Mom of slain student hopes killers will be found

Stephanie Hayle knows how it feels to send your child off to college and have him never return home. Much like the son of Lisa and James Bailey of Wantagh, her son Dennis was brutally killed and left for dead outside his off-campus apartment.

But even though the mystery surrounding her own son's death has not been solved, she gets some consolation that the Bailey family can now possibly put faces to the alleged killers of the couple's son, Richard.

"I'm so happy for that," said Hayle, of Hempstead. "At least it will bring closure to the Baileys. . . . This young man was minding his own business, and they took his life. . . . So I'm praying that same thing will happen for Dennis."

Police arrested three men Monday in the slaying of Richard Bailey, a student from Wantagh shot to death on an Albany street nearly a year ago. Bailey attended University at Albany.

However, after 10 months there are no new leads as to why Dennis Stuart Hayle, 22, was shot and killed outside his off-campus apartment on Jan. 25, left dead in a hallway by his killer or killers. Hayle was a senior at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, at the time.

"My outcome doesn't change," Stephanie Hayle said through tears. "But I would like to know why. For myself and my daughter and the rest of my family. . . . Dennis didn't deserve this."

Dennis Hayle, a well-liked figure on campus, had just returned a week earlier from President Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington, D.C., an event he called incredible and inspiring, family said. He had aspirations of becoming a lawyer or lobbyist.

Hayle played football, lacrosse and wrestled at Uniondale High School, his alma mater. He served as an acolyte at the Church of the Transfiguration in Freeport.

After his death, students signed a Web site guest book set up by the college, and the school held a vigil.

"The students and his very close friends, such as his fraternity brothers, are still trying to come to grips with this tragedy," she said.

But Stephanie Hayle will not give up on finding out what happened to her son. She speaks weekly to police in Greensboro.

On top of the $2,000 offered by Crime Stoppers, her church has offered an extra $5,000 reward for information leading to the killer or killers.

In addition, Dennis' story has been featured on "America's Most Wanted's" Web site and may air on the television show.

"I still have the prayers of many people," she said.