Staigmiller pleads guilty in fatal downtown carjacking
Kelsey Staigmiller appeared in court Dec. 23, pleading guilty to felony counts of deliberate homicide and criminal mischief.
She signed a plea agreement with the Cascade County Attorney’s Office on Dec. 22, agreeing to plead guilty to those two charges and in exchange, the prosecution dropped felony charges of criminal endangerment, robbery, theft and burglary.
The charges stem from a May 18 incident in which Staigmiller is accused of causing a disturbance in the Roberts Apartments downtown, then getting into a truck occupied by Sarah Bailey, pushing Bailey out and dragging her for several blocks, leading to Bailey’s death.
Staigmiller takes plea in fatal downtown carjacking
The prosecution is recommending 100 years in the Montana State Prison with 20 years suspended on the homicide charge, and time served plus restitution for damage to a vehicle for the criminal mischief charge.
Judge Elizabeth Best accepted Staigmiller’s guilty pleas and set sentencing for Feb. 27.
The court is not bound by the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation and Best may impose a sentence up to the maximum for either or both charges. If she imposes a sentence other than what the prosecution has recommended, Staigmiller cannot withdraw her guilty plea.
During the Dec. 23 hearing, Staigmiller admitted that she got into Bailey’s truck without permission, had an altercation with her that resulted in her being tangled in the seatbelt, dragged, run over and ultimately killed during the May incident.
Staigmiller, 32, has been held in the Cascade County Adult Detention Center since May 20 on a $500,000 bond.
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Bailey, was a downtown business owner and tattoo artist, who investigators said had no previous known connection to Staigmiller and had gotten into her truck just one minute before Staigmiller got in, according to court documents.
Staigmiller appeared in court on June 2 and entered a plea of not guilty before Judge Elizabeth Best.
Best said during the hearing that since her family had ranched in the Eden area in the past, she had some family contact with the Staigmillers, but didn’t know the defendant.
She said she’d notified counsel of that history and didn’t believe there was a conflict of interest but wanted to publicly discuss it with both parties if anyone wanted to request that she recuse herself.
Mark Frisbie, Staigmiller’s defense attorney, said during the June hearing that they were aware and didn’t see a conflict.
Matt Robertson of the Cascade County Attorney’s Office said the prosecution did not believe there was a conflict.
During the June hearing, Staigmiller’s defense requested that her bond be reduced to $10,000.
Frisbie said she has ties to the area, had worked as a waitress and while it’s a significant incident, “this was very isolated,” and there was no further risk to the community.
According to online records, Staigmiller was a senior at C.M. Russell High School in 2012 when her art was selected by the Downtown Business Improvement District for the 1st Avenue North underpass mural that remains in place today. Her artwork was also displayed at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in 2011.
On May 21, Staigmiller’s immediate and extended family released a statement on behalf of the family:
“Kelsey’s family would like to extend their heartfelt condolences to Sarah Bailey, her family and this community. She was a beautiful artist who touched many lives. Sarah was an innocent victim and there are no words to express the pain and grief Kelsey has caused Sarah’s family and the community. We pray for peace and hope for all who have been affected by this tragic event.”
Robertson for the prosecution opposed any bail reduction.
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“This is every citizen’s worst nightmare,” Robertson said in June. “This is probably the most horrific thing. She has traumatized at least hundreds of people.”
He said it was the only homicide that he could recall in his career in which every aspect of the crime had been captured on video, as well as by many witnesses.
Robertson said Staigmiller had some local misdemeanor charges and a pending drug charge out of Yellowstone County.
Best said in June that considering the nature of the charges against Staigmiller, her flight risk and public safety, she had to maintain the $500,000 bond.
Around 6 p.m. May 18, Great Falls Police officers were dispatched to a report of a disturbance near 6th Street South and Central Avenue at the Roberts Apartments.
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GFPD said that through investigation of the incident revealed that Staigmiller, who was not a resident of the building, had been reportedly disturbing the peace of several residents there and had become locked out of the building as a result.
When Staigmiller couldn’t get back into the building, she unlawfully entered and occupied the vehicle Bailey was driving nearby.
There was an altercation between the two and “as the vehicle was driven away in a highly dangerous and erratic manner, [Bailey] sustained significant injuries that resulted in her death,” according to GFPD.
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Shortly after the initial incident, Bailey was found in the street near the intersection of 5th Street North and 1st Avenue North.
Lt. Matt Fleming of the GFPD said in May that first responders rendered life saving measures but were unsuccessful.
Fleming said they have no evidence at this point that Staigmiller and Bailey knew each other.
