TIME LINE OF EVENTS
1955
- Robert Eugene Schmidt was arrested for "committing a sex act against a child" he was sentence to 15 to 20 years at the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet, Illinois.
October 18th, 1959
- Jerry Michael Bayles was born to Gerald B. Bayles and Lucille Fannie (Strong) Bayles.
1961
- Schmidt was paroled after serving only 6 years.
1964
- Schmidt was registered as a parolee in Indianapolis.
February 13th, 1969
- Robert Eugene Schmidt (46) of 1030 N. DeQuincy Street, (? 1349 LaSalle Street ?) along with Donald L. Strange (30) were arrested for child pornography and molesting "dozens" of young boys" in Strange's east side sign company, (Strange Sign Company, 4619 East 10th Street ), Strange was sentenced to 2-14 years.
May 1969
- Schmidt was committed to Central State on order of Special Judge Thomas J. Faulcorner of Marion Criminal Court, Division 1 as a "probable sexual psychopathic person."
August 1969
- Robert Eugene Schmidt was committed in August to the Beatty Memorial Hospital in Westfield, Indiana and later transferred to the Central State Mental Hospital as a criminal sexual psychopath.
- He became a Trustee and a Grounds Keeper at Central State.
January 1970
- Albert Garcia (30) molests two Indianapolis Star paper boys in his east side apartment at 1139 East Washington Street. The two boys were brothers 13 and 14 years of age.
Tuesday, March 3d, 1970
- Schmidt was approved by the staff of Central State to begin work off the hospital's grounds on a "night in hospital" basis and returned to his advertising business.
- Schmidt was to be under the supervision of his father and received permission to rent a car to make business calls during the day.
- Schmidt altered the hours and rented a room within two blocks of Central State to be used as an office.
- It should be noted Schmidt had an IQ of 129, that of being in the "very superior" range.
Monday, June 8th, 1970
- Central State ended the "arrangement" with Schmidt when it was found the on weekends he was staying overnight night at his office without supervision of his activities. He befriended several children in the neighborhood, two young boys one being 6 years old.
Mid to early August
- Six weeks prior to the abduction of Mike. His brother Gordon "Bud" began delivering papers for the Indianapolis Star.
- Mike would tag along with Gordon during the summer mornings and off and on during the early school year.
Friday, October 2d, 1970
- Gordon "Bud" had brought a partial collection from his route to the district manager of The Star for the west side area, John W. Nordholt and explained he would bring the rest on Saturday. Normally around 09:30.
- Mike had finished the collection of $21.00 and was to turn it in in the morning.
Saturday, October 3d, 1970
- About 04:30 Mike left his home at 3028 West Jackson Street on a neighbor's bike, on the near west side of Indianapolis, known as Mount Jackson.
- Mike asked to take the paper route for his 15 year old brother Gordon that morning. Gordon was feeling ill and went back bed. Mike was to meet up with his brother at their house during the route.
- Mike rode the bike to the newspaper's circulation office at the alley rear of the Clark Gas Station at 2502 West Washington Street. Mike collect forty eight papers and rode back to Washington and Harris Avenue to start the route.
- The morning sky was clear with 11 mph winds and a temperature around 55 degrees. Sunrise would be at 07:42.
- Mike still had the collection money of $21.00 in his possession.
- Mike delivered two papers one to the Indiana National Bank Branch at 2821 West Washington Street and the second one to William H. Johnson at 12 South Harris Avenue.
- Between 05:00 and 05:25 Paul Thomas McDougall (34) a Gas Station Manager of the Star Service and Petroleum Station at 502 West 16th Street, left his residence at 575 South Harris Avenue, was driving north on South Harris Avenue to work Takes roughly less then a minute to drive from McDougall's residence to the alley) when a light green or blue late 50's Rambler or Dodge with fins on the rear fenders, with round tail lights and a chrome rimmed rear window. The rear license plate was recessed in the rear back bumper, pulled out of the alley way, stopped and blocked the street at an angle. Mr. McDougall stopped his car to say something about the car blocking the road. When he was exiting his car, he heard a boy yell and he saw a man in his 20’s, wearing dark work jacket and pants dragging a small boy. The man was holding the boy with his arm with his left hand and pressing a long white handle knife against the back of the boy's neck with his right hand, dragging him towards the car. Mr. McDougall asked "What the hell are you doing with the kid?", the man turned toward McDougall and replied. "That's my kid and he's running away. I'm taking him home." Mr. McDougall told the man it was a terrible way to treat a child. Mr. McDougall stalled and pretending to lite a cigarette in order to get the license plate. The plate was dust cover and had the county number for Marion County prefix of 49 P, E or F and a combination of 5 and 8. There was a second man in the car with close cropped hair and that the car was ‘streaked with dust’. (This was the statement McDougall gave to the Indianapolis Police department on October 4th, 1970)
- Roughly 04:45 to 05:00 Mrs. Thomas P. Baker of 40 South Warman Avenue hears a scream and saw a speeding car from her home on the alley that connects Warman Avenue and Harris Avenue. Another witness that lived at the corner of Washington and Harris Avenue (2901 West Washington Street) at the start of the route also heard a scream and saw a car's tail lights leaving.
