Stepmother Murders and Dismembers Disabled Stepchild | Zahra Clare Baker - Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Editing Kai Heir. Before we get started real quick, I
do want to say this episode was one day late
because I was sick. I really tried and I couldn't
do it. But it's out today. Thank you for your
patience and let's get right into the episode. Now part
of the dark Cast Network. Welcome to indie Podcasts with
a Dark Side. On October ninth, twenty ten, responders received

(00:22):
an unusual nine to one one call out of Hickory,
North Carolina's Eliza Baker called emergency services to report her
fire in the backyard of her family's home. Quote my
husband works for meat and our backyard is on time.
We've got big bultpiles and woodcops, firework stuff. Firefighters arrived

(00:42):
and found the flames kind of suspicions. At the time,
responders noticed something else out of place. A dupe energy
envelope had been teamed to the outside of Adam Baker's
Chevrolet Tahoe. Inside was a handwritten ransom note addressed to
quote mister who was Adam's boss and landlord, and it

(01:02):
read quote mister Coffee, you like being in control? Now
who is in control? We have your daughter and your
pot smoking redhead son is next. Unless you do what
is asked. One million dollars unmarked. Will be in touch soon,
no cops. It wasn't until eight hours later, at around
five thirty am, that another call came into nine to

(01:25):
one one. This time it was Adam Baker on the line, quote, Hey,
how you doing? I need police, So they transferred him
over to the correct line, and Adam went on to
say that the ransom note wasn't about Coffee's family after all,
but that his own daughter had been taken instead. Quote,

(01:45):
the police were out here last night after finding a
ransom note about my boss's daughter. I got up a
little while ago, and it appairs that they took my
daughter instead of my boss's daughter. Adam said that the
last time he had seen Zahra was around two thirty am,
but when asked why he waited so long to report
her missing, he told dispatches that he was used to
not seeing her for long stretches, even laughing as he

(02:08):
described her quote Bruden stage quote my daughter I think
is coming into puberty because she's hitting that Bruden stage.
So we only see her when she comes out of
her room when she wants something. That's about it and
then I'm just like you are laughing and joking when
you think your daughter is missing. This smells fishy. Welcome Lambs.

(02:31):
Welcome to Love and Murder, Our Heartbreak to Homicide, your
weekly true crime podcast that tells you stories of relationships
that turn to murder. And on this podcast, I always
tell each case with the victim in mind, so you
might hear some ranting and ravings along the way, so
don't be surprised. This episode is sponsored by my Lambs
and Patreon because this podcast is completely listener funded. If

(02:54):
you want to stand with us as the voice of
the victim, then join at patreon dot com Forward Slash
the Love and you can either sign up for free,
and you do get a few extra perks by doing that.
But if you really want the full experience bonus cases,
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case extras, then join one of our bonus tears today

(03:15):
Patreon dot com Ford Slash Love and Murder. And speaking
of Patreon's exclusive Deadly Duos, the second installment was the
case of Erica and Benjamin Sefret, a married couple who
turned their love into a weapon. Together they learned Joshua
Ford and Martha Crutchley into their condo. But what unfolded

(03:35):
was a night of terror, dismemberment, and a so called
the Bonnie and Clyde fantasy that left two innocent lives destroyed.
Patreon dot com forward slash love and Murder Now, without
further ado, grab your butts, grab your delicious glass of
apple juice, and let's get back into this case of

(03:56):
love and murder. While Adam was talking to the police,
he also suggested an elaborate theory quote, I don't know
if they set a fire in the yard to distract
us to go out and then they snuck in the door,
or I don't know. Somebody had put gas in my
company's truck that I drive for work. They left a
ransom note on the company vehicle to my boss saying

(04:18):
that they had his daughter and his son was next.
Zaha Claire Baker was born on November sixteenth, nineteen ninety nine,
in Waggawaga, New South Wales, Australia. Her biological mother, Emily Dietrich,
suffered postpartum depression after her birth and gave up custody
when Zahra was just eight months old. Emily had little

(04:39):
contact with her daughter. In the years that followed. It
was Adam, Zahra's father who raised her. In two thousand
and four, Adam and his parents moved Zahra to Jiu, Queensland.
Did I say that right, gru Jiru Gyu? I'm not sure,
but anyway, that's in Queensland where the young girl grew
up surrounded by extended family. Friends and relatives remembered her

(05:03):
as cheerful and spirited, someone who radiated happiness even when
life threw its hardest challenges at her. Those challenges started
pretty early in her life. At just five years old,
Zahra was diagnosed with I'm gonna try and say this
osteo sarcoma. Oh, that wasn't that hard, which is a
form of bone cancer. Treatment meant that her left leg

(05:26):
had to be amputated above the knee and she was
fitted with a prosthetic limb. Chemotherapy left her with significant
hair and loss, and in the years that follow she
would also battle lung cancer. Despite all of it, Zahra adapted.
She wore her prosthetic and her hearing aids without complaint,

(05:47):
and remained an outgoing, affectionate child. Now that's really amazing
because a lot of people would complain and be like, oh,
why does everybody else have their feet? Like they would
complain about this, So that's pretty amazing. Friends in Australia
described her as quote one of the bravest little girls
you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting. Communities rallied around her,

