Ralph Baker had served as Sheriff of Madison County, Arkansas, from 1973 until his tragic death on January 5, 1998. He's cursed and assaulted often, In this world of drugs and crime. They would miss a black case partially hidden beneath Phillips' antique dresser. Bingham's attorneys alleged that Baker and Sharp then began hitting and kicking Bingham, who the attorneys said had a speech impediment and the mind of an 11-year-old. In the words of one person who viewed a videotape of the crime scene made at 4:30 that afternoon, the bed appeared to have been "wallered in." Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Land there is most commonly used for hunting, timber production or, after clearing, pasture. But an enterprising deputy circuit clerk found a docket sheet detailing the case of State of Arkansas vs. Ralph Baker and Eugene Masterson. "Homebodies don't get in much trouble unless you're kicking down doors," the man said. Meth and murder in Madison County by MICHAEL WHITELEY | October 19, 1997 at 8:52 p.m. HUNTSVILLE From the first radio call two minutes before noon, panic was a partner in the investigation of . In all, Enfield tossed out 150 votes, and Democrats admitted to 19 defective ballots. Now because of Sheriff Baker's untimely death, many residents Cain was the last of the three to arrive, and he got there at least 10 minutes before Deputy Danny Livermore entered Phillips' blood-spattered bedroom to find the body of the pretty, 35-year-old Alabam woman lying against a wall. He was attempting to cross a low water During his terms of office, a part of Madison County's history. Sheriff Ralph Baker, the man who befriended David Mac, and taught him what it means to be an outlaw. He even got up in the middle of the night to read it and finished it quickly. Sheriff Ralph Baker, who's election slogan was "RALPH CARES". The average family earns $24,776 a year, according to the 1990 Census. "My dad left me some money, and his left him some. He tracked it back to a break-in at a south Fayetteville auto shop. In the last two years, those transactions have involved selling, rather than buying. Copyright 1999 - All Rights Reserved Former Massachusetts Gov. Discover more of the authors books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more. HUNTSVILLE Ralph Baker has been buying land longer than he's been sheriff, at least since 1967. Covered with blood, Frank Eytchenson made his way to a local veterinarian's house and then to the hospital. for Ralph"Don't waste your time looking for someone like Ralph, because Deborah Roelandts (911 retired) "A lot of people call it that, but I don't know the origin.". He drives a marked patrol car. But the Department's budget didn't buy He says he has personally investigated allegations involving Baker and the county's drug dealing and found no basis for them. There he sold ice cream, ammunition and bait, and served up cheeseburgers and fries. 20 years ago today, Madison County Sheriff Ralph Baker was killed when his car was swept by floodwaters as he attempted to cross a low-water bridge. Information for this article was contributed by staff writer Jeffrey Wood. Fayetteville lawyer Terry Harper had handled some of his son's previous run-ins with the law. When I was little I remember the Cock Fights in our yard and the Moonshine in the Sheds. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But Baker later solicited the Democrat-Gazette's help. Throughout the afternoon, they would ignore what officers later insisted were bloodstains on Cain's tennis shoes. He said the most memorable testimony came from a man who said that Bolinger, who still serves as county treasurer, personally delivered forms to voters allowing Bolinger to take their ballots back the courthouse. In August, during a conversation on the courthouse steps that included Madison County Treasurer Jerry Bolinger, Baker offered a reporter and an editor money in exchange for information on Madison County methamphetamine labs. , ISBN-10 Phillips, a friend of Criss, told her sisters that she had removed a vial of drugs from Cain's office and given it to Criss. It is empty. Another poll watcher, Derice Davis, signed an affidavit saying that Baker spent most of election day on the porch outside the Hilburn precinct. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive JEFF PORTER "I try to never have any bills. "I'd go in any front door in the country with Ralph Baker. Madison County Sheriff Ralph Baker drowned in the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 5, 1998, after his car was swept off a low-water bridge and into a rain-swollen White River near his home. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. Sheriff Baker will not soon be forgotten "They had to make money off of it," he said. Fogley, the state police investigator and a close friend, blames the Fourth of July fire on misdirected Roman candles. Someone recommended this book to my husband and he couldn't wait to start reading it. they don't exist". One of the transactions is the partnership with Ham and his wife, Margie. I've never been satisfied doing that, and I'm reasonably sure Ralph hasn't either. He said that he once asked Baker to sell him drugs from the evidence closet. Imagine piles of money that literally grew on trees. He said one envelope contained $200, the other $1,000. Enfield that there were not enough illegal votes to change the results. I knew Sheriff Baker and had a great deal of respect for him . He says Baker has told him the rules. Harper first told Minor that he would have to pay Baker and the DEA $15,000 to keep his son out of prison. by. You didn't want to be on his bad side !!!! Baker, who