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It was nearly six years ago when Thurman “Fat Wally” Bailey, 79, a man known locally for his generosity toward others, was found dead in his home at 1569 Smithton Road, Gurdon, by two men who worked for him.
Bailey’s body was found on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. His body was sent to the state Crime Laboratory, and an autopsy determined that the cause of death was heart failure. But the condition of his home’s interior, described by police as having been ransacked, the fact that he was bound and the fact that some property was missing from the residence led investigators to believe that Bailey’s death stemmed from a home invasion.
Now, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office is hoping that someone will offer confidential information regarding Bailey’s death.
Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson worked the case as an investigator for the sheriff’s office. He said investigators conducted “dozens” of interviews with neighbors and others, ultimately leading them to a lead in Lansing, Mich. That information, however, “ended up not panning out” for the investigation, Watson said.
Watson recalled working on the case seven days a week and traveling much of southern Arkansas during the months after Bailey’s death. It was during that time, he said, that investigators “developed potential suspects” and that the interviews “led to persons of interest.” Since the case grew cold, Watson said investigators have continued to spend time working on the case. But there hasn’t been enough evidence to charge anyone in connection with Bailey’s death, Watson said.
Watson said he believes more than one person was involved in the home invasion that led to Bailey’s death.
But what he believes most is that there is someone out there willing to talk.
“I’m hoping enough time has passed since this home invasion that someone has talked about it, shared information on it or bragged about it,” the sheriff said. “This is definitely a case involving violence, and the persons responsible for this could still be free. I don’t want this chain of events to happen again.”
The day Bailey’s body was found, reporters spoke with his friend and neighbor of 40 years, Jonnie Smith, who described “Fat Wally” as a generous person, known for giving children in his neighborhood $10 each Christmas. “Fat didn’t bother nobody,” Smith said. “He was just a giving person.”
Watson urges anyone with knowledge about the January 2006 home invasion to call the sheriff’s office at (870) 246-2222 or the Arkadelphia Police Department at (870) 246-4545. Watson said any information police receive will be kept confidential and may be kept anonymous.
The case involving Bailey’s death is one of at least two that will be targeted in the coming days as part of a collaborative effort between the sheriff’s office and the Siftings to solve cold cases.
The Siftings and the CCSO welcomes community input to help solve any old case. Watson noted that priority will be given to cases that involve violence, though “thefts are important, too.”
Through conducting interviews with detectives and victims’ family members, as well as reviewing police reports from the crimes, the Siftings will rehash details from the cases in the hope that readers who may have knowledge about the crime will call the sheriff’s office with important information that could help solve the crime.
It was nearly six years ago when Thurman “Fat Wally” Bailey, 79, a man known locally for his generosity toward others, was found dead in his home at 1569 Smithton Road, Gurdon, by two men who worked for him.
Bailey’s body was found on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006. His body was sent to the state Crime Laboratory, and an autopsy determined that the cause of death was heart failure. But the condition of his home’s interior, described by police as having been ransacked, the fact that he was bound and the fact that some property was missing from the residence led investigators to believe that Bailey’s death stemmed from a home invasion.
Now, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office is hoping that someone will offer confidential information regarding Bailey’s death.
Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson worked the case as an investigator for the sheriff’s office. He said investigators conducted “dozens” of interviews with neighbors and others, ultimately leading them to a lead in Lansing, Mich. That information, however, “ended up not panning out” for the investigation, Watson said.
Watson recalled working on the case seven days a week and traveling much of southern Arkansas during the months after Bailey’s death. It was during that time, he said, that investigators “developed potential suspects” and that the interviews “led to persons of interest.” Since the case grew cold, Watson said investigators have continued to spend time working on the case. But there hasn’t been enough evidence to charge anyone in connection with Bailey’s death, Watson said.
Watson said he believes more than one person was involved in the home invasion that led to Bailey’s death.
But what he believes most is that there is someone out there willing to talk.
“I’m hoping enough time has passed since this home invasion that someone has talked about it, shared information on it or bragged about it,” the sheriff said. “This is definitely a case involving violence, and the persons responsible for this could still be free. I don’t want this chain of events to happen again.”
The day Bailey’s body was found, reporters spoke with his friend and neighbor of 40 years, Jonnie Smith, who described “Fat Wally” as a generous person, known for giving children in his neighborhood $10 each Christmas. “Fat didn’t bother nobody,” Smith said. “He was just a giving person.”
Watson urges anyone with knowledge about the January 2006 home invasion to call the sheriff’s office at (870) 246-2222 or the Arkadelphia Police Department at (870) 246-4545. Watson said any information police receive will be kept confidential and may be kept anonymous.
The case involving Bailey’s death is one of at least two that will be targeted in the coming days as part of a collaborative effort between the sheriff’s office and the Siftings to solve cold cases.
The Siftings and the CCSO welcomes community input to help solve any old case. Watson noted that priority will be given to cases that involve violence, though “thefts are important, too.”
Through conducting interviews with detectives and victims’ family members, as well as reviewing police reports from the crimes, the Siftings will rehash details from the cases in the hope that readers who may have knowledge about the crime will call the sheriff’s office with important information that could help solve the crime.
