Tara Baker's murder trial: Edrick Faust found guilty on all counts
Verdict reached in Tara Baker murder trial
We have a verdict in the trial of Edrick Faust for the 2001 murder of UGA law student Tara Baker.
ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY, Ga. - A jury in an Athens-Clarke County courtroom convicted Edrick Faust on all charges in the rape and murder of University of Georgia law student Tara Baker, a case that dates back to 2001.
What we know:
The verdict was read just before 1:30 p.m. Faust faced 12 charges, and jurors found him guilty on every count.
The jury’s decision followed two weeks of testimony and two days of deliberations. In court, the verdict was read aloud as jurors announced Faust’s convictions.
Jurors deliberated for roughly 12 hours before reaching their verdict. Early Tuesday morning, the jury asked to review Faust’s interview with GBI agents, including the moment investigators pressed Faust to explain why his DNA was found on Baker.
Prosecutors said advances in DNA technology ultimately linked Faust to Baker’s killing more than two decades after the crime. The defense argued there was no physical evidence placing Faust at the scene and questioned the reliability of DNA stored for over 20 years. Faust’s attorney also suggested the evidence pointed more strongly to someone who knew Baker, including her boyfriend at the time.
The jury returned its guilty verdicts despite the defense arguments. Faust’s sentencing is expected to take place at 3 p.m. Thursday,
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