(06:07):
raising money for a wheelchair and a laptop, and she
joined Camp Quality, a charity for kids with cancer, where
she made friends and lifted spirits with her energy. Then
in two thousand and eight, Zahra's life took a change
when Adam met Eliza and Nette Fairchild. Adam traveled to
the US to meet her in person because he had

(06:29):
met her initially online, and by July eighth of that year,
they were married in York County, South Carolina. A few
months later, Adam returned to Australia to bring Zahara to America. Together,
they settled with Eliza in North Carolina. So you have
a child, you met somebody online, you didn't even get

(06:49):
to know them that well, and then you brought your
child to live with them in a whole other country,
on a whole other continent. Not trying to shame anybody here,
but that's kind of questionable. But life in the US
was very different from what Zahra had known in Australia. Yeah,
US life is completely different, especially for somebody with ailmen.
Before moving, she had received consistent specialized care for her

(07:12):
cancer and disabilities. In America, that care was diminished. Adam
had brought Zahra to the US. Believe in Eliza had
money to cover her significant medical bills, which were free
in Australia and we all know would cost an arm
a leg and your firstborn child in the United States.
Eliza Baker was born in nineteen sixty eight and lived

(07:35):
a chaotic and manipulative life. She was described by those
who knew her as cunning, controlling, and deeply insecure, someone
who hid behind lies to control others. Okay, first of all,
if that's how I was known, cunning, controlling, and deeply insecure,
like the majority of the people who knew me described
me like that, I would literally take a step back,

(07:58):
internalize what I'm doing wrong, and I need to take
some time away from my friends and family and fix
myself because what the crap am I doing. Her personal
life was full of trial and instability. Records revealed that
She had been married seven times, sometimes overlapping each other,
and was even charged with bigamy for Marian Adam while

(08:20):
still legally married to a man named Aaron Young. Over
the years, she went through at least forty two different
addresses in just seven years, dodge and bill collectors, police,
and social workers. Her history with her own biological children
was no less troubling. The Department of Social Services had
investigated her for abuse as far back as nineteen ninety nine.

(08:45):
She was known to be violent and neglectful, and her
own biological children had experienced her cruelty firsthand. Despite this,
she continued to attract partners and weave herself into new households.
How how Oh and her partners always said that she
left chaos behind. Online she made up a whole fantasy life,

(09:07):
something that was not even close to her reality. And
she did all of this under the username of Gothic
Fairy sixty six six'. Eight she listed never Never land
as her hometown And, Queensland australia as her state and.
Country she claimed to be a college graduate and a
proud parent on her now Defunct MySpace. Page on that,

(09:28):
page she also had pictures Of zahra with one captioned
quote the dark. Child. Lol eliza's mood was listed as quote,
crazy which that doesn't prove, anything like it could have
just been a huge. COINCIDENCE i, mean that's not evidence of.
Anything eliza also wrote on Her MySpace, page quote who

(09:50):
says long distance relationships don't? Work behind this online, persona
she told outrageous lies about being a police officer who
was shot in the line of, duty or bounty. Hunter
all of her lies were of a dangerous and exciting.
Past in, Reality eliza was constantly reinventing. Herself she used

(10:10):
the lies to draw sympathy or control the people around.
Her those closest to her described her as someone who
lived in an alternate world of her, own making, unreliable,
untrustworthy and. Dangerous so she was called what was the first, thing, controlling,
cunning and deeply, insecure and then also, unreliable, untrustworthy and.

(10:34):
Dangerous and this is the environment That adam Brought zahra,
Into like are you serious right? Now at, first The
bakers lived With eliza's, father but he quickly forced them.
Out that's her own. Father relatives later suggested it was
because of How eliza Treated. Zahra neighbors recalled Seeing eliza

(10:54):
hit the little girl and lock her in her, room
which to this, DAY i will never understand people who do.
THAT i will never understand it or accept. It so,
Allegedly i'm gonna say, allegedly because this is from the
reports AND i could only retell What i've. Researched that

(11:16):
doesn't necessarily mean that's one hundred percent what. Happened So
i'm gonna say, allegedly according to reports That i've, researched
her father saw her abusing this little, girl not just
a little, girl a little disabled, girl and was, like,
yeah you can't do that in my. House i'm not
gonna sit here and watch this get out like there's

(11:37):
a possibility to, happen BECAUSE i literally know it, happens
because they'll be, like oh my, GOD i can't watch this.
Abuse i'm never coming to visit. AGAIN i don't like
HOW i saw them treating their. Children i'm just never
gonna go to their house. Again that, way you, know
out of, sight out of, mind you know stuff like.
THAT i know one one hundred percent that happens if

(11:59):
you see a child being. Abused why would the first
thing you would want to do is get the child
and the abuser away from anybody who could. Help just
because you don't want to witness, it you don't want
to see. It i'm gonna tell you right, now that's
not happening on my. Watch the family bounced between multiple
homes in several, counties And zahara changed schools. Frequently now

(12:21):
she's coming from a stable background with free health, care,
family friends and everybody who loved, her and this is
what she's coming. Into former neighbors said that they rarely
saw her, outside and when they, did she seemed, quiet,
withdrawn and different from the lively girl people had. Known In,
australia school records showed absences and noted occasions When zahara

