HEPHZIBAH, GA — A violent confrontation at a Hephzibah Waffle House Wednesday night ended with Antoine Stokes dead, Layla Bennett behind bars, and her boyfriend Jalen Thomas still on the run, authorities say. The incident is the culmination of a tangled web of prior criminal activity, gang connections, and personal conflicts that law enforcement officials are still piecing together.
Bennett, who had previously reported a domestic violence incident involving Stokes just two months earlier, told investigators she believed Stokes had been following her. “I didn’t know what he wanted, but I was scared for my life,” Bennett reportedly told law enforcement. She initially attempted to leave the parking lot, but when Stokes continued to follow, she returned to the Waffle House, hoping the confrontation would end without violence.
Stokes’ history, authorities say, likely intensified the fear. At just 16 years old, he was charged in the 2019 murder of 19-year-old Kenneth Porter during a failed robbery attempt in Augusta. Though he did not pull the trigger, prosecutors say he was recruited to participate in the crime, handed a firearm, and played a role in the setup. Following the shooting, Stokes reportedly confessed to his mother and turned himself in. He eventually accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to attempted armed robbery and possession of a firearm. He served a five-year sentence and was placed on probation under Georgia’s First Offender Act.
The Waffle House encounter quickly escalated into violence, leaving Stokes dead and sparking a manhunt for Thomas, who remains at large. Bennett was arrested at the scene and is now facing multiple charges, including homicide. Investigators say they are actively pursuing Thomas, whose involvement in the deadly incident is under investigation.
Authorities are urging anyone with information on Thomas’ whereabouts to come forward. Sheriff’s deputies describe him as armed and dangerous, and they are cautioning the public to avoid attempting to approach him.
This violent episode underscores a larger pattern of criminal behavior and unresolved conflicts in the Hephzibah and Augusta area. From prior gang ties to domestic violence and past criminal convictions, the individuals involved had histories that, officials say, contributed to the tragic confrontation at the Waffle House.
Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident, including the precise motivations behind the confrontation and whether others may have been involved. Meanwhile, the community is left grappling with the aftermath of a deadly night that has shaken a small, otherwise quiet part of Richmond County.
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