In the late summer of 2025, the life of 23-year-old Antoine Stokes was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence that unfolded at a Waffle House in Hephzibah, Georgia. A young man from Martinez, his death on Thursday, August 21, 2025, left a void in the lives of his family, including his son, Zyleek.
The events leading to Stokes's death began to unfold at the Waffle House located on Taos Drive. What started as an ordinary visit to the restaurant escalated into a fatal encounter. An altercation, the specifics of which remain part of the ongoing investigation, resulted in Stokes being shot. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be too severe.
In the wake of the shooting, the Richmond County Sheriff's Office launched an intensive investigation. Their efforts quickly led to the identification of two individuals believed to be involved in the incident. The first suspect, a woman named Leila Bennett, was apprehended and charged with aggravated assault.
The search for the second suspect, identified as 26-year-old Jaylen Thompson, continued for a short time before he was located and taken into custody. Thompson faced the more serious charge of murder in connection with the shooting death of Antoine Stokes. He was also charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. As the legal process began, both Bennett and Thompson were booked at the Richmond County Jail, leaving a community to grapple with the sudden and tragic loss of a young life.
