CLARKE COUNTY, Ga. — The jury is now deciding the fate of a man accused of killing University of Georgia law student Tara Baker in 2001.
Channel 2’s Candace McCowan was there as jury deliberations started Monday in the trial of Edrick Faust.
Faust is charged with raping and killing the 25-year-old Baker in her Athens home.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Prosecutors say he set the UGA law student’s apartment on fire on the way out.
Prosecutors believe DNA evidence ties Faust to the crime scene, but the defense says the state fell short of proving Faust is the only possible suspect.
Defense attorneys say Faust’s DNA was not the only one found at the scene. They pointed to Baker’s boyfriend, Chris Melton, as another possible suspect.
RELATED STORIES:
- Defense attorney says boyfriend killed UGA law student 25 years ago
- Tensions flare as defense seeks repeated mistrials in Tara Baker murder trial
- UGA law student killed: Best friend describes moment she learned of Tara Baker’s murder
- Man accused of killing UGA law student Tara Baker appears for fiery 1st day in court
On Monday, jurors began deliberating at 12:30 p.m. They came back less than two hours later with a question.
“The jury requests the DNA reports and the transcript/video of Ricketts’ testimony,” read the judge.
Jurors were brought back in and allowed to review evidence in open court. They spent several hours listening to a transcript of testimony before reviewing documents.
Faust faces charges of malice murder, felony murder, rape and arson.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]