On what should have been a joyous family outing, Jerome Baker, a 27-year-old Black man from St. Louis, Missouri, vanished on the morning of May 15, 2016. A devoted father of six, he was preparing to take his children to Six Flags. The day began with ordinary plans; a woman he was dating had borrowed his car to pick up her children for the trip. Shortly after, Baker called his best friend to arrange to borrow his car for the rest of the children.
However, in the roughly 11 minutes it took for his friend to arrive, Jerome Baker had disappeared.
Alarm bells rang immediately for his family when they discovered his personal belongings, including his wallet and jacket, left behind at the residence. The only thing missing was his cell phone, which went unanswered to repeated calls and texts. A chilling discovery was made in the backyard by Baker's mother: drag marks in the dirt, suggesting a struggle. These ominous signs marked the beginning of a long and agonizing wait for answers for his loved ones.
Months turned into a grim reality when, in October 2016, a utility worker discovered a human skull in a vacant lot near Bircher and Riverview Boulevards. The remains were later identified as those of Jerome Baker. The following year, in June 2017, the rest of his remains were located in a wooded area in northern St. Louis. His death was officially ruled a homicide.
Despite the passage of time, the case of Jerome Baker's murder remains unsolved. To date, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest, and no arrests have been made in connection with his death. His family has spoken about their frustration with the investigation, including what they felt was an initial delay in pinging his cell phone. They have mentioned the existence of a 911 call made on the day he disappeared that reportedly captured the sounds of him struggling with multiple assailants. The investigation into who is responsible for the death of Jerome Baker is ongoing, leaving his family still searching for justice.