- When the Bayles' family began receiving phone calls that their morning papers had not yet been delivered, Gordon went to investigate. 06:30 Gordon had found the bike abandoned and forty six of the forty eight papers at 12 South Harris Avenue at the residents of William H. Johnson. Mr. Johnson had noticed Mike's bike laying on the ground with the chain off and the rear fender bent in.
- Gordon returned home and told his parents, they called the police and were told to look further and call back if Mike was not found.
- Gordon finished the route with the bike. Afterwards Gordon, his brothers John (12), James (8) along with two of James' friends and Mr. Bayles began to search the neighborhood for Mike.
- Mike was 10 years old, 4 foot 4 inches, 65 pounds with red hair and blue eyes, last seen wearing a yellow shirt with 'pinkish' strips, black jeans, black tennis shoes and a blue (windbreaker) fingertip jacket.
- A Female Greenfield resident, driving north on State Road 9, south of Greenfield near the Park Cemetery witness a car parked on the east side of the road facing south, As she approached the car a man wearing dark blue pants and a work jacket crossed the road towards the car. The man walked towards the passage side of the car, fumbling with possible keys and mumbling. As she turned her head back towards the road a second man crossed the road and went to the driver’s side door of the parked car. He too was dressed in dark blue pants, and a work jacket. As she passed the car she notices that all the windows were up and a boy was sitting in the middle of the front seat, with a “wild frightful expression”.
- At 08:55, Marion Adkins III, of Shirley, Indiana was driving his tractor east on West County Road 550 South, returning from feeding his livestock approximately one-fourth of a mile east of Indiana State Road 109 and 300 yards from his driveway in the southwest corner of Henry County. Mr. Adkins saw a body of a young boy in a drainage ditch in four foot of weeds.
- At 09:25 Officer Glenn Cupp of the Knightstown Police Department arrived and found the nude body of a young boy laying face up alongside the road in the ditch. Officer Cupp reported that the body was dragged leaving heels scarps 15 feet from the center of the road to the ditch south side of the road, that there was a wound or gash along his abdomen, possible made by a knife. That the body was still warm and only clad in socks.
- Henry County Coroner David L. Estell estimated Mike's time death at 06:30. Coroner Estell stated that death was due to internal hemorrhaging (internal bleeding) and that he was not sexually molestation. It was reported that Mike had received also 8 superficial wounds to his abdomen and one to the back of his neck with bruises to the neck and right arm of the boy.
- About 13:00 Mike’s parents Gerald B. Bayles, Father and Mother; Fannie L. Bayles heard a radio report of the discovery of the unidentified body of a boy in eastern Indiana. The description of the body found matched closely to that of Mike. The State Police were called and a Trooper was dispatched to the Bayles' residence. A photo of Mike was given to the Trooper. The Trooper returned to the residence about 18:00 and said the identification was close and the family needed to my more certain of the identification. Mike’s body was identified at 21:00 by his father, noted it was Mike by his red hair.
Sunday, October 4th, 1970
- Paul McDougall, the witness on South Harris Avenue calls police to report what he had seen after reading the article in the Indianapolis Star.
Monday, October 5th, 1970
- A composite sketch is made from Mr. McDougall's account.
- Mr. Bayles receives a phone call from a woman at the Farley Funeral Home. The woman's halting voice said "I can't give you my name Mr. Bayles, but I want to tell you, I know the man that saw your boy murdered and I'd like to talk to you, but I 'm afraid...The woman gave Mr. Bayles the first name of a man...I don't want to talk to the detectives; I don't want to give my number. Don't you understand? I 'm afraid!".
Tuesday, October 6th, 1970
- The composite drawing in circulated in the Mount Jackson neighborhood.
