Sheriff Baker's death has touched Madison The list of suspects has grown so long that attorneys and police involved in the complex investigation of drugs, sex and deaths uncomfortably joke that the murder produced "the suspect of the week.". "I took all the serial numbers off 10 hundred-dollar bills," Minor said. She had been strangled. He even got up in the middle of the night to read it and finished it quickly. But tonight he stops a speeding car, We've traded the money on the one hand for the next land on the other hand, and it's built up a little bit down through the years. Speaking through a local drug user, she said Baker told her not to talk to the Democrat-Gazette a few days after reporters first questioned him about the investigation. I wouldn't even venture to guess.". 'Cause people just don't understand Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime. Otherwise, he has paid cash. For one drug dealer who operates within a mile of downtown Huntsville, that means raising and spending as much as $6,000 a week. Nevertheless, F.M. Fifty-eight reached disposition, yielding 51 convictions -- an average of about 10 per year. In January 1985, Dr. James Kelly Cornett of Little Rock, his sisters and their spouses gave about 10 1/2 acres in southern Madison County to their cousin, Brashears, and his wife, Reta. Baker, who earns $31,000 a year as Madison County's sheriff and tax collector, declines to talk about his land deals. Over the next three years, a score of new suspects would emerge. After eighteen months, Cain's former boss, Prosecuting Attorney Terry Jones of Fayetteville, assigned the case to a special prosecutor and an ex-FBI agent turned private detective. ", "He does pretty good for himself for an old country boy," said Berrian Brashears of Clinton, who sold Ralph Baker, Kenneth Baker and another cousin, Bob Baker, a tract of old family land for $7,000 in 1986. consent. The Brashears couple sold the tract to the three Bakers for $7,000 in February 1986. The average family earns $24,776 a year, according to the 1990 Census. The former won't speak for attribution. The back of his head and his ribs were tender. All I have is hearsay," said Joy Russell, the county's leading historian. From the first marijuana seed he planted, to the Devil's bargain Mac struck with Sheriff Baker, this book explores their harrowing journey on the twisted outlaw trail. 'Cause the crooks don't get any time. A jury rejected claims Patricia Baker and Nelson each made that the other had crossed the center line on Arkansas 23 a mile north of Huntsville near Withrow Springs State Park. Kenneth Baker said the lack of a formal record of Ralph Baker's inheritance is a reflection of Bill Baker's distrust of banks. Most of Baker's transactions have occurred since 1982, with bursts of activity in the late 1980s and 1992-94. Madison county is named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States. So I can see the ones I love. "No one investigating this wants it solved more than me," he said. "We might not have had the money but we had access to the money. Baker died in. And it has spurred some of the county's most industrious methamphetamine dealers to claim openly that they can operate unchecked as long as they don't steal to support their habits. He was one of three children of William McKinley Baker, a former vaudeville musician, and Evangeline Verruchi, the 1927 queen of the Tontitown Grape Festival. "Some of the two- and three-way deals, you might make a couple of thousand dollars each off of it," he said. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. He started doing that in 1967, Democrat-Gazette research shows, with the acquisition of 25 acres from Bobby and Mildred Gulledge, a couple he's continued to make deals with over the years. He is survived by his wife and two children. At the time of his death, his tenure in office was tied with only one other sheriff in the state. Johnson said Corkern invited him outside, then grabbed him at the front door of the club. Masterson, meanwhile, escaped from jail and was later arrested in Oklahoma, according to Washington County officials. He said Baker hit him in the face, and that he was then pushed back inside the club, where Treat hit him in the face. Baker would be shouldered out of the investigation, then have it handed back to him. Baker, sheriff since 1973, declines to discuss the case, which he says is one of only two unsolved murders in Madison County. Clients receive knowledgeable guidance from experienced, multi-disciplined industry and client service teams, all seamlessly connected across 22 offices in Alabama, Florida . The man, Joey Bingham, began kicking the patrol car before the two officers forced him into the car and drove him back to the sheriff's office, Baker testified in a subsequent civil lawsuit. Johnson dropped his lawsuit 12 days before it was to go to trial, saying his family couldn't stand the stress. God Bless! "I think for the NCAA,, until you actually had NIL, it would be hard to know what it was going to look like . But the statistics may deceive. After the cruiser was washed into the creek it flipped over trapping him inside. Baker and his wife, sometimes in partnership with other family members, have bought or traded for at least 2,300 acres in Madison, Washington and Franklin counties. and may not be duplicated without permission, Investigator David L Bell Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC, WE could use more sheriff's like him. He usually makes the money back on drug sales, he said, and worries more about being killed by a supplier than about getting arrested by the sheriff. respects to Sheriff Baker, who was remembered as someone who never backed Morgan has. The deal was like many others -- the profit "wasn't spectacular," Kenneth Baker said. Rest in peace. 