Stewart was covering the Nicaraguan civil war, described as “one of the most dangerous assignments in journalism,” by Time magazine. For the previous 19 months, the corrupt and dictatorial regime of Anastasio Somoza Debayle had been battling the Sandinistas, a leftist rebel group.The Somoza family, in power for over 40 years, had been accused by global watchdog organizations of human rights violations, such as usurping international aid intended for earthquake victims, reported findingDulcinea.Bill Stewart was mindful of his environment. As he approached an outpost of the Nicaraguan National Guard, Stewart was holding a white flag and documentation of press credentials issued by the Nicaraguan government, Time reported.Stewart fell to his knees after one of the soldiers on duty lifted his rifle. The officer on guard instructed the reporter to lie down, and shot Stewart behind his right ear. According to Time, the soldiers also killed Stewart’s interpreter, Juan Francisco Espinoza. ABC’s camera crew caught the gruesome scene on tape.The assassination struck a final blow to the Somozas’ already waning international support.The United States had supported the regime as a buffer against Communism in Central America, but after Stewart’s murder President Jimmy Carter formally withdrew support for Nicaragua’s ruling family.On July 17, 1979, less than a month after Stewart’s death, Somoza resigned as president. The Sandinistas took over the country a day later. Somoza flew to Miami to seek refuge but was denied entry into the United States. He was assassinated in Paraguay in September 1980.