A San Antonio man, Paris Shaw, accused of the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Joanna Baker, on Thanksgiving night in 2022, was given a 25-year plea deal on Tuesday. Shaw, who was initially arrested days after the incident following a tip about his suspicious activity on De Zavala Road, ultimately received a sentence alteration from murder to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a court decision this week.
Baker was shot in the head at her residence in the 10600 block of Barbwire Pass, an event that was witnessed by two individuals who later identified Shaw as the shooter. An affidavit at the time of his arrest quoted witnesses describing Shaw as "being loud and belligerent" before the tragic incident unfolded. One witness recounted a chilling scene where Shaw, armed with a small rifle, threatened Baker before he allegedly fatally shot her. The victim's response according to the affidavit was, "Go ahead, I don't care," which was shortly followed by the fatal action by Shaw, as reported by KSAT.
This past Tuesday's sentencing saw Shaw serve at least half of his 25-year term before being eligible for parole, which is part of the conditions of his plea deal. Shaw's criminal history, which includes previous convictions for evading arrest and failure to stop and render aid, was recorded in court documents.
Shaw's arrest itself occurred after a brief pursuit, when he was spotted looking into vehicles by a civilian and subsequently ran from responding San Antonio police officers. After being detained, officers discovered he was wanted in relation to the Thanksgiving night shooting. At the time of his arrest, Shaw was also faced with charges including burglary of a building, criminal trespassing, and evading arrest, with his bond set at $232,000. KSAT reported that Shaw also had an active warrant for mail theft when he was apprehended.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, deputies arrived to find the front door open and located the victim on the couch, struggling to breathe. Baker was taken to University Hospital and placed on life support, only to succumb to her injuries days after the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing, though Shaw's recent plea deal has now set his punishment trajectory for this act of irreversible violence.
