Aaron Joseph Ormsby was a 21-year-old Black/African American man from Meriden, Connecticut, known for his bright, inquisitive, and adventurous spirit. Born in New Haven, Aaron was educated in Meriden public schools and attended Orville H. Platt High School. In his youth, he was active in the community, playing in the Meriden Raiders Football League and local basketball leagues, and was also a member of the Marine Cadets of America.
Aaron had a talent for drawing portraits and a love for making others laugh. He was a doting father to his young son, Denairo.
On the evening of January 17, 2019, Aaron’s life was cut short. At approximately 6:30 p.m., Meriden police responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired on Foster Street. Officers discovered Aaron on the ground behind a house, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Midstate Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. At the time, authorities assured the public that they believed it was an isolated incident.
For more than two years, the Meriden Police Department’s Detective Division led the investigation into Aaron’s death, working in collaboration with the State's Attorney's Office in New Haven and other law enforcement agencies. Their persistent efforts led to a breakthrough in July 2021, when an arrest was made in the case.
Joseph Stokes, who was 21 at the time, was served with an arrest warrant while already incarcerated on unrelated charges. He faced extensive charges, including felony murder, murder, criminal use of a firearm, criminal attempt to commit an illegal sale of a firearm, and conspiracy to commit an illegal sale of a firearm. Following his arrest, the case proceeded to trial, where a jury found Joseph Stokes guilty of the murder of Aaron Ormsby.
