1. Tara Baker murder case
2. Tara Baker justice after 20 years.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : After over twenty years of unanswered questions and pain, investigators have finally made a significant breakthrough in the cold case of the murdered University of Georgia law student, Tara Louise Baker.
Local authorities have arrested a 48-year-old man from Athens, identified as Edrick Lamont Faust, in connection with Baker’s murder. The young law student was tragically found dead inside her apartment on January 19, 2001.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey expressed his thoughts on the arrest, stating, “Tara’s life was taken from her in a horrific act of violence. While this arrest cannot bring her back, I hope it brings some closure to the Baker family as they continue their healing journey.”
Faust was taken into custody and booked into the Clarke County Jail at 10:34 p.m. on Thursday. He is currently being held without bond, as indicated by the jail’s list of current inmates.
Tara Baker was just 23 years old at the time of her death. She was a dedicated first-year law student at the University of Georgia in Athens. Having graduated from Lovejoy High School in 1995, she went on to earn her undergraduate degrees at Georgia College in Milledgeville.
Details from police reports on the day of her murder reveal that firefighters in Athens-Clarke County responded to a fire at her apartment around 11:20 a.m., where they discovered Baker’s lifeless body. Investigators concluded that she was murdered, and the fire was deliberately set, sparking a relentless search for her killer.
On the evening before her tragic death, Baker was last seen at the UGA Law School Library. Reports suggest that she spoke with a friend on the phone around 9:46 p.m., mentioning her plans to leave the library soon. This conversation marked the final time her friend would ever speak with her.
The breakthrough in cracking this cold case came after a collaborative effort led by the GBI, working closely with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and receiving substantial support from the FBI and Georgia State Patrol. In September, these agencies conducted a thorough review of the case, re-examining evidence collected over the years that ultimately led to Faust as a primary suspect.
Living on Cooper Road in the same neighbourhood off Lexington Road as Baker, Faust had a lengthy criminal record, as per Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Court records.
Chief Jerry Saulters of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department reflected on the case’s history and the impact it had on the local law enforcement community. “This is a case that has stayed with me throughout my career,” he mentioned. “Seeing this case come full circle now, I appreciate the dedication of the detectives, past and present.”
Faust faces charges of murder, aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, arson, possession of a knife during a felony, tampering with evidence, and aggravated sodomy, according to the GBI.
This significant development in the Tara Louise Baker cold case brings hope for justice and closure to her family and friends after more than two decades of uncertainty and heartache..
– Tara Baker murdered law student
– Tara Baker justice after 20 years.
