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The University of Georgia Law
School student was petite, blonde, vivacious and dreamt of an
antebellum wedding. She enrolled in advanced placement courses in
high school, registered for the harder college classes most students
avoid, and refused to be marginal. In three years, she completed her
undergraduate studies Cum Laude with a 3.75 GPA in Paralegal
Services and Political Science. She was an admired older sister, a
cherished member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, a safety-conscious
friend-and she was murdered.
On Jan. 19, 2001, at approximately 11:20 a.m., firefighters
responded to a fire on Fawn Drive located on the east side of
Athens. After extinguishing the flames, Tara Louise Baker's body was
discovered. Police believe the fire was set to destroy any evidence
that may have remained.
Information about the murder was slowly released to the public. A
witness's account of a man in a white T-shirt running from the area
the morning of the murder was not released until one year later.
While the case remains open, Tara's murderer remains free.
"She was the safest person I knew. She never left a door unlocked.
Our last conversation was about checking in with each other when I
walked home alone," says Katherine Lahnstein, Tara's friend and
classmate. Because there was no evidence of forced entry, Tara's
parents and close friends believe she knew her killer.
But who would want to kill Tara? This is not the first time Tara's
parents have asked this question. They describe their daughter by
the innumerable lives she touched, the value of her friendship, the
light in her smile - all that was stolen when her life was taken on
that January morning three years ago.
A proud father, Mr. Baker beams as he looks through a warped,
soot-covered photo album that survived the fire and remarks on his
daughter's smile. "In some of these pictures, it just comes out and
bites you," he says. It is true. Mrs. Baker points to the tiny
creases in Tara's nose in the pictures where she is smiling the
largest and notes that was the tell-tale sign. "When Tara really
liked somebody, she smiled so much it was enough to wrinkle her
nose," she says.
Looking through pages of partially melted and misshapen pictures,
there are scenes of Tara's family, sorority date nights and birthday
celebrations with friends. But, the last few years of her short life
are revealed through her parents.
"She kept everything," says Mr.
Baker, as he pulls out a basket of letters and cards, some dating as
far back as a 1985 birthday card from her grandmother. "She called
them sentimental pieces of love," he says. Unfortunately, everything
salvaged from Tara's apartment could fit into two shoeboxes.
Jack Hancock, a lawyer and previous
employer of Tara's, spoke at her funeral. He had never seen someone
so young and dedicated to her long-term plans and goals. "She was
making those goals a reality for her life," says Hancock.
Tara diligently worked toward her dream of becoming a judge. Mrs.
Baker recalls her firmness toward law. "There were no gray areas for
Tara. Right was right, and wrong was wrong. She would have made a
great judge. Tara's life was all about justice," she says.
According to Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Joseph Lumpkin, the
case is still open. "I continue to hope and pray that we will bring
to justice the murderer of Ms. Tara Baker. I know this senseless
murder remains a priority of the ACC Police Department and the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation," says Lumpkin.
According to Captain James Williams of the ACC Police Department,
there is frequent consultation with other law enforcement agencies
and intelligence organizations as well. "We are looking for any
links that might surface to other incidents that may have occurred
in other localities. This case remains a high priority for our
Division," says Williams.
Tara's death is one of 25 unsolved murders since 1991, reports ACC
Major Allan Brown. Yet, Tara is not the only UGA student that has
been murdered. In 1992, Jennifer Stone was found strangled in her
Hull Street apartment. Her killer also remains free.
The Baker's continue their campaign to educate the public on Tara's
life and untimely death. A $27,000 reward awaits anyone with
information identifying the killer. New posters have been designed,
and Lamar Advertising has once again replaced the billboard on
Lexington Road.
Paine Insurance and Realty Co. is
one of the few businesses in Athens that still displays the reward
poster. "This shouldn't be forgotten. We feel that it was such a
horrible crime, and we want people to see the poster and remember,"
says Ellen Hendrix of Paine Insurance and Co.
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