In the winter of 2017, James Forrester, a 43-year-old male, was fatally shot in an act of violence that cut his life short. A beloved musician and body piercer at the Baltimore Tattoo Museum in Fells Point, Forrester was a well-known figure in the local arts scene. His sudden death left his family, friends, and the wider community in a state of shock and mourning.
On the evening of December 18, 2017, while standing outside his workplace, Forrester was engaged in a phone conversation with
his wife. The call took a horrifying turn when two men approached him in what investigators believe was an attempted robbery. His wife tragically heard his final words, 'get away from me,' before the line went silent. Shortly after, Forrester was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Baltimore Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide, releasing surveillance footage of two suspects to the public in the hopes of generating leads. These efforts led to the arrest of 29-year-old Michael Bailey, who was subsequently charged with first and second-degree murder, assault, and other related offenses. The second suspect, however, was never identified and remained at large.
The legal proceedings that followed brought more anguish to Forrester's loved ones. In a turn of events that was deeply disappointing to the family, Michael Bailey was acquitted of the first and second-degree murder charges. The prosecution's case was reportedly hampered by a lack of definitive evidence, as the surveillance footage did not clearly show a weapon in Bailey's hand. The second individual seen in the video was never apprehended, and the case remains an open investigation, leaving a lingering sense of unresolved justice for the family of James Forrester.
