Mary Jo Bailey: The Love Triangle That Ended in Murder

True Crime Lounge
4 min readJul 4, 2024

Introduction

In a case that has drawn significant media attention and spanned nearly four decades, Mary Jo Bailey, an 81-year-old woman, has been sentenced to life in prison for the cold-blooded murder of Yvonne Menke in 1985. This article delves into the intricate details of the love triangle that led to the crime, the investigation, the trial, and the ultimate sentencing of Bailey.

Mary Jo Bailey

The Love Triangle

Yvonne Menke

Background

Yvonne Menke, a 45-year-old mother of four, was involved in a romantic relationship with Jack Owen. Unbeknownst to Menke, Owen was also seeing Mary Jo Bailey simultaneously. The clandestine relationships eventually led to jealousy and tension, culminating in a tragic murder.

The Crime

On December 12, 1985, Yvonne Menke was preparing to start her car in the early morning hours when she was ambushed and shot dead. Menke sustained three gunshot wounds: one in the neck and two in the back of the skull. Her daughter, who was inside the apartment, heard the gunshots and saw someone fleeing the scene dressed in a gray dress…

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