A Window of Time

[00:02] Mazda has been named Consumer Reports' safest new car brand. It starts with our approach. Every Mazda comes standard with proactive safety features, so you're more aware of what's around you, more focused on the road ahead, and ready before problems ever start. [00:19] Mazda. More of what matters most to you. Go to mazdausa.com to learn more. Consumer Reports does not endorse or promote any product. [00:30] When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track. [00:37] because there is no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high-quality motors, sensors, belts, and hard-to-find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place, so nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by. [00:55] Grainger, for the ones who get it done. [01:00] Tonight on Dateline. She was the light of our family. I can't tell you the pride I had in her. Why would anybody harm her? [01:13] You just hear, there's a house fire, there's a body. Yes. Went into the bedroom and she was laying on her back. I could smell the shampoo in her hair. They said we're considering this a homicide. [01:30] No, it was unbelievable that somebody did this on purpose. You're all roommates. You were close. Who were they asking you about? Just the people in her life. At the law school. At work. Then, of course, her boyfriend. They take pictures of my body. They take pictures of my hands. I just lost it. Five or six persons of interest. And nothing quite fit.

[01:53] More than two decades. Finally, you have a name. Like, everybody gets a headquarters. [02:00] It's painful. I felt like I was the one on trial. A young law student found dead in a fire. Evidence burned in the flames. But the drive for justice burned far stronger. I'm Lester Holt. This is Dateline. [02:33] Can't you just imagine her rushing off to class or somewhere to study or heading to a football game here at the University of Georgia, always pushing herself as far and as fast as she could go? She had this sort of jump to her walk, almost a lilt as if she were bouncing through her day very happy. [03:00] you. [03:00] the best she could in everything she did. [03:03] What did she mean to you guys? Everything. She was a girl in a hurry, but her family would need patience and perseverance if they would ever find justice. [03:17] Thursday night is party night in Athens, Georgia, just like it was 25 years ago. [03:22] But on Thursday night, January 18, 2001, Tara Baker wasn't bar hopping. She was studying. This was her first year at UGA's law school.

[03:32] and she was buckled down at the law library with her friend Katie Lonstein. I don't remember what we were working on. I think it was probably a paper. She turned on her computer. It made all of its very loud noise because it had a big fan. And then she leaned in and she went like this with her little crinkly nose. [03:49] They worked for a couple of hours. And then I hit 9, 9.30, something like that. I'd had enough. I wanted to go home for the day. [03:57] So I packed up, and I knew she was staying until at least 10. [04:01] because that was her grand plan. And she... [04:04] She told me to call when I got home because she always worried about me when I walked home. Katie made it home safely, but she forgot to call. So Tara called me at about 9... [04:15] 40, 945, and she said, ma'am, [04:19] You did not call me. [04:20] And I said, I know, I'm so sorry, Tara. I'm home. I'm fine. Everything's okay. Then Tara went home herself around 10, [04:28] Katie's sure of it, because her friend always stuck to her plan. [04:33] For Tara, this was home, a little place on Fawn Drive on the outskirts of Athens. [04:41] Rain clouds were gathering the next morning as the call came into Firehouse 5. That little house on Fawn Drive was on fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene, kicked in the door, and found a living room full of smoke. What do you see when you come over here? I see a red glow around this corner of this wall.

[05:03] like it was yesterday and what he saw in the kitchen. What is it? All four of those electric eyes were on high. The burners were turned on. The burners were on high and the knobs pulled off and placed on the countertop. He then saw a locked bedroom and knew something was burning behind that door. You come inside this room. What do you see when you walk in? Smoke, fire and I see where the [05:29] Fire had broken through the roof, and you could see daylight through the hole. What else did you see in here? We found a body on the floor. [05:36] a body on the floor. What could you tell about this person? [05:39] It appeared she maybe had just gotten out of the shower and a comb had been run through her hair and an electrical cord. [05:47] around her neck. This was no longer just a fire. They doused the flames, backed out, and called police. What was it that stood out to you when you got to the scene? [06:01] There was a lot of fire still there, a lot of police officers, detectives, and media was starting to show up. Jerry Salters was a young patrolman back then. He was asked to stand guard in the kitchen. [06:13] I had looked on the refrigerator and I seen a bunch of pictures and it was... [06:18] college-age females just look like they were having a good time basically just friends [06:23] and really touched me that this is [06:25] This is going to be bad. [06:28] Police learned three young women lived in that house, Valerie, Ashley, and Tara.

[06:33] Officers had no way of knowing who lay dead in the bedroom, so they ran the plates on the only car parked in the driveway. The owner? [06:41] Tara Baker. [06:42] An officer called her mother Virginia. [06:45] And she said, Ms. Baker, there's been a fire in Athens at Tara's house. [06:51] And I said, oh, my goodness. I said, we'll be right there because I thought Tara was going to be upset, and I wanted to go comfort her. [06:58] Because she lost her things, you're thinking. Yes, and... [07:01] So I said, we'll be down there very soon. She said, you need to come right now. We have a body. [07:06] Virginia lived some 80 miles away. She called Tara's boyfriend Chris Melton. She asked me, is Tara with you? I said, no, Tara's not with me. [07:20] Virginia told him what she had just heard. [07:24] I remember all the noise in the room stopped. [07:27] Amen. [07:27] And then I recall someone saying... [07:30] in [07:31] my name and [07:34] Bringing me back around. Chris left his plumbing job and a co-worker drove him to Athens about an hour away. So when you guys get to Athens, your first stop is the police department. That's correct. What do they tell you? [07:47] When I walk in... [07:49] they started informing me that, yes, indeed, there was a fire, and that there was... [07:54] a body found in the fire, and they need help [07:58] to identify. [07:59] Hmm. [08:00] And they're asking you. [08:02] And...

[08:03] I recall at first. [08:05] Saying, I can't do this. And he says, you know, if... [08:10] If you don't do this, her family is going to have to identify her. [08:14] And that convinced you? That convinced me. Police took Chris to the crime scene, where someone brought him a photo of the victim inside. I could not make her out. It was horrible. [08:27] And I could not positively... [08:31] say yes this is her and then it did come to me that [08:35] I had previously given her for an anniversary gift. [08:40] Diamond-stitted earrings for a two-year. [08:43] And she always wore them. And I told them, I said, if this is Tara, she's wearing... [08:49] Dominic stood at earrings. Moments later, one of those emergency workers came back with proof. [08:56] Delicate, heartbreaking proof. [08:59] and he came up to me with a closed hand and when he opened his hand there's one of the dumbest earrings the earring you gave her [09:10] And that's why I knew. [09:13] Sonia, it was her. [09:14] Now, investigators had a name and a case that would become an Athens legend. [09:23] I could smell the shampoo in her hair. [09:25] And I can smell it to this day. [09:27] But the search for a killer would be tainted by mistrust and lingering suspicion. This was a friend of yours. Yes. I think we were all in shock. I remember yelling that I love Tara, that I would never hurt Tara. It would take a new generation to bridge the divide. People were sending you tips, like week after week. Yes, hundreds of tips a week. I was just staring at the ceiling in utter shock.

[09:52] and disbelief. You couldn't even process it. No, uh-uh. [10:08] If Tara Baker's bedroom held any clues about what happened to her, crime scene technician David Liedahl knew getting them would not be easy. What was the condition of the room? [10:20] Well, it was... [10:21] It was a crime scene investigator's nightmare. [10:23] Because when that ceiling fell, all that insulation everywhere, it was about two or three inches deep. [10:31] and covered most of the room so it became real difficult to try to get [10:36] trace evidence like hairs and fibers, things of that nature. [10:40] Was it immediately clear to you that she didn't die in the fire? Once I moved some of the... [10:45] installation the way I could see the stab mark. [10:48] in the neck. [10:49] and she also had other injuries to her. Eyes were black and blue, swollen a little bit. [10:56] They found a knife by her body and signs of blunt force trauma to her head. The cord around her neck came from her printer. [11:04] At the time, did you know anything else about... [11:07] her other injuries. [11:09] sexual assault. We suspected, yes. She had no clothing on. And the position that she was in... Later at Tara's autopsy, the medical examiner determined she had been raped. But a sexual assault kit did not provide any useful evidence.

