."

Fighting back tears, Stephens said her son "had a job, was moving on with his life for the better and had dreams."

Fields' father Robert Fields Sr. said Stewart was "judge, jury and executioner" for Fields and Enoch, who he said had been Stewart's friends.

He said, "I've had a lot of nights with no sleep" and said he also lost his daughter, Robesha Fields, 27, who died shortly after she was shot in the 10300 block of Edes Avenue in Oakland on Feb. 6.

Stewart's defense attorney Jared Winter asked to read aloud a letter that Stewart wrote to the families of Fields and Enoch, but Judge Hymer said some of the family members might not wish to hear it.

Hymer said family members who want to read Stewart's letter can get a copy from the court.

After the hearing, Winter declined to say what Stewart said in his letter.

Prosecutor Nick Homer said the sentencing hearing was "a very difficult day for the family members" of Fields and Enoch.

Hymer told the family members, "I appreciate the outpouring of emotion I heard and I want you to know I understand it."

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— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock

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