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Husband jailed in wife’s killing
Melissa Ann Baker, 30, of 101 Crucible Road, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:55 p.m. by Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis. An autopsy conducted Saturday by Dr. Cyril Wecht listed the cause of death as strangulation and extreme wounds to the neck caused by a knife, Lewis said.
State police later arrested Baker's husband, Scott J. Baker, 37, of Nemacolin. He was arraigned before District Judge Lou Dayich of Waynesburg on a charge of criminal homicide and placed in jail without bond.
Scott Baker was taken to the Washington County Jail because his wife was employed as a corrections officer at the Greene County Jail, Greene County Jail Warden Harry D. Gillispie said.
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A neighbor told police Scott Baker's vehicle had been at the home twice during the day. Another witness, Scott Baker's teenage son to another woman, also provided information leading to Scott Baker's arrest, police said.
The boy told police he had gone to his stepmother's home that morning with his father and his 18-month-old stepbrother and saw his father assault Melissa Baker, according to the criminal complaint filed by police.
He also told police that they later returned to the home and his father went inside to make the home look like it had been robbed.
Cumberland Township police had been called to prior domestic incidents involving the couple, the complaint said. Melissa Baker had previously filed for a protection-from-abuse order.
Melissa Baker had lived in the home with her and Scott's 18-month-old son since the beginning of October. Her landlord, Ron Stoffa, called her a good tenant and said she had told him she was getting a divorce from her husband.
Melissa Baker had worked as a corrections officer at the Greene County Jail for about the past year after being employed there for several months as a part-time officer.
"She was an excellent officer and very conscientious," Gillispie said. "As a matter of fact, we were starting to groom her to be a shift supervisor."
Gillispie said that when Baker failed to show up for her 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift, something that was "highly unusual," another officer who lives near her in Crucible was called and asked to go check to see if she was home. The officer found her car there, but no one answered the door.
Two other corrections officers from Crucible just leaving work also stopped at Melissa Baker's house to see if anything was wrong.
"We knew she was having trouble with her husband, and they were just going to go by to check on her," Gillispie said.
The two officers found the door ajar at Baker's home, and when they looked inside they saw Melissa Baker lying on the living room floor. After checking her pulse, they called 911, Gillispie said.
Gillispie said Baker's death has been hard on staff at the jail.
"She was well liked, and it's pretty tough," he said. "We're like a family, and when something happens to one of us it's like it happens to all of us."
The county commissioners have arranged to have grief counselors at the jail to talk to employees who would like to talk about how they feel, Gillispie said.
According to Melissa Baker's Myspace page, Baker was a 1997 graduate of Laurel Highland High School and a 2006 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, where she received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
Scott Baker's Myspace page indicates that he is a 1991 graduate of Jefferson-Morgan High School and a 2007 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology.
Scott Baker also was reported to have served in the military and was a volunteer coach with Carmichaels midget football.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 1.
Related articles:
Wife retracted PFA on husband
Crucible woman murdered, husband charged
Home
killing : 11/22/2009
He should get life for what he did. Never see day light again, but we know he not get off. They always do.
Sad : 11/22/2009
Another sad case of domestic violance in Greene County.
Husband : 11/23/2009
He should get life or worse. but we all know he will get nothing, men always get away with it. I feel so sorry for the family.It never should have happen.
Husband Jailed : 11/23/2009
I doubt very much that Scot Baker had the achievements reported. He had been to my home a few times when he was around 19. He told us he was a sniper in the Marines with 40 some confirmed kills and that he was in the Pa State Police and had made many drug bust. He was arrested at BC high School for impersonating a Police officer
Protection : 11/23/2009
When will the laws change so that abused women can really have protection for their abusers BEFORE they are permanently disfigured or murdered?
killing : 11/23/2009
he should have the same done to him that he did to his poor wife. Doesnt matter what the circumstances were for the reasoning of a divorce NO woman deserves that!!!!
PFA dropped? : 11/24/2009
When are women going to learn, if it's bad enough to file a PFA,you don't drop it, not that it would have prevented this, but still.
Disbelief : 11/24/2009
I worked with both Scott and Melissa a few years back, and I Djed their wedding. I still can't believe what happened. Scott had told me he was in the Marines, and when I heard abou the murder, I thought maybe Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome was to blame. Now, I've found out that he was never in the military at all, he had been lying the whole time. And that was one of the reasons why she lef thim in Cotober. So senseless, so tragic. And his oldest son did the right thing in telling the police everything, for this is a man who should not be free to prey on society.
wonderful woman, sad outcome : 11/24/2009
this is horrible to even hear. i worked with melissa right before she had her son to scott and i feel that he should get life and never see the kids again!
former abused... : 11/24/2009
we don't know the reasoning behind her dropping the PFA and it doesn't really matter. You should know the physical abuse of domestic violence is nothing compared to the mental and emotional abuse that cause the victim to allow it to continue. Education and support for everyone is the only hope to ending domestic violence
: 11/26/2009
life he should get death. this crime was worse than just killing someone he went back and cut her thoart to stage a scene. he was in his right mind tring to save his ass. he should pay with his life
killing : 11/30/2009
i agree no woman deserves this kind of abuse
Not surprised : 12/3/2009
Anyone who has known Scott since high school knows that he has always been a little off (a understatement). He walked around in high school with the whole Semper Fi thing going. He is a danger to society and always has been. I feel bad for the boys.
Scam over : 12/5/2009
Baker's scam of a life is now over; fake Marine, fake cop, all of his other BS - over. It's just a shame that Melissa ended up on the wrong side of this monster. Life in prison ? Are you kidding me ? This guy deserves the needle: #1) It was premeditated and #2) he employed the assistance of his 12 year old son to in the commission of a murder. He should get the death penalty.
