Former pastor and political candidate David Mark Baker tragically killed himself just one day after being arrested on serious charges. Baker was booked into the Maury County Jail on Sept. 10 on a charge of aggravated sexual battery.
After his arrest, he was released on $200,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court on October 9. However, his life came to a tragic end on September 11, when he took his own life at Maury Regional Medical Center.
According to Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Alsup, Baker went into the medical center’s bathroom and, in a terrifying sequence of events, fired twice into the chest.
Medical staff at Maury Regional Medical Center responded quickly and began life-saving measures, but Baker’s injuries proved fatal. The hospital confirmed that there were no other people in the restroom at the time of the incident, and neither the patient nor the staff were injured.
CEO Martin Cheney, MD, expressed his deep sadness at the incident, extending his condolences to Baker’s family and friends, as well as the medical staff involved in the response. He also praised the quick actions of the hospital’s security team, emergency room staff and the Columbia Police Department.
The circumstances surrounding Baker’s death added to the complexity of an already tense situation. The Maury County Sheriff’s Department was investigating the case, but declined to provide further details.
Sheriff Bucky Rowland revealed Baker was not supposed to possess a firearm as part of his bond, raising questions about how he came into possession of the weapon used in his death.
David Baker’s life was marked by public roles and controversy. He served as pastor of Tennessee Family Baptist Church and also served as president of an independent Baptist online college. Baker is running for mayor of Maury County in 2022.
During his campaign, he filed a defamation suit against the eventual winner of the mayoral race, Sheila Bath. The lawsuit, which was eventually dismissed, involved allegations from Baker’s past, including a reference to a text message linking him to a man who later committed suicide, as well as previous legal issues involving Baker.
In addition to his pastoral work and political aspirations, Baker was the founder of Restoration Jail Ministry, a prison ministry in Maury County that aimed to provide spiritual support to inmates. His involvement in this ministry reflected his commitment to helping those in difficult situations, although his life was marred by legal problems and personal difficulties.
Baker’s financial dealings have also come under scrutiny. Lighthouse Baptist Church, where he served as a leader, filed for bankruptcy in 2011 with Baker as a signatory. Baker explained to Main Street Maury in 2022 that the bankruptcy filing was intended to restructure the church’s debt, an effort to manage the financial burdens the institution was facing.