Steven Stagner

Mass Murderer

William Daniel Baker and the 2001 Navistar Workplace Massacre

Overview

On February 5, 2001, former employee William Daniel Baker carried out a deadly workplace shooting at the Navistar International diesel-engine plant in Melrose Park, Illinois. Baker entered the sprawling industrial facility with several firearms and opened fire on employees working inside. He killed four men, wounded four others and then died by suicide before police could take him into custody. The attack occurred one day before Baker was scheduled to surrender to federal authorities and begin serving a prison sentence. His impending incarceration, long-standing anger toward Navistar and resentment over the circumstances surrounding his dismissal appear to have contributed to the carefully prepared assault.

William Baker's History at Navistar

William Daniel Baker was born on March 15, 1934. He began working for the company that became Navistar in 1955 and remained employed there for nearly four decades. During his years at the Melrose Park plant, he worked in positions that included forklift operator and tool-room attendant. Baker's relationship with the company deteriorated after he became involved in a conspiracy to steal engines, machinery and other valuable equipment from the plant. Navistar dismissed him in 1994. Federal authorities later prosecuted Baker for his role in the theft operation. In November 2000, Baker pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge. He was sentenced to five months in federal prison followed by five months of home confinement. He was ordered to report to prison on February 6, 2001. Instead of surrendering as directed, Baker returned to his former workplace on the morning of February 5 and committed mass murder. Baker also had a previous sex-offense conviction. In 1998, he pleaded guilty in connection with a sexual relationship involving an underage girl and became a registered sex offender. Because of that conviction, he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Despite the prohibition, he obtained and assembled multiple guns for the attack.

Preparation for the Shooting

Baker arrived at the Navistar plant carrying several weapons, including an SKS semiautomatic rifle, a .38-caliber revolver, a 12-gauge shotgun and another rifle. Some of the weapons were concealed inside a golf bag, allowing him to approach the entrance without immediately revealing the purpose of his visit. At approximately 9:45 a.m., Baker drove to a sliding security gate near the plant's Armitage Avenue entrance. He reportedly told a female security guard that the golf bag contained personal belongings he intended to give to a friend inside the building. When the guard requested permission to examine the bag, Baker produced the revolver and forced her to admit him. The plant was a large and active industrial facility containing more than 800 workers. Once Baker passed through security, employees had little warning that an armed former co-worker was moving toward their work areas. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

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