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St. Pete murder suspect charged in 2 sexual assaults
Kailey Tracy reports
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Almost two months ago, St. Petersburg police arrested Tommy Stephens in the death of a woman found stabbed in an alley, charging him with second-degree murder. Now, the 52-year-old is facing new sexual assault charges in separate cases and detectives believe there could be other victims.
"As we put the case together after the homicide occurred, and we're able to put together another sexual battery, we find one that occurred approximately a year before where somebody is willing to come forward," explained St. Pete Police Department’s Assistant Chief Michael Kovacsev. "It's indicative of the fact there's probably a pattern here, and they’re probably not just the only three."
He said Stephens' victims so far were adult women who knew him, adding that both sexual assault cases happened near where Jona Waller was killed – one in April 2022 and one in February 2023.
Stephens is facing second-degree murder in Waller’s death. According to the arrest affidavit, Stephens stabbed Waller 20 times in March.
"There were overtones of sexual violence on that as well," Kovacsev said.
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St. Petersburg police say a reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest after a woman was found stabbed to death in an alley on Friday, March 17.
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Kovacsev said when Stephens was arrested in Waller’s death, a woman came forward to report Stephens sexually assaulted her.
"She had been very concerned about coming forward with that information. I think it's important to point out when somebody is out there, when somebody is not in custody, it's less likely somebody is willing to come forward and discuss those things," he said. "Having the opportunity for the individual to be in custody empowered her to move forward with the fact that she wanted to bring this forward to law enforcement."
Kovacsev said Stephens knew one of the victims and described the other victim as a "vulnerable person."
"That’s really kind of the whole crux of why we're kind of putting this out today," he noted. "It appears that he was preying on more vulnerable people in our society, individuals that may be transient, may make their living being out on the street."
Kovacsev said Stephens has led a transient lifestyle in the St. Pete area for several years. He urges any other victims to come forward.
"We want people to be heard, and we want people to come forward," he stated. "And if there's something that we need to be aware of, we're here to help. We have victim advocates. We have detectives that are willing to help navigate the criminal justice system and know that this is what we're here for, to make sure that there's a safe place. They're not victims. They're survivors. And they feel that they can empower themselves to be able to kind of hold their accuser accountable."
Police are encouraging anyone who had a violent or forced sexual interaction with Stephens to contact Detective Schwartz at 727-551-3277.
Waller was last seen on the morning that she was killed. One week later, police arrested Stephens. According to the arrest affidavit, surveillance video showed Stephens and a witness walking with Waller a block away from where she was found dead. The witness admitted that he saw Stephens attack Waller unprompted.
Stephens has pleaded not guilty, and his next court date is May 22.
Waller's family told FOX 13 she was a mother of two girls, ages three and five.
"Jona Joy Waller," said John Waller, Jona’s father. "Joy was the name that I gave her. I gave her that for a reason. She brought joy to us. To me."