Cody Lee Bailey was 20 when he was shot and killed on the night of August 2, 2012, after attending a gathering in Spencer County. Bailey, from Owensboro, Kentucky, had graduated from Owensboro High School and had plans to attend Western Kentucky University; he was described as friendly and artistic and considering futures in the medical field, art, or business.

Police say 19-year-old Joseph Galloway brought a handgun to the party and a 17-year-old female is believed to have fired the shot that struck Bailey in the chest. Friends took Bailey to a nearby hospital but he died of his injuries; police later found the handgun hidden in a bush outside the hospital. Both Galloway and the teenage girl were arrested and charged in connection with the shooting.

The community and Bailey’s family were left to grieve a young life ended suddenly. If anyone attended that gathering or has information about what happened that night, please come forward.