A second arrest has been made in the harrowing case of a triple homicide in Indian River County. As reported by TCPalm, 20-year-old Toby Featherston has been charged in relation to the deaths of 68-year-old Amanda Baker, her 19-year-old pregnant granddaughter Shelby Baker, and Shelby's unborn child on November 10, 2024. The arrest warrant charges Featherston with two counts each of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree murder of an unborn child, and burglary of dwelling with an assault or battery.
Featherston, who was acquainted with the victims, had previously been trespassed from the residence after being ordered to serve time for an unrelated aggravated battery charge. This was announced following his arrest on Friday. Having served a three-year sentence, he was released from prison just six days before the homicides occurred. Making the timeline of the tragedy more poignant, the victims' home, located in the 600 block of 23rd Place Southwest, had been the site of violence unleashed around 3:30 a.m., with Featherston allegedly entering through a back door, according to details shared by Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers.
Alongside Featherston, Aiden Christman, also 20 years old, has been implicated in this tragic incident and faces identical charges. CBS12 notes that while Christman's connection to the Baker family is unclear, Featherston's history with the family was marked by violence and threats. Specifically, Featherston had previously threatened Amanda Baker, stating, "When I get out I'm going to kill you," a threat which Sheriff Flowers chillingly recounted he held good to.
In a heinous act that unfolded as the family slept, the grandfather, who was bedridden and reliant on oxygen, heard gunshots and rolled off a couch trying to take cover. By the end of the attack, two women had tragically lost their lives, and Michael Conn, Shelby Baker's boyfriend, narrowly escaped after locking himself in a bathroom and then fleeing out a window to seek help. Speaking about the suspects, Sheriff Flowers said, “The motivation behind this is Toby’s anger against Amanda, against the Baker family. I can’t say how he talked Aiden into joining him," as per CBS12.
Investigators have amassed a blend of video, witness testimony, and DNA evidence from the crime scene to support their case against the two men, with Sheriff Flowers affirming a commitment to seeking justice for the victims. As the Baker family mourns in privacy, the criminal proceedings against Featherston and Christman are set to forge ahead, a process echoed by the Sheriff's determination to support the State Attorney’s Office in bringing the case to trial.
