ALTON, IL - On Wednesday, August 20th, a jury found a St. Louis man guilty of the fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend.
Stanford Stokes, 44, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 32-year-old Jarred Hayes, FOX2 reported. In addition to murder, he was found guilty of home invasion and possession of a stolen firearm.
The incident took place on November 7, 2023. Evidence presented at the trial shows that Stokes barged into the home's bedroom and found his ex-girlfriend in bed with the victim.
Witness said that Stokes took his anger out on Hayes. During his testimony, Stokes said that he grabbed a firearm from his former girlfriend's purse and fired shots in "self-defense" after he saw that Hayes had a gun.
Prosecutors described the relationship as "on-again, off-again," adding that Stokes called his ex-girlfriend several times throughout the day before he arrived at her home, Law & Crime reported.
Prosecutors said Stokes "inadvertently" left a voicemail recording during the incident, ultimately incriminating himself. "Twenty seconds after (Stokes) shoots, he's still sitting there, arguing," Assistant State's Attorney Luke Yager said. "He gets right up in her face, and he's yelling at her."
Detectives said that Stokes shot Hayes two more times before he left the home and fled to Texas, where he was eventually caught by law enforcement. The gun that was used in the shooting was found in the Missouri River.
Court records state that Stokes will be sentenced at a later date, but his conviction carries a 20 to 60-year sentence. The jury determined that Stokes fired a gun while committing the murder, which makes him eligible for an enhanced sentence of 25 years to life in prison, FirstAlert4 reported.
Stanford Stokes, 44, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 32-year-old Jarred Hayes, FOX2 reported. In addition to murder, he was found guilty of home invasion and possession of a stolen firearm.
The incident took place on November 7, 2023. Evidence presented at the trial shows that Stokes barged into the home's bedroom and found his ex-girlfriend in bed with the victim.
Witness said that Stokes took his anger out on Hayes. During his testimony, Stokes said that he grabbed a firearm from his former girlfriend's purse and fired shots in "self-defense" after he saw that Hayes had a gun.
Prosecutors described the relationship as "on-again, off-again," adding that Stokes called his ex-girlfriend several times throughout the day before he arrived at her home, Law & Crime reported.
Prosecutors said Stokes "inadvertently" left a voicemail recording during the incident, ultimately incriminating himself. "Twenty seconds after (Stokes) shoots, he's still sitting there, arguing," Assistant State's Attorney Luke Yager said. "He gets right up in her face, and he's yelling at her."
Detectives said that Stokes shot Hayes two more times before he left the home and fled to Texas, where he was eventually caught by law enforcement. The gun that was used in the shooting was found in the Missouri River.
Court records state that Stokes will be sentenced at a later date, but his conviction carries a 20 to 60-year sentence. The jury determined that Stokes fired a gun while committing the murder, which makes him eligible for an enhanced sentence of 25 years to life in prison, FirstAlert4 reported.
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