09/05/2024
After 23 years, an Athens man has been charged with murder by the GBI and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department for the death of Tara Louise Baker, a 23-year-old UGA law school student.
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Athens-Clarke County, GA (May 9, 2024) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), along with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD), announces the arrest of an Athens man in the murder investigation of Tara Louise Baker. After 23 years, GBI agents have charged Edrick Lamont Faust, age 48, with murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, arson, possession of a knife during the commission of a felony, tampering with evidence, and one count of aggravated so**my in connection with Baker’s death.
In September of 2023, the GBI Cold Case Unit partnered with ACCPD to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of the ongoing investigation into Baker’s death.
On January 19, 2001, around 11:20 a.m., Athens-Clarke County firefighters found Tara Louise Baker’s body responding to a fire at her Athens apartment. The investigation determined that the fire was intentionally set, and investigators spent over two decades seeking answers in the case.
At the time, Tara was 23 and a first-year law school student at the University of Georgia. She graduated from Lovejoy High School in 1995 and enrolled at Georgia College in Milledgeville.
"Tara Louise Baker was a hardworking student with a bright future ahead of her," says GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Tara's life was stolen from her in a horrific act of violence. While this arrest does not bring her back to us, I pray that it helps bring closure to the Baker family as they continue their healing journey. I am proud of the work of the GBI Cold Case Unit and the GBI agents and scientists that devoted their efforts over the last 23 years to find justice for Tara. I also want to express my gratitude to Athens Clarke-County investigators and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Georgia State Patrol who have partnered with us in this case. While this arrest is the first step in finding justice for Tara, there is still more work to be done. The GBI and our partners will never stop fighting for justice for victims and their families."
“For many years, I have hoped the Baker family would find justice for the loss of Tara,” says Jerry Saulters, now Chief of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, who was an officer at the crime scene on January 19th, 2001. “This is a case that has lived with me throughout my career at ACCPD. I remember being there during that horrific time. Seeing this case now full circle, I appreciate the hard work of the detectives, from then and now. Knowing that the evidence collected at that time contributed to the arrest today gives me tremendous pride in all the officers who worked this case over the years.”
The following agencies & work units assisted the GBI Cold Case Unit and ACCPD:
- FBI Gainesville RA
- FBI Athens RA
- FBI Athens Safe Streets Task Force
- GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO)
- GBI – Division of Forensic Sciences
- Georgia State Patrol
Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to submit a tip. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
There will be a news conference in the coming days. More details to follow.