(12:44):
came to school with unexplained. Injuries by the time The
bakers moved into a small house on the twenty First
Avenue Northwestern, hickory the house Where zahara would ultimately be reported,
missing her life had become in creasingly. Isolated by twenty,
ten the signs of abuse were impossible to. Ignore zahara

(13:07):
was spotted with black eyes and unexplained bruises more than.
Once this is What i'm saying, like if you're, around
even if there's abuse and you have to fight to
stop the, abuse it's not gonna be as much as
when you now isolate, them like you send them. Away
now the abuser has just all the freedom in the.
World In august of that, year she showed up with

(13:30):
a visible black, eye And eliza told a family friend
not to take a, picture dismissing her injuries as. CLUMSINESS
a former, Neighbor Karen, yunt said she had personally Seen
eliza Beat zahra and tried to. Intervene thank, You. Karen another,
Relative Brittany, bentley explained, quote she was beat almost every

(13:53):
TIME i was over there for just the smallest. Things
her disappearance is something we knew was going to. Happen
there was even photo graphic. EVIDENCE a family, Friend Brandy,
stapleton took a picture Of zahra with a bruise under
her eye more than two months before she. Vanished school
staff also raised alarm When zahara was in fourth grade In.

(14:14):
Hudson she arrived at school with a black. Eye what
is the consistency with black eyes? Here do these people
just like to punch her in the? Eye this little
girl fourth. Grade what is the complete consistency with black? Eyes,
anyway she got to school with a black, eye and
two concerned teachers went to her house after she came,

(14:34):
in and after she came back with a second black,
eye a second black, Eye like how many black eyes
HAVE i already read off to, Y'all now she's coming
To she came to school with a black. Eye then
she came to school with a second black, eye and
the two, teachers who probably weren't taken what she, said
LIKE i, TRIPPED i, fell went to her house to
find out what's happening behind closed. Doors one, day she

(14:57):
confided in them that she was afraid to go back.
Home despite the visible, Injuries zahara's bruises were consistently explained
away as. Falls eliza claimed that she was just, clumsy
and this actually stuck enough that nobody went to go and.
Intervene and by NOBODY i mean the officials LIKE, cps
the police or anything like. That the teachers were, trying

(15:18):
neighbors were, trying but the people who could actually do
something about, it nobody was doing it Because eliza's just, saying,
oh she's, clumsy and they're, like, oh we know how
clumsy kids are how many black? Eyes i'm the clumsiest
clumser you'll ever, meet AND i haven't even given myself
a black. Eye i'll bust my lip. BEFORE i really
have punched myself in the face and was so, accidental

(15:40):
and people are always, like how did you do? That
But i've done that but, Consistently like that was ONCE
i busted my lip consistently and a consistent black. Eye
there's nobody that that's. Clumsy AND i wonder if they
were eating this up just, because for, instance she was
hard of hearing and she had a missing, leg SO

(16:03):
i wonder if because of that they were, like, well
you know, what she's. Disabled maybe she's just really, clumsy
and they're not actually thinking to look into. This you
know what do you think about? That let me know
your thoughts in the comments. Below but that's WHAT i
JUST i just thought about that As i'm, saying, like
why would they take her word for? It records show THAT,
cps which is a Child protective services Investigated zaha's situation

(16:26):
at least four times in the nine months before her.
Disappearance four times and nine months in, Fact social services
agency in Both katawaba And Caldwell counties looked into complaints
seven times in twenty ten alone, alone but each time
they close the cases without finding. Abuse so you kept

(16:49):
being called out there by different people seven times in
just one, year four times in nine. Months And i'm
pretty sure it's more than one. Person so we're already
have the, teachers we already have the. Neighbor but is
everybody just lying and only person who's telling the? Truth
is What? Eliza are you? SERIOUS a Later state child's

(17:12):
fatality review showed a picture of missed. Opportunities it said
there were quote important pieces of information missing at the
time case decisions were, made so you're not getting all the.
INFORMATION i, MEAN i don't want to hear. Excuses, Really
investigators didn't Photographs zahra's, injuries didn't verify prescription drug usage

(17:35):
in the, home and didn't fully trace where her bruises
had come. From that's What i'm, saying no, research no.
Investigation you just was, like, oh let me have some,
tea let me just write. This have you signed this
open and? Shutcase? Johnson thank. You we're going out for donuts, Now,
like no investigation And i'm not even saying this is
the cops this is more LIKELY. Cps the report also

(17:56):
cited a major breakdown in communication. Schools doctor, there's law
enforcement and dds's investigators were each seeing fragments of What
zahara was going, through but no one was putting together
a full. Picture no one is talking to each. Other
they don't have like an inter office database where like

(18:16):
IF cps is called, out it automatically goes into like
law enforcement's system or even doctors in, schools et, cetera et.
Cetera it's too many broken systems that if one person
fails to report, something then it's just not. Logged concerns
came From eliza's own family as. Well Aaron, young her

(18:39):
ex husband of ten, years Contacted Social services On february
twenty ten after noticing bruises On. Zahra this is her
ex husband even he was calling on. Her he admitted
he hadn't Witnessed eliza hit her, directly but, said, QUOTE
i saw some bruises on, her and she would basically
say the same. Thing eliza, said she tripped and fell

(19:01):
into the. Sink one, time you tripped and fell into the.
Sink put into the. Sink how low is your? Sink
On october, tenth twenty, ten the investigation into the alleged
kidnap and. Started cadaver dogs were brought into search The
baker's home and. Cars Both Adam's Chevrolet tahoe And Eliza's
Toyota camry triggered positive alerts for the scent of human.

