264:, but several months later, along with four other inmates, he managed to escape. On October 23, 1970, when Sheriff's Deputy John Curtis entered the ward to collect the supper dishes, Stokes grabbed his revolver and forced him to the center. He had Curtis strip off his clothing and take off his shoes, taking them, as well as the keys to his car. He then tied up the deputy with pieces of a bedsheet and fled with the other prisoners. Two other prisoners were left behind, who turned back and released Curtis from the restraints. Three of the convicts were later recaptured, with the exception of Stokes and 18-year-old Joseph Wallace. He was arrested not long after, and sentenced to 9 years imprisonment for manslaughter and three other felony charges.
257:." After that, Stokes and his two accomplices escaped in his vehicle. About two weeks later, Winford was stopped for questioning by Detectives Brian Graft and Edward DeVere, during which he threw a pistol out of his car. Both men noticed this and immediately arrested him. After some questioning, they learned about Richards and Smith, who were captured soon after as well. Witnesses to the robbery identified all three of them as the ones behind the DiManuele robbery.
305:, where he had then been living with his wife, Ramona. He later pawned the jewelry. Initial investigations focused on Benda's boyfriend, with whom she had had scuffles the previous months, but he was cleared later on. It was determined that Benda had likely been killed by somebody she knew, as there were no signs of forced entry into her home. The case would later be named the "Mr. Goodbar" case, after a copy of the 1975 novel
277:
her niece, who had come to check up on Marie because she had missed the Sunday church services. Stokes was later arrested on
January 15, 1978, on charges of armed robbery and armed criminal action, and sent for pre-trial mental evaluation at the Malcolm Bliss Mental Health Center. That same afternoon, Stokes managed to escape from the facility, with authorities right on his tail.
344:
On
September 10, 1979, Stokes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing Montgomery and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He was then offered a concurrent 50-year sentence if he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing Benda. On September 20, 1979, Stokes, despite facing possible
272:
After some years, Stokes was released from prison. On
December 7, 1977, he knocked on the door of 71-year-old Erssie Lucas, intent on robbing him. When Lucas opened, he began beating him with a claw hammer, leaving the old man on the ground and stealing an undetermined amount of cash. Erssie survived
348:
During the trial, the prosecution sought a death sentence, with prosecutor John Walsh pointing out that the evidence included fingerprints from the victim's apartment and car, matching those of
Winford Stokes, as well as the fact that Montgomery's wristwatch was found at the pawn shop in South Bend.
352:
During the assessment of the sentence, Stokes' defense attorney, John T. McCaffrey, pointed out that an all-white jury would be biased against his client, as it was a case of a black man killing a white woman. On the contrary, prosecutor Walsh cited the convict's previous record of violent crimes,
276:
Only a few days later, on
December 12, Stokes broke into the apartment of 73-year-old widow Marie Montgomery while looking for a place to rob. He shot her in the neck and right arm, killing her, and thereafter ransacked the premises, stealing a wristwatch. Montgomery's body would later be found by
252:
Stokes' first recorded crime occurred on April 30, 1969. Together with David H. Richards and Allen E. Smith (17 and 18, respectively), they entered a tavern on 3044 Easton Avenue in St. Louis, posing as customers before drawing their pistols and announcing it was a robbery. The customers and the
323:
In June, Stokes was indicted for the murders of
Montgomery and Benda. He was sent off to Homer G. Phillips Hospital yet again, where he was to await trial for the murder charges. On December 3, however, along with Samuel Smith and Earl Davis, Stokes overpowered the guards, stole their guns and
253:
owner, Ignatius DiManuele, were forced to lay down on the ground as the three men emptied the cash register. While doing this, one of the robbers pointed their gun at DiManuele and proceeded to shoot him. When questioned about his reasons, the killer simply replied that he "wanted to get a
31:
297:, whereupon Winford started beating and stabbing Benda with a kitchen knife, before eventually strangling her. He took off her clothes and left her body in the bedroom, before rummaging through her drawer and pocketing some jewelry. He then got into her 1974
368:. Six years later, the federal appellate court rejected his appeal for a final time, a decision which later affected another death row inmate, George C. Gilmore. On May 11, 1990, Winford Stokes was executed by lethal injection in the
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clothes, and fled. On the following day, one of the guards, Richard
Campbell, resigned from his position for breaking security regulations. On December 11, all three of the fugitives were arrested by
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execution, rejected the offer and took the case to trial. The reason was that an additional murder conviction would make it much harder for him to win parole.
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including two previous murders. On recommendation from the jury, Justice John R. Rickhoff sentenced
Winford Stokes to die in the
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689:"Winford L. Stokes, Jr., Appellant, v. William M. Armontrout, William L. Webster, Appellees, 851 F.2d 1085 (8th Cir. 1988)"
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The execution, scheduled for
October 28, 1982, was temporarily stayed by U.S. Supreme Court Justice
231:. He murdered three people, for which he was sentenced to death and subsequently executed in 1990.
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675:"Defendant Will Face Capitol Murder Trial After Refusing Offer For Plea Bargaining"
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on
October 25, but Stokes' appeal was later turned down by the full (en banc)
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744:"Jury Assesses Penalty At Death For Slaying Of U. City Waitress, Page 2"
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On October 24, he was found guilty of capital murder for killing Benda.