[11:24] As the crime scene technicians worked, detectives wanted to talk to anyone close to Tara, including her boyfriend Chris. [11:31] When you were in there, they were asking you questions, but there were more than just questions. [11:35] They asked you for your fingerprints. [11:37] That's true. That's true. At the time, had they told you much about... [11:42] What had happened to Sarah? [11:44] No, nothing. [11:47] As Tara's family headed to the police station in Athens, they knew even less. I'm thinking to myself, maybe somehow she fell asleep and one of her candles caught things on fire, but it can't be her. She can't be gone. I kept telling myself there's no way it could be her. [12:03] I'm just... [12:03] Sobbing. [12:04] I was using my sweater as a tissue, and I'm just laying in my uncle's arms just... [12:10] Hmm. [12:11] absolutely sobbing. I was like, this is not real. It's a mistake. It's not her. Meredith Schroeder is Tara's sister. She was 15 years old at the time. [12:21] So [12:22] We pulled up. There was some folks waiting for us outside. We walk in there. They lead us to this... [12:28] conference room and we went in and we sat down [12:32] And we waited for a while, and then this detective came in. [12:37] And he said, "Well, I'm going to talk to y'all in just a minute, but you're going to have to excuse me. I've got to go get a cup of coffee because I've been out in the rain all day." [12:44] That's what he said to you? That's exactly what he said to me. At this point, has anyone officially confirmed to you? No. No. [12:50] What's happened? No. And when he left the room to get his coffee, that young woman that had called me was in the room. And she said, well, we've determined that it is Tara and we're considering this a homicide at this time.

[13:06] And I... [13:09] Thank you. [13:10] I think... [13:11] All of us let out. [13:12] screams almost. [13:15] And I remember going in [13:17] I guess it was shock. I was... [13:19] just couldn't... [13:20] The nausea was incredible. And we kept asking, what happened? What happened? They wouldn't tell us what happened. [13:28] They just said... [13:29] She's gone. [13:31] Tara's roommates Valerie Lowe and Ashley Hall were away that Friday morning. They rushed back to Athens. We were just trying to make sense of it. It was just, it was horrible. And you're young students at the time. And then have something like this. Well, you just didn't even think anything like that could happen to you. [13:48] The next day, Tara was supposed to have been celebrating her 24th birthday. [13:53] Instead, her grandparents were bringing her 10-year-old brother Kevin to Athens. [13:58] And my dad sat on the bed, and he said there was a fire at Tara's apartment. [14:05] My first reaction is, is she okay? Is she in the hospital? I want to go see her. [14:12] And he said, no, she didn't make it. I walked in there, and his little fists were balled up. [14:19] He was just screaming, no, Tara, no. [14:22] I just... [14:23] *sniff* [14:25] His world was shattered. [14:26] Meredith always referred to her as the North Star. [14:29] That they would kind of follow her path. [14:33] Tara was the oldest of four and she had her own special bond with each of her siblings Adam was the oldest boy

[14:41] Adam and Tara were so close. [14:44] Meredith was next in line. She was very... [14:48] doting and protective of me. I had very low self-esteem growing up and she would always be like, oh, isn't my sister so pretty? She would do my hair. Um, I, [14:57] Tell me, you know, it's okay. Kevin was the youngest. Tara called him her baby darling. Tara was my person. If I knew she was coming home, I would pace the door looking outside like a lost puppy, waiting for her to drive up. The people close to Tara say she had a strong sense of justice and an even bigger sense of humor. [15:20] She was one of the funniest people I know, and she just didn't try. Tara could tell you to go straight to hell and make you look forward for the trip. Because she would say it in such a nice way. [15:30] She definitely... [15:32] was very much the person that... [15:35] would come and talk to the kid at the lunch table that was sitting by themselves. She always wanted to see everybody succeed. [15:42] Tara met her boyfriend Chris in undergrad, and they stayed together when she went off to law school at her top choice UGA. It was an honor for her to be here. She took it seriously. This was her dream. And she had her eyes on the future. She knew what she wanted to do. She knew where she wanted to go. She definitely did. She definitely did. [16:01] have known a person who loved life as much as she did. When you say that she loved life, what did that look like? She got up every morning excited. Sometimes she would call me and just say, Mama, look up. Look at the sky. It's beautiful. It's a Tara day, the blue sky and the white clouds. God made it just for me. But now on this dreary day in Athens, Georgia, there wasn't an ounce of beauty to be found.

[16:24] Nothing made sense. A murder. An arson. Just out of the blue. Or maybe not. A few weeks earlier, two of those buildings were on fire. Both of them? Two of them. [16:43] Two iconic soap operas collide in a high-stakes showdown. Beyond the Gates and Young and the Restless come together for a must-see CBS crossover event. The drama reaches new heights as powerful families, long-held secrets, and unexpected alliances collide. Packed with love and betrayal, this crossover event changes everything. Don't miss the Beyond the Gates and Young and the Restless crossover event, all this week on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. [17:11] Insurance is not one size fits all. [17:14] That's why drivers have trusted progressives name your price tool for years. [17:20] Just tell Progressive what you want to pay. [17:22] And they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. [17:25] Visit Progressive.com to find a car insurance rate that works for you. [17:30] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. [17:36] This episode is brought to you by Penn Foster. [17:40] Sometimes things don't go as planned, especially with high school. [17:44] When you start to feel like you're falling behind, [17:47] Having another option can make a real difference. [17:50] Penn Foster High School is an accredited online diploma program

[17:55] Built for flexibility. [17:57] So whether you're hoping to go back and finish what you started, [18:00] Or you're the parent of a teen who needs a different approach to education. [18:04] There is a way forward. [18:06] With self-paced courses, you have the freedom to learn on your own schedule. [18:11] That way you can fit school around everything else going on in your life and stop falling behind. [18:17] Don't just get back on track. Start moving forward with Penn Foster. [18:22] Visit penfoster.edu to learn more. [18:34] - It wasn't long before the killing on Fawn Drive became front page news in the Athens Banner Herald. Crime scene tech David Liedahl was on the scene until late into the night, combing through the charred remains of Tara Baker's bedroom. He'll never forget it. [18:52] - I can smell the shampoo in her hair. [18:55] And I can smell it to this day. [18:58] It never left. A lot of times, of course, investigators talk about different moments from... [19:04] a scene or a particularly disturbing scene that just kind of... [19:08] really drives home how brutal this was. Yes. This was that moment. Yeah. Yeah. [19:14] It also told him something important. Tara was most certainly killed after she got out of the shower. Her roommates helped police develop a timeline of the crime.

[19:26] Tara was very much a creature of habit. Yes, she was. She had a very specific morning routine. Yes. [19:32] Walk me through that. [19:33] She'd get up at like 6.30, shower, and then make her cheese grits. That was her breakfast. That was her breakfast, yep. Every day. Yep. And then go back and get ready. In fact, patrolman Jerry Salters saw Tara's bowl in the sink. Seeing that bowl sitting there. [19:51] And going about her day... [19:53] And just being in there and seeing that was... [19:56] It's pretty hard. After her last breakfast, she would have gone to blow dry her hair in her bedroom like she always did. [20:03] Her hair is very thick, so she'd sit usually at the foot of her bed, flip her head over, and just sit there and just blow dry it. [20:09] Investigators noticed another detail sealed in by the fire itself. [20:15] you [20:16] She had a clock in her bedroom. [20:18] And the clock quit at 9.32. [20:21] Because of the heat. [20:22] Because of the heat, yeah. So that helps you kind of narrow down a window of time of death. Yes, yes. [20:30] Sometime between 7.30 and 9.30, they figured. Initially, as you're walking through, you don't see any evidence that, you know, somebody had gone through drawers or tried to take it. [20:40] Not at all. [20:42] It was later on we discovered that her laptop was taken. Truth was, the entire home felt violated. [20:50] Tara's collection of memories, photos of all those people she loved, were charred, almost lost in the ruin.

