Bailey and Spencer Convicted of Third-Degree Murder

A Philadelphia jury delivered the verdict following the 2024 discovery of a young victim in a duffel bag.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Financial Crime

Bailey and Spencer Convicted of Third-Degree Murder

A jury found Dominique Bailey and Kevin Spencer guilty of third-degree murder, conspiracy, abuse of a corpse, and false reporting. The defendants were acquitted of first-degree murder charges after a trial centered on the death of a 4-year-old child.

Why it matters

The case concludes a high-profile investigation that began when Bailey falsely reported her son had died after being struck by a vehicle. Prosecutors argued that the defendants planned to abandon the victim to start a new family.

The jury delivered guilty verdicts for third-degree murder, conspiracy, corpse abuse, and false reporting after reviewing evidence including surveillance footage of a duffel bag. A juror was dismissed during the trial for discussing the case.

The players

Dominique Bailey

The defendant who initially claimed in December 2023 that her son died in a car accident.

Kevin Spencer

The defendant captured on surveillance footage carrying a duffel bag containing the victim.

Damari Carter

The 4-year-old victim who was found deceased inside a duffel bag in West Philadelphia.

The details

Prosecutors presented evidence that the defendants sought to abandon the 4-year-old victim to start a new family. Surveillance footage played during the trial showed Kevin Spencer carrying a duffel bag containing the remains, which were discovered in West Philadelphia in March 2024.

The victim died in 2023.
Dominique Bailey falsely reported in December 2023 that the child died in a car crash.
Authorities discovered the victim in March 2024.
The jury delivered the guilty verdict on October 5, 2026.
Sentencing for the defendants is scheduled for December 2026.

Legal Context

This case updates the legal conclusion to the 2024 discovery of a child in West Philadelphia. The verdict follows a pattern of high-stakes investigations into child neglect and homicide cases within the Philadelphia judicial system.

The conclusion of this trial brings closure to a case that drew significant attention to public safety in West Philadelphia. Residents can expect the court to finalize the sentencing phase by the end of the year.

The takeaway

The jury's decision to convict on third-degree murder rather than first-degree murder reflects the complex evidence presented during the trial. This case serves as a somber reminder of the role surveillance evidence plays in modern criminal prosecutions.