(19:25):
Remains investigators swabbed what appeared to be blood inside The.
Tahoe that same, Day eliza was, arrested even though it
wasn't For zahra's. Disappearance she was taken into custody for
a long list of unrelated, charges including writing bad, checks,
larceny communicating, threats and driving with a revoked. License these

(19:48):
charges gave police a legal way to hold her while
they continued searching For. Zahra soon, After eliza was also
charged with obstruction of justice when she admitted that she
was the one who wrote the fake ransom. Note police
said that The boga story about the kidnapping was deliberately

(20:08):
done to send investigators in the wrong direction and wasted
their precious. Time By october, twelfth The amber alert was
canceled due To eliza's. Confession Hickory Police Chief Tom atkins
announced that the search had now shifted to a homicide.
Investigation search warrants revealed that investigators now Believe zaha had been.

(20:32):
Dismembered while the documents did not provide a cause of,
death police suspected her remains had been wrapped in a
bed comforter and car cover and discarded in a grocery store.
Dumpster detectives combed Through adam's, workplace including a wood chipper
and mulch, piles but found no evidence. There, meanwhile everyone

(20:55):
started wondering When zaha had actually last been seen alone.
Live no one outside The baker's family could confirm seeing
her Past september twenty, fifth twenty, ten when she was
spotted at A hickory furniture store With. Eliza this was
two weeks Before adam reported her. Missing later In, October
eliza's bond was raised from forty thousand dollars to sixty

(21:19):
five thousand. Dollars Amber, Fairchild eliza's, daughter had testified at
her bond, hearing telling the judge that the day Before
eliza had been, arrested she had told her that she
was thinking of Leaving North, Carolina so the court labeled
her as a flight risk and raised her Bond amber
also told the court That eliza was in an online

(21:41):
relationship with a man From england who sent her thousands of.
DOLLARS i, MEAN i guess she's, online BECAUSE i was
about to, say couldn't he just look her? Up but she's,
online so it's not the same, As, oh we're doing
this face to. Face SO i guess he didn't think
to look her. Up but that's also crazy because you're
sending her thousands of dollars and you're not even gonna
look into her. Background When eliza's attorney attempted to get

(22:05):
her bond, lowered the prosecution pointed out that with past
case for lesser charges such as traffic, Violation eliza failed
to show up to, court what do you think she
would do for a charge of this. Caliber as investigators closed,
In eliza started. Cooperating she told investigators that they could
Find zahara's, blood, bones and bodily fluids in the homes drain.

(22:31):
Pipes her quote unquote cooperation continued the next day when
investigators took her out to another site Near Dudley Shoals
road And Christie, road close to where the family had lived.
Before On october twenty, seventh twenty, ten police made a
discovery over There zaha's prosthetic leg and the reason why

(22:53):
they knew this was her leg is because the serial
number had matched the medical records In. Australia so with this,
fine investigators started a massive search of the entire surrounding
woods And creek. Banks in Early, november searchers found a
bone in the same area and sent it to the

(23:13):
crime lab FOR dna. Testing also around the same, Time,
Emily zahra's biological Mom If You, forgot broke her silence
and gave her first interview Since zahra's. Disappearance speaking To
Australia's channel Seven, News emily revealed that she had not
seen her daughter since Given adam. Custody she explained that

(23:36):
she had been suffering from postpartum depression at the time
and thought it was the best, decision but soon After
adam disappeared With zahra and every time she managed to
track them, down he would again. Disappear he had no
right to do any of it to keep her from.
Me she said that she had actually just recently Found
adam And zahra online and found out that they were

(23:58):
In North. Carolina then three days, later her daughter went.
Missing she, asked, quote why did it happen THAT i
only found her and three days later this. HAPPENS i
never got to say, GOODBYE i never got to say.
Hello she said that she only learned Of zahra's death
through news. Report emily admitted that she already believed her

(24:19):
daughter was. Gone, QUOTE i don't feel it that she
is still. Alive mothers just have this bond with their,
children and just having no hope in me makes it
hurt even. More with what they're finding and the way
they're saying she was. Treated the only HOPE i have
in me now is that she is, gone so that
she's not hurting. Anymore she also confessed that she was

(24:40):
afraid investigators would find even more evidence and what had
been done To, zahra evidence that would tell a story
she didn't want to. Hear, so LIKE i, said both
finding the bone and her speaking to news outlets that
happened around the same time and a week, Later emily
traveled to The United states with An australian news. Crew

(25:02):
she stood outside the home Where zaha used to live
With adam And eliza and cried as she saw the
makeshift memorial of stuffed, animals photos and handwritten. Notes emily
then gave HER dna to detectives so that they can
compare it to the bone and to any additional remains.
Found she also shared her anger At, eliza saying, quote

(25:24):
she had no place to just dispose of something that
was in the. WAY i just want her to sit in,
jail AND i want her to live every day of
her life remembering why she's there and what she's. Done
she needs to sit there and. Rot investigators also COLLECTED
dna samples From. Adam, then On november, tenth less than

