Man charged with murder for death of accomplice in botched home invasion robbery

Horace Stokes fled the scene and left his wounded accomplice behind, but police caught up with him a few days later. (Photo: Jefferson County Jail)

An Alabama man faces murder charges after his accomplice was killed in a home invasion robbery earlier this month.

Police charged Horace Stokes, 38, of Mulga, with murder two days after he was arrested on outstanding warrants unrelated to the incident, according to a statement by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

The murder charge stems from the death of Stephen Crump, 38, of Edgewater, who died of a gunshot wound during the Sept. 15 robbery attempt.

Authorities say the two men forced their way into the house around 10:30 pm. The homeowner and a friend fought the two suspects while his wife called 911. She told investigators that she heard a gunshot while she was on the phone. Stokes then fled the scene with a third suspect who has not been identified or located.

When authorities arrived, they found the homeowner suffering from a cut he received when he was struck with a handgun and transported him to a hospital. They also pronounced Crump dead a short time after arriving. It’s unclear if the gunshot that killed him was fired intentionally or accidentally.

Local media reports Crump had been awaiting trial on charges of drug possession and receiving stolen property, which he was arrested for in 2015. Crump had been convicted of drug distribution in 2009 for which he served a stint in prison.

Investigators located Stokes five days after the incident. They had developed enough information to identify him as the fleeing suspect. He was arrested for felony probation violations, but after two days in custody authorities charged him with murder for his role in a robbery that resulted in the death of an accomplice.

Jail records show Stokes is being held without bond.