• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Saturday, August 2
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety
    Deadly Crash 2 SCDN

    Tragedy on Local Road: Woman and 6-Year-Old Killed in Horrific Head-On Crash

    Teen Plots to Drag Friend into Woods and Stab Him 

    handcuffs jail arrest

    🚨Warrant Wonderland! Man Nabbed with FOUR Outstanding Warrants After Traffic Stop in Wheelersburg🚔 

    oopsie

    Bad Decision: Woman Tries to Hide Drugs During Warrant Arrest 

    Mental Health

    Text Message Saves Man After Suicide Attempt at Franklin Furnace Gas Station

    Celsius ASTRO VIBE

    🚨 SPIKED ENERGY ALERT! 🚨 That Energy Drink You’re Sipping Might Be Straight Vodka

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/01/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Children in Danger

    Toddler Hospitalized After Getting Hold of Marijuana Vape 

    “I’ll Just Let Myself In”: Welfare Check Leads to Oversleeping Discovery 

    Police lights in rear view 2

    🚨 TRAFFIC STOP TURNS INTO JAIL DROP: MOM BUSTED ON MULTIPLE CHARGES 🚗👶 

    Jimmy Wombles

    🚨 CAPTURED! Accused Rapist Who Escaped Scioto County Facility Now in Custody 🚨 

    Jimmy Wombles

    🚨 RAPIST ON THE RUN: Inmate Escapes From Scioto County Lockdown Facility 🚨

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/31/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Homeless Task Force

    Nowhere to Go: Homeless Woman Pleads for Help, Winds Up in Jail—Then Back on the Streets 

    Sunset Bowling

    🚨 BRICKS, BATS & BOWLING ALLEY BRAWLS! STREET CHAOS ROCKS THE AFTERNOON 💥 

    SCDN File Photo

    “You Can’t Stay Here!” — Man’s Belongings Thrown into Yard in Domestic Blow-Up

    💥”I’LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!”—NURSE TARGETED IN BIZARRE FACEBOOK FURY!💻💀 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 07/30/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Laura “Mikki” Elliott

    Desperate Search Underway for Missing Mom Who Vanished After Leaving Portsmouth Rehab

    Domestic Meltdown: Woman Flees in Underwear with Toddler, Man Arrested After Chase

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics

    We Don’t Do Roads!: Scioto Commissioners Clarify Who’s Really in Charge of Road Repairs 

    “I’m Not Here to Replace Cathy”: New Commissioner Merit Smith Says He’ll Lead with Life Experience 

    Merit Smith

    Merit Smith Chosen to Fill Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    Scottie Powell

    “Run on Vision, Not Attacks”: Powell Offers Advice to Candidates Vying for Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    🌿 Bamboo Gets Fast-Tracked at City Hall — But the Homeless Crisis? Still Stuck in Neutral 

    Who Will Carry Cathy’s Torch? GOP to Choose Coleman’s Replacement July 29 

    Cathy Coleman

    Commissioners Back Senior Housing Project Championed by Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    “Bad and Quirky” Lucasville House Targeted for Demolition as County Cracks Down on Blighted Properties 

    ‘A Great Addition to Heaven’: Commissioners Honor Cathy Coleman, Reflect on Her Legacy and Who Might Carry It Forward 

    Cathy Coleman

    Scioto County Mourns Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    🚨TRIAL TWIST! Horton Corruption Case on Ice—For Now 

    Cathy Coleman

    Remembering Scioto County Commissioner Cathy Coleman

    somc 2

    🏥 Scioto County Approves Hospital Tax to Keep Medicaid Dollars Local 

    No Kings

    Scioto Dems Snort at “Well-Funded” No Kings Protest Claim

    Cathy Coleman

    Cathy Coleman Still Fighting: Family Shuts Down Hospice Rumors, Says Recovery Still Underway

    County May Tap Opioid Settlement Funds to Finish MARCS Tower Project 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Small Steps, Big Faith’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Edges Closer to Recovery 

    Cathy Coleman

    ‘Praise God!’: Commissioner Cathy Coleman Shows Remarkable Progress After Harrowing Weeks

    Cathy Coleman

    Cautious Hope and Harsh Realities: New Details Emerge on Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Condition 

    Scioto County Commissioners Cancel This Week’s Meeting 

  • Feel Good
    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    The Best Freshwater Fish To Catch This Summer

    A man approaching the bowling lane with a red bowling ball as his three friends in the background cheer him on.

