Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Dateline NBC‘s weekend mystery episode will look into Randy Baker‘s murder case and the subsequent police investigation. The upcoming episode, “The Secret Keepers,” airs on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET. A synopsis reads, “When the death of a 59-year-old father is found to be unrelated to his ongoing health issues, police begin an investigation and question some of his family members. Keith Morrison reports.”
Reportedly, Randy Baker’s wife first found him unconscious in the hallway of their Greeley, Colorado, home on August 16, 2017. Authorities initially believed Randy had died of natural causes as he was a recovering heart patient. However, a subsequent examination revealed otherwise. Using evidence from the crime scene and the victim’s missing car, detectives were able to locate a trail.
The following investigation into Randy Baker’s murder revealed that the suspects were close to home. Authorities learned of a vicious plot to murder the father for financial gain. The case resulted in multiple arrests and convictions.
How did Randy Baker die?
According to Oxygen, Randy Baker’s autopsy revealed that his cause of death was two fatal gunshot wounds. Randy was a recovering heart patient at the time of his death. His problems stemmed from an incident that occurred when he was only 28 and worked as a lineman for the local power company. He got electrocuted and suffered permanent heart damage, eventually turning to drugs for the pain. At the time, he was with his first wife, Dori Baker.
Randy was an addict and substance abuser for three years after which he accepted a life of sobriety. The father then began helping others struggling with similar issues and became a crucial part of his daughter Betty Winick’s life. Winick called him “my person,” claiming she “went to him for anything and everything.”
One person in particular that Randy Baker helped was his nephew Kelly Raisley. Reportedly, Raisley even wrote him a text on Father’s Day 2015, that said, “My dearest uncle, … not only have you been a role model and inspiration to me, but the closest person I’ve ever had as a real father figure.”
Randy’s marriage with his first wife, Dori, ended after he started a relationship with Kelly. He and Kelly were married at the time of his murder, but the latter was not living with him at the time of the incident.
Who were the suspects in Randy Baker’s murder case?
The suspects involved in Randy Baker’s murder were his then-wife, Kelly Baker, his sister Carol Baker, and nephew Kelly Raisley. Detectives linked Randy’s vehicle, which was missing from the crime scene, to her sister Carol. They later learned she shared a close bond with the victim’s wife, Kelly, and that both women shared a mutual hatred for him. Carol was also the last person to visit Randy’s house before the murder.
Following a trail of digital evidence, detectives also learned of Carol’s son Kelly Raisely’s involvement in the crime. Raisley, after spending months in custody, admitted to having pulled the trigger and claimed Carol and Kelly manipulated him to commit the crime. He alleged that the women had agreed to pay him $10,000 if he killed Randy Baker. Elsewhere, authorities believed Randy’s wife was to gain $130,000 from his life insurance payouts and the house that they once shared.
Randy Baker’s case resulted in the first-degree murder conviction of his wife Kelly Baker, who received a life sentence. The triggerman, Kelly Raisley, after pleading guilty to first-degree murder, also received the same sentence. Meanwhile, Randy’s sister Carole Baker pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and got 30 years in prison, reported CBS News.
Dateline NBC’s episode of Randy Baker’s murder case will air on Saturday, June 29.