[20:59] And when investigators saw melted fabric on the kitchen burners, [21:02] They knew exactly how the killer started the fire. The suspect had taken a blanket and put it on the... [21:11] Stove in the kitchen. [21:13] And when he went back into the bedroom, he took the burning blanket and threw it on the bed. [21:19] It was my blanket. So they use my blanket to do it. I mean, that detail is just so chilling to me because blankets are just they're comforting. Yeah. [21:30] When you got to the stove and you realized what had happened, what the blanket had been used for. Someone had to really think this through. You know, it's almost like a switch flipped, you know, at that moment. [21:41] We weren't college students anymore. Wayne Ford has been a reporter for the Athens Banner Herald since 1982. [21:48] In the community at the time, there were some arson fires, so there was speculation. [21:54] Is it an arsonist? [21:56] that he actually come into the house, maybe surprise Tara and kill her and then go about setting the place on fire. And those previous fires were within a stone's throw of Tara's home. [22:08] few weeks earlier [22:10] Two of those buildings... [22:12] We're on fire. Both of them? Two of them. Just after the murder, police also got specific tips about a man walking alone in the rain around the time of the killing. [22:24] And from what I was told back then, they... [22:27] reached out to their sources,

[22:29] You know, might have been involved in different criminal activities. And a name never came up. One of the first things investigators wanted to know, of course, was how did the killer get inside? The doors were locked when firefighters arrived, but Doug Whitehead noticed something. [22:48] I can't tell you for 100%, but that screen was out of that window. The window screen right here. This window screen and was propped against the side of the building. [22:56] So you're thinking maybe whoever did this... [22:58] came in and out through this window. Maybe so. But the killing was so violent, so up close, it looked like a crime of passion, not a random act. [23:10] Could you get a sense in those early days, maybe, of what direction police were going by the questions they were asking you? At the time, they were just asking about any male in her life. Whether it be at the law school or at work or, you know, in her personal life. Police heard about one law school classmate who had gotten himself a nickname. [23:31] One day, one of the police people asked me if I knew who Suit Boy was. And I said, yes. He was called Suit Boy because on Fridays he would dress in a suit in order to ask women out on dates. [23:45] I knew that he... [23:47] Suitboy had asked Tara out at least once, probably just the one time. But she was with Chris, so she definitely said no. [23:55] Asking girls out was one thing. What Katie told police next sounded much more suspicious. The Friday morning that Tara...

[24:03] died he had come in and he'd had a an injury on his head an injury the morning of the murder that would get police looking in suit boy's direction but he wasn't the only one they needed to talk to tara's mother had an idea one disturbingly close to home it at one point occurred to me what if it could have been her biological father [24:30] On behalf of the University of Georgia Law School... Three weeks after Tara Baker was killed, her family joined faculty and students for a memorial at her beloved law school. Tara's stepfather, Lindsey Baker, told them Tara had been living her dream. [25:00] and where they were going in my little Tara. In the end, she never even got to finish her second semester. As you go through your lives practicing law, remember that was Tara's dream. That's what her dream was. As you do it, Tara will practice law. [25:20] To see him standing there and talking about his little girl and trying to choke back tears was just... [25:29] It was tough. [25:32] Everything was tough for the bakers in those early weeks, especially the not knowing. As she grieved, Virginia asked herself repeatedly, who could have done this? She started to wonder about someone who was no stranger to the family, her first husband.

[25:48] Tara's father. He threatened me when I divorced him a lot. [25:53] And his threats to me were hitting me in the head to the point that she couldn't recognize my face. Tara's family had been told few details about what had happened to her, nothing about the rape or stabbing. But they did know she'd suffered blunt force trauma to the head. Tara was eight years old when her parents divorced. Growing up, she thought of Lindsay as her dad and wanted no contact with her biological father. She refused to answer us phone calls. She just didn't want anything to do with it. [26:23] not. And she made that clear when she changed her last name, taking her stepdad's name, and dropping her biological father's. But just days before she was killed, Tara got a letter from him. [26:36] She was very upset that he had found her. She had been withholding her address from him. I don't know how he got it. Apparently, they had a conversation, and he said that he did learn that she had changed her name. That was in the letter also, and the letter was forwarded from her previous address to this address, and she was a little concerned. [26:59] Now the wheels were turning in Virginia's mind. Did the name change set him off? [27:06] this ego. And he was... [27:09] didn't like being rejected. [27:10] She urged investigators to look into him. And they checked him out. They called him in at my request. Police spoke to him at least twice. They examined his alibi and could find no evidence he was in Athens at the time of the murder. By then, they were increasingly focused on someone else, someone Tara did have a relationship with, her boyfriend, Chris Melton.

[27:33] With Chris, because he was the boyfriend, you know, if these other factors were true in emotional killing, had access to the house, then, you know, Chris is a suspect. [27:45] Police had done more than just take Chris's fingerprints. Two days after the murder, they had him back at the police station where they took blood and hair samples along with pictures of his body. [27:56] What were police telling you about him? [27:58] They didn't say anything at first, but then they were saying that he is a suspect. They told you that? Yeah. [28:04] And they went a step further. They urged Tara's friends to steer clear of Chris. This was a friend of yours. I mean, you all had known each other since undergrad. Was that jarring for you to hear, stay away from this guy? Everything was jarring back then, though. I mean, I think we were all in shock still. And, like, we didn't know who were targeted. We didn't know, you know, so... [28:24] You're just scared. We wanted to respect the process, so if that would have been a part of the process, then we were going to do whatever we were told to do because we wanted an answer. [28:35] Tara's family got the same warning from police. [28:38] and the bakers stopped talking to Chris. [28:41] Was your dad thinking that... [28:44] Chris [28:45] was possibly in some way responsible. [28:47] I think that he was, but he didn't flat out sit me down and say he did this. I just think that he was trying to make sense of it. And if that was what the police were telling him and pointing in that direction, then... [28:59] He thought such a... And he was going to pursue it. [29:02] My dad was so protective of his kids.

[29:06] And he was devastated. [29:09] as a six foot three [29:13] Nearly 400-pound man that he couldn't protect his daughter from the evil that happened. He said, if you've got something on him, I want to know. [29:24] If you've got, if he was tying a shoe down the street, I want to know. He did that with more than just Chris. [29:32] Nothing was recovered from the crime scene to rule Chris in or out. No fingerprints, no DNA. Forensic investigators did find hair in Tara's hand, but testing determined it was her own. [29:46] The killer didn't leave behind anything. He came in and killed Tara, and then he left. [29:54] evidence, the investigation was stuck and police would return again and again to the same place. I was yelling in the phone. I felt like they had nothing, not on me, but just for the case. [30:21] The months were slipping by. [30:24] In January 2002, the one-year anniversary of Tara's death came and went with no arrest. For the Baker family, the unanswered questions were agonizing. They knew police had to hold back details about the investigation, but they wondered if they were even getting basic facts. I was getting it very sporadically. Oh, this happened. Oh, well, this also happened. And then this happened.

[30:54] miles to the Athens-Clarke County PD. I was in the car with them [30:59] when they would drive up there to make the police talk to them. And I would just be, you know, sitting out in the lobby twiddling my thumbs. So you remember this from a teen's perspective of your parents, just the frustration. The frustration, the anger, the feeling of helplessness that... [31:13] they couldn't do anything for Tara anymore this this is all that they could do the investigation was constantly changing hands and to the family no one seemed to be in charge Kevin went from a little boy to a young teen watching investigators come and go you hit a [31:31] A wall. [31:32] And then a new team starts over and said, okay, well, we'll figure it out. [31:36] Well, we're going to start at the beginning. [31:38] Virginia says some of the information they did get in those first few years was bizarre. [31:44] And flat out wrong. The police came to my house and demonstrated how somebody had snuck up behind her. And one pretended to be Tara and the other was, you know, the culprit and pretended how she was... [32:00] Her throat was cut from behind, so she died quickly. They demonstrated that. They demonstrated that in my living room. It was a twisted game of charades. [32:07] So officers were acting out for your family what they believe happened. [32:13] to my mother. [32:14] And then later walked it back. Said, no, that's not what happened. Later admitted that was wrong. Yeah. Yeah. [32:20] With every restart came renewed focus on the boyfriend, Chris. For the longest time we were told...

[32:28] this is who did it. Whether or not we believed it, we were told. So naturally you don't [32:33] reach out, you don't talk to that person [32:35] But police had, repeatedly. His answer never changed. I loved her so much. It was so deep. It's painful to lose her and then it's [32:45] but painful to be. [32:48] looked at that way. Chris says each time he talked to police, he gave them his alibi. He had not seen Tara in days. The night before the murder, he slept over at his parents' house. [32:59] almost an hour from the crime scene. [33:01] That morning, he went to work, stopping at a few places along the way. [33:06] When they question you again, [33:07] Are they asking you different questions, new questions? Most of the time it's the same questions. [33:13] It's like it landed on somebody else's desk. [33:16] And now they're starting over. It happened again and again. The phone would ring and the questions would start. Once they would reach out and talk to me, they would ask me questions and I would return and ask questions myself. What about this? Or what about that? You know, and, and, [33:31] They wouldn't give me answers. Did anyone ever come out and just tell you, [33:35] that you were a suspect. [33:37] You know, as far as actually saying that... [33:41] I don't recall them actually saying that I was suspect. It was just in the actions. [33:46] Chris says it was excruciating because all he ever wanted to do was spend the rest of his life with Tara. [33:52] He says he knew she was special just a few weeks after their first date. They ran into each other at a crowded college bar. We end up back to back, and I feel her hand reach around.

