On a fateful evening in 1993, authorities in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were responding to an active shooting incident at a pub that eventually resulted in two deaths and multiple injuries. The first episode of “Homicide Hunter: 90’s Case Files” on Investigation Discovery tells the story of Paul Klein and Steven Fairfax who are attacked by a gunman who refused to put down his gun. So if you’re interested in learning more, we can help.
How did Steven Fairfax and Paul Klein die?
Paul “PK” Klein, a 40-year-old Colorado Springs resident who was both the manager of Jim & I’s Star Bar and a full-time member of the Sons of Silence motorcycle gang, was born in November 1952. He worked in a pub there and was popular with bikers at the time. According to the program, Steven Fairfax, 33, a recent high school graduate who briefly attended college before returning to pursue his passion for motorcycles, was a potential Sons of Silence member.
On April 17, 1993, at around 8:50 p.m., police arrived at PK’s pub in response to allegations of a firefight. By the time they stopped the shooting, Steven had died and PK and five other people were injured. The former was shot in the neck, body and arm when he was spotted outside the pub. However, PK was also shot several times and died as a result of his wounds during the operation. Although the shooter was known to authorities, they still needed to know why.
Who Murdered Steven Fairfax and Paul Klein?
According to initial testimony from the show, the shooting reportedly began inside the bar before spreading outside and then into the parking lot of a nearby restaurant. Authorities recovered AK-47 rounds, 9mm rounds and .380 caliber shell casings at the scene, proving that numerous firearms were used in the shooting. The bartender claimed that when customers were celebrating someone’s birthday, an AK-47-wielding man walked in and set fire, shooting PK dead.
Eugene Baylis was identified by authorities as the owner of the AK-47 at this point. According to the episode, he disobeyed orders from the police to put down his gun. Eugene was then shot in the head by a police officer who then took him to the hospital. He told investigators that when it all started, a motorcyclist shot him in the face with an air pistol. Eugene claims a motorcyclist approached him in his car and fired a gun.
Eugene went home, grabbed the AK-47, and entered the bar, knowing it was a popular hangout for bikers. According to the episode, he claimed the other patrons at the bar jumped on him and fought over his gun. He noticed that as he left, the others outside started shooting at him and the shooting started. A very different account of events was provided by witnesses who were present at the crime scene.
When Eugene entered the bar and began firing the AK-47, several patrons fled while others tried to trip him, according to witnesses. He drew a pistol and fired at PK after they took the rifle away before returning with the AK-47. The shooting continued outside and Steven entered the pub at the same time. He attempted to speak to Eugene but was shot three times, killing him instantly, the show claims.
How did Eugene Baylis die?
According to the broadcast, authorities also discovered that Eugene had served in the Vietnam War and had a bunker on his parents’ property. He was divorced at the time and did not have custody of the children. It was rumored that Eugene owned a collection of weapons, and according to his ex-wife, he appeared vengeful and angry all the time. His attorneys at his 1995 trial argued in self-defense, claiming he fired those rounds out of fear for his life.
The jury accepted this account of what had happened and eventually acquitted Eugene of all charges, including attempted murder and murder. He was nonetheless sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing machine guns. In addition, according to court documents, Eugene pleaded guilty to serving alcohol to a youth in 1999.
Eugene first caught the eye of authorities on May 27, 2018, when he was on a US Bureau of Land Management property near Bookcliffs, Colorado, driving a white pickup truck. When he was 67, he shot and killed BLM officers as they approached his van. Luckily, the officer was wearing a vest when Eugene hit one of the agents, and when they shot him, he sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died.