    How Bowling Can Improve Your Mental Health

  • Obituaries

    Sophia and Olivia Boggs

    Andrea Gail Walters 43 of Wheelersburg

    Patricia Ann Bennett

    Patricia Ann Bennett, 85 of Minford

    Brian Richards

    Brian Richards of Upper Twin Creek

    Ann Thomas, 89 of Scottsboro

    Barbara Williams

    Marion Emma Wickersham, 80 of Otway

    Sheila Ann Puckett-Free

    Sheila Ann Puckett-Free, 50, of Rarden

    Gail Lynn Harris

    Gail Lynn Harris 70 of sciotoville

    Erik Lael Bryant

    Erik Lael Bryant, aged 54 of Wurtland

    Wanda F. Bender

    Wanda F. Bender, 94 of Portsmouth

    David Gershon McFadden, 84 of Wheelersburg

    Leroy Slusher

    Leroy Slusher, 89 of Minford

    Joseph Michael Ober

    Joseph Michael Ober 53 of Oberling

    Helen E. Brown, 89, of McDermott

    Dannette Ann Lowery

    Dannette Ann Lowery, 55 of Mentor, Ohio

    Kathryn Jane Zaayer

    Kathryn Jane Zaayer, 87 of Otway

    Kyle E. Redoutey

    Kyle E. Redoutey, 30

    Myrtle Maxine Carver Boggs

    Myrtle Maxine Carver Boggs, 85 of South Portsmouth

    Patricia Ann Robinson

    Patricia Ann Robinson 73 McDermott

    Barbara Williams

    Shirley Jean Hackworth, 89 of Franklin Furnace,

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

Grand Jury Indicts Former Corrections Officer for Death of Kevin Bailey

Justice, At Last, For Kevin Bailey

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
4 years ago
in Public Safety
Kevin Bailey Blake Thompson
ShareTweetEmail

Grand Jury indicts former Scioto County Jail Corrections Officer Billy Thompson in Kevin Bailey death.

“Hallelujah!” That was all an emotional Karen Skaggs could muster the strength to comment upon learning there has finally been an indictment in the death of her brother Kevin Bailey. It’s been nearly a year since the 56-year-old homeless Portsmouth man was severely injured in an incident at the Scioto County Jail and died a few days later at a Columbus hospital.

Scioto County Prosecutor, Shane Tieman, told SCDN today “The Attorney General’s Office was appointed as Special Prosecutor at my request to handle this matter. They will be responsible for all stages of the case.”

RELATED POSTS

We Don’t Do Roads!: Scioto Commissioners Clarify Who’s Really in Charge of Road Repairs 

🚨 CAPTURED! Accused Rapist Who Escaped Scioto County Facility Now in Custody 🚨 

Nowhere to Go: Homeless Woman Pleads for Help, Winds Up in Jail—Then Back on the Streets 

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said, “Thompson was indicted by a Scioto County grand jury on Friday, April 16, on charges of murder, an unclassified felony; voluntary manslaughter, a felony of the first degree; and reckless homicide, a felony of the third degree. If convicted, Thompson could get 15 years to life in prison.”

Our Betty Smith will cover the Thompson arraignment hearing.

Ignored By Other Media

At a time when police brutality makes headlines all over the United States and the world, you’d think Ohio media would have extensively reported the homicide of an inmate.  With the exception of SCDN,  When we spoke to his sister, Karen Skaggs, back in November, she couldn’t figure it out. Karen Skaggs can’t figure it out.

