Editing Billy Bailey (section)

==The crime==
In 1979, after serving four months of his 18-month sentence for forgery, Bailey was assigned to the Plummer House, a work release facility in [[Wilmington, Delaware]]. However, after being informed that he faced a potential 45-year sentence as a habitual offender, Bailey walked away from the work release center.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=1979-05-22 |title=Escapee Charged with Killing Two (Billy Bailey, Delaware, 1996) - pt. 1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-escapee-charged-with-ki/117967781/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |work=The News Journal |pages=1}}</ref> He later appeared at the home of his foster sister, Sue Ann Coker, in [[Cheswold, Delaware]], saying he was upset and was not going back to the Plummer House.<ref name=":0" /> Bailey attempted to kill himself, but was stopped from doing so by Coker.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1996-01-20 |title=Billy Bailey death sentence commutation denied part 2. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-billy-bailey-death-sent/78804440/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |work=The News Journal |pages=7}}</ref><blockquote>"He tried to stab himself with a steak knife and cut my hand without meaning to when I was struggling with him for the knife."</blockquote>He and Charles Coker, his foster sister's husband, went on an errand in Coker's truck. Bailey asked Coker to stop at a [[liquor store]]. Bailey entered the store and robbed the clerk at gunpoint. When the cashier, Reba Lovegrove, refused to cooperate, Bailey knocked her down and jammed the cash register while trying to open it. He then tried to shoot and kill Lovegrove, but the gun "clicked", either having jammed or run out of ammunition.<ref name=":2" />  Emerging from the store with a pistol in one hand and a bottle in the other, Bailey told Coker that the police would be arriving, and asked to be dropped at Lambertson's Corner, about {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} away.<ref name=":0" />

At Lambertson's Corner, Bailey entered the farmhouse of Gilbert Lambertson, aged 80, and his wife, Clara Lambertson, aged 73. Bailey shot Gilbert Lambertson twice in the chest with a pistol, and once in the head with the Lambertsons' shotgun. He also shot Clara Lambertson once in the shoulder with the pistol, and once each in the abdomen and neck with the shotgun. Both Lambertsons died. Bailey arranged their bodies in chairs, and then fled from the scene.<ref name=":0" />

Bailey was spotted by a [[Delaware State Police]] helicopter as he ran across the Lambertsons' field. He tried to shoot the helicopter co-pilot with the pistol, but missed. When the pilot landed the chopper, a police officer jumped out and started chasing Bailey. He caught up with him after Bailey tripped and fell, put his foot on the shotgun, and ordered Bailey to stand up. As Bailey did this, he pulled another gun from his belt and fired at point blank range, but missed.<ref name=":3" />

After his arraignment, Bailey said told the judge: "Go ahead and hang me you son-of-a-bitch. I killed them. Go ahead and kill me."<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1980-03-15 |title=Bailey note tells court: 'Hang me' (Pt. 2) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-bailey-note-tells-court/45627855/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |work=The News Journal |pages=1}}</ref>