22-year-old homicide remains unsolved as Michiana Crime Stoppers pleads for tip

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Your case has not been forgotten. That’s the message Michiana Crime Stoppers is sending as detectives continue looking into who killed 24-year-old Leah Bailey.

Sunday marks 22 years.

On May 29, 2000, shots rang out around 10:30 p.m. in the 1100 block of Queen Street in South Bend. It all started with a fight. Bailey was caught in the crossfire.

“It does not appear that she has anything to do with the fight itself. She wasn’t part of the gun battle, but an innocent life taken in the midst of that,” explains Lt. Kayla Miller with Michiana Crime Stoppers.

This young mom of two was killed at the age of 24.

“What we know is there was multiple people outside, not just those involved in the gun battle. So, we have witnesses in that area. It has been 22 years; it is time for you to come forward. It is time for you to share the piece of the puzzle that you have so we can bring some closure to this family,” says Lt. Miller.

As this family was trying to make sense of what happened and deal with the unimaginable amount of loss, this happened.

“15 years later, almost to the same day, this is May 17th so just a week shy of that anniversary for Leah, her brother Guiseppi was killed as well,” says Lt. Miller.

Police say it was around 10 p.m. when officers were called to the 300 block of Manchester Drive in South Bend for a man down. Originally thinking it was a medical condition, first responders started performing lifesaving measures on 41-year-old Guiseppi. Finally, they realized he had been shot.

“As a mother, I don’t know how you grieve the loss of one child let alone the loss of a second. Especially that close together, you know, the same time frame, 15 years apart. It’s just, its heartbreaking,” adds Lt. Miller.

Police learned Guiseppi liked taking walks, especially in the evenings, so this was not out of the ordinary. But, on May 17, 2015, someone approached him, shot him and killed him. He too left behind two kids.

If you have any information on either of these cases, no matter how big or small, you are asked to contact Michiana Crime Stoppers. Remember, you will remain 100-percent anonymous.

“Nobody is judging you for holding onto a piece of information for 20 years. We just ask that you bring that information forward,” says Lt. Miller.

Both of these cases are eligible for a cash reward of up to $2500 if your anonymous tip leads to the solving or arrest in one of these cases.

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