Jeffrey’s life was not altogether unlike many of his generation. At 28 years old he was a strikingly handsome man with a beautiful smile and a caring heart. He was intelligent and well spoken. Jeffrey, like many these days, had a hard time growing up. Raised by a single mother, who was raised by a single mother, Jeffrey started life out at a disadvantage. Drugs were a part of his everyday existence for as long as he could recall and he struggled with addiction, got into some trouble with the law, and made some mistakes in his life. He was not a bad person; rather a good fellow who made unwise, and sometimes outright poor, choices.
Two choices he did not make in error, however, were his two sons. If Jeffrey did nothing else in his lifetime, he loved his children with a love that only a parent could understand; a love deeper than anything he had ever known; a love so great it sometimes consumed him. He wanted to give his boys the world, though he was in a constant battle with his oldest son’s mother to spend time with his child. Consolation, to some degree, was found in that he had full access to his infant son, whom he had with his girlfriend.
His choices, some of which were unwise, might have seemed to some like material for a Jerry Springer episode, but to Jeffrey, it was his life, his reality. He was not proud of the habits he had developed or the things he had done to support those them. He regretted his mistakes and had vowed, just months before, to not repeat them and to make retribution to his loved ones for the suffering he had caused them. He was in recovery and had been clean for more than six months. He was very proud of that accomplishment and was looking forward to the positive changes he had planned.
Estranged from his wife, with whom his son, Jayce was born three years prior, Jeffrey struggled to spend enough time being an active parent. He was not married to his infant son, Bryce’s mother, though they were in the process of planning their future together as a family. Their plans were cut short on a Thursday night in September when Jeffrey, taking a shortcut on foot through a wooded area on the outskirts of a small south Georgia town, disappeared.
Having been released from his latest stint in jail only a couple of weeks beforehand, local law enforcement, having knowledge of Jeffrey through the legal system, didn’t get particularly excited about him going missing. In the small town of Jesup, Georgia, social prominence plays a huge role in how seriously authorities take such a report. Needless to say, Jeffrey’s family was not one of the creme’ de la creme’ of Wayne County Georgia. His girlfriend filed a missing person report, but law enforcement did not take any significant action toward finding him.
It felt to Jeffrey’s family and friends that the authorities just viewed his case as unimportant and unworthy of their effort. They tried to make sense of that. Did the authorities believe that though Jeffrey had been clean and in recovery, that he had fallen off the wagon and just gone on a binge? Perhaps they thought he’d eventually surface, but after a week he was still missing.
Combing the woods where they knew he had been, day after day, loved ones found no sign of him. They had posters printed up and put them all over town and on the internet. They practically blew up FaceBook posting requests for help in finding him. After family members hounded the police for ten days, the authorities finally gave in and submitted the info on Jeffrey to local area television and radio stations for help in gathering information on his disappearance.
Jeffrey’s girlfriend started packing a pistol for safety and then, along with her best girlfriend, went to the worst parts of town. There, where drugs and violence were prevalent, she looked for information, asked questions, showed his picture around. Though she found out he had not been in the area, had not hit up his old suppliers for drugs, she still had to realize the seemingly inevitable possibility that perhaps he had gone back to his old ways and was somewhere within his old stomping ground. She kept looking. She did the detective work that the local authorities didn’t have any inclination to do.
She and Jeffrey’s family were frantic. They knew that if Jeffrey did not, at a very minimum, call to check on his children, that no good could come of the situation. His girlfriend knew that even if he had succumbed to the lure of the prescription pain pills, which he fought so hard to resist, surely he would still call her. In her heart-of-hearts however, she knew something bad had happened to him.
Rumors started to fly; they were varied, and some were implausible.
Rumors started to fly; they were varied, and some were implausible. Jeffrey was with a seedy character, known locally for robbing people at gun or knife point. He was climbing a fence into the wooded area which was thick, littered with debris, and contained several ponds. There was a contract out on him in retaliation of a wrong committed against someone in the past. He was the victim of a drug deal gone wrong. A family member had him killed for stealing from her while he was struggling with addiction. He owed people money, and instead of collecting it, they killed him. He was a narc in jail, and someone killed him in retaliation.
