2008 Murder Update
By: Jackie Smith
Updated: December 2, 2010
A two year old case was was finally solved yesterday after an Odessa man was arrested for the murder of a 5-week-old baby.
41-year-old John Bailey is being charged with capitol murder, and he is currently awaiting bond.
His case was just made public last month after the Odessa American launched an investigation into the Odessa Police Departments uniform crime reporting numbers.
The OA found that this brutal murder was not reported in the 2008 statistics.
Odessa Police are taking some fault for the lack of public awareness in this case.
But today they told Big 2 that just because the public was not aware, does not mean they weren't investigating.
The only thing that matters they say, is that little Dustyn Wright may finally rest in peace.
Odessa Police are taking some fault for the lack of public awareness in this case.
But today they told Big 2 that just because the public was not aware, does not mean they weren't investigating.
The only thing that matters they say, is that little Dustyn Wright may finally rest in peace.
"We didnt even know about it when it happened," said Neighbor.
This neighbor who did not want her identity revealed says she lives three houses down from the place where little Dustyn Wright is said to have been murdered.
But she only heard about it just hours ago.
"It was only today when we found out," said the Neighbor.
In the arrest Affidavit it says that John Bailey was flipping 5-week-old Dustyn Wright in a car seat puncturing his head at 1419 w. 24th street in Odessa.
His wife Megan Bailey, and Dustyns mother Tamara Deitrick all witnessed Bailey doing this.
But it wasnt until they left the baby alone with John Bailey that they heard the baby scream in terror.
Soon after the baby was dead.
But it was not until two years later that OPD could finally make an arrest.
"We had additional autopsies, she issued us a second opinion about establishing a time frame, once we did that we were able to gather an arrest warrant," said Detective Eddie Reed.
Even though the public didn't know about it because of a faulty crime statistic system.
Reed says the deparment was looking into the case.
"It's been an ongoing investigation the entire time. Once we got the information that we needed we arrested him," said Reed.
Reed says the community should know that two years may sound like along time to solve a case but when it involves a child they make sure to be extra careful.
"And the thing to understand is when we have an active investigation especially involving something heinous, this is an extremely heinous crime to kill this 5 week old child, we guard that very close and we want to make sure when we continue this investigation, that we get it done right we owe it to this child," said Reed.
OPD says their is no new information about the arrest.
They did tell me that he is being charged with capitol murder meaning that he could be facing the death penalty.
41-year-old John Bailey is being charged with capitol murder, and he is currently awaiting bond.
His case was just made public last month after the Odessa American launched an investigation into the Odessa Police Departments uniform crime reporting numbers.
The OA found that this brutal murder was not reported in the 2008 statistics.
Odessa Police are taking some fault for the lack of public awareness in this case.
But today they told Big 2 that just because the public was not aware, does not mean they weren't investigating.
The only thing that matters they say, is that little Dustyn Wright may finally rest in peace.
Odessa Police are taking some fault for the lack of public awareness in this case.
But today they told Big 2 that just because the public was not aware, does not mean they weren't investigating.
The only thing that matters they say, is that little Dustyn Wright may finally rest in peace.
"We didnt even know about it when it happened," said Neighbor.
This neighbor who did not want her identity revealed says she lives three houses down from the place where little Dustyn Wright is said to have been murdered.
But she only heard about it just hours ago.
"It was only today when we found out," said the Neighbor.
In the arrest Affidavit it says that John Bailey was flipping 5-week-old Dustyn Wright in a car seat puncturing his head at 1419 w. 24th street in Odessa.
His wife Megan Bailey, and Dustyns mother Tamara Deitrick all witnessed Bailey doing this.
But it wasnt until they left the baby alone with John Bailey that they heard the baby scream in terror.
Soon after the baby was dead.
But it was not until two years later that OPD could finally make an arrest.
"We had additional autopsies, she issued us a second opinion about establishing a time frame, once we did that we were able to gather an arrest warrant," said Detective Eddie Reed.
Even though the public didn't know about it because of a faulty crime statistic system.
Reed says the deparment was looking into the case.
"It's been an ongoing investigation the entire time. Once we got the information that we needed we arrested him," said Reed.
Reed says the community should know that two years may sound like along time to solve a case but when it involves a child they make sure to be extra careful.
"And the thing to understand is when we have an active investigation especially involving something heinous, this is an extremely heinous crime to kill this 5 week old child, we guard that very close and we want to make sure when we continue this investigation, that we get it done right we owe it to this child," said Reed.
OPD says their is no new information about the arrest.
They did tell me that he is being charged with capitol murder meaning that he could be facing the death penalty.