(25:44):
a week before what would have Been zaha's eleventh, birthday
more possible human remains were found along the banks of
The Little. River by the end Of, november investigators had
recovered fewer than forty percent Of zahra's. Body her, skull right,
arm and most of both legs were. Missing, Now eliza's

(26:08):
cooperation kinda started making people talk around that time wondering
if she was cutting a deal with the prosecution in
exchange for her, cooperation but authorities did a press release
around that time and downplayed that. Idea not long, after
all of this is going down a lagger working nearby

(26:29):
came across a briefcase in the woods across from where
the prosthetic leg had been. Found inside was a blanket
stained with a dark substance believed to be. Blood the
briefcase and its contents were sent to The State Crime
lab In raleigh for. Testing, now while all this is
going on And eliza is quote unquote, cooperating she continuously

(26:52):
pointed the finger At, adam even though all the evidence
consistently tied it back to her and not, him and
it tied her to the disposal, sites not. Him for,
instance cell phone records showed That eliza's phone and so
Basically eliza was in the area Where zaha's remains had been,

(27:15):
recovered Whereas adam's phone had placed him twenty miles away In.
Conover so that's just an example of how all the
evidence is still pointing to her and Not. Adam, finally
On november, nineteen twenty, Ten eliza admitted That zahra had
died On september twenty, fourth twenty, ten more than two

(27:35):
weeks before she had actually been reported. Missing she then
said That zahra was disposed of the next, Day september twenty,
fifth which actually now contradicts if you remember before what
the witness had. Said they said they'd Seen zahra With
eliza On september twenty, fifth But eliza saying that she

(27:57):
actually died On september twenty, fourth soh that credibility is.
Shot she told police that she'd Found zahara unresponsive in
her room the day that she, died and she tried
to help. Her it also came out That eliza was
still talking To, aarin Remember, aarin her ex, husband on
a gothic platform called imvu dot, com which they both

(28:20):
visited On september twenty. Second this was just two days
before the day she claimed That zaha had. Died investigators
examined claim that this imvu website featured chainsaw massacre role,
playing WHICH i, mean how does that. RELATE i guess
if she's living out her fantasy, online maybe she'll do

(28:41):
it in real. Life BUT i, mean you actually have
to be crazy to do. That you can't really blame
games for. This but in doing that, investigation police also
wanted to explore allegation that The bakers had discussed quote
doing a murder with chainsaw The, bakers so that sounds
like there were alexations Against eliza and The. Adam so

(29:03):
those are The. BAKERS i saw that they said That
adam was talking on that platform also With aaron And,
eliza BUT i only saw that in one, place SO
i just really didn't include. It BUT i Guess i'm
gonna say it. Now, also forensic searches inside the home
turned up traces of human, tissue, blood and even parts

(29:24):
Of zahra's herring aid in the, bathtub drain, walls and.
Flooring later NOW i couldn't find the exact date for.
This Chief adkins announced that the remains recovered at the
various search sites were positively identified as belonging To zahra
Clear baker. Quote it is with great regret THAT i

(29:46):
stand before you. Today i've been dreading this moment since
early on in this. Investigation as, investigators we are trained
to follow, leads but we never give up the hope
the evidence may turn us in the wrong direction and
the outcome may be did, investigators agents and officers who
worked on this case are devastated that they could not
Find zahra alive and bring her home. Safely we have

(30:10):
recovered enough physical evidence to believe we have Found. ZAHA
dna evidence from the bone that they had found Matched.
Zahra's other remains were still being, tested but they were
consistent with those of a. Child District Attorney James gaither, said,
quote this case isn't over and we won't rest until

(30:30):
we have all the information we need to bring the
people to justice who Hurt. Zahra the DA's office is
working with law enforcement and hope to see some resolution
in this case that will result in charges being filed
and in their. Future in the, meantime new details started
to come. FORWARD Abc news obtained jail house letters That
eliza had written to a crime memorabilia. Dealer in, them

(30:55):
she insisted neither she Nor adam Killed, zahra But adam
did something quote horrifying after the child was already. Dead
Quote we really didn't kill, her but what he did
after the fact is kind of. Horrifying makes me scared of.
Him he knows what happened To, zaha and Yet i'm
the only one in, here at least for. Now the

(31:17):
cops know where she is and what he has, Done
SO i probably am going to get ahead and file for.
DIVORCE i have lost my whole life. Anyway, first of,
all what the bloody hell is a crime memorabilia? Dealer
let's look this, up CAUSE i, MEAN i hear the
words AND i know what they, mean But i'm really

(31:39):
hoping it's not WHAT i, think because how frickin' rocked
do you have to be into? Head but maybe it's
not WHAT i. Think let's. See so you know when
you type Into google and the first thing that comes
up is CHAT, Gpt well that's what came. Up and
this is according To Roland stones And Ardam. MORTIS a

(31:59):
crime memory or abelia dealer is a professional who specializes
in selling items that are associated with, crimes often referred
to as murder. Abilia these dealers typically offer a range of,
items including, art personal, possessions and other memorabilia from convicted.
Criminals the items are often sold through online auction or specialized,

