A 17-year-old male in Alabama is accused of stabbing both his parents, killing his mother and critically injuring his father, after an argument over discipline escalated. The incident occurred Sunday night at the family's home on Augustine Drive in the Belforest community.
According to neighbor Shawn Scurry, home surveillance footage captured the suspect threatening his father, saying, “You can hear both of them coming out of the house and there’s like one scream from the mom.” Scurry also recounted hearing the father’s pleas, “I don’t want to die. Please stop. No.” The audio from the footage allegedly includes the suspect telling his father, “I was gonna kill him.”
Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Captain Justin Correa stated that the altercation began inside the home when the parents, identified as 37-year-old Samantha Baker and 46-year-old Lance Baker, argued with their son over disciplinary issues. The teen then allegedly used a kitchen knife to stab both parents multiple times.
The parents fled outside the home, with Lance Baker reportedly running door-to-door seeking help and leaving bloodied handprints on neighbors' doors. Scurry noted that Lance Baker appeared to approach doors where neighbors were on vacation, contributing to his difficulty in finding immediate assistance.
Samantha Baker, a realtor, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was found face down with multiple stab wounds. Lance Baker, identified as a US Army Reserve Battalion Commander, was airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition. As of Wednesday, his condition had stabilized.
IMAGE1
The suspect retreated to the family home and called 911, authorities said. He was arrested without incident. Police are treating the incident as an isolated domestic matter.
IMAGE2
The teen, whose name has been withheld by police, is facing charges of murder and attempted murder. He is being held on a $1 million bond and will be tried as an adult. The couple's younger son was not home at the time of the attack.