David Baker Death, Obituary: Pastor David Baker of Maury County Died by Suicide Following Sexual Battery Charges
Former pastor and political candidate David Mark Baker Sr. sadly committed suicide just one day after being arrested on a severe charge. A charge of aggravated sexual battery led to Baker’s booking into the Maury County Jail on September 10.
He was placed under arrest, given a $200,000 bond, and told to appear in court on October 9. But on September 11, he tragically committed suicide at Maury Regional Medical Center, ending his life.
In a startling change of events, Baker entered the medical center’s toilet and fired a gun twice into his chest, according to Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Alsup.
Although Baker’s injuries proved deadly, the medical personnel at Maury Regional Medical Center acted swiftly to begin life-saving procedures. The hospital attested that no patients or employees were hurt, and that no other people were in the restroom at the time of the occurrence.
CEO Martin Chaney, MD, conveyed his deep sorrow over the event and offered his sympathies to Baker’s friends and family as well as the medical personnel who assisted with the response. He also praised the Columbia Police Department, the emergency department staff, and the hospital’s security team for their swift responses.
The circumstances surrounding Baker’s passing have made an already delicate issue much more complicated. Although they had been looking into the matter, the Maury County Sheriff’s Department had previously declined to give more information.
There are doubts regarding how Baker obtained the gun that was used in his death after Sheriff Bucky Rowland disclosed that he was not allowed to own a handgun under the terms of his bail.
David Baker’s life was characterized by several public appearances and conflicts. In addition to being the president of Independent Baptist Online College, he was the pastor of Family Baptist Church in Tennessee. Baker entered the 2022 Maury County mayor’s race.
He brought a defamation lawsuit against Sheila Butt, the eventual mayoral winner, during his campaign. Allegations about Baker’s history, including a text message that connected him to a person who had later committed suicide, were included in the complaint, which was eventually dismissed. Baker had also been involved in other legal disputes.
Baker founded Restoration Jail Ministry, a Maury County jail ministry that offers spiritual support to prisoners, in addition to his pastoral work and political goals. Even though he had personal and legal issues in his own life, his involvement in this ministry demonstrated his dedication to helping people who were going through difficult times.
Baker’s financial activities were also investigated. In 2011, Baker was identified as a signatory to the bankruptcy filing by Lighthouse Baptist Church, where he had a leadership position. In 2022, Baker gave Main Street Maury an explanation of the church’s bankruptcy file, stating that it was an attempt to handle the financial challenges the institution was facing through debt restructuring.