Stephanie Lynn Autry, a 34-year-old woman from Wake Forest, North Carolina, was found dead in her home on October 27, 2015. Her body was discovered by police after her nanny, who was taking care of her 3-year-old son, requested a welfare check due to unusual behavior and lack of communication from Autry. Upon arrival, police noticed a broken window at the back of the house and found Autry's body in a locked bathroom. Her head was covered with a plastic bag, and a blanket covered her body.
A hammer and possible bloodstains were found nearby.
Autry's husband, Lanson Paul Stalf, who had recently been released from prison for a bank robbery conviction, was arrested in Batesville, Mississippi, after a manhunt spanning several Southern states. Stalf had committed another bank robbery in Hernando, Mississippi, before being captured. He was charged with the murder of Stephanie Autry.
During the court hearing, it was revealed that Stalf had hit Autry in the head with a hammer and forced her to reveal her ATM number before putting a plastic bag over her head and strangling her with a picture frame wire. The actual cause of death was determined to be the plastic bag over her head and the wire around her neck. Stalf pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The murder of Stephanie Autry had a profound impact on her family and the community. Autry, who worked as a nurse at Duke, was remembered as a compassionate and loving mother, daughter, and friend. Her family expressed their grief and anger during the court proceedings, with her brother telling Stalf to "rot in hell" and her sister describing the emotional toll of raising Autry's son, who was left orphaned by the tragedy.
