An innocent man spent about ten days in jail for a murder he did not commit after the real killer devised a “elaborate plan to frame” the victim’s boyfriend, which included creating fake social media accounts and posting videos of her body, according to Indiana authorities.
According to a Facebook post from the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, cops responded on April 15 to conduct a welfare check on 35-year-old Wilma Gayle Robertson at a home on Hickory Drive in Hanover, which is located in the southeast part of the state near the Kentucky and Ohio borders. When they arrived, they discovered Robertson had died from stab wounds to the back.
Later that day, officers arrested 33-year-old Louisville resident Shawn Bailey for murder. The evidence against Bailey appeared to be as concrete as it could get: he admitted it and had a video of Robertson’s body. Bailey’s probable cause arrest affidavit, obtained by Law&Crime, shows that Robertson’s ex-husband’s girlfriend received a Facebook friend request from an account named “Shawn Bailey.”
“Shawn Bailey” sent her two messages. The first was a 5-second video allegedly showing Robertson dead on the floor while Chris Brown’s song “Stutter” played in the background. The lyrics read: “Got me trippin’ because you really f—k my head up.”
The second message that was sent, “Bailey” claimed to have written: “Tell her babe daddy that he doesn’t have to worry about her anymore and my bad for me and him getting in it over this b— me and him both got the same last name I did him a solid favor.”
Investigators later used DNA evidence to rule out the real Bailey as the perpetrator of the crime. According to prosecutors, the actual killer is 34-year-old Nigel Thomas of Oxford, Ohio, also known as “Nati Bang.”
After stabbing Robertson, Thomas “engaged in an elaborate plan to frame” Bailey, including creating multiple social media accounts claiming to be Bailey admitting to the murder, according to Jefferson County Prosecutor David Sutter.
On Friday, cops arrested Thomas, dropped charges against Bailey, and released him. Thomas’ arrest affidavit was not available, and prosecutors did not provide a motive for the crime or details about his relationship with Robertson.
“Ultimately, the criminal justice system seeks to discover the truth. Sutter said that multiple agencies from three states worked tirelessly to uncover Nigel Thomas’ crimes and clear Shawn Bailey.
Thomas is currently in jail in Ohio, awaiting extradition to Indiana.
According to her obituary, Robertson was known for posting videos on social media that aimed to encourage and inspire her followers. She has two children and works as a certified nursing assistant.