[34:04] and like tickle my arm with their fingernails. [34:08] And then I reach back and I hold her hand. [34:11] And it's kind of silly to say this, but I remember... [34:14] I gotta go to the restroom so bad. But you're holding her hand. Yes. And you don't want to let it go. [34:19] And I'm not letting go. You could not have dragged me away. They never got their happy ending. Instead, Chris says he tried to go on with his life. He built up a small business as a plumber and did his best to put the pain behind him. But one time, when yet another investigator made yet another call, Chris didn't hold back. She asked me a question. [34:43] And I had to take time to consider, you know, just... [34:47] I need to answer the question. And then she... [34:52] aggressively flip things around a little bit and said, well... [34:56] didn't you say this or that or something? And then that's when... [35:00] I just kind of lost it. Do you remember what you said? I remember yelling... [35:04] that I love Tara. [35:06] that I would never hurt Tara. [35:09] And I needed her to know this. And I was yelling in the phone. [35:14] And I felt like they had nothing. [35:16] not on me, but just for the case. - Still, Chris says he always picked up the phone when investigators called. [35:24] Because maybe it would finally be the call that mattered. I'm waiting on the phone call that says, Chris, we... [35:31] We have somebody. [35:33] We've got the person. We have this information. We can share this with you now.

[35:40] is another question. Then four years after the murder, someone new took over the case. Would he see something everyone else had missed? So I'm sure I have that straight. This is one of the very few people who has a key to this apartment. He was there at the crime scene. [35:56] And police never interview him? [36:02] Two iconic soap operas collide in a high-stakes showdown. Beyond the Gates and Young and the Restless come together for a must-see CBS crossover event. The drama reaches new heights as powerful families, long-held secrets, and unexpected alliances collide. Packed with love and betrayal, this crossover event changes everything. Don't miss the Beyond the Gates and Young and the Restless crossover event, all this week on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. [36:31] In the U.S., there's a break-in every 26 seconds. That means somewhere right now, an intruder is getting closer. [36:38] The problem is most security systems only alert you after a break-in has already started, and that's too late. [36:45] When intruders step near, SimpliSafe Home Security steps up. Using the outdoor camera series 2 and advanced AI alerts, SimpliSafe's U.S.-based live agents identify threats on your property and help deter them, stopping crime before it starts. That's why over 5 million people rely on SimpliSafe, and why U.S. News and World Report named them the best home security system of 2026.

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[38:47] It became a cruel ritual. Year after year, Tara's close friends came together to mark the anniversary of her death. [38:56] You graduated, you moved on with your lives, and still there were no answers. That was tough. It's been very difficult, you know, all these years not knowing, you know, the why and what truly happened. As the years passed, the relationship between the Athens-Clarke County PD and the Baker family deteriorated. One of the most egregious things we did was [39:21] miscommunicate with the Baker family. [39:23] Early on, there were some investigators that... [39:26] told them things about the case file that... [39:30] were just not true. David Griffith, a civilian crime analyst with the Athens PD, began looking into Tara's case four years after she was murdered. [39:40] I'll never forget. [39:41] meeting Meredith Baker for the first time, introducing myself, and she's dismissive. And she tells me to my face, you're just another face. [39:50] in this long, drawn-out investigation. And next year, you probably won't be here. [39:56] and they felt burned they felt burned yeah griffith resolved to turn the situation around what was different about the way david griffith handled this well for the first thing he was patient enough to listen to me yell at him that's saying a lot it does and he kept us cool by the time he got his hands on the tara baker case file it was thousands of pages thick griffith hit reset he started in a familiar place

[40:21] In my mind, initially... [40:24] It lent itself more to a domestic violence type scenario. So I think that made me personally suspect Chris Melton initially. Maybe it was a lover's quarrel that went really sideways. A crime of passion supported by the fact that Tara's killer didn't arrive armed with a murder weapon. [40:43] The knife came from a knife block in the kitchen. [40:46] disorganized. [40:48] is how we classified it. [40:49] All of the tools that were used to commit the crime are sourced right there from the scene of the crime. What does that tell you about the type of person who could have done this? What it told me is... [41:01] that we weren't dealing with a criminal mastermind. Griffith reexamined Chris's alibi in a new round of interviews. The police interviewed Chris Melton's parents. His parents see him go to bed in his bed at their house. His father gets up at 5.30 in the morning and sees Chris's truck out in the driveway, so believes he's at home. Chris's assistant told police he picked Chris up for work at 7.15 a.m. So he has a pretty good alibi. He's got a pretty good alibi. [41:31] is [41:32] At the 9 a.m. hour, he's caught on camera making a withdrawal at a bank over by his parents' house. At that point, he's an hour away from the crime scene. Notes in the file indicated police saw the video of him making that withdrawal. They're allowed to view the video immediately. [41:50] but the bank employees won't give them the videotape and ask them to go through Wachovia's legal department.

[41:57] to get a copy of the [41:59] security footage. Did they follow up? [42:01] Evidently, there was no follow-up because there's no mention of that videotape after that. [42:06] in the case file. So Griffiths sent a detective back to the bank to get a time-stamped receipt for Chris's transaction. We were confident in the timeline that we had put together for Chris Melton, and we felt like he would have had to have been able to bend space and time to have killed Tara Baker. [42:24] Griffith reinvestigated other possible suspects, Tara's biological father and that awkward law student they called Suit Boy, who gave police an alibi. Griffith ruled them both out. [42:36] But as he was digging through the file, a name caught his eye. Someone who had easy access to Tara's home. [42:43] the maintenance man at her development. [42:46] William Bryant Barrett has a master key, and that really makes us wonder. [42:50] is William Bryant Barrett [42:52] possibly the killer. When we start looking at his timeline... [42:57] We know that he shows up on the crime scene at some point. [43:02] The day that her body's found. And local affiliates filming outside the crime scene actually capture him on video. What's he doing? He's watching from outside the crime tape. [43:14] as the firefighters work. And there was more. The night after Tara's murder, police asked him to help secure the building. [43:23] He gets to talking with investigators about [43:25] theoretically how somebody could have made entry.

[43:28] And he demonstrates how to open one of the windows. [43:31] with a knife blade. [43:33] So let me make sure I have that straight. [43:34] This is... [43:35] one of the very few people who has a key to this apartment. [43:38] He was there at the crime scene... [43:39] He shows investigators how to open and close the window with a knife blade. Mm-hmm. [43:44] And police never interview him? No. How does that happen? I don't know the answer to that, Blaine. It was just one of the lapses in investigative effort that happened in this case, and it [43:55] In my mind, it's probably the biggest lapse. By the time police finally sat Barrett down for an interview, Jerry Salters had gone from patrolman to detective. He conducted the interview. There were some discrepancies on what time he was where and did he have time to commit this. I did move into more of an interrogation where I became accusatory. [44:15] with him just to really to gain a response. And how did he respond? He didn't ask to leave. He stayed there. What did that tell you? It tells me either one, he's being honest or two, [44:28] He's... [44:29] Pretty good at lying. The maintenance man did give them something highly suspicious, something he shouldn't have known, what police call holdback information. [44:38] It's details of the crime scene that only the killer would know and investigators would know. What does he say? He tells us about the ligature that was used. [44:48] That she's badly beaten. And that's not information that's been publicly released. At least we believe so. [44:55] In the moment as we're conducting this interview. Did he volunteer this holdback information? He did during the course of the interview. But he disavows having anything to do with Tara Baker's death.

[45:05] And sticks to a story. And again, there was no forensic evidence to link the maintenance man or anyone else to Tara's brutal death. [45:14] Still... [45:15] William Brian Barrett. [45:17] becomes person of interest number one. And what do you do? We flail for years. [45:24] Believing that... [45:25] William Bryant Barrett's involved in the death of Tara Baker. And, [45:31] Just not having... [45:32] enough to [45:35] get a warrant for his arrest. So the infuriating cycle continued. Questions, no answers. Something would have to change. And when it did, somebody new was asking the questions. You are getting new information. Absolutely. Liz called me and said, we have a name. I was just freaking out. I'm like, everybody get to headquarters. [46:15] Tara was never far from Meredith's mind. 18 years after her sister's murder, Meredith was 33 years old with children of her own. [46:23] What were those years like for you? My wedding day was difficult. [46:29] She should have been my... [46:30] maid of honor

[46:37] Having my children was difficult. [46:39] explaining to my children they had an aunt Tara that would have absolutely adored them. For much of that time, Tara was never far from David Griffith's mind either. He had analyzed and agonized over the case, but it never led to an arrest. [46:53] In 2019, as Griffith was preparing to leave the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, [46:58] He decided Tara's family should know what he knew. [47:02] So he called Meredith, who had become the family point person. [47:06] There were things in the case file that we had not divulged to the family. [47:10] I propose that we... [47:12] divulge everything we knew about the case file to Meredith. [47:16] He sits me down with a whole host of other folks, and he walks me through the whole timeline. [47:23] Like, this is when your sister got up. [47:25] This is when she ate breakfast. This is when she went to go blow dry her hair. [47:29] This is when we believe the attack will. [47:31] began. He told her the horrific details the cord found around Tara's neck and how she was stabbed, beaten, raped. [47:41] And all of this is new information to you. [47:44] being presented in a chronological yes was all new because... [47:51] I still did not have confirmation as to whether or not she was sexually assaulted. The facts, almost two decades later, were hard to face. [47:59] but still better than not knowing. [48:01] Virginia realized the absence of facts had sent her suspicions in the wrong direction, like her ex-husband. She says she never would have insisted police investigate him if she'd known the whole story. We didn't even know about, you know, the sexual assault at the time. Keep that in mind. We didn't know about the stabbing. Griffith told Meredith about his number one person of interest. He gave me the maintenance man theory, but...