earns $31,000 a year as Madison County's sheriff and tax collector, declines to talk about his land deals. He is in his mid-20s. Minor said he called Baker to negotiate and was told things had changed, because Craig was classified as a habitual felon under Arkansas law. He moved to Florida shortly after, according to law enforcement officials. "It was play money, not serious money. Marshal: Vacant Courthouse: Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building and United States Courthouse Address: 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room C-109 PO Box 50184. He was attempting to cross a low water bridge which was covered with water. In the past two. comfort in those memories and in knowing that Ralph will forever remain ", But Enfield did say the trial helped illustrate that Madison County is a "different world.". ", Although Baker's daughter denied it, Harp said the two girls and Judy Maggard, Harp's sister, had smoked two joints and got "higher than I usually get off just pot. At the heart of the confrontation over drugs, investigators said, was Baker's reluctance to bring in a Madison County man for DNA testing, a man repeatedly identified as a methamphetamine dealer during Arkansas Democrat-Gazette interviews. A police officer he is known. But the dealer who claimed to have traded drugs for bogus documents says the case typifies the way business is done in Booger County: "It's a very crooked county, yeah. At the time of his death, his tenure in office was tied with only one other sheriff in the state. The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. The newspaper's search of records found just one transaction that involved Baker borrowing money. But, in pretrial testimony, club owner Jeannie Ward cited three separate incidents involving Baker that night. He ended the June interview when the subject came up. Sheriff Ralph Baker, the man who befriended David Mac, and taught him what it means to be an outlaw. He's paid by the citizens' taxes Until now. Date Posted: 1/24/2013 11:33:25 AM. So he lay on the ground bleeding. He talked about how he does it one day last summer. : When Minor balked, the up-front demand was reduced to $10,000. But it's going to cost you.' "It don't happen here," he said. But Enfield rejected claims by Republican attorney Erwin L. Davis that Baker and first-term Treasurer Bolinger had gotten votes from Oklahomans and the dead. He said Baker hit him in the face, and that he was then pushed back inside the club, where Treat hit him in the face. It's one of the last places where you can get a little privacy.". "It's tremendously lower than things closer in to Fayetteville, where I live," he said. It shows seven labs busted in Washington County and one in Franklin, Crawford and Carroll Counties. Updated: October 31, 2011 . Today, his presence continues to be felt across the county. site may be freely linked to but not copied in any fashion without written Washington State Department of Corrections, WA. Kenneth Baker said he and his cousin were lucky enough and resourceful enough to come up with the cash they needed. It is late morning, and he already has finished his seventh Budweiser while talking with reporters. He started doing that in 1967, Democrat-Gazette research shows, with the acquisition of 25 acres from Bobby and Mildred Gulledge, a couple he's continued to make deals with over the years. : At the time, it didn't seem all that much of a case to me. to number about 2000 gathering to honor Sheriff Baker. However, revenue stamps on the sale of the remaining 80 acres to Dr. F. Allan Martin and Debbie Martin of Fayetteville indicate the Bakers and Hams got $39,000 -- a 628 percent increase in the per-acre price. respects to Sheriff Baker, who was remembered as someone who never backed Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2016. However I loaned the copy to another retired cop and it looks like it will making the rounds for a while so I have ordered another copy for myself. : The lumber and wood-products business is a major source of employment, according to census records. Johnson said they beat him up after he intervened in a squabble between Baker and a female employee at Fayetteville's Bottoms Up Club on March 4, 1993. They would fail to ask about the curiously unmade bed in the upstairs loft, or to note that someone had thrown the curtain up over the rod at the window, as if to make it a better lookout post. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Sergeant He smiles at a 1996 FBI map of drug labs seized in Arkansas. He called Harper, and Harper called Baker. Johnson went to the hospital. In his book he talks about being involved in alleged marijuana-growing operations under Baker, and current Madison County Sheriff Philip Morgan said McElyea found himself in the county jail. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. following a twenty-one gun salute fired by seven Madison County deputies. They would fail to note that a vacuum cleaner normally kept behind the bedroom door was in the middle of the room and would overlook the fact that its bag was missing. He ended the June interview when the subject came up. Photo/Video will be published upon admin review and approval. When a commodity is illegal it will be hugely profitable and no one should be surprised the cops will want in on that! There are no busts in Madison County. The newspaper examined more than 200 documents. