This browser does not support the Video element.
ATHENS, Ga. - The trial over the murder of Tara Baker will resume Wednesday morning after testimony about DNA linking defendant Edrick Faust was given late Tuesday evening.
The trial has long centered around that evidence, with the prosecution arguing it shows Faust's guilt. The defense argues chain of custody issues and that police didn't look hard enough at Baker's then-boyfriend, Chris Melton.
DNA and boyfriend's alibi
What they're saying:
Most of Tuesday’s testimony focused on the original 2001 investigation and the alibi of Baker’s then-boyfriend, Melton, whom the defense now considers a suspect. Despite hearsay objections, a detective was permitted to recount Melton’s initial statements since the defense had already cross-examined him. Tensions rose when the judge blocked a defense attempt to challenge the detective’s memory of the 23rd-year-old case, labeling the questioning "argumentative."
GBI Agent Elizabeth Bigham later testified that modern DNA testing linked both Faust and Melton to the victim’s original sexual assault kit. While the defense argued that Melton’s shifting timeline proved he had been lying for decades, Bigham maintained that Faust was the rightful suspect. She concluded by testifying that Melton possessed a verified alibi that made it "impossible" for him to have killed Baker.
Faust's arrest
The backstory:
Faust was arrested in 2024 after the re-testing of the DNA evidence.
Faust is charged with malice murder and other counts in connection with Baker’s 2001 killing. Her body was discovered inside her burning Athens apartment one day before her 24th birthday.
Tara Baker Wednesday testimony
What's next:
The trial is expected to resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The Source: This is a FOX 5 original report by Sam Daniel and Tyler Fingert who are watching the trial in real time. The article will be uploaded as testimony wraps.