The rumors were too many to count and too varied; they didn’t make sense. They were all reported to the authorities and still, the authorities were refusing to commit to a manhunt. When contacted, the local police and the Sheriff’s office were ill-coordinated; the left hand didn’t know what the right was doing, and there was little to no sharing of information between the two agencies. It seemed many people, including law enforcement, had the attitude about Jeffrey’s disappearance that there was no cause for alarm; it was just a case of another drug addict and drug dealer being off the streets.
Another week passed. Jeffrey’s girlfriend and her family contacted a renowned local non-profit organization which utilized tracking dogs, cadaver dogs, and boats with sonar equipment to search for missing persons. They were willing to look for Jeffrey free of charge; all they required was a call-to-action from law enforcement. Local law enforcement failed to request their services, even at the insistence of Jeffrey’s loved ones.
Nothing surfaced on this young man after two weeks until a local fisherman saw a body floating in a pond in that same wooded area that had been scoured by search party volunteers. It was Jeffrey, but he was unrecognizable. Two weeks in the water and the heat of September in South Georgia had taken their toll on the corpse. He was still wearing the clothes he had on when he went missing fifteen days before. It was apparent that he had died that same night or shortly after that.
What a place to be found! His body was lying lifeless in an area known as a dumping ground for murder victims. In years past, at least two other local homicide cases ended with the victims turned up in the same area. Local law enforcement had no choice then but to be involved. They called in state agencies and began to treat the discovery as a homicide. They sent his body to the state crime lab for identification.
It was then that the grisly facts started to come out. Jeffrey’s body, decomposed to the point that none of his tattoos were recognizable, his facial features were indeterminable, and his fingerprints were non-existent, was a grisly reminder to the family that he had was to the elements for too long. The lab obtained dental records, and a forensic dentist was brought in to make an identification before they released his body to his family for cremation.
Though a large part of the back of Jeffrey’s skull was missing, the decomposition of his body gave no physical evidence for authorities to use in pursuing a criminal case and his death was determined to be accidental, pending toxicology results. Had he been located sooner, if authorities had done the job they are paid to do, then any evidence of foul play would be intact. An accidental drowning determination is of little comfort to his family. It doesn’t explain why a virile, healthy, athletic guy who could swim, would drown in a pond less than 500 feet from where he entered the woods. Many questions are still unanswered and may remain so indefinitely. Those who knew and loved Jeffrey will always believe foul play was involved and his case swept under the rug by local authorities, or at the very least made a moot point because of their slow call to action.
Jeffrey was only 28 years old, and his life had just begun. He may not have been important to local law officials, but he was still someone’s child, someone’s brother, friend and lover…and someone’s father. He was his mother’s only son; his sister’s only sibling. He was a Daddy to two beautiful kids. His girlfriend loved him beyond measure. His wife mourned the fact that there was no longer any chance at reconciliation between them, as well as the fact that her child would never know his father. His death was tragic, untimely and unfair, but they can all hold fast in their hearts the beautiful things about him.
There are some things the family can rest in knowing and in which, perhaps find some comfort. Though it was cut short, his life did produce many memorable experiences, words, and deeds that were positive. They can celebrate those things and cling to the love they had and still have for him. Though they can’t hug a memory, thought, or a feeling, they can put their arms around one another and give comfort where they can. For years to come, they can see Jeffrey in the faces, eyes, mannerisms, and dispositions of his sons. For this, they can be grateful, and in this, they can continue to express their love for Jeffrey.
R.I.P. Jeffrey Lee Bailey. You are loved and missed.
Rachel Scott Writes 
The police are a joke it is absolutely ridiculous how insensitive them jerks are and our tax dollars pays their salary. Smh. I pray that you and family finds peace.
LikeLike
My heart breaks everytime I see his picture. I knew Jeffrey and Liz for many years….I can relate to this story in many ways. My deseased huaband was found by myself and his son in a so called friends house. He was on his back yet levitity showed he died face down. His pockets were cut out of the shorts he had on. His boots, cellphone and camera were missing. Long story short, the friend was arrested on 3 counts of theft and 1 concealing a dead body. He had been dead over 18 hours. His body moved and no prescription bottles or needles found in home. Toxicology says it was overdose and GBI says he looked like someone rammed needles in him. The DA dropped all charges against the friend. I, being the next of kin was never notified of any court procedings until I realized his property in evidence had been released to the friend. I cannot get any answers. To them they wrote it off as another dead junkie. So I feel all of your pain. ….everyday. there is no justice
LikeLike
My brother is almost identical to this story. Wayne county is not seriously investigating his death either. I know exactly what you have went through. We are posting reward flyers as we speak around town to find out more information on who killed my brother.
