With the clues found at the scene, the police initially believed that the death of the 69-year-old man was a suicide.
The Happy Marriage
Kenneth “Ken” Nix, born in 1946 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was the eldest of six siblings and had a passion for cars and motorcycles.
Growing up, Ken became a skilled mechanic. He also became the youngest gas station owner in Lake Charles. In 1966, Ken married his first wife. The family later moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. However, this marriage did not last long. They divorced after having three children together.
This breakup didn’t sadden Ken. He continued to search for love but seemed to never find the right person. Over the next 10 years, Ken married and divorced three more times.
Despite romantic setbacks, Ken’s efforts in his career led to success. In 1980, he founded a company specializing in underwater diving and rescue services. His business thrived.
In 1984, Ken found another chance at love when he met accountant Judith Bailey. Judith was divorced with two teenage daughters, Angela and Michelle (or Shelly). Judith was born and raised in Texas before moving to Tulsa. She had been married in the late 1960s but divorced shortly after her daughters were born.
Ken and Judith married in 1985. Soon after, Judith used her accounting skills to help her husband manage the company. As a result, the company continued to grow, and the couple had a happy marriage.
Sudden Death
But that beautiful life didn’t last. After three decades together, their marriage fell apart. While Ken taught his children independence and self-reliance, Judith did the opposite. She spoiled her daughters, frequently giving them money. This caused disagreements between the couple, and they grew increasingly distant.
Judith and Ken divorced in 2011, but they continued to maintain their previous lifestyle. Although Judith had her own house, she often stayed at her ex-husband’s house.
Their lives continued like this until March 21, 2016. That evening, Judith frantically called 911. She said that when she brought dinner to Ken’s house, she found him dead from a gunshot wound. “He seems to have been shot. There’s a gun right next to his left hand,” Judith told the dispatcher.
When authorities arrived at the scene, Judith directed them to the master bedroom, where they found Kenneth dead at the age of 69. He had a gunshot wound to the left temple, and a gun was found in the victim’s hand.
Judith said that she had left Ken’s house the day before around 4-5 p.m. because Ken seemed agitated and tired. She also said she called Ken before stopping by his house, but no one answered.
When investigators asked if Ken had any intention of suicide, Judith said her ex-husband had recently appeared very depressed. He also had several health issues. A neurological condition caused Ken frequent pain.
The initial clues at the scene suggested the possibility of suicide. However, as the investigation delved deeper, detectives quickly discovered inconsistencies in Judith’s story.
Staged Death
The initial clues at the scene led the police to consider the possibility of suicide in Ken Nix’s death. However, as they delved deeper, investigators quickly uncovered anomalies.
Blood on one side of Ken’s head had dried, and investigators could see it had turned purple. This phenomenon is the coagulation of blood and would have taken several hours to occur.
Furthermore, while moving Ken’s body, authorities discovered two bullet holes about 2cm apart on his head. Immediate suspicion arose. Could someone commit suicide and shoot themselves twice in the head?
Additionally, the bloodstains on Ken’s shirt didn’t match the wound or his body’s position. This could only happen if someone had moved Ken after he was shot.
The autopsy results determined that Ken died around 7:30 a.m., nearly 14 hours before Judith called 911.
With all these findings, investigators quickly realized they were dealing with a meticulously staged murder.
The Suspicious Ex-Wife
Investigators then questioned Shelly, Judith Bailey’s daughter from her previous marriage to Ken. Shelly stated that her mother and stepfather had a complicated relationship. She also revealed that Ken had abused her. She and her sister, Angela, did not get along with their stepfather.
Shelly testified that on the day Ken died, she went to her stepfather’s house around 11 a.m. and met her mother outside the door. The two exchanged words regarding financial matters. Shelly then left immediately without entering the house. This contradicted Judith’s initial statements to the police. Suspecting Shelly was not truthful, the police arrested her as an accomplice to murder.
Authorities also contacted Todd Moore, Angela’s ex-husband. Todd stated that Angela and Shelly had visited him around noon on the day of the murder. Here, they disclosed that their mother had shot their stepfather. Todd mentioned that the two women asked him to help cover up the murder, but he refused to participate.
After hearing news of her daughter’s arrest, Judith agreed to speak with investigators. She claimed that due to health issues, Ken was very lonely and needed help, but she “couldn’t live with him.”
Judith stated that Ken had constantly threatened, verbally abused, and even physically assaulted her. She also accused her ex-husband of physically abusing her daughters. She could have left and cut off contact, but “I loved him,” Judith told investigators.
Judith confessed that on the morning of the murder, Ken threatened and said she owed him $21,000, the amount he had spent on her daughters. When Judith said she didn’t have the money, Ken pointed a gun at his ex-wife. “He said if I didn’t give him the money, he would kill me and hide my body,” Judith confessed.
Judith claimed she grabbed the gun, and a struggle ensued. In the chaos, the gun accidentally discharged twice, shooting Ken in the head. Out of sheer panic, Judith called her daughters to help her clean up the scene.
However, the police later found evidence contradicting Judith’s statements.
Contradictory Confession
According to Judith Bailey’s confession, a struggle took place between her and her ex-husband Ken Nix. Unfortunately, the gun she had just grabbed went off and fired two shots into Ken’s head. Judith, being extremely scared, called her daughters to help her clean up the crime scene.
However, the police later found evidence contradicting Judith’s confession. Ken’s bedroom showed no signs of a struggle. The gunshot wounds on Ken’s head were also inconsistent with Judith’s story.
Judith (69 years old) was subsequently arrested on first-degree murder charges. Her daughter, Angela Moore, was also arrested and charged as an accomplice.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that in 2011, when the couple was about to divorce, Judith had filed a complaint against Ken and requested protection. This complaint was dismissed after the couple failed to appear in court. In addition, the police had previously been called to the house by Ken, who said Judith had threatened to kill him.
Phone records showed text messages between Judith and her two stepdaughters, in which Judith expressed hatred towards her ex-husband. On March 15, 2016, a few days before the murder, Judith texted her daughter Angela about a gun similar in style to the one used to kill Ken.
The Greedy Ex-Wife
Ken’s relatives claimed that Judith had been stealing his money and prescription drugs. The theft of money was a frequent occurrence before they divorced and even afterward, during Judith’s visits to her ex-husband’s house. Ken had confronted Judith about this many times.
Upon examining Judith’s financial situation, authorities found that the woman was deeply in debt. The prosecution alleged that when Ken issued an ultimatum demanding the return of the money or else he would cut off all contact, Judith decided to take action.
According to their divorce settlement, Judith would inherit Ken’s house if he died first. Therefore, Judith staged his suicide to gain ownership of the house, which she could then sell to pay off her debts.
Shelly and Angela, Judith’s two daughters, agreed to testify against their mother at Judith’s murder trial in exchange for having all charges against them dropped.
In March 2017, Judith was convicted of first-degree murder. A month later, the 69-year-old woman was sentenced to life in prison and will not be eligible for parole until she is 108 years old.