- Indiana State Police Captain Robert K. Gray believed sexual molestation was the motive in Mike's abduction and murder. "Although tests could not prove conclusively the boy was molested, the possibility exists" reported the Indianapolis Star from Captain Gray.
- Four Indianapolis Police Detectives and three Indiana State Police Detectives are assigned to Mike's case under the jurisdiction of the Indiana State Police.
- At 08:30, Mrs. Bayles receives a second phone call from the "sobbing" women saying that she and a man are afraid to go to the police and that the man was "only" a witness to the murder. "I'm scared to death. I need to talk to someone." When Mrs. Bayles asked what the matter was, the woman replied, "The man who killed your boy is in the house at ...gives an address, and first name of the man...This man did not kill your boy, but he saw it happen, I 'm afraid, I want some protection, I don't want to talk to the detectives." The women mumbled something about the man she named as having been with the killer but did not stay with him. The Bayles phone was not listed in the city phone book under their name, but under another.
- Police check out the address from the "sobbing" woman and found that the man left. The description given by the woman to the Bayles fitted that given by McDougall.
Wednesday, October 7th, 1970
- The witness Paul McDougall undergoes a polygraph test and passes.
- A Clinton County man was questioned extensively for his car matched the general description and released after giving an "iron clad alibi".
Thursday, October 8th, 1970
- Funeral services were held for Mike at 13:00 at the Farley Funeral Home at 1604 West Morris Street.
- A second autopsy was ordered just prior to Mike being towered into his grave at the Summit Lawn Cemetery in Westfield, Indiana.
- Per Captain Gray, the first autopsy was "not complete enough". "The purpose of this autopsy is to be certain things that good common sense dictates should have been done at first."
- It was suspected that Mike was struck by a car and the killer may have stabbed him and left his body in the field to hide what actually happened.
- Mike's father, Gerald B. Bayles said: "The police told me not to say anything" regarding the second autopsy.
- Police never examined the bike was riding on the morning of the 3rd.
- Gordon fix the chain and bend out the fender, stated "like somebody stepped on it".
- Finger pointing and confusion on why no investigation was made by Indianapolis Police throughout Saturday night.
- Lt. Patrick E. Uberta, acting head of the Indianapolis Police Departments Homicide Division, receiving no orders nor calls from Deputy Police Chief Ralph F. Lumpkin, the highest ranking office of the Division.
- Lt. Uberta called the State Police and arranged a meeting with Detective Sgt. Edward Marcum at 11:00. Twenty nine hours after Mike was abducted and seventeen hours after Mike was identified.
Friday, October 9th, 1970
- An escaped patent from Central State Mental Hospital was check out and determined he was not connected to the case.
- Two sex offenders from Mike's neighborhood were questioned, and not detained.
- The second autopsy conducted on the evening of the 8th shown nothing new, no broken bones, or anything the shed more information on the case. A few superficial bruises found but were, stated as normal for Mike's age.
- Police work on the theory the killer quite possibly be from Indianapolis and knew the Henry County area well.
Saturday, October 10th, 1970
- Albert Garcia (30) of Indianapolis was arrested in Bowling Green Kentucky, for sexuality molesting two Indianapolis Star paper boys, brother 13 and 14 in January at his apartment at 1139 East Washington Street. He will be brought back to Indianapolis and questioned about Mike's abduction and murder.
- Garcia's car a dusty gray 1962 Ford Thunderbird with tail fins, but had the Indiana County license plate prefix of 33 issued in Hendricks County, where he lived in Plainfield and disappeared from.
- Police search the first block of South Harris Avenue for new clues.
- State Police Sgt. Chester Enlow question 15 of the Indianapolis Star Newspaper boys who worked out of the newspaper's circulation office at the alley rear of the gas station at 2504 West Washington Street with no new information.
- Captain Gray drove the route the abductor may have taken from South Harris Avenue, east on Washington Street to Interstate 465 to Interstate 70 east to Highway 109 and then north to South County Road 550 West to the site were Mike was found. The trip took 47 minutes and was 38 miles long. On the return trip Captain Gray town US 40 (Washington Street) back took 55 minutes and was 41 miles long.
- (Note: Interstate 70 and 65 were not complete at the time and didn't run through downtown Indianapolis.)
- Robert E. Schmidt disappears from Central State Mental Hospital. Officers at Central State conceded that he could have been absent for as long as eight hours without being noticed.
