In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Florence, Alabama, a welfare check initiated a chain of events that would uncover a tragic end to the life of 38-year-old Judy Turbyfill Staten. On November 5, 2017, police responded to a call concerning a man on North Franklin Street. That man, identified as 49-year-old Eric Dewayne Bailey, informed officers about an incident that had occurred at a residence on South Magnolia Street. His disorderly conduct, however, prevented them from gathering further details at that moment.
Upon arriving at the South Magnolia Street home, officers made a grim discovery. Inside, they found the body of Judy Staten, a white female, who had sustained a single gunshot wound. The scene was quickly secured, and an investigation into her death began. An autopsy was ordered to be performed by the Department of Forensic Science to confirm the cause of death.
As investigators delved into the case, they learned that Staten and Bailey, a Black male, were in a relationship, often referring to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. They had been seen together at various locations leading up to the incident. The investigation involved speaking with several witnesses and family members to piece together a timeline of the events that culminated in Staten's death. The information provided by citizens proved crucial to the advancement of the case.
The day after the discovery of Staten's body, on November 6, 2017, a breakthrough was made. Following extensive work by crime scene investigators and detectives who processed the evidence collected at the residence, Eric Dewayne Bailey was charged with the murder of Judy Staten. He was subsequently taken into custody and held at the Lauderdale County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. The motive for the shooting was not immediately released to the public. The legal proceedings that followed his arrest and charging are not detailed in the available online sources.