(32:21):
marketplaces and they are authenticated to ensure their. Authenticity the
demand for these items stems from a fascination with the
dark history of crime and the desire to own a
piece of. It who would have this? Desire, however it's
important to note that some collectors may have problematic, motivations
and the hobby can be associated with dangerous. Behavior, okay

(32:44):
so it is exactly WHAT i. Thought and LIKE i,
said you have to be rocked to want to do,
this want to buy this like crime, memorabilia murder. ABILIA
i KNOW i do a true crime and some people
are probably, like, well you glamorized The. NO i don't
glamorize the crime at. All in, fact if you listen

(33:06):
to my, Podcast i'm usually yelling at the people who
did the crime and calling them all kind of. Names
this is. Wow i'm, okay did y'all know about? This
let me know in the comments. Below AM i just
like behind in. THIS i don't think any of my
lambs would be taking part in something like. THIS i hope,

(33:27):
not But i'm Just i'm. Sorry i'm just shocked to
find that. Out, anyways she wrote a letter saying that
once again it was All adam's fault and also they're
not responsible, whatever and a crime, member really a dealer
took that letter and tried to sell, IT i. Guess
adam Denied eliza's allegations and, said, quote there's no WAY

(33:50):
i would do that to my. Baby there's no way
in the WORLD i would hurt my. Daughter his attorney
also Dismissed eliza's story as nothing more than a desperate
attenth to deflect. Blame In february twenty, eleven The North
Carolina Medical examiner Released zahra's autopsy. Report it shut Down
eliza's claims That zahra had died, naturally ruling her death

(34:13):
as quote undetermined homicidal violence because so many Of zahra's
bones were never, recovered WHICH i said before her. SKULL
i didn't say which. ARM i just said an, Arm
but it was her, skull her right, arm and most
of both of her. Legs the examiner could not determine
the exact cause of her, death but they were Clear

(34:35):
zahara's death was not an. Accident that's what they could
definitely tell. You just a week, later On february twenty,
first a grand jury Indicted eliza on a charge of
second degree murder with aggravating. Factors the indictment laid out
the picture investigators had been piecing together for. Months eliza
had a history of physically and verbally and psychologically Abusing.

(34:59):
Zaha she deliberately Kept zahra from her extended family both
before and after the, murder and she Desecrated zahra's body
to hide the crime and avoid. Prosecutions zahra's, youth her physical,
disability And eliza's position of trust as her stepmother all
compounded the severity of her. Charges now no charges were

(35:22):
filed Against. Adam District Attorney James gather told reporters, quote
at this, time the state has no credible evidence to
suggest that anyone other Than Eliza baker was involved in
the murder Of Zahra Claire. Baker adam spoke publicly after the,
indictment insisting he had no parts in his daughter's. Death,
Quote i'm extremely grateful that The hickory police and everyone

(35:44):
else had taken their, time gone through everything, properly and
came to the conclusion that they should have come. TO
i have no involvement With zahra's death or. Dismemberment eliza
is very, manipulative abusive to, me very, controlling plus with my.
WORK i was gone first thing in the morning and
didn't come home till. Late was told That zahara was in.

(36:05):
Bed Because zahra normally went to bed. EARLY i checked every,
night and from WHAT i could, tell she was in.
Bed it looks like she or something was in her.
Bed adam didn't admit that he believed his daughter would
still be alive if he had never Brought eliza into their.
Lives Chief adkins, said, quote the members Of Team zahra

(36:26):
have been working towards this milestone in this case since
the first word spoken on the ninety eleven call made
On october, ninth twenty. Ten there has not been a
day gone by without members of our team thinking About
zahara or this. Case eliza's lawyers acknowledged that by cooperating
with investigators and leading them To zaha's, remains she avoided

(36:47):
the possibility of a death penalty. Trial even, So eliza
faced a laundry list of other. Charges In may twenty,
ten she pleaded not guilty to two counts of identity
theft and two counts of obtaining in property by false.
PRETENSES a month, later she entered another not guilty plea
to federal drug. Charges are you gonna blame this On? Adam?

(37:08):
Two like the identity theft and obtaining property by false?
Pretenses and now you're pleading not guilty to the federal drug? Charges?
Also so are you saying this Is adam's fault as?
Well she also planed not guilty to distributed and planning
to distribute, oxycodone hydro, codone and other prescription. Medication at the,

(37:30):
time she didn't enter a plea on the murder charges
and was scheduled to go to trial On august twenty. Eleven,
meanwhile facing the possibility of a first degree murder trial
and now even the death, Penalty eliza gave the appearance
of continued. Cooperation the prosecution had agreed to limit her
charges to second degree murder on the condition that her

(37:52):
statements to law enforcement were. Truthful if she had been,
lying she could have been prosecuted for first degree, murder
but her statements and evidence would have been. Excluded so
this is why she is formally convicted of second degree.
Murder but they're kind of dangling the possibility of first
degree murder and death penalty in front of her. Face

(38:13):
while in, jail she continued to write letters repeatedly trying
to shift blame To. Adam, quote he did. It i'm
taking the fall for. Him this is what she wrote
to another. Inmate so she's just writing letters to. Everybody
she said again That adam had Dismembered zaha's body after.
Death WHICH i guess this is the first time she's
actually saying, it because last time she was, like he

