INDIANAPOLIS — A convicted rapist admitted to sexual battery on a second woman in 2016.
Thomas Stone pleaded guilty Tuesday to Sexual Battery, a Level 6 felony, for assaulting victim Mikayla Devore in January 2016.
Stone appeared in court in a wheelchair and did not make a statement regarding his guilty plea.
His conviction marks the end of eight years of pending criminal cases in Marion County.
As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed remaining charges of rape, kidnapping and criminal confinement in Devore's case.
The judge sentenced Stone to 2.5 years in the Indiana Department of Correction, however, his sentence will run concurrently to the 26 year sentence he’s already serving—meaning, he will not serve any additional time in state prison for hurting Mikayla Devore.
“No duration of incarceration can fully undo the harm inflicted upon me and others,” said Devore in a victim impact statement read to the court. “However, it does afford a period during which women in our community can feel safer, with one less perpetrator at large.”
Stone was sentenced in November 2022 for raping another woman in 2016, Robyn Matthews, in what prosecutors called a “reign of terror.”
Stone is currently serving a 26-year prison sentence for three counts of rape, one count of criminal confinement and one count of intimidation in connection with the February 2016 rape of Matthews.
As part of his sentence in both cases, Stone will have to register as a sex offender the rest of his life and the court found him a sexually violent predator.
Devore and Matthews have been waiting eight years for justice to be served.
“Nothing can restore what has been taken from me, nor can it erase the years spent grappling with the repugnant and vulgar memories of your actions, or the enduring fear they instilled,” said Devore in her victim impact statement. “My hope is that your period of incarceration enables introspection and growth, sparing others from the anguish I endure and will continue to endure indefinitely.”
The case against Thomas Stone has been pending in the Marion County judicial system for eight years.
It’s an update to a WRTV Investigation we brought you in 2022— Justice Delayed.
He apologized to Matthews in 2022, but Stone said his attorney told him not to say much more.
Stone was found not guilty of raping another woman in 2016, but WRTV is not naming the alleged victim because she does not want to be identified.
WRTV’s Investigation Justice Delayed revealed the many reasons why justice can be delayed: COVID-19 delays and shutdowns, defense strategy, court and attorney caseloads, as well as the number of witnesses and evidence involved in a case.
TIMELINE IN THOMAS STONE CRIMINAL CASES
- January 29, 2016- Alleged assault against Mikayla Devore
- February 25, 2016- Assault against Robyn Matthews
- March 5, 2016- Alleged assault against a 3rd woman who we are not naming because she did not agree to speak with us.
- March 5, 2016- Stone is arrested, and released on bond the next day, jail records show.
- March 10, 2016- Marion County prosecutors file 11 rape, criminal confinement and kidnapping charges against Thomas Stone
- April 25, 2016- Marion County prosecutors file additional charges against Stone for the 3rd woman, bringing the total to 16 felony charges including rape, attempted rape, intimidation, criminal confinement and kidnapping.
- July 1, 2016- Alleged assault against Sara Arnold.
- July 1, 2016- Police arrest Thomas Stone in connection with Sara’s incident and he is booked into the Marion County jail. The court orders he be held without bond.
- July 5, 2016- Prosecutors charge Thomas Stone with rape in Sara’s case, which is a different case number than the three other women.
- February 10, 2017- While still incarcerated in the Marion County jail, Stone requests a speedy trial on Sara’s case
- April 19, 2017- A jury finds Stone not guilty of rape in Sara’s case
- May 9, 2017- Stone is released from the Marion County jail but remains on home detention.
- December 14, 2017- The court grants a motion for continuance in the case involving Robyn Matthews, Mikayla Devore and a 3rd woman. Court says Stone must stay away from establishments that serve alcohol.
- July 3, 2018- The court grants another continuance.
- October 31, 2018- The court grants another continuance.
- December 28, 2018- Stone is released from home detention, but remains on GPS monitoring and must stay away from establishments that serve alcohol.
- March 22, 2019- The court grants another continuance.
- March 2, 2020- The court grants another continuance.
- June 1, 2021- The court grants another continuance.
- July 26, 2021- At the urging of Stone’s attorney, the judge agrees to separate the women into different cases, but it’s not yet clear when or how their cases will be tried.
- July 26, 2021- Judge says Stone is not allowed on dating sites or in any establishment that serves alcohol.
- October 26, 2021- The court grants another continuance
- February 17, 2022- The court grants another continuance.
- April 14, 2022- A pre-trial conference takes place, and a judge sets a trial for July 18-20, 2022.
- July 18-20, 2022- Trial scheduled for two alleged victims. Another trial will be scheduled for the third alleged victim, Mikayla Devore.
- August 2022- Trial continued for two alleged victims.
- August 23, 2022- Judge found Stone guilty of three counts of rape, one count of criminal confinement, and one count of intimidation. Those charges stem from the rape of Robyn Matthews. Stone is found not guilty of raping a second alleged victim, who we are not naming. Stone was also found not guilty of kidnapping and criminal confinement in the second alleged victim’s case, which was combined with Robyn Matthews’ case for purposes of trial.
- November 18, 2022- Thomas Stone sentenced to 26 years for raping Matthews
- February 20, 2024- Stone pleaded guilty to Sexual Battery on Mikayla Devore and was sentenced to 910 days in the Indiana Department of Correction; sentence is concurrent to 26-year sentence, meaning no additional time is tacked onto Stone’s sentence
