Who killed Sherry Baker? In the autumn of 1974, a young Black woman named Sherry Darnell Baker was living in Wichita, Kansas. At 22 years old, she was a student at Wichita State University with her whole life ahead of her. That life was tragically cut short on November 12, 1974, when she was found murdered inside her home at 603 N. New York Street.
It was her own mother who made the horrific discovery that morning around 9 a.m.
In the living room of the apartment, she found her daughter partially clothed and showing no signs of life. The scene was disturbing; Sherry had been bound with a telephone cord and had suffered multiple stab wounds. Investigators found no indication of a forced entry, leading to the distressing conclusion that Sherry may have known her attacker and willingly let them into her home.
The Wichita Police Department launched an extensive investigation into the brutal slaying. Detectives worked the case, but their efforts did not lead to any arrests. Over the years, Sherry's murder became a cold case, one of over 200 unsolved homicides in the Wichita Police Department's files.
As time passed, speculation arose about a possible connection between Sherry's death and the notorious serial killer known as BTK, who was active in Wichita during that same period. Some similarities in the method of binding were noted. However, law enforcement officials have publicly stated that they do not believe her case is connected to the other slayings attributed to the BTK killer. To this day, the murder of Sherry Baker remains unsolved, and no suspects have ever been officially named. Her killer has never been brought to justice.
