Michelle Mockbee's murder: A complete timeline of events
Michelle Mockbee was murdered during the early morning of May 29, 2012, at Thermo Fisher Scientific's Boone County, Kentucky, facility, where she served as a human resources officer. Her body was found battered to death just after she reported for work to do payroll chores. The investigation quickly turned to David Dooley, a janitor working as an outside contractor at the facility.
Prosecutors said that Dooley murdered Mockbee when she had learned he was padding his time cards. The case was one of the most highly publicized in the area, with two trials, a vacated conviction, and years of suffering for Mockbee's family.
Dooley was initially convicted in 2014 and given a life sentence in prison, but in 2017, his conviction was vacated because evidence was withheld. A 2019 retrial resulted in a second conviction and a 43-year prison term for Dooley. Along the way, the case was in the news for its absence of physical evidence and the emotional stress it placed on all involved.
The case of Michelle Mockbee's murder is being featured on NBC's Dateline in an episode titled Return to the Early Shift. This episode will air on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 10/9c.
A complete timeline of events of Michelle Mockbee's murder
Discovery of the crime
As per ABC News, Michelle Mockbee came to work early on May 29, 2012, to do payroll at Thermo Fisher Scientific. She was discovered dead in her office, suffering blunt force trauma to the head. The killing stunned her co-workers and the local community. Police started their investigation by questioning employees and checking surveillance tapes in the facility.
Initial investigation and arrest
According to the New Kentucky Tribune, David Dooley, a janitor contracted to work for the plant, was identified as a person of interest. Video surveillance had Dooley leaving the plant for more than 30 minutes shortly after Michelle Mockbee was murdered. Prosecutors believed that he took that time to eliminate evidence.
Dooley and his wife were suspected of submitting forged time cards, and it was thought that Mockbee had discovered the scam. Police also found inconsistencies in Dooley's accounts of finding Mockbee's body.
The first trial and conviction
As per ABC News, David Dooley was tried for Michelle Mockbee's murder in 2014. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence since there was no direct physical evidence that implicated Dooley in the crime—no murder weapon and no forensic test results.
Dooley was found guilty of murder and tampering with physical evidence by a jury and was sentenced to life in prison.
Conviction overturned and a retrial
According to the New Kentucky Tribune, in 2017, Dooley's conviction was reversed by Boone Circuit Judge James R. Schrand. The judge said evidence that might have assisted Dooley's defense was kept from his lawyers. This resulted in a retrial, which started in February 2019.
In the retrial, Dooley's defense team offered alternative suspects, including Mockbee's husband, but prosecutors insisted Dooley was the only individual in the warehouse when the murder took place.
Second conviction and sentencing
On March 12, 2019, after deliberating for less than seven hours, the jury found Dooley guilty a second time of murder and tampering with evidence, as reported by the New Kentucky Tribune.
He was sentenced to a combined 43 years in prison—38 years for murder and five years for tampering with evidence. Dooley will be eligible for parole after completing 85 percent of his prison sentence.
As per WCPO, the Mockbee family suffered years of courtroom trials and emotional anguish. Dooley's defense maintained his innocence and vowed to appeal the judgment.
For more details on the case of Michelle Mockbee's murder, watch NBC's Dateline episode airing on May 24, 2025, at 10/9c.
