LONDON, Ky. — A federal grand jury indicted Patrick Baker on a federal murder charge, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Baker, 42, was pardoned for his state charges stemming from the homicide by former Gov. Matt Bevin in 2019, amid a flurry of last-minute pardons and commutations by the Republican governor.
What You Need To Know
- A federal grand jury indicted Patrick Baker, who was pardoned in 2019 by former Gov. Matt Bevin
- Baker is accused of a roberry and kidnapping related to drug trafficking, during which he allefedly shot and killed Donald Mills
- Baker was one of the hundreds of people pardoned at the end of Bevin's time in office
- He could face the death penalty or life in prison
In the indictment, Baker is accused of a robbery and kidnapping related to drug trafficking, during which he allegedly shot and killed Donald Mills. The indictment says the event took place on May 9, 2014 in Knox County.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives Louisville Field Office; and Colonel Phillip Burnett, Jr., Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the indictment.
Before the indictment, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives and the Kentucky State Police conducted an investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenna Reed presented the indictment to the grand jury.
Baker is one of the hundreds who received a pardon from Bevin between his electoral defeat in November 2019 and his final day in office. Baker's pardon was particularly controversial since his relatives held a fundraiser for Bevin in 2018.
Following his pardon, Baker appeared at a news conference in Lexington where his attorneys maintained his innocence.
“I did not kill Donald Mills and my family did not pay for my release,” Baker said in a statement at the time.
In January 2020, Attorney General Daniel Cameron asked the FBI to investigate Bevins’ last-minute pardons.
Baker is not the only person helped by Bevin who has also been rearrested. Dayton Jones was a few years into a 15-year sentence for sex crimes when Bevin commuted his convictions. Several months later, Jones was charged by federal prosecutors with producing child pornography.
Baker is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 1 in London. He could face the death penalty or imprisonment for any number of years or for life, the indictment said.