A digital trail of texts and Google searches led authorities to charge Ralph Stokes’ mother with helping him to dispose of Jimmijion Bailey’s body in October 2024.
Antoinette Stokes, 54, was charged Wednesday with arson, obstruction of justice, altering the scene of a death, and two misdemeanors – failure to notify authorities of the discovery of a dead body and failure to report human remains.
She has not been apprehended. When arrested, she is ordered held on a $5,000 bond.
Ralph Stokes is charged with murder in 25-year-old Bailey’s shooting death on Oct. 5, 2024. The man’s decapitated body was found Oct. 11, 2024, on the 2300 block of Clay Street with his arms and knees bound with black tape.
Bailey’s relatives said previously he had just started dating a woman a few weeks earlier and Stokes, her child’s father, was jealous. The slaying happened in the woman’s apartment.
After the slaying, authorities said Stokes had help to dispose of the body.
After seizing and examining two of Antoinette Stokes’ cell phones in a court order, investigators found a 10 a.m. Oct. 11, 2024, text chain between her and co-defendant Betty Tomlinson’s phones.
“Yes, we out here again tonight though to make sure I think I need gas, though that light not strong enough,” Tomlinson’s number texted.
“Told u,” Antoinette responds.
“No, it started, but whoever closed the door suffocated it,” Tomlinson wrote.
“U been n there,” Antoinette asks her. “Its getting sloppy.”
“I’ve been upstairs to her door,” Tomlinson replies. “He said he left it half open someone closed it which caused the flames to die down. Naw, we should have used gas instead.”
“Should have been a cocktail and said (forget) it,” Antoinette wrote. “(I know.) I told u that.”
Court filings allege Antoinette Stokes made several Google searches from Oct. 9-11, including “what to spray on blood so it illuminates,” “where to buy luminol near me,” “what stops luminol from working,” and “how long does it take for lighter fluid to burn off.”
Investigators found more Google searches on Antoinette’s second cell phone – “what can I use to clean blood,” “what light do you use to check for blood,” “what is a fast accelerant,” “what burns faster kerosen (sic) or gas,” and “uv light for stains.”
Ralph Stokes’ bid for bail was denied in September. On a police interrogation video, he claimed self-defense.
Tomlinson, the ex-girlfriend’s mother, is charged with buying cleaning supplies for Stokes from a Walgreens on Oct. 6, 2024. Then, she bought two bottles of lighter fluid around 3 a.m. Oct. 11 from a Citgo gas station in Gary, charges allege.
Judge Natalie Bokota granted prosecutors’ request on Dec. 30 to do a joint trial for Ralph Stokes and Betty Tomlinson. His next hearing was scheduled for Friday.
Investigators were tipped off on Oct. 10, 2024, that Bailey was shot inside the girlfriend’s apartment. His body was moved to the bathroom for several hours. His car was taken to 9th and Roosevelt to “throw off the investigation.” The girlfriend changed her number after Bailey was killed, the affidavit states.
“Why would you do that with our child present,” the ex-girlfriend screamed.
“That’s who I am,” Stokes responded.
Two detectives went to the Stokes’ house in the 700 block of Louisiana Street, where they found the Ford Flex, silver Infiniti and black Audi, his family’s vehicles.
License plate readers showed Bailey showed up to the apartment on Oct. 5. Later, the Chrysler 200 was driven off, followed by the black Audi toward 9th and Roosevelt, to ditch Bailey’s car, before the black car headed back to the apartment.
Then, the black Audi and Ford Flex head to the 2300 block of Clay Street, where Bailey’s body was later found.
Anyone with more information can contact Detective Jason Szemes at 219-755-3855.
Post-Tribune archives contributed.
mcolias@post-trib.com