“I can’t understand why the news hasn’t put this on the air or anything. It’s like he didn’t matter. I called Channel 3 and all of them and told them the story and they didn’t want any part of it.”

There was some coverage of a protest at the jail back in the summer, but since then there has been little or no media interest outside of this site. Skaggs doesn’t get it, “I thought will all the police violence, this would be a like a big story for them. But it just didn’t go anywhere. It makes me sad for my brother. It’s like his life didn’t matter. And that makes me sad. His life still mattered.”

Skaggs said she couldn’t even find a local probate attorney to help her with establishing an estate for her brother. That would be the first step towards suing the county for wrongful death. She said no local lawyers are willing to get involved.

Kevin Bailey Timeline

  • May 24 – Kevin Bailey is arrested.
  • May 26 – Bailey is assaulted at the jail sustaining skull fractures, broken ribs, and other serious injuries
  • June 1 – Kevin Bailey is removed from life support and dies at a Columbus Hospital
  • Early June – State of Ohio takes over the death investigation.
  • Mid-June – Sheriff Marty Donnini fires a deputy in connection with the incident
  • July 14 – Karen Skaggs receives a bill from the City of Portsmouth for her brother’s ashes.
  • October 2 – Coroner’s report rules Bailey’s death a homicide by blunt force trauma. The reports detail multiple skull fractures, broken ribs, and bruises to Bailey’s lungs.
  • December 2 =Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman handed off the job of prosecuting any charges in the homicide of Kevin Bailey to the state of Ohio.  In a statement, Tieman said, “The Ohio Attorney General’s Office accepted the request from the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office to review and prosecute any charges arising out of the homicide investigation of the death of Kevin Bailey at the Scioto County Jail.”

At the time, Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman urged patience, saying that it can take a long time to properly prepare a case to present to the grand jury.

 

Lifelong Struggle With Addiction

It’s been a rough year for Karen Skaggs. In addition to losing her brother, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She told SCDN the chemo treatments have been rough. But she’s determined to beat cancer and continue the fight for justice for her late brother.

Kevin Bailey’s life was a difficult one. The 56-year-old homeless man struggled with addiction for most of his life. His sister said it began when he was just 16 and became involved in an inappropriate relationship with a woman in her 40s. The woman allowed him to drink and do drugs in her home. When their father found out, he put a stop to the relationship.  “When she told him not to come back, he tried to commit suicide with whiskey and pills. He just went downhill and never stopped.”

She said that despite his difficulties her brother maintained a kind heart. “Even though he needed help, he would stop and help somebody if they needed it.” The last time she spoke to Kevin, his sister begged him to get clean. “I told him that it was just me and him now and I needed a brother in my life but I couldn’t have one while he was on drugs. He said ‘I promise you I’ll try to get clean.’ I later found out he was going to a rehab place and trying to get clean and get off the drugs.”

Fight For Justice

Skaggs said the holidays were an especially difficult time. “I have a lot of good memories of him before the drugs came into play. He was a very protective brother. We had a lot of good Thanksgiving and Christmases together.”

Skaggs Bailey

Please Support This Local Business

Despite the obstacles, Karen kept up her fight. This sister said that no matter what, she wouldn’t give up on finding the truth. “I feel like he’s being pushed under the rug but I’m not going to let it go away. I promised him on his deathbed that I would fight for him. No matter how long it takes or what it takes, somebody will have to answer for what was done to him.”

Now, at last, she’s found some measure of justice for Kevin.

Kevin Bailey Blake Thompson Kevin Bailey Blake Thompson
Tags: Featured
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 08/01/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

August 1, 2025

Andrea Gail Walters 43 of Wheelersburg

July 31, 2025
Deadly Crash 2 SCDN

Tragedy on Local Road: Woman and 6-Year-Old Killed in Horrific Head-On Crash

August 1, 2025

Sophia and Olivia Boggs

July 31, 2025
Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 07/31/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

July 31, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.