LikeLike
ok
LikeLike
sorry for your lose liz my family and i, are praying that the police really care enough to find jefferys killer or killers just know one day you and you’re family will see jeffery in heaven. R.I.P. {JEFFERY}
LikeLike
I am so sorry for your lose liz,and it is a shame that the police just look at a,person who has a drug addiction like we are a piece of trash and we are not we are there brothers,there dad or even there boss so who gives them the right to pass judement on us? but this loss is not about us per say addicts,this is about a young man who lost he’s life and the cops could care less maybe they did but why was there so many no instead of what must we do to find this father,son and a young man that so many people are going to miss deeply.it is a tragedy that jeffery lost his life at such a young age and no one noes a thing about it except those who are the killers.and the cops have no leads,i assume because there has been no arrest or answes to explain jefferys tragic death.so we ask what are you cops doing about it to solve jefferys murder.because i dont beleave he took his on life he had he’s sons and soon to be wife to live for and why did it take a fisherman to find jeffery instead of a police officer.rip jeffery
LikeLike
This world is coming to a disaster!! As if we all dont know that already! Rachel I do not know you but I have to say when I read this it brought tears to my eyes! Very well spoken….
I have been raised my whole life with my family having this disease of addiction, and it is horrible. I have always been told you have to treat them just like you would a cancer patient! I think that a lot of people always looked down on our family bc of this and some say they would be ashame! But me knowing about what I do I am proud, and for the family of Jeffrey yall all should be too! We are made equal in every aspect because why?? God made us this way people so before you cast stones of what he did wrong or whatever else you may want to think of this reminder!! For the cops around here that dont do there job like they should they will be punished! Also for those who know anything about the death will pay also! We as people, friends, family, etc etc.. may never see the day that justice is served but with God in our hearts we will meet our loved ones again and know that they none struggle of any disease, torture, addiction, or anything else. Everything happens for a reason even though we never understand it, its just not to be understood! Its just to know in your heart it was for a reason and figure out how to cope! As for his family yall have 2 beautiful baby boys that will help yall remind of him daily and I know yall are thankful for this! I feel so bad about the situation but just know that you have the highest power on your side to see justice is done!! God Bless the family and friends of Jeffrey!
LikeLike
When my mother in law seen jeffery missing on.the news she came to tell my husband…. my husband new jeffery well from school and hangouts… he said jeffery was an amazing person to be around,, I pray for peace with his family and friends and his kids…… love be with you all and never give up!! He may be gone but never forgotten,, he may not be visible but he is here!! Never loss faith,, God bless! Sincerely,, Amber & Jason Scott
LikeLike
rachel you erased my post but I guess it was because they were attached onto the childishimmature person who wanted down yall and Jeffery over there childish jealousy ways. I’m so sorry for yalls loss I didn’t know him personally, met him once and seen him around and know a few on the family and I’m so glad that someone can put all this together and take all the time and effort to make the truth open to the public and stop all the rumors. I’m glad you had the courage and strength and wisdom to do all this for your love and supoort to Jeffery and his family and your step daughter and her baby and his oldest son as well as friends and a kindness of your heart for the truth even for the estrayed wife but only good people and caring people can read and understand the hurt you are going through as well as family and friends and see the pain in yalls loss. I’m sorry that Wayne County is the way it is. And its nothing but drama here and everyone has to make the story juicier for the next I’m sorry for the pain of the rumors that idiots felt the need to stir up to make it harded on yall and to make like they are a bunch of know it alls. But truth be told by you and your back up support who have also clearified this for you thats all the truth and proof needed but in the end you just remember just as well as the family GOD makes the final judgement and GOD will put them all in there places and all the dirty little lies and all the hatefulness and I can promise you that on judgement day there will be the day that all the ones behind all the hurt and pain yall are feeling are gonna see a whole new meaning to hurt and pain and the full truth then will come but as for now keep his memory in your hearts and remember this one keep your friends close and enemies closer someone will start spilling out info sooner of later and then Jeffery will get his justice he deserves because in a small time like this you have drama, betrayal and jealousy and someones gonna snitch. I hope its soon because these kids are now having to suffer and live with out there father thanks to the one or ones who jealous actions to wait and catch him in the woods alone at night time but who ever it or they were was cowarts cause they had to hide him out instead of being brave and taking actions they should have been brave enough to go a pair to go with there “bravery” of taking the man, father, brother,son, friend and lover from the important people in his life. I hope that justice is mad and they burn in hell Sorry but yall deserve so much more and yall deserve more respect then yall are getting outta the loss of Jeffery. Yall are in my prayers and I pray they catch who ever the dirty minded person or person was to do such harsh thing to your family and his family as well as to Jeffery. God bless yall.. Prayers are all for yall!!!