(38:34):
just did horrific things that you could never even dream. About,
Still eliza used these shifting stories to buy herself some.
Time so that's what she's. Doing she's just trying to
buy herself, time not that she's actually believing these. Lies
while she's doing all of, this and you, know writing
all this evidence down because she's writing letters knowing that

(38:56):
they're going to read it, INTERESTING i understand. Now so
while she's doing, this she was trying to buy herself
some time while she negotiated with. Prosecutors ultimately her cooperation
And i'm going to use that in quotes BECAUSE i,
mean she's not really cooperating if she's like playing along

(39:18):
and trying to buy herself. Time but the prosecution said
she did cooperate by leading them To zahara's prosthetic leg
and the other remains that she led them. To with
all that, cooperation she secured herself a plea. Deal so
remember in the beginning when people were, like it looks
like she's working a deal with them because she's running

(39:40):
around taking them here and, there and they literally came
out with a press release, saying, no we didn't secure
a deal with. Her so then they did secure a
deal with. Her later, on On september, fifteenth twenty, Eleven eliza
stood in A North carolina courtroom wearing a hot pink
jail jumpsuit while. Crying she pled guilty second degree murder

(40:01):
with aggravating, factors as well as obstruction of, justice obtaining
property by false, pretenses and financial identity. Fraud, oh she
pled guilty to. Everything then For zaha's, murder she was
sentenced to fourteen to eighteen years in. PRISON i mean
she dismembered a little, girl murdered and dismembered fourteen to that's.

(40:24):
Okay prosecutors said a plea was the only way to
guarantee prison time given the challenges of proven first degree
murder without a clear cause of. Death, OKAY i could see.
That LIKE i said, before only forty percent of her
remains had been recovered and medical examiners could only classify
her death as undetermined homicidal. Violence so there was no,

(40:48):
evidence you, know of how she was, killed and there
was no evidence to actually, prove so all she needed
to do was get like a really good, lawyer and
she probably could have gotten out of. This they went
on to say that without a complete, body most of
the case would have dependent on circumstantial evidence And eliza's
ever changing. Stories during, sentence In adam addressed a woman

(41:10):
who had once been his wife And zaha's, stepmother, quote
there are no words to explain the HATE i have for.
You zahara loved you more than anything in the. World
she looked up to, you wanted to be like. You
yet you filled her life with. Lies AND i want
to pause hair BECAUSE i don't know how to say,
this BECAUSE i honestly don't want to be insensitive to. Him, okay, okay,

(41:34):
look just don't judge. Me my question is, why after the,
bruises the black eyes and everything, else wasn't the baby
removed From eliza's? Presence why are you now sitting in
court being, LIKE i hate, you and you know you
filled her life with lies and you literally saw bruise

(41:56):
and black eyes and everything else and just continued letting
the baby stay In eliza's? Presence like why did the
dad not take the child and? Leave Maybe i'm missing,
something maybe like he traveled for work and never saw
anything and no one told him. ANYTHING i mean that

(42:16):
could technically be. TRUE i think a slim chance that
it could be. True like he was just completely in the,
dark and by the time he had come back from business,
trips you, know her face was cleared. Up like that's
literally the only THING i could think. Of what do y'all,
think based on EVERYTHING i said, before based on all the,
reporting do you think that this could possibly be the,

(42:37):
case or do you think he knew all along and
just continued to leave her In eliza's presence even when
he's not, around or, well we'll get to the third
one when we're. Finished emily had traveled From australia to
speak at. This herring. QUOTE i feel there will be
no real justice For. Zaha her life was taken by an,
evil selfishness that none of us will ever understand or fully.

(43:02):
Comprehend eliza's crimes stretched far Beyond. Zahara she had used
her daughter As Britney starbucks identity for financial, gain and,
then LIKE i told you, before she was later indicted
on federal drug. Charges in twenty. Thirteen she received an
additional ten year sentence for conspiring to distribute prescription pills

(43:23):
and her ten year sentence will begin after she completes
her state, Time so, basically what did she get fourteen
to eighteen? Years let's say eighteen, years so she's only
serving twenty eight years for all of those. Charges she's
scheduled for release From North Carolina State prison On july,
second twenty twenty, five which as of this recording has

(43:46):
already passed because this episode is actually coming out On september,
First so she's out of The North Carolina State. Prison
but right after she got, out she's going to immediately
transfer into federal, custody WHICH i guess she did, that
and then her projected release date is twenty thirty. Three
AS i, Said adam was never charged in connection With zahra's.

(44:09):
Death he resolved unrelated charges of identity theft and false,
pretenses and in early twenty twelve he was deported back To.
Australia he Carried zahra's remains with him for. Burial many
in The hickory community have never accepted his claim of.
Ignorance oh, wow they, said, nope questioning how our father
could fail to notice his child's absence inside their small.

