On October 30, 1993, just one night before Halloween, a quiet Minnesota community was shaken by a brutal and mysterious murder.
A 46-year-old man named Dennis Wayne Stokes was killed in Columbus Township, Minnesota, and even after all these years, his murder has remained unsolved.
Dennis was a respected executive at the company 3 M. He was killed with a shotgun in his home while asleep. He was shot twice at close range, causing massive trauma.
The crime scene showed no signs of forced entry or a struggle. Investigators quickly determined that the scene was made to look like a burglary, but nothing of value was stolen.
His body was found during a welfare check when he didn’t show up for a hunting engagement. According to authorities, his hunting gear was near the front door, and the door was open.
The details of the attack suggested that whoever pulled the trigger was familiar with Dennis’s everyday routine, the layout of his house, and possibly even how to enter without causing a disturbance.
Initially, suspicion turned toward his widow, Terri Stokes, due to reports of marital troubles, multiple alleged affairs, and financial issues. However, there was not enough evidence to charge her.
In 1996, Terri sued a local TV station for a report implying that she had something to do with Dennis’s death. In 1999, a jury found the report to be “defamatory and false,” but ruled that there was no “actual malice.”
As a result, no damages were rewarded. Eventually, she ended up leaving the area to start a new life. No arrests have ever been made regarding Dennis’s case.
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Furthermore, on the night of the murder, there was a party next door with a live band. It is believed that the killer used the noise from the party to mask the sound of the gunshots.
Per neighborhood gossip, pages were ripped out of Terri’s diary and daily planner, possibly in an attempt to hide something. She also was said to exhibit evasive behavior, such as telling inconsistent stories to the police, which gave off the impression that she was covering up her tracks.
In addition, Terri was allegedly having an affair with her ex-husband or someone else from her past. People whispered that she arranged the hit on Dennis through her ex or his connections.
It has been almost 33 years since Dennis’s death, and he and his family still have not received any justice. The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit still lists it as an active case.
In October 2024, they launched a webpage highlighting unsolved cases. No recent breakthroughs have been made, but modern forensics and DNA technology could help.
If you have any information about Dennis’s case, you can send it to ACSOColdCases@anokacountymn.gov.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
