An Alabama man, recently released from prison after serving time for killing his girlfriend, has been now been charged with killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend because he thought she was going to filed domestic violence charges that would send him back to prison.
Bradley Stokes, 39, was arrested in Columbus, Georgia, Saturday afternoon and will be extradited to Russell County, Alabama, where he is accused of stabbing to death 37-year-old Treasure Hennessy at a fire station where she was given permission to stay to get away from him, according to Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor.
Hennessey was eight weeks pregnant with Stokes’ child, police said, and they have charged him with two counts of capital murder.
“I believe that the evidence in this case will show Mr. Stokes’ motive for this crime was he felt like Ms. Hennessy was going to sign a warrant for domestic violence on him which would violate his probation and send him back to prison for the remainder of his sentence,” Taylor said.
Taylor said that Hennessey moved out of the home she shared with Stokes last month and into the fire station. Stokes found out where she was and went there Friday night to wait for her. After stabbing her multiple times, he hid her vehicle behind a barn and fled in his own car.
He was staying at a hotel in Columbus and was captured after a short vehicle and foot chase. Muscogee County deputies charged him with fleeing and eluding.
Stokes was released from prison on June 2 after serving 14 years of a 16-year-sentence for manslaughter in the shooting death of his then-girlfriend, Crystal Bailey, in 2008, Law & Crime reported. He and Hennessey began dating shortly after his release, and Hennessey had, in fact, filed two domestic violence reports against him, Taylor said. It’s not clear why he wasn’t arrested.
Taylor said deputies recovered a knife they believe was used to kill Hennessey and Stokes’ car. Hennessey’s two cell phones are still missing.
Stokes could face the death penalty if he is convicted.
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[Featured image: Treasure Hennessey/Facebook]
