Rita Baker, a 2-year-old white female, was tragically murdered in June 1917 by George Jefferson Hassell, an American serial killer and mass murderer. At the time, Hassell was residing in Whittier, California, with his common-law wife, Marie Vogel, and her three adopted children: Gerald Vogel, age 7; Rita Baker, age 2; and Anthony Baker, age 1. The family lived under the surname "Baker."
On the night the United States entered World War I, Hassell and Marie Vogel argued over his decision to enlist. During the altercation, Hassell choked Marie to death and proceeded to murder her three children, including 2-year-old Rita Baker. He then buried their bodies beneath the house and told neighbors that his family had left, subsequently disappearing himself.
Hassell's crimes remained undiscovered until 1926, when he murdered his wife and eight children in Farwell, Texas. During the investigation of these murders, Hassell confessed to the 1917 killings in California. He provided authorities with details and directed them to the burial site of Marie Vogel and her children, including Rita Baker. His confession was corroborated by the discovery of the bodies.
George Jefferson Hassell was arrested, tried, and convicted for the murder of his son Alton in Texas. He was sentenced to death and executed by electric chair on February 10, 1928, at the Huntsville Unit in Texas. Hassell confessed to a total of 13 murders, including the 1917 killings of Marie Vogel and her three children in California.