Sunday, October 11th, 1970
- Detectives Sargent Robert J. Tirmenstein and James M. Strode found abandoned car proximity one mile from Washington and Harris Avenue. There was a 1959 green Buick four door with the license plate prefix of 49P. I "tipster" reported the car used in the crime could be found at the intersection of Richland and Oliver Avenue. The car was taken to the Indiana State Police garage and examined. No blood stains were found.
- Detectives search records at Central State Mental Hospital for sex offenders on furlough on or around October 3rd.
- Garcia gave "a pretty good alibi" for his whereabouts on October 3d. The Police had not ruled him out as a suspect.
Friday, October 16th, 1970
- Albert Garcia passes a polygraph and is no long a suspect.
- Captain Robert E. Gray, of the Indiana State Police stated the canvassing of the 75% of the 360 residents in the neighborhood is complete.
- Two knifes were found one in the neighborhood and another along Interstate 465, both tested and eliminated.
Sunday, October 18th, 1970
- Jerry Michael Bayles 11th Birthday.
- The Indianapolis Star publishes an article that "Tipgiver's Identity Can be Secret" A simple letter with the same number written on the top and bottom of the letter with the body of the letter being the 'tip' information, the bottom portion with the number torn off and the top mailed to the Star.
- Over 700 people been talked to and questioned by both the Indianapolis Police and the Indiana State Police.
- Neighbors of the Bayles' family and Mike's schoolmates collect monies and can good for the family.
- Captain Gray comes out with three possible routes from 12 South Harris to the location where Mike was found, He believe the first is the one used.
- No.1 – East on Washington Street to Interstate 465 then north on I-456 to Interstate 70 then on I70 to an interchange just north of Knightstown then north on State Road 109.
- No. 2 – East on Washington Street to Knightstown then to north on State Road 109.
- No. 3 – West on Washington Street to I465 then around the south side of Indianapolis on the interstate to Washington Street then east to Knightstown then north to State Road 109.
Monday, October 19th, 1970
- Local Newsboy, Russell Jones (15) 3030 South Keystone Avenue, collects funds for the Bayles Tribute.
Tuesday, October 20th, 1970
- The Indianapolis Star receives a tip letter from the Greenfield witness.
Saturday, October 31st, 1970
- Mr. Bayles' received Mike's 1970-71 pictures from IPS #50. The 8x10 color picture of Mike is treasured by Mrs. Bayles.
- The school pictures were taken two weeks before Mike was abducted and murdered.
Tuesday, November 3d, 1970
- 17 persons were arrested as sex offenders in other cases.....
- 20 persons voluntary took polygraph test.....nothing found.
- 8 autos have been taken in.....nothing found.
- 100 articles of clothing checked.....nothing found.
- 3000 man hours been worked....
Monday, November 23d, 1970
- Robert Schmidt was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, at an apartment complex at 9450 North 17th Avenue where he was live for a month. Schmidt also rented an office, and had a phone under the name of A-P Advertising Specialties.
Tuesday, November 24th, 1970
- Alan R. Kimbell, Indianapolis director of public safety, had scheduled a meeting with a special state legislative committee in Indianapolis to discuss improved security regulations for possibly dangerous mental patients.
Wednesday, November 25th, 1970
- The witness, Paul McDougall positively identified Schmidt from a photographic as the man he saw on the morning of October 3rd, holding Mike at knife point.
Thursday, November 26th, 1970
- Indiana State Police flew Schmidt from Phoenix to Indianapolis and was booked in Municipal Court Room 10 on a charge first-degree murder.
- The case was continued till December 8th, 1970 by Judge Frank L. Harlor at the request of the Marion County prosecutor's office.
Tuesday, December 8th, 1970
- Municipal Court Wiluarn Cramer Judge ordered Robert Schmidt held on a first degree murder charge pending the grand jury investigation. Robert Schmidt pleaded innocent.
Wednesday, February 17th, 1971
- The Marion County grand jury said it had insufficient evidence to indict Robert E. Schmidt on a first degree murder of Mike.
- Marion County officials ordered to hold Schmidt for the Beatty Hospital at Westfield, Indiana. (Now Westfield Correctional Facility)
September 14th, 1971
- Lucille Bayles, Mike's Mother, receives a letter stating she is to be in the alley, which Mikes was taken; at 05:25 on Sunday the 3d of October she would find a package that would help solve Mike's murder. Mrs. Bayles withheld notifying the police in fear that the police wouldn't let her go, but notified the Indianapolis Star. Gerald Bayles, Mike's father notified police.
