# 263: Robert & Tayten Baker

An episode of [Morbidology](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1463979546), 1 Jul 2024, 54 min.

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On the morning of the 26th of August, 2020, Deborah Benson was at her home in Shiloh Road in Melrose, Florida. She was getting ready for the day ahead when her front door flung open, and her step-daughter rushed in. She was frantic, as she said somebody had killed her boys… SHOW NOTES - https://morbidology.com/morbidology-the-podcast-263-tayten-amp-robert-baker PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/morbidology YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/morbidology Audio Credit: Epidemic Sound Evening of Chaos - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Empty Reflections - ErikMMusic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgq4SPKHlyI A Mothers Sacrifice - OurMusicBox - https://ourmusicbox.com/ Dark Tranquility - Anno Domini Beats - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6mBav72Ak Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/morbidology--3527306/support.

## Transcript

[0:34] All I can remember is this, his head flipped forward and then it just
[0:38] spanged back up against the wall. And he was the same thing, so
[0:46] soaked in blood, and I didn't get a good look at like what his
[0:50] injuries look like. Melrose is this small, unincorporated community in Florida, just
[1:03] seventeen miles east of Gainesville. It's a charming area with its history dating back
[1:07] to the nineteenth century when it was first settled. Originally, the area was
[1:12] inhabited by Native American tribes before European settlers arrived. The community of Melrose began
[1:19] to take shape around the shores of Lake Santa Fe. It was eventually named
[1:23] Melrose after Melrose in Scotland. The area quickly grew as a key location for
[1:30] citrus farming due to the fertile soil and favorable climate. Throughout the twentieth century,
[1:36] Melrose evolved from an agricultural hub into your residential and recreational community. The
[1:42] natural beauty of the area, including numerous lakes and forests, attracted artists,
[1:48] retirees, and those seeking a quieter lifestyle. Today, Melrose maintains its small,
[1:53] tawn charm and its known for its thriving art scene. It's akin a
[1:57] place where people know their nen neighbors and take care of one another. But
[2:02] on the twenty sixth of August twenty and twenty, the fabric of Melrose was
[2:07] forever changed. That morning, detectives raced to a home along the rural Shiloh
[2:14] Road. Report had come in that two boys were found dead. Tayton Scott
[2:34] Baker was born on the twelfth of June two thousand and six to parents Chad
[2:38] and Sarah, who had been married since two thousand and five. His younger
[2:43] brother, Robert Andrew Baker, followed on the eighteenth of September two thousand and
[2:47] seven. The family also included a little brother, Landon, who joined them
[2:52] in two thousand and sixteen. The boys also had two older half brothers,
[2:57] Colton and Kolby, who had come from a pre previous relationship that child had
[3:01] close in age. Robert and Taittuan were inseparable, truly the best of friends.
[3:07] Their great grandmother fondly recalled. They were wonderful boys. They were awesome.
[3:14] They never got in no trouble or anything. They were just good kids.
[3:19] The brother shared a love for video games, outdoor play, and swimming.
[3:23] Their bond was so strong that when Robert received scholarships to attend private schools,
[3:29] he turned them down just so he could stay close to Taituan. Their
[3:32] older brother, Colby, affectionately recalled was Robert big teddy bear. He was
[3:40] the best. He cared for all the animals, He cared for all the
[3:44] family, and was plan on going playing football for high school in college.
[3:50] On the tenth of August twenty twenty, the family packed up their belongings and
[3:54] moved from Lakeland to Melrose, a town just south of Jacksonville. The move
[4:00] was motivated by a desire to be closer to the family in the area,
[4:04] especially their cousins, which thrilled the boys. They settled into a four bedroom
[4:11] home on Shiloh Road, a relatively rural and secluded area, yet familiar and
[4:16] comforting since Sarah's parents and grandparents lived in the same neighborhood. Sarah recalled,
[4:23] the old couple passed away, and when we purchased the house, it was
[4:26] like fully furnished, and she might have been a little bit of a hoarder,
[4:29] but the homes were affordable and spacious, providing an ideal setting for the
[4:33] family's new chapter. Sarah explained the motivation behind the move to be closer to
[4:40] my family. I was having a lot of difficult times start againshere, depression,
[4:46] you know, anxiety. So I thought if I moved closer to my
[4:49] family that my dad would be able to help me out of my shell a
[4:54] little bit more. And we had a bunch, you know, of plans,
[4:59] and the kids were I did to move up here to be closer to
[5:00] their cousins, even though they hadn't lots and lots of friends down there.
[5:05] It was summer when they moved, and Taten and Robert settled in easily and
[5:10] anticipated starting their new school. Fourteen year old Tatan was described as a happy,
[5:15] go lucky boy who never spoke without smiling, lighting up any room with
[5:19] his presence. Known for his gentle soul and heart of gold, he made
[5:25] friends effortlessly and was always eager to help his brother or anyone else in need.
