In a tragic sequence of events fueled by jealousy and rejection, 24-year-old Bailea Rae McDermott was shot and killed in her Tucson, Arizona, home on April 6, 2023. A behavioral health technician who worked with autistic children, McDermott found herself the unintended victim of a dispute involving her sister.
The conflict began when Avante Pitco, who had been dating McDermott's sister, was turned down in his request for an exclusive relationship.
In the days that followed, a campaign of intimidation and violence unfolded. On April 5, two tires on the sister's car were slashed while it was parked at the hair salon where she worked. She identified Pitco as the likely suspect after reviewing surveillance footage. The following day, the salon was targeted again, this time with an arson attempt at the front of the building.
Concerned for their safety, the two sisters made a plan to return to their shared home at the same time. Bailea arrived first, sending a text to her sister just before 5:10 p.m. to let her know she was home. When her sister arrived around 5:30 p.m., she discovered Bailea on the floor, having been shot multiple times. Investigators found three nine-millimeter shell casings at the scene.
Law enforcement quickly focused their investigation on Avante Pitco. His mother and brother informed police that he had confessed to them about shooting his girlfriend. A hat found at the crime scene was identified by his brother as belonging to Pitco. Using cell phone data to track his location, police apprehended him and found him in possession of a nine-millimeter handgun. After initially providing a false account, Pitco admitted to slashing the tires and starting the fire at the salon, stating that he was provoked after seeing a man near the sisters' house. However, when questioned about what transpired at the house where Bailea McDermott was killed, he refused to cooperate further.
Avante Pitco was subsequently charged with murder and arson. He was convicted and sentenced to 54 and a half years in prison for the murder of Bailea Rae McDermott. During the sentencing, McDermott's sister, Alyssa, described her as someone who 'lit up every single room that she entered' and stated that her family would continue to live in her honor.