Sunday, October 3d, 1971
"Dear Mrs. Bayles,"
"Its all most been a year now."
"I guess it seems longer to you"
"You will never know who killed your boy, but I have something that will make you feel better. On the 3 day of Oct. you go to the ally by Harris Street where Mike left his bicycle and you will find a package. Come at 25 after 5 in the morning. You won’t see me but I will see you. Get the package and leave. Don’t be afraid I won’t hurt you. I did not kill Mike. But I know who did. If you knew you won’t believe it. I know your husband and all the boys. it won’t do any good to take this to the police. Some one else is writing this, not me. When you get the package go home before you open it please."
- Captain Raymond A. Koers, homicide chief was stationed in an unmarked car four blocks from the alley way and Harris Avenue and surveyed the neighborhood with binoculars. IPD Sergeant Robert J. Tirmenstein and Indiana State Police Sargent Chester Inlow, were stationed in an unmarked panel truck. IPD Homicide investigator Darryl Churchill and Indiana State Police Sargent Larry Carmichael took up positions nearby in separate unmarked cars. Captain Koers said the letter might have been on the level and the person who wrote it just lost courage. "But all I can think right now is that this was a cruel hoax," "Why can't people just let this woman live in peace."
- The letter was address to Mrs. Bayles using her first name and was addressed to her place or work; neither had been published in the papers. (Note: On October 17th 1970 the Indianapolis Star did publish Mrs. Bayles first name name)
"Dear Mrs. Bayles,"
"Its all most been a year now."
"I guess it seems longer to you"
"You will never know who killed your boy, but I have something that will make you feel better. On the 3 day of Oct. you go to the ally by Harris Street where Mike left his bicycle and you will find a package. Come at 25 after 5 in the morning. You won’t see me but I will see you. Get the package and leave. Don’t be afraid I won’t hurt you. I did not kill Mike. But I know who did. If you knew you won’t believe it. I know your husband and all the boys. it won’t do any good to take this to the police. Some one else is writing this, not me. When you get the package go home before you open it please."
Monday, October 18th, 1971
- Jerry Michael Bayles 12th Birthday.
Tuesday, January 11th, 1983
- Mike's father, Gerald B. Bayles passes away at 65.
Thursday, December 12th, 1996
- Mike's mother, Lucille Fannie (Strong) Bayles passes away at 64.
Tuesday, November 6th, 2012
- Mike's younger brother James W. Bayles passes away at 50.
Monday, July 29th, 2013
- Mike's older brother Gordon A. "Bud" Bayles passes away 58.
August 6th, 2013
- The only witness Paul Thomas McDougall passes away at 77.
Thursday, October 3d, 2013
- Will Ott (56), Indianapolis, long time follower of the case finds Mikes name in his Grade School year book. After losing the name over the years, but not the memory.
- Will, starts the "In Memory of Jerry Michael Bayles" web page and Facebook page.
Friday, October 18th, 2013
- Jerry Michael Bayles 54th Birthday.
Thursday, October 24th, 2013
- Will reaches out to friends in State Government, local newspapers, and local police for assistance in finding information on Mike.
Early to mid-November 2013
- Will makes contact with Travis Bayles, Mike's brother James son. One of the few relatives still alive.
- Email sent to the Indiana State Police for a contact person with the Cold Cases.
- Contact is made with several of Mike's former classmates of IPS #50.
Early to mid-November 2013
- Will makes contact with Travis Bayles, Mike's brother James son. One of the few relatives still alive.
- Email sent to the Indiana State Police for a contact person with the Cold Cases.
- Contact is made with several of Mike's former classmates of IPS #50.
Wednesday, January 22d, 2014
- Detective Scott Jarvis of the Indiana State Police contacted Will Ott, and a meeting was set.
Thursday, January 30th, 2014
- Will Ott meet with Detective Jarvis at the Pendleton Post. Detective Jarvis will be looking into and investigating the case.
Thursday, April 23d, 2014
- Will Ott called and spoke with John Bayles, Mike's brother.
Sunday July 20th, 2014 at 1:21pm, (43 years, 9 months, 17 days, 7 hours, 9 minutes)
- Will Ott receives the most importent phone call of the case.
- The abductor/murderer was identified. Will contacts Detective Jarvis.
- Detective Jarvis starts working on a time line of the suspect.