North Carolina – In a disturbing case in North Carolina that left a young child without a mother, a 38‑year‑old man, identified as L. Inman, has been charged with murder, assault on a female, and a misdemeanor domestic violence offense in connection with the death of a 31‑year‑old mother of one, identified as F. Baker. Prosecutors allege that Inman, a man with a long history of violent crime, shot Baker in the head after an argument, ending the life of a woman described by family as loving and devoted.
Authorities say Inman and Baker were in “a dating relationship” at the time of the murder. The charges stem from evidence gathered by law enforcement and testimony from witnesses that place Inman at the scene of the crime and contradict his earlier statements to police. Inman remains in custody without bond as court proceedings move forward, and his next hearing is scheduled for January 2, 2026.
The unsettling timeline began in early December when Baker was last seen alive. On December 4, 2025, she dropped off her two-year-old son with family members but never made it home. The last phone contact her loved ones had with her that evening included hearing Inman’s voice in the background. When she failed to contact anyone or return home by December 6, she was reported missing to the police department. Detectives reviewing surveillance footage located Baker and Inman together on the night of December 4 at a gas station. The video appears to show Inman assaulting Baker inside the store, including pushing her, grabbing her neck from behind, and throwing an object that struck her before the pair left together in Baker’s car.
Days later, on December 9, police received a tip indicating that Inman had said Baker was already dead and had been shot in the head. Then, on December 11, officers located Baker’s vehicle behind a church. Inside, they found Baker’s body unresponsive in the front passenger seat, suffering from what officers described as apparent head trauma. She was wearing the same clothing seen in the gas station video. In interviews with detectives, a witness reported that Inman told his probation officer that an argument between him and Baker had led to “a gun going off, shooting Baker in the head.” The witness later told police that Inman had admitted to killing someone and provided details that investigators say would only be known by someone with direct knowledge of the scene.
Inman’s attorney argued in court that there is no video or fingerprint evidence directly linking him to Baker’s death, emphasizing that the prosecution’s case relies heavily on witness statements and tips. The defense also pointed to Inman’s family ties and work as a tattoo artist and requested bond—a motion the judge denied. Prosecutors, however, cited Inman’s extensive criminal history, including prior convictions and charges involving violence, as reasons why he should remain in custody. Among those past crimes are assault with a deadly weapon and multiple assault‑on‑a‑female cases.
Public records show that Inman had previously been convicted of attempted first‑degree murder and other violent offenses in a 2017 incident in which he allegedly followed, confronted, and shot a man in the chest at close range at a shopping center. Prosecutors said that after the shooting, Inman stood over the victim and fired several more rounds. He was also accused of contacting the victim before trial to pressure him into recanting his account. A jury convicted Inman, and in that 2019 case, a judge sentenced him to a minimum of 13 years and a maximum of 17½ years in prison. Inman was out on probation at the time he allegedly killed Baker.
Baker’s family was visibly emotional during Inman’s first court appearance, pleading with the judge to keep him behind bars. Inman remains held without bond in the county jail. His next court date is set for January 2, 2026, when the case will continue to unfold. Prosecutors are moving forward with murder charges that carry severe penalties if he is convicted, including decades in prison. For Baker’s family, the legal process offers a path toward justice, but it can never undo the tragedy of losing a mother at the hands of the man she was dating—a man with a known history of violence and a record that authorities say paints a troubling picture of risk ignored for far too long.
