“A Window of Time”: Dateline Reports on Tara Baker Homicide May 1 2026

Dateline NBC returns Friday, May 1, 2026, at 9/8c with A Window of Time, a new episode reported by Blayne Alexander. The broadcast examines the murder of Tara Louise Baker, a 23-year-old University of Georgia law student whose death in Athens, Georgia, remained unsolved for more than two decades.

The episode follows the long path from Tara’s death in January 2001 to the arrest, trial, conviction, and sentencing of Edrick Lamont Faust.

• Who Was Tara Baker & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile
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The Murder of Tara Baker

Tara Louise Baker was found dead on January 19, 2001, inside her apartment at 160 Fawn Drive in Athens. Firefighters had responded to a fire at the residence around 11:20 a.m., but investigators soon determined that the blaze had been set on purpose.

Tara had been killed before the fire began. She was 23 years old and one day away from her 24th birthday.

A Promising Life Cut Short

Tara was a first-year law student at the University of Georgia. She had graduated from Lovejoy High School in 1995, then attended Georgia College in Milledgeville, where she earned two bachelor’s degrees and graduated cum laude in 1998.

Those who knew her remembered her as caring, determined, and protective of others. Classmates said she stood up for students who felt excluded and made room for others in study groups and class projects.

The Crime Scene and Early Investigation

Investigators determined that Tara had been attacked before the apartment was set on fire. Later trial reporting described the killing as involving beating, stabbing, strangulation, and possible sexual assault.

One detail stood out from the beginning: Tara’s laptop computer was the only item reported missing from her home. Despite evidence collected at the scene, no arrest came for more than two decades.

The Case Goes Cold

For years, Tara’s family waited for answers. Her mother, Virginia Baker, continued to push for justice, while Tara’s siblings carried the loss through their own lives.

The case later gained renewed attention through Classic City Crime, a podcast hosted by Cameron Jay. The podcast helped keep Tara’s story public and became tied to broader advocacy for cold case reform.

The Breakthrough and Arrest

In May 2024, authorities arrested Edrick Lamont Faust in connection with Tara’s murder. The arrest came more than 23 years after her death.

Investigators said advances in DNA technology and a renewed review of evidence collected from the original scene helped identify Faust as a suspect.

The Trial of Edrick Lamont Faust

Faust’s trial began in February 2026, more than 25 years after Tara was killed. Prosecutors focused on forensic evidence, Tara’s final known movements, and the DNA evidence linking Faust to the case.

The defense argued that the state had not proven its case and suggested the killer may have been someone who knew Tara. Jurors later reviewed Faust’s interview with GBI agents while considering the evidence.

The Verdict and Sentencing

On February 17, 2026, a Clarke County jury found Faust guilty on all 12 charges. The counts included malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated sodomy, burglary, tampering with evidence, and first-degree arson.

On February 19, 2026, Judge Lisa Lott sentenced Faust to two consecutive life sentences plus 45 years in confinement.

The Family’s Long Search for Justice

Tara’s family spoke in court about the years of grief and unanswered questions. Virginia Baker described the pain of sitting through the trial and hearing details no mother would want to hear.

Tara’s siblings also remembered who she was beyond the crime. Meredith Schroeder called her the family’s “north star,” while Kevin Baker said Tara had not been lost, but stolen.

What A Window of Time Covers

A Window of Time focuses on the timeline that became central to the case. Tara’s last known contact, her expected departure from the law library, the fire the next morning, and the evidence inside the apartment all became key parts of the investigation.

The episode also shows how a cold case can change when preserved evidence is reexamined with modern forensic tools.

A Case That Reached Resolution After 25 Years

Tara Baker’s murder haunted Athens for 25 years. What began as a fire call became a homicide investigation, then a cold case, then a prosecution that ended with a guilty verdict.

The conviction did not restore what Tara’s family lost, but it brought a legal resolution that had seemed out of reach for more than two decades.