Death Penalty Upheld in Brutal 2020 Florida Murders

In August 2020, 12-year-old Robert Baker and 14-year-old Tayten Baker were found murdered in their home in Melrose, Florida, by their mother, Sarah Baker. The perpetrator was Mark Howard Wilson Jr., 30, who at the time of his arrest was the boyfriend of Cindy Guinan, the boys' aunt and Sarah Baker's sister.

Wilson and Guinan, along with their infant daughter, had been living in a shed on the Bakers' property before the murders occurred. According to court documents, Wilson beat both boys with a hammer and cut their throats with a fillet knife. The murder weapons—bearing the victims' blood—were recovered as evidence, along with a note from Wilson linking him to the crime.

When arrested in August 2020, Putnam County Sheriff described Wilson as a "sick monster." Wilson subsequently confessed to both his mother and law enforcement. In his confession, he claimed he believed the boys were abusing his daughter, a claim that would later feature prominently in legal proceedings.

The trial took place over three days in October 2022. On October 13, 2022, a jury unanimously found Wilson guilty on two counts of first-degree premeditated . He was also convicted on two counts of —specifically, of a dwelling with assault or battery committed during the offense and while armed with a weapon.