[48:24] It was still a theory at that point. He also shared something else, something no previous investigator had ever said. He told me absolutely Chris didn't do it. That was huge news. For years, their family had shunned Chris. I felt guilty knowing that he suffered in silence. [48:45] and that we never reached back out. [48:47] Yeah. [48:49] And knowing what all he had gone through. [48:51] By now, any student who knew Tara Baker firsthand had long left. [48:57] With each new class, her murder became more like a memory. [49:00] passed down through campus memorials or newspaper articles. [49:05] That's how a young freshman named Cameron J. Harrelson first heard her name. [49:09] It was an anniversary piece like that the Red and Black newspaper had done on her death at the time. You were a true crime fan yourself. Yes, a fan of Dateline, a fan of podcasts. A few years later, Cameron decided he wanted to launch his own podcast. And Tara Baker's case, he thought, was the perfect place to start. But first, he had to convince Virginia Baker. [49:32] A random guy like me calling Miss Virginia Baker for the first time. I believe her first response to me was, who are you and who are you with? I said, I don't even know what a podcast is. So you're going to have to explain some of this to me. And why would I want to talk to you? And at the time, I had no podcast name, had no idea what I was doing and said, I'm just me. And I want to learn about your daughter. [49:54] He convinced me that he cared about Tara and wanted to tell her story. And that's all I've ever wanted is to tell her story. And he said, maybe we can bring in some clues. Maybe we can bring in some tips, maybe. The podcast also opened a door that Chris Melton thought was closed for good. How did you find out that there was a podcast about Tara's case? Meredith had actually reached out via email.

[50:22] What did you think? [50:23] It was an emotional moment because there's so much time had gone by since I'd heard from the family. [50:33] That conversation was... [50:35] Pretty emotional. [50:38] And she was trying to urge you to... [50:41] To talk. To talk on this podcast. She's like, would you participate? [50:45] and help us move forward. [50:47] And absolutely. You would? I would. [50:52] Cameron launched the podcast in July of 2020. Welcome, welcome, welcome. The story of Tara Louise Baker will be the focus of Season 1 of Classic City Crime. Family and friends told Cameron all about Tara and also vented their frustration and anger at the investigation. [51:11] What would you say to the police department? [51:14] Don't ever... [51:15] do this to anybody else. [51:17] And if you don't know what you're doing, get help. My goal is to remind people of her life, tell people what happened, show them the investigation, [51:29] And then hopefully as a result of that, law enforcement could solve it. It's not my job. It's theirs. He interviewed Chris about the years he spent under suspicion. Did police continue to follow up with you and interrogate you? They did come after me. I would go and just hear some people. [51:44] Absolutely. [51:45] blood samples, tissue, [51:49] And Cameron asked about his feelings for Tara.

[51:53] Such a beautiful person on the inside. [51:55] When she smiled, she bit the tip of her tongue. [51:59] And I just thought that was the best thing. [52:02] And people were listening. Over two years, the podcast audience grew to hundreds of thousands. [52:09] It wasn't just [52:10] people listening, people were calling in, people were sending you tips, like week after week. Yes, hundreds of tips a week, and vetted a lot of that, and the things that we believe were vetted enough, we took to the air. Still, after dozens of episodes and all those tips, no new leads for police. [52:31] Two years in, Cameron ended it without any real ending. [52:35] And I did not think it would be ethical. [52:38] for me to continue producing content. [52:41] with Tara's family just for the heck of it. Without answers. Without answers. But then he had another idea, one that would put Tara's case in an even bigger spotlight. This is not just a law. This was appropriations. We're talking money. [53:00] Festival season is here, and Apple Cash is an easy and secure way to split the bill. Just send or request money right in your group chat in the Messages app. [53:11] You can spend the money you receive anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. Open your wallet app and set up Apple Cash today. Apple Cash services are provided by Green Dot Bank, member FDIC.

[53:29] LinkedIn Premium All-in-One is amazing at helping you grow your small business. It can help you sell, market, and hire all in one place, so you're 60% more likely to get replies from suggested prospects. It can't stop you from being CEO, CFO, HR, and yes, even IT sometimes. Hello. [53:48] Unknown error. [53:50] What? [53:51] Then how do you even know it's an error? Yikes. [53:54] Try LinkedIn Premium All-in-One for free at linkedin.com slash all in one. [54:00] This message is brought to you by Capital One Venture X Card. Venture X offers the premium benefits you expect like a $300 dollar [54:08] annual Capital One travel credit for less than you expect. [54:12] Elevate your urn with unlimited double miles on every purchase, bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination. Plus, enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. [54:25] The Capital One Venture X Card. [54:28] What's in your wallet? [54:30] Terms apply. Lounge access is subject to change. See CapitalOne.com for details. [54:44] - By the spring of 2022, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department had a new leader. [54:49] You're the police chief now. [54:50] You're at the very top. [54:52] Yes. [54:53] In 2001, he was that rookie cop standing in Tara Baker's kitchen. [54:57] By 2006, he was a detective interviewing potential suspects,

[55:01] Now he was Chief Jerry Salters. [55:04] He'd always carry Tara's case with him. [55:06] as the chief... [55:08] I want the community [55:09] to feel safe and [55:11] and know that they have a police department that cares about this community and will do anything to solve the case. Still, to Tara's mom, it all felt like deja vu. Even with a new chief, there was no movement in the case. And I called the station and asked to speak to him. How was that conversation? [55:29] Oh, that poor man. [55:33] You gave him an earful. [55:35] Oh, I did. And it was not all kind. I don't think you can unhurt someone, but I do believe that letting the family gain trust in the police department is... [55:45] And our intentions with the case, I think it went a long way. But good intentions only go so far. And Tara's family was becoming resigned. They might never find Tara's killer. [55:57] But while Cameron J. had stopped reporting on Tara's case, [56:00] He still had a few ideas. [56:02] I said, well, Tara was such a fierce advocate for justice that wouldn't it be amazing? [56:08] if we could make sure that she effected change for others. He wanted to find a way to get more resources dedicated to cold cases. And so I started researching. In the process of doing that, I'm googling online and just so happened to see [56:23] that there's another unsolved murder... [56:25] in the town next door to where I grew up. [56:28] And their families kind of sort of advocating for the same thing. So I called that family the Coleman family. 18-year-old Rhonda Coleman was found murdered in 1990, and her case was never solved. And so we united forces then. Together, Cameron helped the Coleman and Baker families push for a new law, one that would create and, crucially, fund a brand new cold case unit in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

[56:56] At what point did this go from [56:57] OK, we're doing a podcast, too. [56:59] hey, we're pushing for new legislation to be passed. [57:03] It was... [57:06] I never envisioned doing anything like that. I thought we were just going to do this podcast and that would be the end of it. And I went with Cameron and my children to the Capitol and we lobbied. [57:17] with congressmen and some of the senators from the state. So you're going into the Gold Dome. You're shaking hands. You're talking to people. Yes, absolutely. Telling Tara's story. Yes. Yes. [57:27] The campaign worked. In the spring of 2023, the Coleman-Baker Act passed, and Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp signed it into law. Today we're helping to restore hope for those still grieving. [57:39] Hope for justice. [57:40] and hope for closure. And so what did the Coleman Baker Act do? It, number one, funded a cold case unit at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to the tune of $5 million. And that's big because this did not exist before. No, and this is not just a law. This was appropriations. We're talking money. What was your hope with this bill? That it would solve cases for other families. I felt like Tara's case had gone on so long there was no hope for that. [58:05] But I wanted to see it help someone else and I wanted to see it be part of her legacy. [58:11] Still, Tara's family applied for her case to get a second look under the new law, just in case. And soon, Meredith found herself walking into the office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. [58:21] to meet yet another team of investigators. [58:25] I'm like, okay, I guess we're doing this.