LikeLike
Hey Lil Mama…u guessed it right. Ur earlier posts were attached to ones I deleted. Thanks so much for this post. Your kind words to the family are appreciated. As to what u said about everything else I can only say……. Amen! Preach it Sister!
LikeLike
First off my condolences to the family and friends of Jeffery. Second I must set the record straight that Mrs Scott wrote in her story above titled “How it really went down”. Mrs Scott wrote that Jeffery’s girlfriend and family had contacted our search and rescue unit a week after he went missing to request our services. This is not true and I think this is just a miscommunication between family/friends of Jeffery and Mrs Scott not her attempt to twist the facts. The family/friends had made a couple of attempts to see me by coming by my home but never did catch me or my husband at home. It is true that family and friends had requested our services from what i have been told 4 times to the police. Although 3 days before he was found I did receive a call from police requesting tracking dogs, to which I replied it had been too long since he had been missing to use tracking dogs. I offered our cadaver dogs if they felt they were needed and we were never contacted again. No one from the family or friends left me any kind of note, email or phone message nor spoke with any of our team members until after the body was found. We are a non-profit unit and can only be request via law enforcement or emergency agencies per our team policy. On rare occasions we will act upon a families request after we first contact Law enforcement and inform them of the families direct request to us for assistance. Had the family or friends actually spoken to me or another team member with this being local we would have certainly gone to law enforcement to inform them of the request and requested to be allowed to conduct a search ourselves. I can’t and won’t speculate on reasons we were not officially called earlier as I do not know any of the investigative details and our hearts go out to Jeffery’s family and friends.
LikeLike
Angela, thank you SO much for posting this to lend some clarification and subsequent validation to a number of facts. I cannot thank you enough. Perhaps others will now be much more aware of your organization and the services you and your animals provide.
LikeLike
I heard the rumors. I read the online Missing Person on the local news site. And I know Kristi, very well. But when I sat down and read this blog my jaw dropped through out the blog.
My heart goes out to Kristi & Jeffery’s Family & His Friends..
But what I don’t understand is *How can the Wayne County PD find this tragic death, accidental? Really..?! And how can they get away with not looking for a Missing Man? You know dang well that if Jeffery was a family member of one of them, the dang Army would be looking for him- Come Hell Or High Waters! Their job is to Serve & Protect, not Sit & Chat.
I believe that if they would have done their job, maybe just maybe Jeffery would be there to watch his kids grow up, divorce his estranged wife, & married Kristi.
But now he is the guy in the photograph that is a memory..
**Thank you Rachel for setting the record straight & clearly stating the facts!
LikeLike
i heard he went swimming and was bitten by water moccasins?
RIP Jeffery, and god bless the children…
As for the ex. i bet she was still secretly in love with him so this is all probably hard on her too? I had an ex kill hisself after i had moved on and got married and i still think of him..
I hope they all have peace!
LikeLike
I think that was very well told. I didn’t know him, but I do know Jayces mom and have for many years. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends that peace will come to their hearts over this tragic loss and my heart aches for those 2 babies that will never know their father.
LikeLike
This was very well said. I appreciate all that youve said on here and at the funeral. Jeffrey was an awesome person that struggled with addiction that somehow managed to take away who he was. Many ppl didnt know or see the person I did but regardless I know that he was the greatest. He will be missed and never forgotten.