[5:30] Taton loved to cook, listen to music, and play outside in the
[5:34] garden, but what excited him the most were the upcoming family camping trips and
[5:40] the adventure of starting a new school. Twelve year old Robert was both smart
[5:45] and athletic, excelling in almost everything that he tried. When he received scholarships
[5:50] to private schools, it came as no surprise to the family. He was
[5:55] deeply interested in robotics. Robert loved playing basketball, video games, and fishing
[6:00] with his friends and family. He had a special connection with animals and nature,
[6:06] eagerly anticipating family camping trips and fishing trips, especially with his Paupa,
[6:12] who lived just on the road. The boy's grandfather, Andrew, lived with
[6:15] his wife, Deborah Benson. They were over the moon that the boys were
[6:19] going to be so close by. Deborah fondly recollected so many plans were made,
[6:26] fishing, camping, beach, birthday parties, weekend parties. I truly
[6:30] felt that life was perfect. I remember actually saying that out loud, that
[6:35] life is finally perfect. It was a warm morning in Melrose on the twenty
[6:44] sixth of August twenty twenty. With summer drawing to a close, Robert and
[6:48] Tayton had been eagerly anticipating their upcoming adventure, starting at a new school and
[6:55] making new friends. Though they missed their old friends from polk Con, their
[7:00] easy going and friendly nature reassured everyone that they would quickly find their place Sarah,
[7:06] their mother, was the first to rise that day. As she stirred
[7:12] from sleep and rubbed her eyes, she was struck by the unusual stillness in
[7:15] their usually bustling home. It was almost ten am, yet the house remained
[7:23] early quiet, a stark contrast to the lively morning she was accustomed to.
[7:29] Chad was away on business, working as a long haul truck driver, and
[7:32] Landon was asleep peacefully beside her, but when she woke most mornings, she
[7:36] could hear Tatan and Robert either playing video games or watching television. Sarah rose
[7:43] from her bed and made her way to the den. As she entered,
[7:47] her eyes were immediately drawn to a blanket on the floor close to the pool
[7:51] table, drenched in blood. I started seeing blood on the ground on the
[7:58] other side of the pool table. So then I started getting closer and closer
[8:01] and seeing more blood, and I ripped off my son's blanket because I thought
[8:05] it was like he was a picker on scabs. I didn't realize how much
[8:09] blood it was at the time because I just opened my eyes. But when
[8:13] I ripped off the blanket, that's it was. Everywhere he was covered in
[8:18] blood. I did try to flip him see where the blood was coming from.
[8:28] His head at the time was facing one way, and I know I
[8:30] faced him the other way, trying to feel for a pulse, which I
[8:33] never did. Panic searched through Sarah as she rushed at the blanket, yanking
[8:37] it up to reveal the lifeless body of twelve year old Taittan. His small
[8:43] frame was soaked in blood and his throat was nearly severed by multiple deep cuts.
[8:48] He was laying on his tummy with his face facing the wall. You
[8:52] could tell that his throat was severed completely through, almost to the bone.
[9:00] That's what I realized. There was no bulls. Sarah's scream pierced the morning
[9:03] stillness. She called out for Robert to call police, but the house remained
[9:09] early silent. Her heart pointed in her chest as she raced to the living
[9:13] room as dread clouded her insides. There, her eyes fell upon another bloodstained
[9:20] blanket on the floor. With trembling hands, she lifted it up. I
[9:26] can remember his head flipped forward and then it just spang back against the wall,
[9:35] and he was the same thing, so soaked in blood. And I
[9:39] didn't get a good look at like what his injuries looked like, but I
[9:45] did as far as titans. Sarah grabbed London and sped over to her father's
[9:50] home. Just on the road, she burst in frantic and hysterical, screaming
[9:54] that she believed her children were dead and begging for someone to call nine one
[9:58] one. The boy's grandmother, Deborah, took one look at Sarah and knew
[10:03] that something was terribly wrong. She said, Debbie called nine one one.
[10:09] I think my kids are dead? Was her here? She was terrified and
[10:13] panicked, and I remember her nightgown was ripped, and then her little landing
[10:18] came running behind her. Okay, what did you think? What did you
[10:22] do? I didn't believe her. I was completely confused. What do you
[10:28] mean your kids are dead? Both of them? How There was a lot
[10:30] of questions, and then she said, wake up or my husband little son
[10:35] was he goes, I'll go get dad. And there was just a lot
[10:37] of panic, and I died. Deborah quickly jumped into her car, called
[10:41] her husband Andrew, and dialed nine one one. As she drove back to
[10:46] the family's home, she hoped against hope that Sarah was mistaken, but as
[10:50] she cautiously stepped inside, it became heartbreakingly clear that Sarah's worst fears were true.
[10:56] We we went straight to the pool room and I assultating and he was
[11:03] laying face down on the ground. And I knew immediately when I saw him,
[11:09] and I told it operator. I said, yes, he is dead.
[11:13] But I still tried to like shake him and call his name even though
[11:18] I just knew. And so I was just like shaking and grabbing at him
[11:24] and saying Tetan, Tetuan. But I just saw blood, and I just
[11:28] thinking of Taituan. And then it occurred to me, Robert whereas Robert.
[11:33] So I looked around and started to walk up the steps, and then I
[11:37] seen Robert's feet and they were just whiter, the whitest feet I'd ever seen.
[11:43] So I walked up a few more steps than I seen. I saw
[11:48] his face, and I saw his face was just pure white, and his
[11:54] lips were bluish purple, and blood was everywhere. And I took a step
[11:58] back because I just wasn't disbelieve. It didn't make sense. I didn't know,
[12:03] and that's I said, Robert's dead. Tour said something like that,
[12:07] and the now and one operator told me to leave the house. Both Tatan
[12:11] and Robert lay lifeless, their throats slashed with such force that bone was visible.
