2nd woman arrested in Walnut Hill slaying
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Authorities in Escambia County, Fla., arrested last week a fourth suspect — the second woman charged — in connection with the June 3 slaying of a Walnut Hill man and the near-fatal shooting of another.
According to the Escambia County Jail website, Jessica Nichole Thomas, 30, who lived at the Highway 164 residence where the shootings took place, remained in the facility Tuesday morning. She is charged with one count each of accessory after the fact to homicide and accessory after the fact to attempted homicide.
Jail records show that she is being held under a half-million dollars bond, $250,000 on each count.
Her ex-husband, 37-year old Christopher Alan Stacey, and his son, 18-year-old Christopher James Logan Stacey, also remained in the facility, where both are being held without bond. The men, both of whom reportedly lived with Thomas at the shooting site, are charged with one count each of homicide and attempted homicide in the fatal shooting of Dalton Davis, 22, and the shooting of Troy Boutwell, 50.
Reports show that Boutwell was shot several times and left for dead but survived his wounds. Last reports were that he remained in critical condition in a Mobile hospital.
Davis’ body — clad only in his underwear, socks and one boot — was discovered around 6:30 a.m. on June 3 in the bed of a pickup that had been pushed into Brushy Creek, off Deere Creek Road, outside Atmore. Boutwell, his body reportedly riddled with bullet holes and also wearing just his underwear, was discovered nearby as he staggered to get help.
The seriously wounded man was able to furnish authorities with details of the crime, including where it took place, and told them he was shot as he sat on a couch. When sheriff’s officers went to the address he provided, a couch was burning in the back yard.
The Staceys were arrested at the scene, along with 21-year-old Alexis Ileene Shiffner Cain, who was also charged with accessory to homicide and accessory to attempted homicide. According to the jail’s website, she also remained behind bars on Tuesday, held under total bonds of $151,000.
Boutwell told investigators he had been visiting Thomas at her residence when he and her former spouse became embroiled in an argument. He said Thomas, who reportedly acted as a lookout during and after commission of the crimes, was the subject of the quarrel that led to the shootings.