Jury Finds Man Guilty in Fatal Alton Shooting

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Jury Finds Man Guilty in Fatal Alton Shooting

On November 7, 2023, in Alton, Illinois, Stanford Stokes, 44, forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s home after hearing her with her new boyfriend, Jarred Hayes. Inside, Stokes grabbed his ex’s gun from her purse and shot Hayes multiple times—once inside the bedroom and again as Hayes tried to flee through the front door. Stokes then discarded the firearm in the Missouri River and fled to Texas, where he was later apprehended and extradited back to Illinois.

During his trial in August 2025, Stokes asserted a self-defense claim. However, jurors were presented with a voicemail recording he inadvertently left on his phone, in which he can be heard arguing after the shooting—an action prosecutors said was inconsistent with legitimate self-defense.

On August 20, 2025, a Madison County jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, home invasion, possession of a stolen firearm, and a firearm enhancement. He now faces a minimum sentence of 45 years in prison, with prosecutors planning to seek even more.

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