TARA BAKER: Murdered in Athens, GA - 19 Jan 2001 *ARREST* (2 Viewers)

Watch as this 19 year old case is experiencing a resurgence by 2 very determined men who
remember the murder & seeing her burned home near their apartment.


TARA LOUISE BAKER

Tara was murdered in a heinous fashion on January 19, 2001 one day shy of her 24th birthday. The epitome of overkill: Tara was beaten, stabbed, and strangled. A sexual assault was not ruled out. The killer even went so far as to set her apartment on fire. Her laptop was stolen.

According to the Augusta Chronicle: "Investigators identified at least three possible suspects after the murder, including a man Baker was dating, a fellow law school student, and an attorney at a local firm Baker worked for. Authorities will not say if the men still are under suspicion or if there are new suspects."




Georgia Bureau of Investigation:
January 19, 2001, around 11:20 a.m., the body of Tara Louise Baker was found by Athens-Clarke County firefighters responding to a fire at her apartment located at 160 Fawn Drive, Athens. Subsequent investigation has determined that the fire was intentionally set and the manner of death is homicide. Tara was a first-year law school student at the University of Georgia (UGA). Tara, 23, was last seen alive by a friend around 7:30 p.m. on January 18 at the UGA Law School Library. The same friend received a call at 9:46 p.m. from Tara, who was still at the library. Tara phoned to make sure her friend arrived home safely and said she planned to leave the library around 10 p.m. Tara was born on January 20, 1977 in East Point, Georgia. She graduated Love Joy High School in 1995 and enrolled at Georgia College in Milledgeville. She graduated Cum Laude in 1998 with two bachelor's degrees. Classmates remember Tara as a caring person who would often champion the cause of the underdog and never allowed serious students to be excluded from study groups or class projects. Anyone who may have information about Tara's death should contact: The Athens-Clarke County Police Department at 706-613-3337 or the GBI's Athens Regional Office at 706-542-7901.

Unsolved Homicide: Tara Louise Baker

On January 19, 2001, around 11:20 a.m., the body of Tara Louise Baker was found by Athens-Clarke County firefighters responding to a fire at her apartment located at 160 Fawn Drive, Athens. Subsequent investigation has determined that the fire was intentionally set and the manner of death is...

gbi.georgia.gov

 

[GrandmaBear]

Agree totally!! No sane judge had better consider this. He will be gone, I'd count on it. He should not be in society even WITH an ankle monitor. What's to stop him taking someone hostage, how does an ankle monitor stop that? Or killing someone, does an ankle monitor stop that? NO it doesn't.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Bond denied again for suspect in 2001 slaying of UGA Law student Tara Baker

For the second time since his arrest this year, the suspect in the slaying of UGA Law student Tara Baker was denied bond.

www.onlineathens.com

Bond denied again for suspect in 2001 slaying of UGA Law student Tara Baker​

Bond was denied for the second time in less than four months for the suspect charged with slaying a University of Georgia law school student 23 years ago in Athens.

Western Circuit Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott heard arguments Wednesday from Atlanta attorney Ahmad R. Crews on behalf of his client, Edrick Lamont Faust, by asking for a reasonable bond for Faust’s release from jail.

Faust, expected to go on trial sometime in 2025, is charged with numerous crimes including murder, rape, aggravated sodomy and arson. Baker was strangled, stabbed and beaten in her residence on Fawn Drive in east Athens, according to court documents.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Suspect in 2001 slaying of UGA law student Tara Baker returns to court, trial date discussed

Murder and rape suspect Edrick Faust was back in court for another pretrial hearing on charges he killed Tara Baker in 2001.

www.onlineathens.com

Suspect in 2001 slaying of UGA law student Tara Baker returns to court, trial date discussed​

The Athens man accused of killing University of Georgia law school student Tara Baker in 2001 was back in court Wednesday, when his lawyer reiterated his workload of examining a “voluminous” amount of evidence.

The vast amount of evidence to review was a reason, the Atlanta lawyer explained, that he could not project a time he would be prepared for trial.

Defense attorney Ahmad R. Crews also suggested that he would bring the "mountain of discovery" documents to court so Clarke County Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott could personally view what the prosecution has provided for him to examine.

Crews offer was made after Lott told Crews and Western Circuit Chief Assistant District Attorney Lisa Pappas that it was her intentions to bring 49-year-old Edrick Lamont Faust before a jury trial later this year.

Pappas suggested the prosecution would be ready in late summer.


Among the motions filed recently by the defense was one aimed at getting more detailed information on the DNA testing done at the State Crime Lab. Crews said the GBI has not responded to his latest subpoenas, but Pappas told the judge she didn’t see a problem with the defense getting those results, some of which the state is also awaiting.

The DNA testing was crucial in solving the cold case. Faust faces a nine-court indictment with charges including murder, rape, sodomy and arson.

Lott set at date of April 2 for another hearing at which time she expects a trial date can again be discussed.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Judge urges lawyers to keep Tara Baker murder case on track for October trial

A defense lawyer for the man accused of killing Tara Baker in 2001 says the amount of evidence to study may preclude an October trial.

www.onlineathens.com

Judge urges lawyers to keep Tara Baker murder case on track for October trial​

The 49-year-old man accused of committing a crime in 2001 that alarmed residents of Athens made his way in shackles to the defense table of a courtroom Wednesday where once again a lawyer made it known he has mounds of evidence to examine before his client is ready for trial.


Western Circuit Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott made it known to defense attorney Ahmad R. Crews and District Attorney Kalki Yalamanchili that she plans to try the case in October.