(44:32):
House and as one neighbor, said quote that was a tiny.
Home you're telling me he didn't even. Know so BASICALLY
i wasn't the only one who noticed. This and, YEAH
i didn't even think about the. FACT i did in the,
beginning but as we kept, GOING i didn't even think
about the fact that she was missing for two weeks
before he called. Anyone not only all the bruises all

(44:53):
over the child people complained about the bruises all over
the CHILD. Cps there's no way that he missed all of,
that so he knew what was going. On and then
the reminder that she had been gone for two weeks
before he called reporting her, missing and that the weird
nine to one one. Call WHEN i read, IT i
was reading it like it said he had the nine

(45:14):
to one one, Call so if you heard me like
all cherry and, nonchalant and THEN i was, laughing that's
what it. Said he sounded like he was laughing and
joking around when he thought his daughter was. Missing so,
Yeah i'm not buying it. Either. NOW i searched and
searched and searched and searched for that nine to one
one call BECAUSE i wanted y'all to hear. It BUT
i couldn't find. It In april twenty, twelve hunters In

(45:37):
Caldwell county stumbled upon a. Skull nearly a year, later
On february twenty, first twenty, THIRTEEN dna confirmed that it Was.
Zahra's even, then analysis of the skull could not determine
her cause of. Death in the years, Since zahra's home
has become a memorial site where strangers leave, flowers stuffed

(45:59):
animal and handmade. Signs advocates pushed for reforms in child protective,
services pointing out how multiple reports of abuse at The
Baker home should have triggered stronger. Action out of that,
effort The Zahara project was, born a nonprofit devoted to
strengthening abuse prevention. Loss but even Though eliza is in

(46:22):
prison and she just started her second stint in, prison
the full truth Of zahara's final moments has never been.
Uncovered eliza still is not saying. Anything she's actually still
putting out contradictory, stories and so it's like nobody's ever
gonna know because she is so not taking any kind

(46:42):
of accountability for. It what is clear is that a
child who had already overcome, cancer, disability and loss spent
her final moments trapped in a cycle of, abuse no
one managed to. Stop her story reminds us how systems
can fail a, child child who desperately needed their. Protection

(47:03):
the death Of Zahra Claire baker exposed just how deeply
the system can fail a. Child North carolina's Child Fatality
review made it clear that crucial opportunities were. Missed investigators
failed to Photograph zahara's injuries AS i told you, before
they didn't properly check her parents' prescription drug, use and

(47:25):
accepted weak explanations for her. Bruises even more troubling was
the lack of communication between agencies in just nine months
before her. Murder zaha's story also Pushed North carolina towards
a reform proposals including a statewide case management system so
agencies could share, information new intake forms for social, workers

(47:50):
more thorough, training and better tracking of children leaving public.
Schools these were the proposals that came. Out but this
is What i'm, saying it shouldn't even be a proposal
that's coming. Out anybody dealing with like, children domestic abuse
or something like. That they should all be able to share.
Information but that's WHAT i THINK i don't know how
hard that would, be BUT i think everybody should be

(48:13):
sharing at least the same. Information even in. Death zahra
left a. Legacy she became more than a. Victim she
became a symbol of why vigilance and accountability matter and
why no warning sign should ever be. Ignored And Jake eisenauer, said,
quote if it helps just one, kids all of this
is worth. It if you suspect child, abuse call a

(48:36):
child Abuse National Child Abuse hotline at one eight hundred
for a child or one eight hundred four two two
four four five. Three you can also go to childhelp dot.
Org all calls are told free and, confidential and the
hotline is available twenty four to seven and more than
one hundred and seventy. Languages and if you want more,

(48:56):
RESOURCES i do have a page now on my website
with all of the resources THAT i tell THAT i
give you in my cases easy way to go. There
if you're having mental health, issues there's resources. There if
you are seeing child abuse and you want to report,
it there's resources. There if you're seeing domestic abuse and
you want to report, it go to my. Website LIKE i,

(49:18):
said resources THAT i have mentioned before are there murderanlove dot.
Com that is love and murder backwards murderinlove dot. Com
so what do you think about this? Case you heard
my thoughts on, it SO i do want to hear
your thoughts on it in the comments. BELOW i totally
want to hear your, take especially with this. Case do
you think That adam actually had anything to do with

(49:40):
it or do you think he was just somebody who
saw it happening but buried his head in the sand
instead of saving his. Daughter could have been that he
didn't even see it at. All he had no, idea
so he's just walking around with no knowledge of what's going.
On so it could be that. Too let me know
your thoughts in the comments. Below, hello thank you for

(50:01):
joining me and listening to me all the way to the.
End AND i am so. TIRED i probably fell asleep
recording this like more than five. TIMES i am so,
Tired so thank. YOU i HOPE i wasn't, rambling AND
i hope When i'm going to edit, this this actually
sounds like something THAT i could. Use and remember that
this podcast is completely listener. Funded this means it exists

(50:24):
because of my lambs in The Patreon by joining. It
you're not just getting extra, Content you're helping give victims
a voice and making sure these stories continue to be.
Told even While i'm falling asleep, RECORDING i am making
sure this story is gonna be. Told you can sign
up for free at patreon dot Com Forward, Slash love And,
murder and you do get some perks or signing up for,

(50:46):
free but the real support comes from our bonus. Tiers
that's where you find the ad, free intro free and
actually outro free, episodes bonus, cases behind the scenes extras
and case. Files patreon dot Com Forward Slash love And,
Murder and as we end each full, EPISODES i want

(51:08):
to remind you that it's say it with me, now
all love and no, murder. Y'all i'll see you in
the next. Episode. Bye

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Stepmother Murders and Dismembers Disabled Stepchild | Zahra Clare Baker

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Stepmother Murders and Dismembers Disabled Stepchild | Zahra Clare Baker