Gerald W. Stokes, 67 of Utica, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to manslaughter and first-degree assault for an incident that occurred at his home in May 2021. Stokes was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Stokes was charged in 2021 with assault for stabbing his wife Retha Stokes and with murder for the death of Gary Owen, 76. Records show that all three were living in the 400 block of Browns Valley-Red Hill Road, with Owen renting a room from the couple.
Stokes was scheduled to appear before Circuit Judge Jay Wethington on Tuesday for a competency hearing. After it was determined he was competent to stand trial, Stokes entered a guilty plea.
Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Nick Payne said that after consulting with Retha Stokes and Owen’s next of kin, they agreed to the 20-year plea deal.
According to Payne, the manslaughter and assault charges will be served concurrently with a chance of parole after serving 85% of the sentence. Payne said Stokes will be held at Daviess County Detention Center and then be transferred elsewhere upon evaluation.
Reports show that when the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived to the scene in 2021, they made contact with Retha Stokes at a neighbor’s residence. She advised that her husband was trying to kill her and had stabbed her several times with a screwdriver while at their home.
Reports say that deputies also received information about another possible victim at the couple’s residence. When deputies arrived at the home, they located a Owen unresponsive on the kitchen floor with several puncture wounds, according to reports.
Both victims were transported to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, where Owen died from his injuries.