[12:18] Just as Debora stumbled back outside Andrew pulled up, she told him that
[12:22] Tatan and Robert were dead. Overcome with grief, he screamed and pushed past
[12:28] her into the house, only to confront the same horrific scene that had chattered
[12:33] their lives moments before. Detectives arrived at the same twelve minutes after the nine
[12:37] one one call came in. Much like those before them, they entered the
[12:43] home only to confirm that both Teyton and Robert were dead and far beyond resuscitation
[12:48] efforts. Teton and Robert's bodies were transported to the medical examiners all where the
[13:01] pathologists determined the brutal nature of their deaths. Both boys have been slashed and
[13:07] stopped with a knife on their throat, and then bludgeoned across the head with
[13:09] a hammer. Tayton's throat had been slashed multiple times, with the killer attempting
[13:16] to saw through his neck. The large escaping wound to his neck was three
[13:20] to five centimeters wide by five centimeters stape. His head also hat evidence of
[13:26] bludgeoning from a hammer. Robert's throat was slashed from end to end, nearly
[13:31] decapitating him. The pathologist, Doctor Fuller, explained, so it is my
[13:39] opinion that these satellite in size wins indicated that this injury did not happen with
[13:50] one pull of the blade. This injury took multiple movements of the blade,
[13:58] because we don't have large wounds in here. More likely than not, this
[14:05] was the blade was cut in and then there was movement back and forth,
[14:09] and as it comes up, he creates these satellite juries. So this does
[14:15] represent multiple lateral movements of the wood. There were additional injuries to his head
[14:22] caused by the hammer, including a depressed skull fracture. So I could not
[14:28] tell you whether or not being wisconscious in this particular place, I can tell
[14:33] you his heart was beating. He was alive because of the blood and the
[14:39] confusion that this would not occur. This scalp hematoma would not occur if you
[14:43] were dead and hid it head and still fractured. But you're not going to
[14:46] have the blood because there's no confusion. There's also pictures of brain which showed
[14:50] contusion that would not happen if the heart wasn't beating. Also than that the
[14:54] blood loss, the hemorrhage around that the heart had to be beating during all
[14:58] the events, but that does not mean their us Back at the crime scene,
[15:05] investigator's meticulously searched the home. They found bloodstains that indicated that Tetan had
[15:09] managed to crawl away before succumbing to his injuries. This showed a very disturbing
[15:16] reality. Taittuan was alive as his throat was slashed on to the bone,
[15:22] and alive long enough for him to crawl away. During their search, investigators
[15:26] found a hammer and a filet knife wrapped in a toil, both stained with
[15:31] blood, under a sink in the game room. Over at the crime lab,
[15:35] Tatan's blood was found on the hammer and knife, while Robert's blood was
[15:39] found on the knife. As news of the double murder spread across Florida,
[15:46] the Sheriff's office released a statement which read, an autopsy concluded today confirmed the
[15:52] deaths as homicides. This is still a very active investigation. I have said
[16:00] that Robert and Taytan's parents weren't considered suspects and that their father wasn't home at
[16:04] the time. Chatted worked as a long distance truck driver. The community was
[16:11] truly horrified by the brutal details of the boy's deaths. Robert and Tetuan were
[16:17] innocent children, and they had met a violent and tragic end. In their
[16:22] shock and sorrow, the community rallied desperately to support the family as they navigated
[16:27] their profound grief. Neighbors and friends thought of ways to help, offering condolences
[16:33] and assistance in any way they could. It. Gofund me was set up,
[16:38] and within less than a day it reached its target of eight thousand dollars,
[16:44] but over the next couple of days that swelled to more than twenty two
[16:47] thousand dollars. The gofund me read in part Teton and Robert were good kids
[16:52] who were loved by everyone. They loved playing video games, swimming, and
[16:57] hanging out with their family. They had dreams and goals for their life that
[17:02] they will never be able to fulfill. As part of the investigation, detectives
[17:07] meticulously interviewed everybody in the family, seeking to uncover whether any one harbored any
[17:12] ill intentions. Part of the investigation also focused on how the murders were committed
[17:18] without anybody hearing a single thing. Detectives didn't experiment to figure this out.
[17:26] They all stood in different parts of the house and called to one another.
[17:29] We made noise and banged on the walls. Sure enough, because of the
[17:33] layout of the home, they couldn't hear each other through the walls. The
[17:38] process at looking into the family, their friends, in any acquaintances was thorough
[17:44] and tense, each question peeling back layers of their lives. But it wasn't
[17:49] long before suspect emerged from the shadows. Sarah told detectives that after they moved
[17:59] to me Rose, she alloyed her sister Cindy, Cindy's boyfriend Mark Wilson Junior,
[18:04] and there baby girl Kitlin to live in Annoy building on their property.
[18:11] Prior to the move, Cindy, Wilson, and Kitlin had intermittently stayed with
[18:15] Sarah's family for several years. They either didn't have the place to stay or
[18:22] Cindy was you know, the last the most recent time she stayed before that
[18:30] incident was because she was pregnant and where they were staying was not I guess
[18:36] she would say sanitary healthy. I mean, I don't know where to red
[18:41] use She had no running water and things like that, and at the time
[18:45] she was six and a half months pregnant. So that's when I made them
[18:48] come stay with me, and she started seeing a doctor right after that.
[18:52] Cindy and her family had been living in a place with no power and infested
[18:56] with fleas boy. Five days before the murder, Sarah let them move in
[19:02] as they had no other place to stay under young bab to care for.
[19:07] But things took a negative turn one afternoon when Sarah visited them in the out
[19:11] building, she found the couple smoking marijuana in the press and so off their
[19:15] bab. I actually said, get your stuff together, and then I told
[19:22] them to get in the car, which they did. We did leave there
[19:26] without the baby being in a car seat at that time, and then I
[19:30] said, if I can't remember my exact words, but it was to the
[19:36] lines of, if you guys can't get your shit together, then I'm gonna
[19:41] have no choice. Let to turn you, you know, to turn it
[19:42] over to Tcioff to get other people involved into helping. But they agreed to
[19:47] move to my house, so none of that was a big issue. I
[19:49] mean, it was an issue if they didn't want to come and stay,
[19:52] but they wanted to come and stay. Sarah said to detectives that she didn't
[19:56] notice anything unusual about her sister or Wilson's demeanor. The night before the murders.
