ROME, NY – A joint law enforcement effort led to the arrest of 19-year-old Jamel Baker in Rome, NY, on charges of second-degree murder and weapon possession in connection to the 2022 Whitesboro Street homicide of Kaeron Henderson in Utica.
An Oneida County Grand Jury indicted Baker in January, resulting in a Superior Court arrest warrant. Baker had been named among Oneida County’s Top Ten Most Wanted, with authorities seeking public assistance for his capture.
The case was elevated to the United States Marshal’s Service N.Y./N.J. Regional Fugitive Task Force – Utica Division, which worked in collaboration with the Utica Police Department and Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. On November 1st, their investigation led them to Myrtle Street in Rome, where Baker was spotted at a residential address.
A prolonged stakeout ensued, with Baker ultimately surrendering after negotiations by a certified hostage negotiator from the Utica Police Department. The arrest was executed without further incident, and Baker was detained at the Oneida County Jail.
Following his November 2nd arraignment in Oneida County Court, Baker is being held without bail.