[58:27] This is just kind of our last Hail Mary. See if anything comes of this. If not... [58:32] you know, [58:34] We tried. Yeah. [58:35] So you were assigned two agents. [58:37] Yes. What were their names? [58:39] Liz and Jeremy. Special Agents Liz Bigum and Jeremy Howell. So what are you thinking when you get this assignment? I better solve this? I mean, it was in... [58:51] privilege that I was trusted enough and they had enough confidence in me to be assigned the case in the first place, honestly. The case has always had this mythology here in Athens, so it was exciting to have an opportunity to see the evidence, to see the case file, to read it [59:09] and go through it. I can remember the file drawer that it sat in. It was the bottom file drawer in the hallway and it took up the entire file drawer. It was such a large case. [59:18] Tell me about that first meeting, your first conversation with them. [59:21] I was shocked by, they were professional, but the amount of empathy that they expressed. You felt something in that meeting. [59:31] I believed the words that they were saying. But Meredith and her family had seen this movie before. So you're thinking, okay, great, they're sincere, they're kind, they care. [59:40] But what are they going to do? Right. What were they going to do? Well, they were about to take a new look at an old piece of evidence, and it would change everything. [59:51] We were all obviously really excited about the fact that we had a lead.

[1:00:08] - It had been 22 years in the making, the case that just couldn't be solved. [1:00:13] Now, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agents Liz Bigham and Jeremy Howell were stepping up to the plate, determined to do what their predecessors could not. [1:00:23] This is a case that has been examined, reexamined, looked at any number of different ways since 2001. Why might this time be different? I think what makes it different is that we're given the gifts of time, resources, and a supervision structure that allows us, pretty much uninterrupted, to be able to start this process and see it through. [1:00:53] calling me. [1:00:54] asking for information that I had. [1:00:57] files that I had [1:00:58] Finally, a law enforcement agency was asking to see six years' worth of... [1:01:05] And not just local, but the state law enforcement. State agency. Yes, it was huge. Were you optimistic going into this? I'm wildly optimistic about cases such as this. The agents also had the advantage of modern day science and a cutting edge crime lab. There is a big difference between 2001 and 2024. Yeah, there's new and modernized techniques that we can utilize in order to reexamine certain things. We knew there was a ton of evidence that was kept at the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. [1:01:35] If there was anything that could be done with that at the lab, that we got that process rolling. We came to the conclusion that, call it maybe 10 or so pieces of evidence,

[1:01:43] could go back to the lab for additional testing or re-examination. Evidence like that cord around Tara's neck. [1:01:51] along with the knife and knife block from the kitchen. [1:01:54] There was also a power block connected to the printer. [1:01:57] the hope. [1:01:58] that forensic science had evolved enough to reveal fingerprints investigators couldn't detect back in 2001. [1:02:05] Liz called me and told me that they were going to be resubmitting things to the GBI crime lab. And I was like, oh. [1:02:11] She said that they were resubmitting the knife block, that they were resubmitting the knife, that they were resubmitting the transformer power block. I was like, okay. [1:02:18] You send those items off. Any luck? [1:02:20] Did you get anything? [1:02:21] No. Nothing new. No. No, and I'm not surprised with that, given the dynamics of this scene. You mean the fire, the fact that there's water. Yeah, the fire, exposure to water. Everything that you don't want to have happen in a crime scene happened in this crime scene. So it made it difficult to get anything from those items. Absolutely. We started getting notifications. [1:02:43] that [1:02:44] All right, there's nothing on this. There's nothing on that. I'm like, okay, all right, that's fine. I suspected that would be the case. The agents then turned to another piece of old evidence, Tara's sexual assault kit. Back in 2001, that kit yielded no clues. And then it's just kind of sat there since 2001. Now, two decades later, the agents wondered whether DNA science had caught up with the evidence. [1:03:10] Our DNA manager had been exposed to some training and had some experience with a different way to test a sexual assault kit. And it was essentially testing for male DNA.

[1:03:24] And he just said, hey, you know, this has never been tested for male DNA. Let's try it. That's something that wasn't available back in 2001. That was not available. These techniques were not available back then. She said that they were resubmitting the rape kit. And I went, huh? [1:03:37] You didn't even know that existed. I didn't know that it was still there. [1:03:40] I told her, I said, I thought... [1:03:42] that all the evidence [1:03:44] DNA evidence had been exhausted. [1:03:46] And she said, I don't think they knew what they had. [1:03:49] So she's laying this out for you, and it's like this treasure trove of... [1:03:52] new information. I was just in disbelief and I'm at work. I'm standing in the conference room with the door closed, listening to her. And I'm like, [1:03:59] Okay, I think that's the first thing. [1:04:01] time that I had a glimmer of hope like this could happen. [1:04:05] There might be something there. [1:04:07] It could be a long process, the agents warned, likely nine months before they had any results. So I was like, okay, all right, but what's nine months to 25 years? [1:04:20] What is the waiting period like for you each waiting for that result to come back? I mean, of course, we were on pins and needles in the sense that we were really hoping to. [1:04:29] We would get something from it, and we were just kind of waiting for that phone call. In a case where months had turned to years, then decades, finally something happened in record time. Just two and a half months later, the results of that test come back. What did they show? [1:04:46] I mean, essentially it was that we had male DNA. We were all obviously really excited about the fact that we had a lead. A lead at long last. And there was something else.

[1:04:59] something that would bring these agents back to the beginning. [1:05:02] Do you all re-interview Chris Melton? [1:05:05] We do. If there was ever a time to be 100% on the record, it is now. That was... [1:05:15] thinking here we go again. [1:05:45] . [1:05:52] If you want to grow your small business, LinkedIn Premium All-in-One is the way to go. It can help you sell, market, and hire all in one place. [1:06:01] Unfortunately, it can't stop you from working through your lunch. Mm-hmm. Yes, we can definitely get you that shipment, sir. [1:06:12] Before Tuesday. Absolutely. [1:06:14] Yum! Grow your small business with LinkedIn Premium All-in-One. Try for free at LinkedIn.com slash All-in-One. [1:06:22] This message is brought to you by Capital One Venture X Card. Venture X offers the premium benefits you expect like a $300 discount.

[1:06:31] annual Capital One travel credit for less than you expect, [1:06:35] Elevate your urn with unlimited double miles on every purchase, bringing you one step closer to your next dream destination. Plus, enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. [1:06:48] The Capital One Venture X card. [1:06:50] What's in your wallet? [1:06:52] Terms apply. Lounge access is subject to change. See CapitalOne.com for details. [1:07:06] Finally, a break in the Tara Baker cold case. And it was big. DNA from an unknown male recovered from Tara's sexual assault kit. [1:07:16] While investigators were looking into that, the lab called back. [1:07:20] They'd also detected Chris Melton's DNA. Given that Chris was Tara's boyfriend, his wasn't that surprising, but the agents still wanted to talk to him. Do you remember what you thought when you got a call from the GBI? I was... [1:07:33] Thank you. [1:07:34] thinking here we go again. [1:07:36] We've got some information back from her sexual assault kit. So there's been some DNA that's come back to you. [1:07:43] The DNA raised questions about the timeline, questions Chris had been asked before. Specifically, when was the last time he saw Tara before she was murdered? Yeah. [1:07:53] We've got lots of questions. Some of them are kind of invasive. They wanted verification of when the last time we had seen each other.

[1:08:02] or been... [1:08:03] intimate, [1:08:04] It was almost two weeks. What I can recall, 10 days. 10 days was not the answer agents were expecting. They were like, well, hang on, they... [1:08:15] That doesn't work out right. That was a problem for two reasons. It's highly unlikely DNA would still be detected 10 days after a sexual encounter. [1:08:27] is [1:08:28] It doesn't last long where it was. And even more confusing, back in 2001, Chris told police they had seen each other five days before she was killed. Was it five days, ten days? You know, originally you said that you hadn't seen her in five days and then it changes to ten days. I just remember ten days. I don't know why I say that. If there was ever a time... [1:08:53] to be 100%. [1:08:56] On the record, it is now. [1:09:01] So many decades have gone by. [1:09:04] confused. I genuinely didn't do anything to her. Were you concerned about that discrepancy? [1:09:10] Not necessarily, because it's been 24 years and memories change and fade. They weren't concerned because they knew Chris had a solid alibi. What's more, they had explosive new information about that other DNA profile from the unknown male. [1:09:25] The lab ran it through the FBI database and got a hit. [1:09:30] Liz called me and said, we have...