[20:03] However, she did witness something strange. I seen him again that night
[20:08] on the back porch, which my back door led to the porch where it
[20:12] says back patio where I went outside to go smoke. He was out there
[20:21] sharpening his knife. At the time, Sarah didn't think much of it,
[20:26] but in hindsight it set off alarm bells. Detectives began focusing on Wilson as
[20:33] a person of interest, and it wouldn't be long before compelling evidence emerged.
[20:45] The day after the murders, Christy Atkins went to the Baker household to comfort
[20:48] Chad and Sarah. She was the mother of Mark Wilson Junior. As she
[20:55] left, Wilson and his girlfriend accompanied her to spend the night at her place
[20:59] about fifteen miles away. After the turmoil of the day, everybody went straight
[21:04] to bed. The following morning, Wilson's girlfriend joined Chrissie in the kitchen and
[21:10] casually remarked Mark needs to co operate the possibility that her son could have been
[21:17] involved in such a horrific crime. Had never crossed Chrissie's mind, but it
[21:22] was no secret the detectives had already considered him a person of interest. With
[21:27] the sinking feeling, she went into the bedroom where Wilson was sleeping and urged
[21:33] him to speak with the detectives and take a polygraph test to clear his name.
[21:37] Wilson groggily rolled over and began getting out of bed to put his pants
[21:41] on. He then responded, ma'am, I can't do that. Christy was
[21:48] stunned. Uncertain of his meaning, she asked, why, Mark, did
[21:53] you hurt those babies? Looking down at the floor, he quietly replied,
[22:00] yes, ma'am, I did it. Horrified, Christie felt her world shadder.
[22:07] She knew what she had to do without revealing her intentions to your son.
[22:11] She left immediately and went directly to the sheriff's office. Christie sat down
[22:15] with the detectives and recounted exactly what her son had said. Determined to help
[22:22] the investigation, she agreed to wear recording equipment to try and elicit a detailed
[22:27] confession from her son. Christie picked up Wilson and drove around Putnam County,
[22:33] with the detectives following close behind. She pleaded with her son to explain what
[22:38] had happened. On the recording, her voice trembled as she said, I
[22:45] needn't answer, I need to know why, Why did this happen? You're
[22:49] my child, you're my son. Why can't you tell me. Wilson then
[22:55] quietly responded that he was responsible for the murders. His mother then demanded for
[23:03] my own peace of fucking mind. What flipped your mind to make you hurt
[23:07] them? What Wilson said next shook Christie to her very core. He replied,
[23:15] Cindy did, and my daughter. According to Wilson, he thought that
[23:21] Cindy was meant to kill Sarah and Landon while he was killing Robert and Tayden.
[23:26] He said Cindy was supposed to do the first half referring to Sarah and
[23:33] Landon. Christie expressed anger and bewilderment, replying to her son, this is
[23:38] not real, This is not real. You're my son, you're my baby.
[23:45] However, he then said that he only believed this, and that Cindy
[23:48] hadn't actually said anything to him about the murders or wanting to kill Sarah and
[23:52] Landon. He said that there was something in his head compelling him. After
[24:03] making the confession, Wilson stopped responding to his mother. Detectives, who were
[24:08] trailing close behind, decided to pull them over, and they arrested Wilson then
[24:12] and there. He was transported to the police station where he was asked about
[24:18] the murders of Tatan and Robert on where his mother had covertly recorded him.
[24:25] At first, he expressed surprise, telling the detectives that's crazy. Those boys
[24:30] were like family to me. He continued to deny any involvement in the murders,
[24:37] but something within him changed. When detectives showed him photographs of Teton and
[24:41] Robert's mutilated bodies. Wilson looked horrified. He covered his face with his hands
[24:48] and sobbed, Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh my God.
[24:53] The detectives then played audio with Wilson's conversation with his mother, and eventually he
[25:00] he broke down and admitted to killing Tayton and Robert. Wilson told detectives that
[25:04] on the morning of the murders, he was high on methamphetamine. He said
[25:10] that he'd been away taking the drug for the past three days. Wilson said
[25:15] he felt that the Baker family had been tearing his family apart, and added
[25:19] that Cindy fucked with his head. According to Wilson, he loved the boys,
[25:25] but he suspected that they were abusing his daughter or having some kind of
[25:29] a sexual relationship with his girlfriend. He said it would be like if somebody
[25:36] was making your wife and your daughter do shit and hide it from you and
[25:40] to keep you walking around. He said that this was the motivation behind the
[25:45] murders, but then suggested a second motivation. He said he believed that Sarah
[25:51] and her family were coming for him and his family by threatening to call the
[25:55] Department of Children and Families. Wilson told the detectives when he killed Taton and
[26:00] Robert, he wasn't angry, he commented, it's really foggy. He wasn't
[26:07] really conscious. He described the murderers more like a bad dream than something that
[26:11] actually happened. He stated, I'd been thinking about it and just psychological fucking
[26:19] hell. In reference to his girlfriend Cindy and her alleged involvement, Wilson said
[26:26] that Cindy never actually said anything to him about killing anybody. He said that
[26:32] he just thought that she wanted the boys and Sarah dead, telling detectives,
[26:37] she was making me feel like it was something that I had to do,
[26:41] you know, but without saying it. After Wilson was arrested, detectives looked
[26:45] into the claims he had made during his confession. He said that Robert and
[26:51] Tayton could have been abusing his daughter or could have been having some kind of
[26:53] relationship with his girlfriend. Iever detectives couldn't find a single shred of an evidence
[27:00] to back these claims up. Wilson had also said to detectives he believed that
[27:04] Cindy was going to kill Sarah and London, but once more, there was
[27:08] no evidence to corroborate this. The detective's next searched the outbuilding where Wilson had
[27:15] been living with his family. They came across a letter he had written,
[27:18] and it was stated the morning of the murders. In the letter, Wilson
[27:22] expressed love for Cindy and their daughter, but also mentioned getting frustrated and coming
[27:29] across as angry or confrontational. He spoke about their daughter in the letter,
[27:33] describing her as extraordinary and our greatest accomplishment. He then added, I can't
[27:41] lose you to please promise she will always know that her father is a soldier
[27:45] and that he loved you from day one and will always love you both until
[27:48] the end of time. After Wilson was arrested, he provided a DNA sample.
