On the evening of July 6, 2025, law enforcement officers in Moberly, Missouri, were dispatched to a residence in the 900 block of East Logan Street following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, first responders discovered a 23-year-old female, Bailey E. Scott, suffering from a gunshot wound to her torso. She was found on the front porch of a neighbor's home. Despite emergency efforts, Scott succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.
The incident shocked the local community, where Scott was known as a dedicated mother to her three-year-old son and an employee at a local assisted living facility.
The investigation led authorities to arrest 68-year-old David Kip Heyde, Scott’s neighbor, who lived directly across the street. According to court documents and police reports, the altercation stemmed from a dispute regarding Heyde’s behavior involving local wildlife. Neighbors and witnesses alleged that Heyde had been placing birdseed in the street to lure birds and then killing them, which upset Scott. Heyde told investigators that Scott had come to his porch to confront him about the issue. He claimed that he acted in self-defense, asserting that Scott had struck him in the face during the argument, causing him to become stunned and fire his weapon.
However, forensic evidence contradicted Heyde's account of the events. Police noted in probable cause statements that there were no visible marks, bruising, or swelling on Heyde’s face to corroborate his claim of being struck. Additionally, an autopsy revealed no signs of trauma or injury to Scott’s hands, casting further doubt on the allegation that she had physically attacked him. Following the investigation by the Moberly Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, Heyde was taken into custody.
David Heyde was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Scott’s death. He was held in the Randolph County Jail without bond. The case drew significant local attention, with community members organizing vigils and fundraisers to support Scott's young son. The legal proceedings focused on the disparity between Heyde's self-defense claims and the lack of physical evidence supporting a violent confrontation initiated by the victim.
