On the night of December 30, 2020, the life of 59-year-old White / Caucasian male Ricky H. Bailey came to a violent end inside his residence on Rapson Road in Verona Township, Michigan. Shortly before midnight, around 11:19 p.m., the tranquility of the Bailey household was shattered when two masked intruders forced their way into the home. Bailey had recently moved into the property and was there with his two sons, who were aged 11 and 20 at the time. The events unfolded rapidly after the youngest son heard the sound of a door opening and went to alert his father.
Upon entering the room, the 11-year-old discovered that his father had already been shot by the assailants. The two suspects, described as wearing black ski masks, black leather coats, black gloves, and black pants, were armed with handguns. While Bailey lay wounded on the floor, the intruders yelled at him, demanding money. The situation escalated as one of the attackers physically assaulted Bailey while he was defenseless. The youngest son attempted to retreat and lock himself in a bathroom for safety, but one of the men kicked the door in, forced him out, and ordered him to lie on the floor. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old son managed to hide in a separate room, remaining undetected until the attackers fled the scene.
Once the intruders left, the sons called 911 to report the shooting. Emergency responders arrived to find Bailey unresponsive with two gunshot wounds. He was transported to McLaren Thumb Region Hospital in Bad Axe, where he was subsequently pronounced dead. Law enforcement officers from the Huron County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Bad Axe Police Department and the Michigan State Police, secured the scene and began an extensive investigation. Despite the brutality of the attack, the two sons were physically unharmed.
The investigation into the homicide has spanned several years involving multiple local, state, and federal agencies, yet no arrests have been made in direct connection to the murder. Authorities have theorized that the residence may have been specifically targeted, possibly due to the previous occupants or the Bailey family themselves, though the motive remains unclear. A significant development occurred in 2023 when a firearm confiscated by the Chicago Police Department in Illinois for an unrelated violation was identified through a ballistics database as the weapon used to kill Bailey.
Detectives traced the history of the recovered handgun, discovering it had originally been purchased in Huron County by a resident living in the southern part of the area. When interviewed, the original owner admitted to selling the weapon but claimed they could not remember the buyer’s identity and had no record of the transaction. This lead, while promising, eventually stalled, leaving investigators without a clear suspect. As of late 2024, the case remains open and unsolved, with family and friends offering a reward of $9,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for Ricky Bailey's death.