[27:55] When this was compared to the DNA found on the knife at the crime
[27:57] scene, it came back as match. The sample showed that he was fifty
[28:03] five thousand times more likely to have handled the knife than anybody else. After
[28:12] announcing the arrest of Wilson, State Attorney R. J. Loreizza announced,
[28:18] I can tell you have been working in the criminal justice system since nineteen eighty
[28:22] and these are some of the most brutal murders that I've ever heard of.
[28:26] He attacked those two kids without mercy. He said that the Baker family had
[28:32] done a lot to help Wilson out and this was how he repaid them.
[28:36] The state attorney also said that while he believed the murders warranted the death penalty,
[28:41] he needed to review the case and speak with the family. The fact
[28:45] that the killer had been someone that the family welcomed into their home wasn't lost
[28:48] on the community. It struck fear into the hearts of parents, especially parents
[28:55] who have offered a helping hand to a family member in need. Colby Baker,
[29:00] one of the boy's older brothers, touched on this when he posted on
[29:03] Facebook, it be the people that you let live with you, the people
[29:07] you called family, the ones that acted as if they cared, that will
[29:11] really fuck your whole life up. I really hope you wrought in there,
[29:17] and I hope you get the maximum sentence possible. You sick fuck. Wilson
[29:22] was subsequently charged with two counts of first degree murder and was ordered to be
[29:26] held without bond in the Putnam County Jail. During his court hearing via video
[29:32] link, he asked for a public defender instead of a personal lawyer. This
[29:37] request was approved by Judge Howard mcgillan. After speaking with the family and looking
[29:42] at the facts of the case. In October, it was annoyanced that the
[29:45] death penalty was going to be sought against Wilson. He was further charged with
[29:49] one kind of burglary with battery and burglary while armed. State Attorney Lourissa said
[29:56] that the factors in deciding the death penalty was that the murder were especially heinous,
[30:00] atrocious, and cruel. He further said that they believed that they were
[30:04] committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner. Putnam County Sheriff Gator de
[30:11] Louche commented that his thoughts remained with the family and said that the crime scene
[30:15] was one of the worst he had ever seen in his entire life. He
[30:19] stated, we're confident that with hard work of our deputy investigators, victim's advocate,
[30:26] and the State Attorney's office, that we will provide justice for Robert and
[30:30] Tetuan and provide closure for the family. The trial was pushed back several times
[30:34] because of the COVID pandemic, but in the meantime kids returned to the Megrosports
[30:41] Camp at Living Hope Church in Flora Home, Tatnam. Robert had been at
[30:45] the camp in twenty nineteen, which had been led by Pastors Dave and Tommy
[30:49] Speddin for more than fifteen years. Each new camper was given a bloo and
[30:55] orange wristband in memory of Tayton and Robert. Tom recollected tatan Hat celebrated his
[31:03] thirteenth birthday one of the days of the camp, and we brought him to
[31:06] the platform to sing Happy Birthday to him. Their funeral was held at the
[31:10] church and we wanted to do something special this year in their memory. Coaches
[31:15] at the camp were asked to pick a Camper of the Week award based on
[31:18] character and participation. Each camper was then presented with a medal by Tatan and
[31:25] Robert's father, Chad. By the twelfth of October twenty twenty two, the
[31:32] jury was selected and seated and opening statements were ready to begin. Prosecutor Jennifer
[31:37] Duntan was the first to take the floor and she said to the jury that
[31:41] Wilson had carried out a premeditated attack against the Baker brothers. City got up
[31:49] early around sixty thirty am, the dark outside, and they went through Sir
[31:55] Okay Cidiana's part. They returned back to the Vayer home and sn he goes
[32:04] into their outdid they had the apartment the futures hide and you will learn that
[32:10] it was at that time that the defendant obtained a hammer from one of the
[32:17] buildings on the property. She armed himself with his at pile nine, and
[32:24] he entered the Vayer's home when the intent to kill those boys. The boys
[32:32] were sleeping when they were hid, the defendant bashed their heasband mm with that
[32:38] hammer multiple times and just to make sure they were dead. He later told
[32:47] the types he also slip their friends. During defense attorney Courtney Davidson's opening standments,
[32:58] she didn't disapearit that Wilson had killed her brothers. However, she argued
[33:02] that his actions don't match the charges against him. She said to the jury,
[33:07] this is a tough case, a very tough case, a case where
[33:12] Mark shows remorse and takes recontability, but it is not a case of first
[33:16] degree premeditated murder. The testimony got underway with Taittana and Robert's mother, Sarah,
[33:22] describing the horrific moment she found them dead. She told the jury that
[33:28] after moving into their new home, they had struggled to get Wi Fi throughout
[33:30] the property. As a result, the boys often instead in the living room
[33:36] so that they could use their cell phones before bed. So in the meantime,
[33:39] my children slept in different areas wherever their phone would get service, so
[33:45] they could watch YouTube or their video game streaming, or whatever they normally did
[33:52] to keep them occupied. One always slept here, One always got service over
[33:55] here in this corner. Do you remember who was always wage room? Yes,
[34:00] Tetan was always in this room, the game room and Robert was always
[34:04] in the living room. She recollected the gruesome discoveries that morning, telling the
[34:08] jury, in that moment, I started screaming at the top of my lungs.
