STL man guilty in ex-girlfriend's lover's death

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - A St. Louis man was found guilty in court Wednesday for the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend’s new lover.

Stanford Stokes, 44, was convicted for first-degree murder in the death of Jarred Hayes, 32, at an Alton, Illinois, home on Nov. 7, 2023.

According to evidence presented at the trial, Stokes barged into the Alton home’s bedroom and happened to find his ex-girlfriend with the victim. Witnesses say Stokes took his anger out at Hayes.

When it came to 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 say Stokes “inadvertently” left a voicemail recording during the incident, ultimately incriminating the 44-year-old.

“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 who were investigating the homicide say Stokes shot Hayes two more times before he left the Alton home and fled to Texas—where he was eventually caught by law enforcement. The gun that was used in the shooting was found in a Missouri river.

In addition to first-degree murder, Stokes was also found guilty of home invasion and possession of a stolen firearm.

Court records say Stokes will be sentenced at a later date, but his conviction carries a 20–60 year sentence.