Bio

Nevelyn Stokes was born in 1976. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. It appears that he had problems throughout his youth, which may have contributed to his later actions.

During his teenage years, he struggled with issues that led him to engage in crime. By the time he was an adult, Stokes had a criminal record. In the months leading up to the tragic events of March 12, 1999, he committed theft, which seems to have escalated into further violent behavior. His life was marked by conflict and revenge.

Murder Story

On March 12, 1999, Nevelyn Stokes set a fire in a St. Louis apartment building. After getting beaten in a street fight earlier that day, he sought revenge against a woman and her boyfriend he believed were responsible for the attack. Stokes brought a gallon of gasoline to the building and splashed it onto the rear porch of the second floor. He then ignited the gasoline, thinking no one was home.

At the time of the fire, six children were inside the building. The victims were Amber Polk, aged 6 ½ months, Briana Sanford, aged 2, Forise Dexter Nowden, aged 5, Jason Wordlaw, aged 6, Darrell Howell Jr., aged 8, and Danielle Williams, aged 9. The fire spread quickly, making it impossible for anyone to escape in time.

As the flames consumed the building, some people managed to help others escape. An 18-year-old jumped from a window, while a 19-year-old was rescued from the roof. A 20-year-old woman attempted to reach her children on the third floor but was forced to drop from a window, resulting in a broken leg. Despite the close proximity of a fire station, firefighters could not save the children inside.

Stokes was later arrested and charged with one count of first-degree arson and six counts of felony murder. Prosecutors stated that he could not be charged with first-degree murder because he did not intend to kill anyone. Investigators learned of Stokes’ earlier fight and his motive for revenge after the fire.

On June 22, 2001, Nevelyn Stokes was sentenced to separate terms of 120 years and life in prison. He must serve nearly 64 years before he can be eligible for parole, meaning he will not be able to seek release until he is at least 88 years old.