[34:15] The boy's grandmother, Deborah, was the next witness, and she described
[34:19] Sarah coming to her home in a state of hysteria, screaming that somebody had
[34:22] killed the boys. She said that at first she didn't believe Sarah, but
[34:28] it soon became all too clear that she was telling the truth. Once she
[34:31] entered the family's home, she recollected, I was shaking and grabbing him,
[34:38] saying tetuan teittuan. After Debrah's testimony, the prosecution presented the hammer a knife
[34:44] that was used during the murders. Sarah had testified that she saw Wilson sharpening
[34:49] the knife the night beforehand. Jury also got to hear the tape recording that
[34:54] Wilson's mother, Christie, had made. Christie described going to detectives with what
[35:00] her son had told her because it was the right thing to do. Wilson's
[35:05] defense to him opted out of calling any witnesses. They provided no defense other
[35:09] than to say that Wilson's crimes failed to constitute his first degree murder. During
[35:15] their closing arguments, defense attorney Brian Smith said that mediation on a crime must
[35:20] be long enough to allow for reflection. He argued that in the recording of
[35:24] Wilson's confession, he didn't appear to have thought about the murders at all before
[35:30] he committed them. They stated, reflection isn't what we saw in that interview.
[35:36] Where's the reflection. During prosecutor Jason Lewis's closing arguments, he refuted this
[35:43] claim. He argued that Wilson displayed numerous instances of reflection when he slashed and
[35:49] bludgeoned Taton and Robert dozens of times. He also said that Wilson displayed reflection
[35:53] when he left the outbuilding, entered the boy's home, retrieved a hammer and
[35:58] a filet knife, and atack the boys in two separate rooms. He said
[36:02] to the jury, this is not a case where the evidence is difficult.
[36:07] This is a case where the evidence is straightforward and it's a mountain of evidence.
[36:13] Prosecutor Jennifer Dunton also made some comments during her closing arguments. She pointed
[36:19] to the note that Wilson had written to his girlfriend asking her to remember him
[36:22] well and tell their daughter about who he was. Dutton said that this letter
[36:28] proved Wilson planned on committing the murders. She said to the jury, why
[36:34] would he need to write this kind of note. There is no evidence that
[36:37] they were in danger of breaking up. It's very clear now that the trial
[36:40] and evidence is over, that the defendant thought about killing these boys. Family
[36:46] members turned away and covered their eyes as Dunton presented photographs of Tayton and Robert's
[36:51] autopsies. She then stated, every blow takes force, and there's a chance
[36:58] to stop. Every step of the way. There's opportunities to stop and reflect,
[37:02] realize what you're doing, and not continue. It was now up to
[37:07] the jury to determine Wilson's fate. They deliberated for just two hours and fifteen
[37:13] minutes before they returned with the verdict. They found Mark Wilson Junior guilty of
[37:19] first degree murder, as well as guilty of committing armed burglary and burglary with
[37:23] assault or robbery. As the verdict was announced, Wilson looked to the ground,
[37:29] but somebody from within the public gallery let out a joyful yell of excitement.
[37:36] Outside of court, Sarah said she was grateful for the jury's decision and
[37:39] hope that Wilson received the death penalty at the upcoming sentencing. The penalty phase
[37:49] of the murder trial began on the fifteenth of October. While Wilson's defense team
[37:53] were seeking a live sentence, the prosecution were hoping for a death sentence.
[38:00] Prosecutor Jason Lewis underlined the impact of the attacks in his opening statements. He
[38:06] reminded the jury that the boys had been slashed and bludgeoned dozens of times.
[38:12] He stated, Robert and Tayton will never get to go to high school.
[38:15] They'll never go on a first date, They're never going to drive a car,
[38:20] they're never going to go to college. They are dead, and they
[38:23] are dead because this man sitting right here brutally and viciously killed them. He
[38:29] called on the jury of twelve women to assign Wilson the death penalty, referring
[38:34] to it as the only fair and just sentence in this case. During defense
[38:38] attorney Rosemary People's opening statements, she made no attempt to excuse what Wilson had
[38:44] done. Instead, she asked the jury to consider his background and broken mind.