[1:09:33] A name. [1:09:34] I was just super excited. I was just freaking out and calling my boss, calling Jeremy. [1:09:43] Called our analyst and I'm like, everybody get to headquarters. And she was like, we have a match. [1:09:49] And I was just staring at the ceiling. [1:09:53] an utter shock [1:09:55] and disbelief [1:09:56] You couldn't even process it? No, uh-uh. [1:09:59] His name? Edric Faust. Had you heard it before? No. Seen it before? No. What's your next step? We just wanted to learn everything we could about Edric. They learned Edric Faust had a rap sheet, convictions for criminal trespassing, aggravated assault, battery, attempted robbery, and carrying a concealed weapon. [1:10:27] Wow. Very close. Very close. You could essentially stand in Edrick's front yard and see the back door of Tara's residence. [1:10:35] Now they needed to figure out if Foss and Tara knew each other. [1:10:39] You want to establish if there's any sort of known relationship, any known connection. [1:10:44] Any chance meeting between the two? You're kind of cross-referencing their daily routines. [1:10:48] to see where they might have overlapped, where they might have intersected naturally. We could find no connection. [1:10:56] Or relationship between Edric and Tara. Meaning no reasonable explanation why his DNA would have been present. Absolutely. No reasonable explanation whatsoever. And if Faust was Tara's rapist, they believed he was also her killer. At that point, we felt comfortable arresting him. So in May of 2024, more than two decades after her murder, officers arrested Edric Faust in a Walmart parking lot.

[1:11:26] down to talk to him. "Hey, how are you?" "Good." "Good, very much, pal." He was cordial. He answered our questions. [1:11:35] Um... [1:11:36] you know, for a while. How are you, Ms. Faust? I am 48 now. [1:11:43] Are you sure? [1:11:43] Okay. [1:11:46] and we'll take a home address for you. Having dispatched with the pleasantries, Biggum turned up the heat. [1:11:51] and Foss's demeanor changed. We've got e-ports. They are for a myriad of charges [1:11:59] that range from arson [1:12:03] Kim Mark. [1:12:05] Where? Mm-hmm. For me? Mm-hmm. The agents held off on telling Faust about the DNA evidence. Our game plan going in was to visit if there was any known relationship between the two. And so you wanted to see what he would say? Yes. Did you know her? Uh-uh. No connection to her? No, no. That's when they told Faust they had his DNA. [1:12:30] My DNA! Man, it's been a long time. We've made so many advancements in things. [1:12:40] Thank you. [1:12:41] If you can help us understand. [1:12:44] Why your DNA is in that house? [1:12:47] Help us. He never gave them an explanation. Instead, he said he needed a lawyer. You ended it with, you can go ahead and take me to jail.

[1:12:59] And did you, in fact, take him to jail? [1:13:01] We obliged. [1:13:03] Authorities charged Edrick Faust with Tara's murder, rape, and arson. That cleared the maintenance man, who for years had been the number one person of interest. [1:13:15] We made an arrest... [1:13:17] I didn't know how to breathe. [1:13:20] I was like, how do I react to this? For over two decades, investigators have worked tirelessly. [1:13:26] to find answers for the family and friends of Tara Louise Baker. [1:13:30] and bring some amount of closure... [1:13:32] and healing to this horrific event. [1:13:35] hours. [1:13:37] elated... [1:13:38] Thank you. [1:13:39] hours. [1:13:40] Shocked. [1:13:41] Thank you. [1:13:42] hours. Emotional, [1:13:44] Then you hear the name. [1:13:46] Edric Fost. [1:13:47] Yes. What did you think? Who's this guy? Who's this guy? [1:13:52] Who is Edrey Faust? [1:13:53] I was like, I don't know who this person is. I've never seen this person before in my life. Just the fact that this person was in my peripheral the whole time was terrifying. [1:14:03] He was close by. [1:14:03] Mm-hmm. [1:14:04] This is somebody who had been living just right by your house. Yeah. I'm like, did I see him? Is this somebody I passed in the street? Yes. Maybe waved hello to at some point? We certainly wouldn't have thought that anyone would have been stalking us or watching us. We were in a safe college town. [1:14:21] Meredith learned about Faust's criminal past, including that he'd stabbed someone in the neck just two weeks after Tara's murder. What are you thinking as you're reading this? How is this person...

[1:14:32] Still around. [1:14:34] Tara's gone. [1:14:35] She was denied a life. And this guy has lived 25 years of wreaking havoc and ruining other people's lives. Like, why? Why? [1:14:45] Tara's loved ones hoped their questions would be answered at trial. I was ready to see the person who created and caused all this to have to face its consequences. I figured that I was going to have to be involved somehow because I was her boyfriend. Have a seat. [1:15:05] Chris Melton's DNA. Chris Melton told law enforcement. Chris Melton's actions. It just seemed like I was the one on trial. Why didn't you cry? [1:15:26] Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, we are about ready to begin the trial of the state of Georgia versus Edric Faust. For 25 years, you all were wondering and waiting, and now you're in the same room. [1:15:37] As this person. I can't even explain the feeling. I try not to look at him most of the time. Other times I felt like my... [1:15:46] was burning through the back of his head. When the trial of Edric Fost began in early February of 2026, Tara Baker's family and many of her friends were there in court. [1:15:56] Katie Lonstein had envisioned this moment for years. [1:16:00] 25 years of this. [1:16:02] I wanted a monster.

[1:16:04] and I got a boring man in [1:16:07] A tan shirt. District Attorney Kalki Yalaman Chili led the prosecution. What is the key thing that you need to drive home to the jury? The DNA. The DNA and the lack of any type of connection between Tara Baker and Edward Faust. Assistant DA Chris Bolden handled the opening statement. Who killed Tara Baker? [1:16:31] Ladies and gentlemen, Edric Faust killed Tara Baker. [1:16:38] the final chapter... [1:16:40] begins today remember how neighbors told police they saw a man walking near tara's house the morning of the murder to see somebody walking those witnesses took the stand the person had on a orange shirt of some sort [1:16:53] It's the memory that stands out. [1:16:54] Male, female? Yeah, male, young male. [1:16:58] White, African-American. African-American. The prosecution explained to the jury how Foss' DNA was found on Tara's body, and then the jury heard Foss tell the GBI he never met Tara. No connection to her? No, no. I don't know if I know. I mean, I don't know if she did. [1:17:14] The only time I've seen that was it was in the newspaper. You need to make it clear to the jury that there's no reason that his DNA... [1:17:20] would have been [1:17:22] within proximity of Terry Baker. That's correct. [1:17:24] It seemed like a fairly straightforward case, until it wasn't. The prosecutor knew Chris's DNA was also detected and knew the defense was planning to make Chris the center of its case. So the prosecutor addressed that head on.

[1:17:54] to show Chris's alibi and that, in fact, it was not possible for him to have been the individual who murdered Tara. Witnesses testified they saw Chris throughout that early morning and on bank security video time stamped around 9 a.m. This witness was the branch manager in 2001. We watched Chris entering the bank, coming in and filling out the withdrawal slip. [1:18:18] and then going to the teller and getting the cash. The prosecutors knew they had to put Chris on the stand. He told the jury about every place he went that morning and answered questions about himself and Tara. [1:18:30] How was the state of you and Tara's relationship, you know, in those months leading up to her murder? [1:18:39] Everything was wonderful. It was difficult for us not to see as much [1:18:44] see each other as much as we would have liked, but we were both in the understanding that we were pursuing [1:18:52] future paths for us to [1:18:55] have a better future together. And then it was the defense's turn. [1:19:00] Anyone listening to false attorney Ahmaud Cruz might have thought it was Chris Melton on trial. [1:19:18] I found out more about Chris Miller than I did Edric Faust. [1:19:21] And in Cruz cross-examination of Chris, this was his first question. Why didn't you cry?

