Naman Shrestha
When Kayla Sedoskey vanished from her home in Monroe, Michigan, after Valentine’s Day 2023, the entire community became concerned about her well-being. Her loved ones’ worst nightmares came true when her remains were found a few weeks later. As the detectives investigated the homicide, they uncovered a deadly plot that involved multiple perpetrators and a mastermind behind it. All the intricate details about the case and the investigation that ensued are explored in the episode titled ‘Puppet Master’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Homicide Hunter: American Detective.’
Kayla Sedoskey’s Remains Were Found Frozen in an Abandoned Detention Facility
Kayla Belinda Sedoskey was born on July 22, 1999, to Paullette P. and Jonathon Edward Sedoskey. Being a Native American of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe, she grew up alongside her two sisters, Angela and Caroline Sedoskey, and her brother, Mark Williams. According to reports, she was estranged from her biological parents and raised by her adoptive mother. Passionate about camping and the outdoors, Kayla began dating Daniel Mayo, with whom she had her son, Ryan Aaron Mayo. However, after their relationship deteriorated, Kayla and Daniel split up amicably.
Since she believed Daniel was better equipped to care for and raise Ryan, Kayla gave up custody but still spent a lot of time with him. The day after Valentine’s Day 2023, on February 15, Kayla suddenly disappeared and was nowhere to be found until her frozen remains were discovered hidden underneath a tarp by a group of young boys in the gymnasium of the abandoned Boysville Juvenile Detention Center in Monroe County, Michigan, on March 2, 2023. After the authorities rushed to the scene, they identified the woman as 23-year-old Kayla through her fingerprint and found a tea candle near the remains. The autopsy revealed that she had been shot three times with .22 caliber rounds, once in the back, once into her face, and the third one on top of her head.
Kayla Sedoskey’s Murder Involved Multiple Perpetrators
In order to get to the bottom of the case, the authorities not only canvassed the area around the abandoned juvenile detention center but also pieced together the circumstances surrounding Kayla Sedoskey’s homicide. They learned that she had been in an unstable and toxic relationship with a man named Steven Douglas Bails, who had been arrested at a gas station. Kayla had also reportedly filed a restraining order against him because he had threatened to kill her. Although he was a person of interest in the case, he was nowhere to be found. On March 6, 2023, the detectives received a call from Steven’s cousin, who told them that Kaylyn Ramsey was responsible for Kayla’s death. During the interview, the cousin alleged that Steven told her that Kaylyn had committed the crime.
Upon digging deeper, the investigators learned that Steven lived with his wife, Narena Bails, and numerous friends at his house, including Kaylyn Ramsey, Brin Smith, and Sierra Bemis. As the police executed a search warrant at Steven’s house, they found some tea candles similar to those found at the crime scene, but didn’t find any ammunition or firearms. Meanwhile, Steven claimed that he was not running away from the police but on a honeymoon with his wife and some of his friends. He also provided the police with a video confession of Kaylyn, who confessed to killing Kayla and 16 other people. However, in the reflection of the video, which was recorded from another phone, the detectives noticed Steven pumping his fists, raising suspicions about his possible involvement in the crime.
They brought Brin in for questioning, and he claimed that Kaylyn and Kayla had bad blood between them, which led to Kayla’s death. He maintained his innocence and was released due to a lack of evidence. Meanwhile, during her interview, Kaylyn contradicted Brin’s statements and claimed that she was on good terms with Kayla and didn’t have any conflict with her. She told them that she last talked with her the day before she passed, around Valentine’s Day. However, suspicions were raised as they had released her date of passing as March 2, 2023. When confronted with her video confession, she claimed that she was coerced and shifted the blame to Steve, alleging that he killed her because she owed him money.
The Accomplices Implicated the Mastermind Behind Kayla’s Homicide
The detectives got a huge break in the case when they interviewed Sierra Bemis, who admitted to being a part of the murder. She revealed that Steven was the mastermind behind it all and had recruited his friends to participate in the crime. Sierra was reportedly hired as a lookout to alert others if anyone entered the juvenile detention center at the time of the killing. The investigators then learned that on February 15, 2023, Brin lured Kayla to the vacant Boysville Juvenile Detention Center, where Steven and Kaylyn ambushed her. After obtaining arrest warrants for Brin, Steven, Kaylyn, and Sierra, they took all of them into custody except for Steven, who remained in hiding.
Soon, the authorities tracked him down to a relative’s home in North Carolina. After about 8 hours of a standoff with him and his wife, Narena, they deployed tear gas inside the residence and took the two into custody. Steven was charged with homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide, and extradited to Michigan. His wife, Narena, told the detectives that he had orchestrated the homicide and assigned roles to his friends. She admitted that she was staying at the apartment, listening to the police scanner, and was supposed to alert Steven if the police were being sent to the detention center. Given her involvement, Narena was also charged with homicide and conspiracy to homicide. Furthermore, another one of Steven’s friends, Alexander Feko, was arrested for disposing of the murder weapon under Steven’s direction.
Steven Bails is Currently Incarcerated at a Michigan Prison
Brin Smith, Narena Bails, Kaylyn Ramsey, and Sierra Bemis pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, while Alexander Feko pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and three counts of accessory to a homicide after the fact. They received prison terms, ranging from several years to decades. During Steven Bails’ trial, Sierra, Narena, and Alexander testified against him, helping the prosecution build a case against the defendant in front of the jury. On March 21, 2024, the jury deliberated for about 90 minutes before finding Steven guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit homicide. About two months later, on May 23, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As of today, the 47-year-old convict is serving his sentence at Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer, Michigan.
