Man accused of killing pregnant ex-girlfriend at domestic violence shelter dies by suicide
A man charged with murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend because he thought she would file domestic violence charges against him which would send him back to prison died by suicide at an Alabama jail.
lawandcrime.com
Man accused of killing pregnant ex-girlfriend at domestic violence shelter dies by suicide: Sheriff
DAVID HARRISSep 18th, 2023, 11:13 am
Bradley Stokes, who was accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend Treasure Hennessey outside a domestic violence shelter, died by suicide at the Russell County (Alabama) Jail. He was facing two capital murder counts – one for Hennessey and the other for their unborn child. (Stokes photo via Russell County Sheriff’s Office and Hennessey photo from her obituary)
The man charged with murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend because he thought she would file domestic violence charges against him, which would send him back to prison, died by suicide at an Alabama jail early Sunday morning, according to Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor.
Bradley Wayne Stokes, 39, was found unresponsive in his Russell County Jail cell a little after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Taylor said. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful and Stokes was pronounced dead.
Taylor told reporters at a press conference that jail deputies last checked on Stokes at 11 p.m. Saturday. Stokes was on the phone with a girlfriend for an hour starting around midnight and sent a text to his mother around 1:20 a.m. Sunday. Deputies were conducting a headcount when Stokes was discovered. Deputies found a note on the wall taped by a band-aid but declined to release specifics.
Stokes was arrested in nearby Columbus, Georgia, on Sept. 2 and extradited to the Russell County Jail on Sept. 6 where he was placed on suicide watch because of the severity of the charges, Taylor said. Stokes was removed from suicide watch on Sept. 9 after being cleared by a psychiatrist.
“Anytime this occurs it’s bad on the family it’s bad on us, obviously we don’t like it,” Taylor said. “I don’t know if there’s anything that can prevent it.”
As previously reported, Stokes was accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend 37-year-old Treasure Hennessey at a domestic violence shelter on Sept. 2. Stokes allegedly learned she was staying there after she moved out of his home and waited outside and attacked her, stabbing her several times.
Stokes was released from federal prison on June 2 after serving 14 years of a 16-year sentence for weapons charges and manslaughter in the 2008 shooting death of his girlfriend Crystal Bailey, court records and media reports say. Not long after he was released, he and Hennessey began dating, according to Taylor. Hennessey had filed at least two domestic violence reports against Stokes, Taylor said.
Hennessey moved out of Stokes’ home late last month and into the domestic violence shelter. Stokes found out where she was staying on Sept. 1 and arrived to wait for her after 8 p.m. the next day, Taylor said.
After he killed her, Stokes moved her vehicle behind a barn to conceal it before driving away in his car, Taylor said.
“I believe that the evidence in this case will show Mr. Stokes’ motive for this crime was he felt like Ms. Hennessey 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 at a previous press conference.
Stokes was facing two murder charges – one for Hennessey and the other for her and Stokes’ unborn child. Taylor said Sunday detectives were still gathering evidence in the case and will meet with prosecutors to decide how to proceed.
Hennessey’s obituary said she worked as a barber and loved animals.
“She had an innate ability to connect with people and loved helping anyone that she could regardless of their situation in life. She always wanted to make their life better as well as the world around us…no matter the obstacles or challenges. If you knew Treasure, you knew that she had an adventurous spirit and fearless nature; combined with a thirst for knowledge about the world around her,” the obit said.
Hennessey was a devoted mother of two sons who was heavily involved in all their activities. Her sons were “her entire heart and soul. Her reason for being here on this earth.”
“She always told them ‘I will always love you to the moon and beyond’ and she does,” the obit said.
