Article: Ex-husband shot as he tries to break through door

[Paladin]

http://www.news-journal.com/news/conten ... oting.html

"Ex-husband shot as he tries to break through door

By JAMES DRAPER

Monday, August 08, 2005

COOKVILLE – A 41-year-old man was shot to death early Sunday morning when he tried to break into the house where his ex-wife was staying with another man.

Chief Deputy Miguel Larsen of the Titus County Sheriff's Office said officers found William Joe Baker lying on the front porch of Marty Crocker's residence on County Road 3435.

According to a news release, Baker went to Crocker's home seeking his ex-wife, Anita Baker, 41. Crocker called the police, saying that William Baker was hitting the door and threatening to kill them.

Larsen did not know the relationship between Crocker and Anita Baker. She and William Baker had been divorced almost a year, he said.

While deputies were en route to the scene, Larsen said the emergency call was disconnected. Crocker called back moments later and told the dispatcher he had fired his semi-automatic rifle multiple times through the door, hitting Baker in the head.

"We don't have an exact number" of shots, Larsen said. Baker's body has been sent to Dallas for an autopsy. Crocker was not taken into custody, Larsen added.

"My understanding is the investigators conferred with the district attorney, and the decision was made at that time not to take him into custody," he said.

According to the release, the District Attorney's office will review the case once the investigation is completed. "

[stevie_d_64]

Shooting through a door...hmmmmm...

I think if I had the means ready to defend myself, I would have probably waited till either the law showed up, or the door broke in...

Now it would have to be determined if the door was in imminent risk of being breached, then at that time all bets would be off...

I would also have to figure out why the connection to 911 was interrupted, and then re-established after the shots were fired through the door...

Did he disconnect so he could shoot the guy??? Bad form then...

[dws1117]

I think if I had the means ready to defend myself, I would have probably waited till either the law showed up, or the door broke in...

Now it would have to be determined if the door was in imminent risk of being breached, then at that time all bets would be off...

100% agree. As with all stories, there is too much that didn't get reported.

Crocker called back moments later and told the dispatcher he had fired his [b]semi-automatic rifle[/b] multiple times through the door, hitting Baker in the head.

Had to be a mini-14 or something similar. If it had been an AK or AR then it would have been an "Assault Weapon".

[Paladin]

I've seen this kinda thing happen before. When I lived in an apartment, some guy's crazy ex-girlfriend dropped by and tried to get in to the guy's apartment. Yelling and beating the door didn't do anything[except wake up all the neigbors], so she went on his porch and broke a window with a chair or something.

At that point, the guy next door to me (above the apartment being broken into) opened his front door, Yelled "I've got my shotgun and I'm coming down!" and racked the slide!

The crazy ex-girlfriend was gone in a heart-beat!

I don't think she ever came back either.

[AOPAPilot]

At that point, the guy next door to me (above the apartment being broken into) opened his front door, Yelled "I've got my shotgun and I'm coming down!" and racked the slide!

The crazy ex-girlfriend was gone in a heart-beat!