TIFFIN, Ohio — A 24-year-old Ohio man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the abduction and fatal shooting of his 2-year-old daughter last year, a judge ruled on Monday. Jonathan Baker was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by Seneca County Common Pleas Court Judge Damon Alt, following a conviction on charges of aggravated murder with a firearm specification and kidnapping.
The sentencing came after a jury found Baker guilty earlier this month for the 2023 killing of his daughter, Emery. Prosecutors said Baker abducted the toddler from her mother, fatally shot her twice in the head, and led police on a high-speed chase while the child’s body was still in the vehicle. In addition to the life sentence, Baker received an additional 16 1/2 years for the kidnapping charge and three years for the firearms specification.
During the sentencing hearing, Baker expressed regret, describing his actions as “completely evil” and saying that he believed he was “doing something good” at the time. He attributed the crime to a lack of faith and mental illness, asking the judge to “please have mercy.”
Judge Alt, however, dismissed Baker’s claims of remorse, emphasizing the gravity of the crime. “Mr. Baker, you murdered your daughter … throughout the day you were afforded every opportunity to prevent that crime from happening,” Alt said, calling it a “senseless act” and underscoring the apparent lack of genuine remorse shown by Baker.