Frei guilty of first-degree murder

DAVENPORT - Alex Bailey said Thursday a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

“The storm clouds have passed and it's a bright and sunny day,” said Alex, 16, of Marengo. He was all smiles after a jury found Denise Frei, the former girlfriend of his father, Curtis Bailey, guilty of first degree murder.

Earlier, Alex had teared up and hugged his mother, Michelle Geary, after the verdict was announced. Friends and other family members of Bailey also cried and seemed relieved.

Frei, 45, of Marengo, had no reaction to the verdict until she was handcuffed. She then started crying as she was led out of a Scott County District courtroom.

The jury had started deliberating Wednesday afternoon, and after a little more than four hours of deliberation, members announced they had a verdict at about 10 a.m. Thursday.

Frei will be sentenced in about three weeks. She faces a mandatory life sentence without parole.

Frei beat Bailey, 33, of Marengo, to death with a rock and other objects July 19, 2009 in his home. She claimed she was verbally, physically and sexually abused by Bailey for six years and had to kill him to save her son Jacob Hilgendorf's life.

Frei, aided by Hilgendorf and his friend Jessica Dayton, both 21, planned to get Bailey drunk and then suffocate him with plastic wrap. But the plan changed when Bailey awoke and a struggle ensued. The three then used a rock, a candy dish and an ashtray to beat him until he was dead.

Hilgendorf and Dayton both were earlier convicted of first-degree murder and are serving life sentences.

Frei testified during the week-long trial that Bailey threatened to burn Hilgendorf and her 4-year-old grandson if she ever left him. She said the slaying was in self-defense and that she suffered from battered woman syndrome.

Bailey's ex-wife Geary said she was happy with the verdict.

“We're not vengeful people but I'm glad she's stuck away for the rest of her life,” she said.

Alex said he was happy it was all over so he could move on and go back to school.

Assistant Iowa County Attorney Lou McMeen said he was pleased with the verdict.

“It was just and appropriate,” McMeen said. “I want to thank the support Iowa County had from the Attorney General's Office and Assistant Attorney General Douglas Hammerand (who prosecuted the case), and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa County Sheriff's Office.”

Kjas Long, Frei's attorney, left the courtroom and wasn't available for comment.