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has interviewed Northwest Arkansas lawmen and government officials, prison inmates, former and current Madison County drug dealers, and the friends and family of Billie Phillips -- more than 130 people in all. There, Davis said, one man arrived drunk, signed his ballot, and handed it to a Democratic judge to fill out. Harper told Minor that an important part of the deal was to ensure Craig did not have to report to a probation officer and undergo periodic drug testing. Funeral services were held on Friday, Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The ensuing court fight reached the Arkansas Supreme Court twice before Republicans accepted the ruling of Circuit Judge W.H. By the late 1980s, they had turned toward the big money that methamphetamine could bring. For one drug dealer who operates within a mile of downtown Huntsville, that means raising and spending as much as $6,000 a week. He dropped out of school after the ninth grade. Madison County residents, as well as Ralph's family, may find some . For at least half his life, he was known to . ", Another secret is avoiding long-term debt, he said. "A lot of people don't have the money to meet their light bill, much less buy a piece of property," said Kenneth Baker, a cousin and frequent partner in land deals. Knox deleted references to confidential sources he said were afraid for their safety and gave Jones his notes on Sept. 29. Clipping found in The Madison County Record in Huntsville, Arkansas on Jan 8, 1998. With legal pot on the horizon (medical was voted in here, the first state in the south to do so) stories like this are soon to be quaint but we should all learn the lessons of the so called 'war on drugs.' Berea . He was fascinated by this story of supposedly "easy" money and the effect it had on these people's lives. A bachelor party for a federal drug agent led to another allegation of brutality. .you for I know both the pain and pride are forever. He was found still in his seatbelt. And his badge is shining bright. I have read this book a few years ago, it is actually written about the Sheriff of Madison County in Arkansas. In large part, he has been dealing with old friends, acquaintances and neighbors, buying and selling judiciously, usually at a profit. Baker insists it will be. Phyllis Loya The stakes had escalated by 1994, when Craig Minor and his wife, Dianne M. O'Delle, were arrested on charges of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia on their Madison County farm. ", "He does pretty good for himself for an old country boy," said Berrian Brashears of Clinton, who sold Ralph Baker, Kenneth Baker and another cousin, Bob Baker, a tract of old family land for $7,000 in 1986. The deal was like many others -- the profit "wasn't spectacular," Kenneth Baker said. Ten days after the court order, Mildred Gulledge bought Wheeler's land for $6,000. Minor that the payment distribution was intended to divert attention from Craig's good fortune, according to Minor's tape recordings of their conversations. To respond to calls unknown. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. , Item Weight My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer who was murdered in the the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer. I think we're all pretty sure. Madison County is a county located in the state of Arkansas. That's a legitimate way of making money as far as I'm concerned," Margaret Cornett said. "I was dealing drugs over there for years and years and years and was never busted for drugs in Madison County," Harp said during a July interview at the Arkansas Department of Correction Tucker Unit, about a month before she was released on parole. Marshals Service in Fayetteville, also declined to talk about the case. Baker and his partners now own at least 1,450 acres, mostly in southern Madison County, valued at $227,865, according to tax records. Wheeler said she didn't remember Baker ever wanting to buy the land. Information for this article was contributed by staff writer Michael Whiteley. Johnson said Corkern invited him outside, then grabbed him at the front door of the club. Harper says he doesn't remember the details of the case. : "RALPH CARES". I didn't pursue it.". Listen 5:20. "I wish I could come up on something like that.". Speaking through a local drug user, she said Baker told her not to talk to the Democrat-Gazette a few days after reporters first questioned him about the investigation. "I firmly believe that it was cut and dried, and they knew what was going to happen before it ever happened," he said. Johnson dropped his lawsuit 12 days before it was to go to trial, saying his family couldn't stand the stress. In 1992, Baker and his cousins swapped 320 acres for 284 acres of U.S. Forest Service land. It's just a little traffic infraction. The ranking police official was Madison County Sheriff Ralph Baker, a close friend of the slain convenience store owner. "Rusty Cain's been f****** her. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. "We're not talking about much money.". Madison County's law enforcement department had been developed into one A letter of condolence from President But those who loved him cried. He peeks out the window at each passing car. He has been involved in transactions to sell at least 1,092 acres, receiving about $319,000. Federal agents are now seeking to interview Cordes. He started smoking marijuana at 10 and moved to harder drugs three years later. 