[1:19:28] Thank you. [1:19:30] When? Just now. Why didn't any tears fall out of your eyes? [1:19:36] They are falling down. During trial, the defense attorney barely challenged the DNA evidence against his client. Instead, he focused on Chris Melton's emotions, his alibi, and his changing story about when he last saw Tara. [1:19:50] Did you have sex with Ms. Baker the day of her death? No, sir. [1:19:54] Chris was now sure he last saw Tara on Sunday, five days before the murder. [1:19:59] From the beginning up to... [1:20:02] I saw her the weekend prior. [1:20:05] Thank you. [1:20:06] From the beginning, you've said that? Yes, sir. That you've seen her the weekend, and that has always been what you said. [1:20:13] There was a time that I was confused. [1:20:17] And it was 20 plus years later. The defense asked Chris to look at a photo of Tara taken after the murder. This is a photo that you were shown to ask to identify Ms. Baker? [1:20:31] No. This was not the photo. I don't believe that was the photo. [1:20:34] It was a photo Chris had never seen before. He must have cherry-picked some of the worst pictures that I have ever seen. From the crime scene? It seemed to be more of an autopsy picture. [1:20:51] Thank you. [1:20:51] Mmm. [1:20:53] Thank you. [1:20:55] And I just... [1:20:56] I had never seen something so bad. Smellin, you're just shown

[1:21:03] Thank you. [1:21:04] The photograph of his face ceased and you have not shared a tear. [1:21:10] Oh, no. I felt like I was being tortured. [1:21:14] And you felt like that crossed the line. [1:21:16] Yes. [1:21:17] Attorney Cruz showed the jury a few pictures as well. Photos of Chris's hands. [1:21:23] taken during his second police interview two days after Tara's death. These are Chris Melton's hands after Ms. Baker's death. [1:21:31] Chris Melton said he punched a wall in anger and frustration two days after the murder. [1:21:37] My injuries came from punching the wall. And a detective backed him up, telling the jury that on the day of the murder, Chris's hands showed no signs of injury. [1:21:47] Were those marks on his hands on January 19th of 2001 when you interviewed him and then fingerprinted him? They were not. Okay. [1:21:57] If they had been, would you have taken pictures of them the way you did on January 21st? Yes. Okay. Then the defense homed in on the hair found in Tara's hand. You will hear evidence in this case that there is not a shred of [1:22:12] of evidence [1:22:13] That puts Mr. Foss [1:22:15] let alone a black man, [1:22:17] and [1:22:18] In Miss Baker's home. [1:22:21] All of the evidence, including the gift Ms. Baker left in her hand. [1:22:25] for police. [1:22:27] It's Caucasian [1:22:30] The defense attorney told the jury that the Caucasian hair found in Tara Baker's hand was a victim.

[1:22:36] was a gift for police. What was he trying to do there? He was trying to convince the jury that Mr. Melton was the perpetrator of the crime. Because it was Caucasian hair. That's correct. But prosecutors made sure the jury knew what investigators had known for years. That the hairs in Ms. Baker's hands were her own hair. [1:22:55] The number one rule is you don't lie to a jury. [1:22:59] You don't over promise. And the moment he said that I wrote down on my pad. [1:23:03] They're hers. [1:23:05] That's her hair. [1:23:07] So either he doesn't know that. [1:23:10] or he is intentionally misleading the jury. Tara's family thought the whole defense was a weak attempt at smoke and mirrors. [1:23:19] But with the case headed for the jury, not everyone agreed. This is just shocking. And then, like I say, it's so unbelievable. [1:23:30] you [1:23:40] For those with eyes on the Athens-Clarke County courtroom, the trial of Edrick Faust had seemingly taken a detour. It just seemed like I was the one on trial. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. It was maddening. But outside the court, the defense's words appeared to be landing. [1:24:01] LaFost family members who believe he was wrongly accused. This is just shocking. And then, like I say, it's unbelievable. Justice for Edric Foss. I want Edric Foss to walk free. And like Foss's defense attorney, they pointed the finger at Chris Melton. He lied. He lied. He lied because he had not seen her in 10 days. Chris, there are some people who may be watching this.

[1:24:25] who believe that you killed Tara Baker. [1:24:29] What do you want to say to those people? [1:24:30] Thank you. [1:24:31] I would say that... [1:24:33] I did not. [1:24:34] Killed Tara Baker. [1:24:36] I did not kill her. I loved her. Ladies and gentlemen, the state has rested. Back inside the courtroom. Defense rests. Defense rests. [1:24:45] Almost immediately. Yeah. No witnesses. [1:24:48] Was that a shock to you? Yes. [1:24:50] Yeah, absolutely. For closing arguments, both sides gave it their all. [1:24:57] And they tried mightily. [1:25:00] Mightily. [1:25:02] To bury the truth. There is not one shred of. [1:25:07] of evidence not one single shred of evidence that indicates that chris mountain was angry with tara would hurt tara or wanted her dead then the jurors had the case [1:25:23] They asked to review testimony, DNA reports. [1:25:26] Twelve hours later... [1:25:29] To the judge, the jury is ready to deliver the verdict. I was so terrified. [1:25:33] So terrified that we were going to come out the other side no different. As he waited in the courtroom, Kevin Baker was suddenly the heartbroken little boy of 25 years ago. [1:25:44] That person that is a grown man, that is married, that has a family, those layers peeled off and that 10-year-old boy was left sitting there. And inside it was that 10-year-old boy crying in that same hotel room. The jury finds the defendant on the following counts. Count one, malice murder, guilty. That first guilty...

[1:26:10] just [1:26:12] Rocked everything. [1:26:13] back. [1:26:14] Rock to Saul back. [1:26:15] I was writing it down as they were... [1:26:17] count one, guilty, count two, guilty. Guilty on all counts, murder, rape, and arson. When they read the verdict and [1:26:30] said guilty to all 12 counts. [1:26:33] My heart lipped. [1:26:35] But I couldn't show any emotion. I did not want to make it any harder on his family. [1:26:41] by showing people [1:26:43] joy or, you know, because I know how hard it would have to be to think that somebody in your own family could be capable of this type of thing. [1:26:54] Police warned Chris to stay away from the courthouse for the verdict. He heard it hunched over a cell phone. And it was a hallelujah moment. [1:27:03] And... [1:27:04] A release. [1:27:06] And... [1:27:08] We just... [1:27:10] celebrated amongst us that they had come to the right decision. [1:27:16] But for Tara Baker's family, still no peace. [1:27:20] The trial had triggered a social media storm, and the verdict only made it worse, with Chris, Tara's family, even Tara herself, all under attack. There was a lot of online social media commentary. Yes, which made everything so much worse. I mean, some of it got bad. Some of it was painful at times. I can't believe people can be that cruel. Did that almost kind of cast a shadow?

[1:27:44] of sorts over this moment that you'd waited so long for? More than a shadow. [1:27:50] A blanket of pain. [1:27:53] Chris's life and business were upended. The anger on social media forced him to take down his company's website. My beloved sister. At false sentencing, Tara's brother Adam spoke directly to his sister's convicted killer. [1:28:07] Tara and I were more than siblings. [1:28:10] We were best friends. Today, sitting in this courtroom face to face, I can honestly say, [1:28:16] I have forgiven you. [1:28:17] I'll harbor no hate in my heart. [1:28:20] I've given that all to God. I mean, Tara's been gone for 25 years. It doesn't change that 25 years. It doesn't change the 25 years that are to come. She's still gone. But to know that we finally... [1:28:31] Got justice. [1:28:33] I can't describe that feeling. Foss was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 45 years in prison. We asked Foss and his defense attorney for interviews. Foss did not respond. His attorney declined. Free agent Foss! Free agent Foss! Foss is appealing his conviction, and his supporters are raising money for him. [1:28:56] The chief of police hopes the community can move forward. As a chief, I'm responsible. [1:29:01] for the safety of this community and also building meaningful relationships. And during times like this when you have a verdict. [1:29:08] where people... [1:29:10] think one thing or the other. I think you just have to trust in the courts. Not long after sentencing, Meredith had dinner with Chris and met his wife, Jenny. They talked for hours. I've had multiple conversations where I apologized.

[1:29:27] for the silence. What did he say to you? [1:29:29] - - [1:29:31] Don't apologize. [1:29:32] It's painful. [1:29:34] but [1:29:35] There's no... [1:29:37] animosity. [1:29:39] whatsoever. At UGA, posing at the arch is a graduation rite of passage. [1:29:46] It's where Tara's friends come to remember her. What do you think about Tara now as you stand here by this arch? One, she's thrilled that this case has been solved. But two, she's probably mad at us because it took 25 years. [1:30:00] I have never had my life changed so much by someone that I've never met. And Tara Baker did that for me. [1:30:08] And for so many people, that is Tara's legacy. What made Tara special was... [1:30:15] the ability to connect with every single person she comes in contact with. That's one thing that I keep hearing is that she made so many people feel special. Yes, I've heard so many people tell me that when... [1:30:28] If they hadn't seen her in a long time, when they saw her again, she would make them feel like it was the happiest day of her life. [1:30:33] . [1:30:38] That's all for this edition of Dateline. And don't forget to check out our Talking Dateline podcast, in which we'll go behind the scenes of tonight's episode, available Wednesday in the Dateline feed wherever you get your podcasts. We'll see you again next Friday at 9, 8 central. I'm Lester Holt. For all of us at NBC News, good night.

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