While Yalamanchili appeared comfortable with that date, Crews voiced an objection. Crews said he is still receiving new evidence to examine in response to his discovery motion.

“We are nowhere (near) ready for trial,” said the Atlanta lawyer, who noted that his office has already spent 2,200 hours going through case documents.

Lott said she would set another hearing in early September to hear motions and once again determine if the lawyers are on track for an October trial before a jury.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Judge sets trial date for accused murderer of UGA law school student

By Joe Johnson A trial date has been scheduled for the accused killer of University of Georgia law student Tara Baker.Edrick Faust is charged with murdering the 23-year-old student after breaking into her Athens apartment in 2001.He was arrested in May of last year and subsequently indicted for...

www.classiccitynews.com

Judge sets trial date for accused murderer of UGA law school student​

A trial date has been scheduled for the accused killer of University of Georgia law student Tara Baker.

Western Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Lisa Lott has scheduled his trial to begin on October 20th at the courthouse in downtown Athens.

Faust pleaded not guilty to all charge in the indictment.

 

[Tresir]

I was trying to find out more of what this guy has been doing for the last 20 odd years and Nancy Grace covers it in this video.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I was trying to find out more of what this guy has been doing for the last 20 odd years and Nancy Grace covers it in this video.

OMG less than five minutes--and she sure says it. They both do. THIS GUY should never have been on the street or free. Like her or not (I have my moments), she is so right in this one. 20 years of major crimes I think they said.

Sometimes I feel like no one gets, JUDGES have blood on their hands, many a place does because someone else dies because of their decision and so on. Well as she also says, leis t the guy live with and next door to you then or near your kid.

I suspect this is part of a longer show, cut off a bit abruptly. I almost didn't watch it but just saying, worth it.

They can't keep this soft on CRIME THING up. It also goes on in more than our country.

One thing about Nancy, she will SAY SUCH. People should watch, barely five minutes of their life.

 

[Tresir]

Here's a screenshot from the video of his rapsheet for the last 20 years.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Here's a screenshot from the video of his rapsheet for the last 20 years.

View attachment 24896

Yes. Ignore any typos if I make them. Haven't been doing a lot of links these days but I did this one, also did her one on Scott Peterson that I linked.

This man should have NEVER been free. And I'll give her this, she is not SCARED to say IT.

 

[Tresir]

Trial date set for Oct 20th. This article gives more detail about priors and when he was incarcerated.

Trial date set for suspect in murder of UGA law student Tara Baker

In 2021, UGA law student Tara Baker's body was found in a burning apartment in Athens. Now, more than 24 years later, the man accused of sexually assaulting and killing her will go to trial.

www.fox5atlanta.com

"According to the arrest warrants, Baker was killed between 9:45 p.m. on January 18, 2001, and 11:30 a.m. on January 19, 2001. Faust allegedly used "an instrument, when used offensively against a person, [that] results in strangulation," and is accused of stabbing Baker in the neck with a knife with a blade longer than three inches and striking her head with a blunt object.
Additionally, the warrants say that Faust sexually assaulted Baker during the attack, hid her body, and tried to destroy evidence by setting her apartment on fire.
Faust was arrested and charged in the case after police said that biological evidence and DNA science helped them connect him with Baker's death.
Dig deeper:
Faust has dozens of arrests documented in Athens-Clarke County. According to court records, less than a month after Baker was killed, Faust was arrested and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for cutting someone's neck.
According to records obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta from the Georgia Department of Corrections, Faust was incarcerated between Aug. 21, 1997, and July 20, 1999, as well as between May 1, 2001, and May 28, 2003."

More at link.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Oh wow must have been some great DAs and judges with this guy (NOT) or he knew someone.

I can''t even go there right now but when I saw them show his record and such WHAT THE HECK was he even doing free??????????????

It is asinine. People are busy living their own lives and dealing but imo they need to start caring about this sh*t. It just continues on a big downhill slide.

 

[Tresir]

Oh wow must have been some great DAs and judges with this guy (NOT) or he knew someone.

I can''t even go there right now but when I saw them show his record and such WHAT THE HECK was he even doing free??????????????

It is asinine. People are busy living their own lives and dealing but imo they need to start caring about this sh*t. It just continues on a big downhill slide.

I guess at the time, he was probably on bail for the crime he was convicted of 3 months later. Its unbelievable isn't it?

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yah. Right now I'm just trying to push through but exactly. It is unbelievable, and it goes on ALL OF THE TIME.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Trial delayed in 2001 murder of UGA law student Tara Baker

Edric Faust was arrested in May 2023 after DNA and forensic evidence linked him to the 2001 case.

www.wsbradio.com

Trial delayed in 2001 murder of UGA law student Tara Baker​

The trial for the man accused of killing University of Georgia law student Tara Baker more than two decades ago has been postponed until early next year.

His defense team told the judge they need additional time to review files and evidence. The trial is now scheduled to begin in late January.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Edrick Faust awaits trial decades after murder of UGA law student Tara Baker

Nearly 25 years after the murder of University of Georgia law student Tara Baker, her accused killer, Edrick Faust, has yet to face trial. Faust’s trial, originally set to begin

www.redandblack.com

Edrick Faust awaits trial decades after murder of UGA law student Tara Baker​

Nearly 25 years after the murder of University of Georgia law student Tara Baker, her accused killer, Edrick Faust, has yet to face trial. Faust’s trial, originally set to begin on Oct. 20, was recently rescheduled for January 2026, marking the latest development in a decades-long case.


Pretrial motions are expected to be filed with the court by November.

Faust remains incarcerated without bond at the Athens Clarke-County Jail, with his trial set to begin a week after the 25-year anniversary of Baker’s death.