On the evening of August 16, 1979, Deputy City Marshal Charles H. Baker, aged 52, was fatally shot in the 10200 block of Silvercrest Street in Houston, Texas. Baker, a four-year veteran of the Houston City Marshal's Office, was killed during a struggle with a man he had stopped to serve a misdemeanor traffic warrant. Unbeknownst to Baker and his partner, R.A.
McCammon, the man they stopped had just robbed a nearby lounge.
The incident began when Baker and McCammon, both in uniform, spotted a young man walking along Silvercrest who matched the description of a suspect they were seeking. They stopped their marked unit and approached the man, who appeared nervous and had his pockets stuffed with bills and change. As they began to question him, a struggle ensued, and the suspect pulled out a handgun, shooting Baker in the chest and right leg at point-blank range. Baker fell to the ground and died at the scene, while McCammon exchanged gunfire with the suspect before he fled.
The suspect managed to escape but was later apprehended four days later in Kentucky with an untreated bullet wound. He was extradited back to Texas, convicted of capital murder, and subsequently executed for the crime in 1986. The suspect's name was not disclosed in the sources available.
Marshal Baker was survived by his wife and son, and he is remembered for his dedication and service to the community. His final resting place is at Copeland Chapel Cemetery in Conroe, Texas.
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