LikeLike
Sheila, I appreciate your comments and thank you for posting. I was so worried that you and Liz and Claudia would be hurt or somehow offended by what I wrote, particularly since there has been a huge amount of drama from the other baby mama’s posse. 🙂 I deleted all of their negative comments and am trying hard to keep focused on the real message behind the article. I want to do this right for your family and for Kristi and Bryce.
LikeLike
This is just all too familiar to me! My father also struggled with addiction and was arrested by local law enforcement and spent a YEAR in jail only to be found INNOCENT by a judge in court a year later! Two days after he was released he was found dead in a friends home, and because he was formerly an addict the coroner along with law enforcement immediately ruled his death an overdose even though he had a fresh black eye and what appeared to be a hammer mark on his temple! My point in sharing this is, it’s horrible that law enforcement officers take an oath to serve and protect but in this town it’s always discrimination and judgement! My prayers go to this young mans family for peace and comfort!
LikeLike
Kris, I am so sorry for your loss and the similar experience your family has suffered. Perhaps one day justice can be obtained for him and for Jeffrey. Thank you so much for posting.
LikeLike
I find it’s a sad story… My father was a police officer so I hate to see the police attacked in wayne county. That being said my sister is a drug addict and I hate to see how people treat others with this disease. I don’t always believe that the right or wrong of a person reflects their true character when drugs come into play but they do make it difficult for those close to that person to show mercy. Attacking others is never the answer and prayer is always the solution. We are not the judge of the police or Jeffrey. God is!
LikeLike
Ree…thanks for your comments and your objective perspective. I appreciate it.
LikeLike
this is so sad that just because the Law enforcement dont consider you that nportant because of your past they would not help the family ;we all have a pass and done things we may regret but he was missing young man,son,brother a Dad he was important he was a child of God ;I will pray for them because one day it will come back on them; I will keep the family in my prayers for their loss and their pain God is in control
LikeLike
Ruby, well said. Thank you for posting!
LikeLike
I knew Jeffrey for a good part of my life being that we went to school together. Sure me and Jeffrey had our ups and downs growing up, but he was always a good friend to me. I remember in 7th grade we had Mrs.Fenn for English class and she always got us confused when one of us got in trouble, we would just laugh and go about our business. Then in high school we had a tendency of bumping heads, like most typical teenage males would do. After our high school years I never saw Jeffrey until 2005 and we were locked up together. I’ll never forget Jeffrey walked up to me and shook my hand and we apologized to each other for the last run in we had with one another. For the time we were in there Jeffrey was the one who set me straight and told me that it wasn’t a place for me. I read where he had a battle with addiction, well who doesn’t in Wayne County these days! But it made me smile to see he was 6 months clean, because I know what it’s like to fight the disease known as addiction. My deepest condolences go out to his family and friends, because they lost a good man. And to read that the police looked at it as another problem off the street is plain sickening. That’s what’s wrong with that town now, nobody should be treated like that good or bad, we’re all human beings. R.I.P. Jeffrey
LikeLike
Jeremy, thanks so much for your comments. I appreciate you sharing a positive personal experience about your relationship/friendship with Jeffrey. I’m sure his family and friends are pleased to read this.
LikeLike
this is what gets me the most,just because a person is on drugs or has a bad past..DOES NOT make them a bad person.we all have struggeld with something.i didnt really know jeffery,however looking at all the pictures of him and his two boys,i could tell he was a happy father and them beautifull babies was very loved.its sad that wayne county didnt look futher into this,but you as family and close friends knows the truth and god up above.im very sorry for you guys loss,his body may no longer be here,but his heart and soul will live in you forever.
LikeLike
Mindy, thank you for your comment. It is much appreciated. So sorry you had to read all that baby mama drama nonsense before. 🙂 It sure took the focus off of Jeffrey and onto his son’s mother. That’s too bad, but I’m getting it handled. 🙂 Appreciate your thoughtfulness.
LikeLike
My heart and prayers go out to all involved. I hope they find who is responsible for this. But with Wayne County, I don’t know if you’ll see justice in this lifetime, but certainly the life after. God doesn’t skip over anybody in punishment.
LikeLike
Dear “Anonymous” 🙂 Thanks for your concern and prayers. Hopefully the family will find justice soon.
