Conviction in 2019 Murder Case

Defendant Found Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder After Two-Week Jury Trial

Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks has announced that a Reno man has been convicted on one count of 2^nd Degree Murder following a jury trial that concluded early last week. Jessie Bailey, 26, from Reno, was found guilty in District Court following a two-week murder trial and will be sentenced on February 5, 2020. Bailey faces a maximum sentence of up to life in prison with parole eligibility after 10 years has been served. Bailey also faces up to an additional 20 year sentence for a deadly weapon enhancement to the crime.

The case against Bailey began on May 5, 2019 when the Reno Police Department (RPD) responded to the area of West 3^rd and Vine Street in Reno on a report of a dead body. When officers arrived, they located a deceased female, identified as Andrea Faulkner with an apparent gunshot wound to her head. RPD Robbery Homicide Unit (RHU) detectives were called out to the scene and immediately began an investigation. A preliminary investigation determined that the victim had been homeless for several years and was known to frequent the downtown area. The Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted in the investigation and determined that her death was the result of a shot to the left side head with a small caliber round. Further investigation by RHU identified Bailey as the suspect and determined that he had shot the victim in the early morning hours of May 5, 2019. Detectives were able to track Bailey as he walked to and from the scene of the murder by reviewing surveillance footage from numerous locations across downtown Reno. A search warrant executed on Bailey's residence located a .22 caliber handgun and clothing consistent with that seen in the video footage. Ballistics testing later matched a spent casing found at the scene with the weapon. Bailey was arrested and this office filed formal charge of Open Murder against him.

At trial, Chief Deputy District Attorney Kelly Kossow and Deputy District Attorney Adam Cate argued that while the murder itself was not captured on video surveillance and that there did not appear to be any connection between Bailey and Ms. Faulker, the video surveillance of Bailey fleeing the scene along with the shell casing fired from Bailey’s gun proved he was the murderer.