2009/08/22. Washington State Department of Corrections, Dallas County Sheriff's Department, Texas, Copyright 1996-2023, The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc, Registration for the 2023 National Police Week 5K goes up $5 on March 2nd save on our introductory pricing and, register today to run or walk in your hometown, Reflections Terms of Use (revised 5/31/2012), View, edit or delete any Reflection you've left in the past. Copyright The title of this book is misleading. All rights reserved. "I hope he appreciates it and takes advantage of it.". Among the Northwest Arkansas law enforcement community, Baker has both detractors and defenders. Baker said that he also conveyed the information to the State Police. Land there is most commonly used for hunting, timber production or, after clearing, pasture. I've lived there all my life. He thought I did. Information for this article was contributed by staff writer Michael Whiteley. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. On May 16, 1986, Baker and Treat arrested Minor and Jerry Samuelson with 75 marijuana plants in the back of their pickup. At the heart of the confrontation over drugs, investigators said, was Baker's reluctance to bring in a Madison County man for DNA testing, a man repeatedly identified as a methamphetamine dealer during Arkansas Democrat-Gazette interviews. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. One former drug dealer, early considered a suspect in the Phillips murder, says he was involved in plans with Hathorn, Dennis Cordes, Rory Allen Gregory and Joe Benton Head to build a methamphetamine lab in a cave neighboring Phillips' house. Another poll watcher, Derice Davis, signed an affidavit saying that Baker spent most of election day on the porch outside the Hilburn precinct. Bill Baker's legacy to his only son was 6.23 acres of mountains and trees near the north end of the canopied highway that University of Arkansas fans know as the Pig Trail. When Minor balked, the up-front demand was reduced to $10,000. Updated: October 31, 2011 . Kenneth Baker said he and his cousin were lucky enough and resourceful enough to come up with the cash they needed. On June 13, 1987, Baker and former Huntsville Police Chief Ed Sharp arrested a 19-year-old retarded Rogers man on allegations he had stolen two baseball cards during the annual "Hawgfest" on the town square. A much smaller transaction gave Baker his living room back. He said I'd be dead by September anyway.". Quick Description: This bench is one of several along the Madison County Walking Trail in Huntsville. I've never seen Ralph do anything that even started to be illegal," he said. To respond to calls unknown. by Rose, who represented Johnson, told the court he was "personally disappointed" with Johnson's decision. Meth and the hillbillies that cook it are alive and well in Booger county. .you for I know both the pain and pride are forever. ", USERS AND THE LAW: DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE DRUG TRADE. Bill Baker had traveled with the Weaver Brothers, making a national name for himself on the steel guitar. That came soon after Minor and Samuelson had taken one of Baker's informants into the woods and pulled four of his teeth with pliers. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has interviewed Northwest Arkansas lawmen and government officials, prison inmates, former and current Madison County drug dealers, and the friends and family of Billie Phillips -- more than 130 people in all. "I sold to her. The instant suspect was Howard "Rusty" Cain Jr., the county's lead prosecutor, who had a longtime, on-again, off-again affair with Phillips. Cain's attorney, John Lisle, had pushed for a year for an FBI investigation of the county's drug traffic and its ties to the murder. He listed his age as 18, hers as 16. Used with Special Permission of the Author Although he has been committed for drug and psychiatric treatment, he says there's no way out from the crank. Most of the entire front page plus some of the other pages was dedicated to him and the accident.) that all of Madison County could be proud of. He was found still in his seatbelt. , ISBN-10 County residents with a great sense of loss. But Leathers said Baker was in charge. But she'll have to give me half of it back.". Most talked only reluctantly. Fred Raymond Crumley. Residents say it was a haven for bank robbers and other outlaws in the 1920s. Copyright 1999 - All Rights Reserved "I'm retired, I'm alive, and I plan to stay that way.". The man "had a brother out of his mind or a total drunk all the time," Enfield said. Her 7-year-old son discovered her body late on the morning of Sept. 3, 1994, a Saturday. I was interested in this book, because my daughter in law had heard of it & wanted to read it. With Bingham protesting that the baseball cards were his, Sharp tore up the citation he had written. Baker, who earns $31,000 a year as Madison County's sheriff and tax collector, declines to talk about his land deals. Martin said the land remains unimproved, "just woods.". Cain, along with Phillips' brother and one of her sisters, beat the sheriff's office to her house. One of Baker's fellow party-goers said recently that Johnson started the incident by attacking Corkern, and that Baker hadn't yet arrived. Neither has Minor. HUNTSVILLE From the first radio call two minutes before noon, panic was a partner in