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faculty waitress named Pamela Benda. They went back to her apartment in
112:
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Stokes was one of 10 children. He dropped out of school in 8th grade.
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729:"Jury Assesses Penalty At Death For Slaying Of U. City Waitress"
227:(March 21, 1951 – May 11, 1990) was an American criminal and
816:"Execution Draws Little Attention From The Public, Page 2"
646:"Deputy In Escape Case Quits; Three Who Fled Still Hunted"
325:
495:"5 Flee After Disarming Guard At Hospital; 3 Recaptured"
714:"Found Guilty Of Waitress' Murder; Defense Plea Barred"
339:
285:
On February 21, 1978, Stokes was at a bar in northern
602:"Death Penalty Sought In 'Mr. Goodbar' Murder Trial"
481:"Detective Who Was Killed Praised for Earlier Feat"
315:was found on a bedside table in Benda's apartment.
421:"Execution Draws Little Attention From The Public"
478:
855:
813:
418:
914:People executed by Missouri by lethal injection
247:
772:"Justice Blackmun Stays Execution In Missouri"
788:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. February 28, 1983.
662:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 11, 1978.
587:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. February 23, 1978.
539:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 13, 1977.
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774:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 25, 1982.
760:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 17, 1980.
604:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 23, 1979.
553:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 16, 1978.
497:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 24, 1970.
758:"Sentenced to Death In Killing of Waitress"
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585:"Questioned In Killing of Woman In U. City"
397:List of serial killers in the United States
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741:
726:
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570:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. March 28, 1978.
525:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 10, 1978.
511:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 3, 1971.
260:Stokes was sent off to await his trial at
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894:American people convicted of manslaughter
830:"Condemned man executed for 1978 killing"
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568:"Charged with Murder of Woman In U. City"
435:"Condemned man executed for 1978 killing"
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280:
618:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. June 9, 1978.
523:"St. Louis Man Charged In Second Murder"
387:Capital punishment in the United States
909:People convicted of murder by Missouri
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616:"Murder indictment in Waitress' Death"
596:
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874:20th-century African-American people
551:"Suspect Escapes from Malcolm Bliss"
459:"3 Youths Charged In Fatal Shooting"
340:Second trial, appeals, and execution
884:20th-century executions by Missouri
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392:List of people executed in Missouri
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673:Bill Vogler (September 21, 1979).
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509:"Robber Sentenced On Four Charges"
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814:Patrick E. Gauen (May 13, 1990).
660:"3 Who Escaped Caught In Chicago"
631:"Murder, Robbery Suspects Escape"
479:Robert K. Sanford (May 7, 1969).
419:Patrick E. Gauen (May 13, 1990).
372:. He offered no final statement.
904:Executed American serial killers
889:Executed African-American people
801:"Court Rejects Appeal By Killer"
799:Tim Bryant (December 29, 1989).
879:20th-century American criminals
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807:
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742:E.S. Evans (October 26, 1979).
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727:E.S. Evans (October 26, 1979).
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712:E.S. Evans (October 25, 1979).
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644:John Hynes (December 5, 1978).
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382:Capital punishment in Missouri
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899:Executed people from Missouri
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91:Execution by lethal injection
924:Serial killers from Missouri
248:Murder of Ignatius DiManuele
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786:"High Court Refuses Appeal"
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10:
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835:United Press International
818:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
803:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
746:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
731:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
716:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
677:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
648:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
633:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
483:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
423:. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
370:Potosi Correctional Center
289:when he met a 33-year-old
268:Murder of Marie Montgomery
262:Homer G. Phillips Hospital
75:Potosi Correctional Center
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225:Winford LaVern Stokes Jr.
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171:3 (one as an accomplice)
463:St. Louis Post-Dispatch
308:Looking for Mr. Goodbar
79:Mineral Point, Missouri
319:First trial and escape
281:Murder of Pamela Benda
16:American serial killer
919:People from St. Louis
537:"Found Shot To Death"
291:Washington University
141:Armed criminal action
214:on December 11, 1978
131:First degree robbery
123:Second degree murder
303:South Bend, Indiana
177:Span of crimes
145:Escape from custody
87:Cause of death
56:St. Louis, Missouri
212:For the final time
362:Harry A. Blackmun
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97:Criminal status
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71:(aged 39)
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158:(Benda case)
127:Manslaughter
69:(1990-05-11)
67:May 11, 1990
869:1990 deaths
864:1951 births
355:gas chamber
858:Categories
698:2022-04-20
693:Justia Law
444:2022-04-20
403:References
334:South Side
328:agents in
235:Early life
147:(3 counts)
138:(2 counts)
133:(2 counts)
48:1951-03-21
181:1969–1978
842:April 3,
376:See also
200:Missouri
195:State(s)
101:Executed
330:Chicago
186:Country
168:Victims
163:Details
136:Robbery
255:whitey
243:Crimes
81:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
156:Death
844:2022
64:Died
38:Born
439:UPI
332:'s
326:FBI
311:by
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46:(
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