[38:51] She said to the jury, tears and sorrow will never undo Wilson's actions,
[38:55] and for that he must be punished. We're not going to ask you
[38:59] to forgive Mark. We're not going to ask you to like Mark. We're
[39:02] going to ask for your compassion and your understanding. We're going to ask for
[39:07] your mercy. Testimony was then presented about Wilson's upbringing. Pamela Wilson, his
[39:15] aunt on his father's side, said that while she came from a highly educated
[39:19] family, at least one member had ongoing problems with substance abuse, alcohol and
[39:23] drugs. She further said that this person had gone to prison for five years
[39:29] for a sex crime. Pamela told the jury that she once witnessed her father
[39:34] hit Wilson in the face so that he could take his seat. Pamela referred
[39:38] to this as abuse, but when she was cross examined by prosecutor Lewis,
[39:43] she said it was harsh discipline. Pamela said she never saw any signs of
[39:49] trauma or bruising on her nephew that would indicate he was being abused. Wilson's
[39:54] mother, Christy, then described to the court how his father Mark was abusive
[39:59] towards her. The abuse had begun when she was aid and a half months
[40:04] pregnant with her son. She recalled an incident where he had been drinking with
[40:08] friends in their bedroom until three a m. And she asked him to leave
[40:13] so that she could sleep. When they did, Mark flew into a rage
[40:16] and threw her round the room. He spat on Christie, poured beer on
[40:22] her, and then threatened her with a broken glass. He told her,
[40:27] if you ever leave me, I will kill you. She said that this
[40:30] set the basis for the rest of their relationship. Christie recalled countless other experiences
[40:37] just like this one where Mark chooked her and even placed their dog in the
[40:42] oven and switched it on. However, despite his violence towards her, Christie
[40:45] said that she never saw Mark abuse their son. She eventually left Mark and
[40:52] gained joint custody over Wilson, but said that Mark only ever looked after Wilson
[40:57] because he knew that it had upset her. She recollected, he was not
[41:01] going to let me take Mark. It was the only thing that Mark Senior
[41:06] knew that I loved and cared about. But then one day Mark vanished for
[41:10] several years and took Wilson with him out of state in violation of their custody
[41:15] agreement. She only saw her son again after Mark abandoned him in Oklahoma.
[41:22] The jury then got to hear from toxicologist Susan Scully Danziger, who had spoken
[41:27] with Wilson about his history of substance abuse. Wilson had started smoking marijuana when
[41:31] he was just ten years old and had then begun using crack cocaine when he
[41:36] was twelve. Apparently, taking drugs was a family event in Wilson's childhood,
[41:43] as the toxicologist testified, it was like family all sitting around together smoking a
[41:47] bowl of marijuana. That was sort of the daily habit. Wilson was dependent
[41:53] on methamphetamine and alcohol at various points, and at times he would smoke crack
[41:59] cocaine or five times per day. Scolie dan's Inger said to the jury that
[42:04] regular the use of such drugs can have lasting effects on the brain. According
[42:08] to several experts, the toxicom environment that Wilson grew up in caused permanent changes
[42:14] to his brain. Doctor Stephen Nelson said that fight or flight hormones can enter
[42:20] a baby while a mother is pregnant and can affect brain development. He said
[42:24] the growing up surrounded by abuse can have that same impact, even if the
[42:29] child is not the one being abused. Doctor Nelson told the jury that scance
[42:34] showed abnormalities and parts of Wilson's brain associated with memory, stress response, and
[42:38] impulse control. During doctor Nelson's assessment of Wilson, he was told of the
[42:45] challenges he faced while growing up, such as whether he was going to have
[42:49] enough to eat or have clothes to wear. He testified his fight or flight
[42:53] instinct essentially had to be on all the time. He concluded the decades of
[42:59] drug rugues had taken its toll on Wilson, as did its sleep deprivation immediately
[43:04] before the murders. He said to the court all of these factors combined made
[43:10] it such that at that moment he was unable to make proper decisions. It
[43:15] appeared to him at that time to be the best decision. Wilson had also
[43:20] been analyzed by licensed psychologist Michael Quinnouns, who diagnosed him with numerous adverse childhood
[43:25] experiences as well as symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. He said that at
[43:31] least once a day, Wilson experienced intrusive memories of an incident where his father
[43:37] had put a gun to a woman's head. He said that these and other
[43:40] factors most likely harmed Wilson's social skills and brain development, telling the courtroom chronic
[43:47] stress has a debilitating impact on an adult's ability to function. The defense testimony
[43:55] concluded with a brief interview with Wilson's twenty two year old sister, Kayla Woodard.
[44:01] She said the growing up, Wilson was somebody that people looked up to.
[44:06] She described how when she was nervous for her first day of school,
[44:09] her brother walked her to the classroom and supported her. The prosecution began their
[44:20] arguments and called on doctor Tonia Werner. She said that while Wilson claimed he
[44:25] was high on methamphetamine at the time of the murders, she found no evidence
[44:30] to support this. She said that in her experience, when people have recently
[44:36] taken a large amount of myth, they typically appear hyper agitated, paranoid,
[44:40] or aggressive. Even with medication, it takes a couple of days for that
[44:45] to clear up. But in contrast, after the murders, she found Wilson
[44:51] clear and not disorganized or psychotic. She also found no issues with his cognitive
[44:57] function, or memory, except for when she asked him about the actual murders.
[45:04] Forensic psychologist doctor William Meadows agreed with her assessment. He said that Wilson's
[45:08] claims were inconsistent with real memory problems, telling the jury amnesia is not going
[45:15] to be selective for the most negative parts of your case. It's certainly not
[45:19] going to start when you kill somebody, then stop when you go to a
[45:22] medical center, then start again when you provide a confession to your mother,
[45:28] then start again when you lie to the police. And that's what I observed.
[45:34] He said that Wilson appeared to be lingering or faking his memory problems.