the investigation of Billie Jean Phillips' murder. Baker's second-biggest transaction involved a land-for-land trade with the federal government. Sheriff Ralph Baker, who's election slogan was "RALPH CARES". No criminal charges were filed, despite Baker's acknowledgment that his daughter had perjured herself giving pretrial testimony in a civil suit he later filed. It all boils down to the fact that they did not want any outsider owning land on that farm. , Paperback As prosecutors and investigators sorted through clues obscured by mistakes at the crime scene and the state forensics laboratory, a changing cast of law enforcement officials sardonically wondered who hadn't slept with Billie Phillips -- and who in this rural county lacked a motive to kill her. Forest Service documents on the sale indicate the agency estimated the values of the swapped land to be equal. Phillips paid off the drug debts of her brother, Robert McKnight. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Jones immediately took them to the FBI. High on two joints of unusually potent marijuana, they had a wreck. Sheriff Ralph Baker drowned after his cruiser was washed into a flooded river while he was searching for a stolen vehicle. The family's well-established ties in the community help as well. Very entertaining read, but don't know how much of it is true. For at least half his life, he was known to . Ralph Gardner Jr. /. Sheriff Ralph Baker drowned after his cruiser was washed into a flooded river while he was searching for a stolen vehicle. The DEA has identified one of them as the largest in U.S. history. "We do not believe our case is less viable than we thought all along," Rose wrote the court on Aug. 4, 1993. Still, he said, the price seemed in line with other land he looked at. He is in his mid-20s. The newspaper examined more than 200 documents. Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2017. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. Try again. Location: Arkansas, United States. And you'll never live long enough to see him out of the pen again,'" Minor remembers. Historians put Madison County's official age at 161. Madison County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas. He ended the June interview when the subject came up. With Bingham's lawyer, Jim Rose III of Fayetteville, pressing hard, the two-day trial provided the first public glimpse of Baker's growing financial holdings. Its about Arkansas outlaws and their pot way of life. Ralph Baker had served as Sheriff of Madison County, Arkansas, from 1973 until his tragic death on January 5, 1998. The drug dealer says the map doesn't surprise him. Baker said in the June interview that he had probably put the drugs into his truck to drive to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for testing. Green S.C. State Constables. Rest In Peace. After the cruiser was washed into the creek it flipped over trapping him inside. The Hams put their half of the land into a trust in 1988, and in 1993 the Bakers sold their half-interest to the Ham trust for $4,000. He called Harper, and Harper called Baker. | May they continue to move forward in life and heal with your guidance. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. (Note: Your comments may be used in an upcoming article about the 20-year anniversary.) : "I wish I could come up on something like that.". 1998/01/05. In this world of drugs and crime. He was found still in his seatbelt. He's told me, 'If you want to mess up your mind, that's your fault. Bingham's attorneys alleged that Baker and Sharp then began hitting and kicking Bingham, who the attorneys said had a speech impediment and the mind of an 11-year-old. "They had to make money off of it," he said. In 1992, Baker and his cousins swapped 320 acres for 284 acres of U.S. Forest Service land. Baker and his partners now own at least 1,450 acres, mostly in southern Madison County, valued at $227,865, according to tax records. I pray for solace for all those who love and miss Want even more control of your Reflection? If they wanted to sell something, we managed to come up with the money for it.". "I don't know how much you boys make writing stories, but we pay pretty well," Baker said. Baker's receipts for the same period show $260 in payments. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Your memory will always be honored and revered. Columbia, South Carolina 1999-2001 by Joy Russell. . Imagine breaking the law without fear. A police officer he is known. It is late morning, and he already has finished his seventh Budweiser while talking with reporters. Ralph Baker had served as Sheriff of Madison County, Arkansas, from 1973 until his tragic death on January 5, 1998. : Lots of caves around those parts, with lots of toothless backwoods folks who take a keen interest in outsiders visiting the area. Although Ralph's brilliant mind was compromised by dementia, his instincts remained keen. following a twenty-one gun salute fired by seven Madison County deputies. After that, the two generally kept their money in their pockets, he said. Crawford, whose parents knew Ralph Baker's father, said his deal with the Bakers was one of several involving family property. The land included "my home place," says the deed, signed by Bill Baker. Trudot was in the hospital at the time. Sheriff Baker had been employed with the Madison County Sheriff's Department for 27 years, 25 of which as the sheriff. The question I had was what is Ralph going to do with it.". As the case developed, Minor's father, Illinois oil well driller F.M. 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