According to Sgt. Bill Goodin, public information officer with the Shreveport Police Department, dispatchers received a call at approximately 8:15 p.m. CST Tuesday from a concerned citizen who recognized Baker from Saturday’s episode of America’s Most Wanted.
Patrol officers arrived at the scene moments later and located Baker sitting on a bench in a park. After verifying his identity, officers immediately took Baker into custody without incident and impounded his 1996 Mazda pick-up truck, said Goodin.
According to America’s Most Wanted Web site, Baker was not aware that he had been profiled on the show.
Baker was not armed at the time of his arrest, Goodin said.
Baker was originally taken to the Shreveport City Jail but later transferred to the Caddo Correctional Center, where he is being held as an out-of-state fugitive.
Baker will be held at the correctional center until paperwork for his extradition is received, said Cindy Chadwick, public information officer at the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“He (Baker) did go before a judge yesterday (Tuesday) and was asked if he was interested in waiving extradition, but he requested an attorney,” Chadwick said. “He has not met with that attorney yet, to the best of my knowledge. At some point, he will meet with them and if he waives extradition, the District Attorney’s Office in Georgia will begin that process.”
If Baker chooses to fight extradition, Chadwick said it will be incumbent upon the Spalding County District Attorney’s Office to move forward with that legal process.
She concluded by saying Baker will not be released until the issue of extradition is resolved.
“He’ll stay with us until we receive word on extradition, one way or another,” Chadwick said.
Sgt. Richard Phillips, of the Griffin Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, said local authorities are preparing paperwork for a Governor’s warrant, which could be submitted to Gov. Sonny Perdue as early as Friday.
Even though Baker appears to be fighting his extradition, according to Phillips, he can be picked up immediately in Shreveport and taken to Griffin once Perdue has signed the warrant.
Baker is sought by the GPD for allegedly killing his wife, 38-year-old Lynnale Baker, and his step-daughter, 19-year-old Shaelinda Sanders, on March 17 at their 132 Waterford Way residence.
Authorities say Kenneth Baker and Lynnale Baker were in the process of divorcing.
Baker was considered armed and dangerous during his almost five months on the run. His job history as a truck driver provided him contacts all over the country, which has made it difficult to capture him, said GPD Chief Frank Strickland in a June 18 e-mail.
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