[45:39] The courtroom then fell into a hushed silence as victim impact statements began. Sarah's
[45:45] voice was tight with emotion as she said, every day I wake up,
[45:52] I have to get through another day, and I'm faced with the pain,
[45:54] the hurt that my family and I no I have to face for the rest
[45:59] of our time in this world. As this trial ends, in the world
[46:02] continues to spin, I will still be left here staring at two teddy bears,
[46:08] two stuffed bears that contain the ashes of my own children. That is
[46:13] all that I have left in this world of my wonderful boys. People wept
[46:17] in the public gallery as Sarah described her boys. She said that Robert was
[46:23] strong willed, hard headed, and incredibly smart. She said that if he
[46:29] actually had been given the chance, he would have made the world a better
[46:32] place. As for Tetan, Sarah said his smile was so big, and
[46:37] he was always smiling no matter what was going on. She commented, everywhere
[46:44] he went he made friends. The boy's father, Chad, also took to
[46:49] the witness stand to describe them. He touched on Tatan's passion for cooking and
[46:53] Robert's love of baseball. Chad was out of town when Wilson killed his boys,
[47:00] and he recalled losing to Robert in a game of poll just before he
[47:02] left. His voice quivered with emotion as he said, Robert told me he
[47:08] was going to kick my butt when I got home. I told him we
[47:13] will see about that, and that he'd better practice. Deborah, the boy's
[47:17] grandmother, recollected how she went to the emergency room twice in the wake of
[47:22] the murders because she felt like our heart was being physically crushed. Each time.
[47:29] She was sent home with the diagnosis of grief. The boy's cousin,
[47:32] Kellikoko, described how each holiday felt like a punch in the gut because it
[47:37] was a memory they couldn't create together. She said, I'm filled with grief
[47:44] and depression. Some days I still can't get out of bed. Colton,
[47:47] the boy's oldest brother, read a loud a letter that had been written by
[47:52] the boy's best friend, Mark mc cumber junior. He said, let's just
[47:59] say this, losing Robert and Teyton Baker, I lost me. Let me
[48:04] tell you how I no longer play sports because it's what we did together.
[48:08] I no longer go fishing, and I love fishing, but when I go,
[48:13] I think of the boys so much and how much they loved fishing.
[48:17] Mark's statement continued with him saying he looked at the wall each day and reminded
[48:22] himself that while Teton and Robert might not be there in person, they're always
[48:27] there in his heart. After four days of testimony, closing arguments were presented.
[48:35] Prosecutor Dunton said that Teyton had defensive injuries to his hands. She said
[48:40] this showed that he tried to defend himself as his throat was slashed. She
[48:45] said, after this Wilson bludgeoned him over the head with a hammer. She
[48:51] stated it was completely unnecessary, caused a hideous amount of pain, showed a
[48:57] complete indifference to the suffering of another human being. The prosecutor said that even
[49:02] when Wilson admitted to the murders, he failed to provide meaningful details or help
[49:07] detectives understand his motive. Defense attorney Peoples, in contrast, argued that he
[49:14] gave so little information simply because his brain didn't function properly. The jury then
[49:20] went off to deliberate Wilson's fate. It took them less than an or to
[49:24] decide that Mark Wilson Junior deserved to die for the gruesome murders of Teton and
[49:30] Robert Baker, but the decision on whether or not that would be carried out
[49:34] it was up to the judge and he needed time to think it over.
[49:38] After the verdict, the family spoke with the media. Though relieved that the
[49:44] ordeal was finally over, lingering questions haunted them. No one could fathom what
[49:49] had caused Wilson to snap and kill the boys. Sarah even mentioned that Wilson
[49:53] had been on good terms with Tatan and Robert leading up to the murders,
[50:00] recently taken them fishing and fixed up their dirt bike. She stated, he
[50:06] was just really kids oriented, more than he was towards even my sister or
[50:09] me. The family restunned to when they learned from testimony that Wilson wasn't even
[50:15] on methamphetamine at the time of the murders. Wilson had given so many varying
[50:21] descriptions of what drove him to carry out the murders, but really none of
[50:27] them made any sense. The family returned to court on the twenty eighth of
[50:31] January twenty and twenty three. Judge Howard mcgillan asked Wilson to stand as he
[50:37] stated it remained solidly within the discretion of the court to make a final decision.
[50:45] As a judge, however, one remains mindful that we do not sit
[50:49] to impose our own biases and preferences upon the parties. That's something that's overlooked
[50:54] in today's society. As a judge, it's our role to be new and
[51:00] independent arbiters of facts and law. He said that the defendant had committed two
[51:06] truly horrific murders of innocent children, and said that Tatan's death was particularly cruel.
[51:13] He said that evidence showed Tatum was alive and suffering for some time throughout
[51:16] the assault, including when his neck was sawed with the bleed. The judge
[51:22] said that while the mental health and childhood trauma that was presented are proven in
[51:25] the abstract, the court found no proof they were relevant to the murders.
[51:31] He then officially handed Mark Wilson Junior a death sentence. The defendants were manded
[51:37] to the custody in Sheriff put mc County to be held and transmitted to the
[51:42] Department of Corrections, and to be held there in close custody. Had the
[51:47] imposition of a sentence of death in a manner was bribed by law on such
[51:52] state as may be set by proper authority. The defendants showd put to death
[51:54] for this offense outside of court. The boy's cousin, Kelly Coco, said
[52:00] to the media that while the family were relieved, there would be no real
[52:05] closure. She stated, I think that's the hardest part. You never feel
[52:12] safe, you know, the boogeyman is always outside, not inside. Well,
[52:40] Bessie's that is it for this episode of Morbidology. As always, thank
[52:45] you so much. For listening, and I'd like to say a massive thank
[52:47] you to my new supporter of bo Patreon, Kayleika. You can join mor
[52:52] Biology up bon Patron for as little as one dollar a month and there are
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[53:45] care of yourselves, stay safe, and have an amazing week.

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