LikeLike
This was wonderful Rachel. As a friend of you an others mentioned I do kow this is truth, I been there when things went down with the babies so whoever wrote that ugly remark was trying to defend their kin an make them look good when everybody knows how she really is. But only thing that matters anymore is the children are takne care of an their daddys memories will be instilled with them as they grow so they relate to him as they grow, the people who loved Jeffery I have in my prayres an will continue. So sad about law enforcement but we come from wrong side of track also so we know how it is when you need help an they blow it off or say they short handed , but let something big go down or someone of impotance an cops come out of wood work. But God sees an knows all an He will take care of ppl who do wrong , we may never see it but we can keep praying an loving those around us even more an keep telling the stories of truth so ppl can understnad. I thank you for this article and I love you girl so much, Love ya KAthy
LikeLike
Kathy, Thanks for sticking up for me, girl. You are the best! Love ya!
So sorry you had to read all that nonsense. I’m getting it handled tho. Makes me wanna lose my religion and open up a good old fashioned can of redneck whoopass. However, I’m much better at using words to slice n dice someone that getting into a physical altercation. 🙂 I’m not down for all that physical altercation stuff now like I was when I was younger.
LikeLike
DISCLAIMER:
I am the STEP-MOTHER of Kristi Scott Glass. She is the mother of Jeffrey’s infant son.
This was written to not only celebrate Jeffrey’s life and his love for his children, but to bring to light the facts surrounding his disappearance and the struggle the family went through in trying get cooperation from local authorities to find him, identify his remains, and reclaim him so he could finally be memorialized.
Many of the references I make in this article about the people in Jeffrey’s life, his children, and his history were told to me directly by Jeffrey, either in person or in letters, before he left this world. If you think these things are untrue, take it up with God. I’m sure he’ll let Jeffrey know you disagree. :-p
I have left the comments open so anyone can post without approval from me. However, I expect simple social decorum, respect for the dead, and respect for his family to be maintained at all times in the writing of comments.
With death comes raw emotion and that sometimes causes people to speak out when they should rather keep their comments to themselves. Outbursts, selfish comments, mudslinging, accusations, finger pointing and general negativity will be deleted from the comments section.
Thank you.
Rachel Scott
LikeLike
Its sad there are resources right here in Wayne county that could have found Jeffrey alot sooner. His family had to worry and suffer for fifteen days until he was found by someone fishing. Then another week and a half for identification. We asked (begged) four times for the search and rescue dogs only to be told no. They knew he went over the fence-they knew there was a pond back there and it was after ten o’clock pitch black dark. The search and rescue dogs are a free service it doesn’t cost the county a dime just need to be requested by officials. All they had to do was pick up the phone and make a call I guess that was just too much to ask. R.I.P. Jeffrey
LikeLike
The SAR dogs could have saved everyone a lot of heartache, time, and expense. And at no charge to the family or law enforcement (although donations for expenses are always welcomed!). The dogs are highly trained and certified. This is a sad case that happens much to often.
LikeLike
My prayers are with each of Jefferey’s family and friends. I certainly hope the investigator has great knowledge, skills and a heart.
LikeLike
The above anonymous comment was sent by me: Fran Skala… I was not sure what website to put to log in.
LikeLike
Thanks so much for your prayers. I too hope the investigator has all those traits you mentioned. 🙂
LikeLike
I really hope they look farther into this case. You did an excellent job wording it all.
LikeLike
Thanks Rachael. I appreciate your comments.
LikeLike
Oh wow! Such a tragic story, although, seemingly common. You put it so beautifully when you said “He may not have been important to local law officials, but he was still someone’s child, someone’s brother, friend and lover…and someone’s father.” Best wishes to the friends and family for some comfort during this time.
LikeLike
Prayers for all family and friends of Jeffrey!! I didn’t know him personally but this is so tragic no one should have to go thru this! may god be with you all
LikeLike
Amanda, Thanks so much. The family appreciates your prayers.
LikeLike
Hey Nicole….thanks for the comments. It is definitely tragic. If you’re following this story it is even more tragic that people are out to make this about themselves instead of about Jeffrey, his love for his kids, and the poor response the family received from Wayne County in response to his case. Appreciate you posting.
LikeLike
Nicole…thanks so much for your comment. I appreciate your feedback.
LikeLike