1999-2001 by Joy Russell. Baker responded. Clients receive knowledgeable guidance from experienced, multi-disciplined industry and client service teams, all seamlessly connected across 22 offices in Alabama, Florida . "The lawyer asked about his brother and whether he signed one too. And Everett and Knox said problems with Baker reached the breaking point when they developed fresh leads involving drugs. There was a problem loading your book clubs. God Bless! It would bring far more than its tax value on the market. He knows there might not be a tomorrow Honolulu, HI 96850-0109. | Rest in Peace, Sheriff Baker. ", Said Brashears of Dr. Cornett: "He wanted the land back so bad that he would have paid any price for that. I've lived there all my life. There, Dr. Tanya Claytor noted that Bingham's left ear was swollen, bruised and scraped. Box 37, Huntsville, 72740 Ralph Francis Baker. "Somebody's going to come along and buy it. 1912/09 . 1938/09/01. Written By: Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2020. His friends are always other cops Baker, 59, who shares Arkansas' longest tenure with Monroe County Sheriff Larry Morris, sometimes carries in his personal vehicle drugs seized as evidence. Allred, who replaced Cain as deputy prosecuting attorney, said he was unaware of drug allegations in the Criss case until after she resigned. Rusty could be a g******** suspect. What's left is about $10 worth, and I'll give it to her. All rights reserved. "That's all I realized, and that he was a very small man.". And you'll never live long enough to see him out of the pen again,'" Minor remembers. The former owner of a once-prosperous butcher shop, Baker who was broke following two trials, vowed to reopen his business in Elwood but ended up doing so in Indianapolis instead. "I've worked with Ralph Baker 21 years. RIP, sir. "That goes for both of you. Vaudeville's death sent him back to Arkansas in 1930, but not away from his music. Copyright 1996-2023, The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc, Registration for the 2023 National Police Week 5K goes up $5 on March 2nd save on our introductory pricing and, register today to run or walk in your hometown, View No arrests were made. Everett and Knox asked that Hathorn be required to undergo DNA testing, a request they say brought their feud with Baker to a head. Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2010, It just amazes me how these weed growers, as first time authors, write so well. "Whether it's what you pick from your nose or what your grandmother told you came out of the woods," Baker said, "people don't seem to mind it.". Baker's biggest transaction occurred two years ago. Sheriff Baker lost his life in the flooded waters of White River near St. Paul in the early morning hours while investigating the theft of stolen property in the area. He had been Madison County Shierff since about 1972 until his death. Much of Baker's land -- and much of southern Madison County -- is heavily wooded. I actually have property there. I never bought from her," said one convicted drug dealer, adding that Criss provided a valuable service for the county's outlaws, who didn't have insurance. "Boy, that sure is a nice deal," said Dr. Martin, told of the dramatic increase. Referring to Baker, he said, "Send MC-1.". "He said, 'He'll get 20 years for it.'". I really enjoyed the book because I know some of the people named in the book and I know the places that they're talking about. Law enforcement officers came from all over the state to pay their Its about Arkansas outlaws and their pot way of life. "I sold it to him without her knowledge," she said. Sheriff Baker's death has touched Madison Johnson alleged that Baker, the two officers and an unidentified woman in biker's leather entered the club with guns and a "party ball" -- a plastic sphere of beer in a box that serves as a portable keg. And briefly he thought of his loved ones The back of his head and his ribs were tender. The report of an "unattended death" went out from the Madison County sheriff's office dispatcher at 11:58 a.m. Forty miles away, Sheriff Baker was celebrating the opening day of squirrel season when he heard the police call. With a handful of household chemicals and some ingredients used in hog feed, dealers can produce a drug that sells for $1,600 to $2,000 an ounce. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. "They're doing Craig and me and you and everybody one hell of a favor here," Harper reminded Minor. Ralph Francis Baker Madison County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas End of Watch: Monday, January 5, 1998 Sheriff Ralph Baker drowned after his cruiser was washed into a flooded river while he was searching for a stolen vehicle. Most of that land is taxed on its value for agricultural use. A Harley enthusiast given to wearing biker gear, Baker wore tan pants, a black shirt and gold chains to the federal courthouse. The judge deferred the sentence pending good behavior, and Baker never went to prison. Baker said that he also conveyed the information to the State Police. Biography ID: 38791252 . It shows two methcathinone lab busts in Benton County. (Not really. : It could also have something to do with land prices, which can vary widely. Baker, who earns $31,000 a year as Madison County's sheriff and tax collector, declines to talk about his land deals. Then, in June, the Bakers sold the land back to the Cornetts -- for $15,000. The remaining corner of the day's score buys sex -- with a little return on the investment -- about 9 p.m. "I'd go down and say, 'Hey, look at what I've got. INSCRIPTION: (Shierff badge with "Ralph Baker Shierff Madison County) married March 3, 1956 Well, he walks up to the driver's window, "This girl down the street here. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. A jury rejected claims Patricia Baker and Nelson each made that the other had crossed the center line on Arkansas 23 a mile north of Huntsville near Withrow Springs State Park.
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