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According to her Facebook page, Bailey owned Sparrows and Arrows tattoo shop at 524 Central Ave.
Staigmiller fled Great Falls in Bailey’s vehicle and was located a few hours later by Missoula County Sheriff’s Office deputies near Bonner, according to GFPD.
GFPD said at 9:11 p.m. May 18 that the suspect and vehicle taken from the scene had been located.
The following is from charging documents filed in district court in Staigmiller’s case:
The first GFPD officer was dispatched to the Roberts Apartments on reports of two females arguing about drugs and “sounded as if the disturbance was going to become physical.”
The officer reported that as he was responding, additional information was relayed that the suspect, later identified as Staigmiller, had exited the building and just stolen a truck from a female outside. Callers reported that Staigmiller had pushed the owner out of the truck and she was being dragged on the roadway, according to court documents.
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When the first officer arrived at the Roberts, several witnesses told him Staigmiller had just left in the stolen truck, last seen westbound on 1st Avenue North, the wrong direction.
More officers began arriving in the area when an additional call came in reporting a female had been hit by a truck, likely the stolen truck, according to court documents.
The initial responding officer responded to the 100 block of 5th Street North where the victim was in the roadway being attended by another officer. A witness ran toward the officer to report that the suspect truck had just left and was last seen westbound on 2nd Avenue North, according to the charging documents.
The officer got into his patrol vehicle searching the immediate area for the truck but doing nothing so returned to the Roberts Apartments where he spoke with witnesses.
One witness was walking southbound on 6th Street South when he heard and saw the disturbance, but didn’t know what led up to it, according to court documents.
The witness said he saw a female with “dirty blonde red hair” get into the passenger seat of the truck and begin pushing the driver, Bailey, out of the vehicle, but she was caught in the seatbelt, being dragged as Staigmiller continued northbound on 6th Street North before turning westbound onto 1st Avenue North.
Another witness who lives in the Roberts told officers that she heard a disturbance between two females and saw Staigmiller exit a room, then running toward a white truck occupied by a female driver.
The witness told officers that Staigmiller got into the passenger side, starting to fight and push the driver out through the driver’s side door. Bailey fell out of the truck, but was caught in the seatbelt as Staigmiller drove away, dragging Bailey, according to court documents.
The GFPD officer canvassed the immediate area for video surveillance of the incident and met with someone at the Times Square building. That video showed the white truck parked on the east side of the intersection, in the parking spot closest to the intersection with Central, according to court documents.
At 6:05 p.m., Bailey is seen entering the driver’s side of her truck and at 6:06 p.m., Staigmiller is seen entering the passenger side, according to court documents.
Another officer interviewed another witness at the GFPD. The woman said she lives in the Roberts and had an unknown female buzzing her apartment trying to get inside saying she needed to speak with her. The witness said she didn’t know who the woman was and went downstairs to speak with her, but someone had already buzzed her into the building.
The witness said she met Staigmiller on the stairs and Staigmiller kept saying she needed to speak to the witness. Staigmiller followed her up to her apartment, pushing her in and closing the door, according to court documents.
The witness told officers that Staigmiller refused to leave, saying she wanted meth, heroin and cocaine, sitting on the floor, holding the witness’ dog to her, according to court documents.
The witness’ daughter called and Staigmiller took her phone, which the witness was able to get back and called 911. When Staigmiller heard dispatch on the line, she fled down the hall, knocking on another door.
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An upstairs tenant came down, running Staigmiller out of the building, according to the witness, who didn’t see the incident outside of the building in the truck, according to court documents.
A third GFPD officer interviewed another resident of the Roberts, who said that someone she knew had come over to hang out and drink, bringing another male and Staigmiller with him.
The male left shortly after, but the acquaintance and Staigmiller stayed in the apartment, where Staigmiller was trying to prostitute herself to others in the building, including another interviewed witness, for more alcohol and asking for drugs, according to court documents.
The witness got upset and kicked Staigmiller out of the apartment and said she saw Staigmiller sit on the curb before running across the street and jumping into Bailey’s truck.
The witness said she saw Staigmiller push Bailey out of the truck and drive away, dragging Bailey.
Two witnesses tried to follow the truck to help Bailey, but lost sight of it, instead finding Bailey in the street in the 100 block of 5th Street North.
One of the men drinking in the apartment was located and he told officers he’d been with someone named Kelsey.
Officers were able to find a booking photo of Staigmiller in the GFPD database and compared it to the video surveillance.
Staigmiller was found inside the truck in Missoula County wearing clothes similar to those visible in the video surveillance from the Roberts Apartments, according to court documents.
