Mary Elizabeth Baker was born 20 May 1898 in Cheraw, South Carolina, to Rev. Thomas Perry Baker (1864-1954) & Martha Stark (1875-1943).
She worked at the Bureau of Astronautics, Navy Department in Washington, D.C.
She was murdered on 11 April 1930. She left work on Friday at 4:30pm to attend church service at the Church of the Epiphany, with a friend from work Inez Eyle, right after she walked back to car, because she had an appointment with her roommate at a department store at 6pm. She was seen at 17th & B Streets Northwest, quarreling with a man in a gray cap.
Her car was found Saturday the 12th with blood in it and abandoned on Military Road adjacent to the National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
Several hours later her body was found with three bullet holes in her, in a culvert near the Sheridan Gate of the cemetery.
Sunday April 13th the police questioned her roommate's, Miss Olga Skinner & Miss Mildred Sperry. they all lived at 1629 R Street Washington, D.C.
A couple of men tad taken part of the cushion from her car as well as her coin purse. They were questioned and let go.
Fred S. Wilson of Tacoma Park an architect and friend of Mary's was questioned as well and released.
Monday April 14th the police found love letters in Mary's desk at her office. (This lead nowhere).
On Tuesday April 15th the key to her car was found on the Experimental Farm in Arlington County by an employee of the farm.
Harry Woodyard an Arlington County Jailer, found blue-bordered handkerchief and a doctor's bill made out to Mary near the crime scene.
Mary was buried on this day at Saint Peter's Cemetery in Oak Grove, VA.
Newspaper articles:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-mary-baker/206385110/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-herald-mary-baker/206395282/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-daily-news-mary-baker/206389184/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-herald-mary-baker/206388915/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-herald-mary-baker/206389300/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/worcester-telegram-mary-baker/206397606/
Reward was posted by Washington Herald Newspaper for $5,000.
Friday April 18th a Civilian searcher found Mary's hat, coat and pocketbook and some private papers in another culvert on the Experimental Farm, a short distance from where her keys had been found.
Marvin W. Sisson a traveling salesman was arrested and questioned as a suspect.
Saturday April 19th Commonwealth Attorney Gloth asked the Richmond Police to arrest Julian E. Gallagher another traveling salesman. It was learned that both salesmen knew Mary and more of the romantic life of Mary was revealed.
This just goes on and on with no real suspect ever being tried for her murder. 101 clues, thousands of tips, scores of suspects, three eyewitnesses, several false confessions (This happens more often than you would think, even today) criminal trial that went crashing off the rails, just unbelievable sloppy crime scene search and investigation.
Her face had been beaten so hard it loosened her teeth. Her neck had been choked so hard there were finger marks left in the bruising. She had been sexually assaulted, then he finished her off by shooting her with a .32 caliber gun three times. Her watch was resting in the water and had stopped at 9:30. They took two of the three bullets from her body for evidence. They made plaster cast of footprints they thought were of a French women's high heel shoe.
Aug 1933 a report of Mary's ghost has been spotted near the crime scene.
Francis Rice made a statement to police. He saw a heavy-set white male with dark brown hair tinged with gray at the back of and round the temples, sitting at the wheel. He thought he saw a bundle but as he walked pass the car he glanced back and the bundle moved, it was a woman and she frantically beat the window, and she looked as though she had been beaten.
I wonder if this man felt any guilt at all after finding out it was Mary and he may have been able to save her life.
Please leave a comment on your thought of poor Mary's unsolved murder. And if you would be so kind as to click that follow button for me, I would appreciate it. Thank you so much for stopping by.
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