Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sheriff looks out of state for Bailey murder leads

Sheriff Ray Wingfield said Friday morning nobody has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 25 murder of Thurman "Fat Wally" Bailey, 79, of Smithton.

"We continue to interview leads from the area and elsewhere," the sheriff said. "We have even done some out of state investigating, but no arrests have been made.

"We want to solve this murder case in the worst way, as Mr. Bailey seems to have been a well loved and respected citizen."

Sheriff Wingfield said he and his department will continue to work on the case "and will report our progress to the press."

He said in an earlier press release, "Preliminary autopsy findings issued by the state medical examiner established Thurman Bailey died as a result of arteriosclerotic heart disease with a contributing factor involving the binding of his body."

Baileys body was discovered on Wednesday, Jan. 25 by two men who arrived to do some work for the deceased.

Authorities discovered several items missing from his residence, on the day his body was discovered inside the home.