After consulting with Chelsea’s family members, the Attorney General’s Office and Baker reached a plea agreement. On May 16, 2023, Baker pled guilty to murder in the first degree, armed criminal action, and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. Several of Chelsea’s family members provided victim impact statements to the court. The court sentenced the defendant to life without the possibility of parole and thirty-seven years’ imprisonment.
The Attorney General’s Office was appointed to prosecute the Baker case after a conflict arose from the Reynolds County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Miranda L. Loesch and Kelly Snyder, with assistance from investigator Rob Jauer, legal secretary Whitney Wilson, and victim advocate Carrie Boessen.