Man denied bond in 2001 murder of UGA law student after character witnesses take the stand

ATHENS, Ga. — A judge denied bond on Tuesday for the man accused in the 23-year-old murder of a University of Georgia law student.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Edrick Faust in May for the 2001 murder of Tara Baker. Police found Baker dead after a fire at her apartment. Investigators determined it had been set intentionally.

On Tuesday, Faust pleaded not guilty to Baker’s murder. His attorney argued that Faust should have been granted bond capped at $100,000.

“Excessive bail is the equivalent to no bail,” Attorney Ahmad R. Crews said. Faust’s fiancée took the stand to defend his character.

“As I know him, he steers away from any conflict with people and he likes to walk away,” she said. “He’s kind, considerate, loyal, dependable, courteous to others and trustworthy.”

The prosecution painted a different picture, citing Faust’s decades-long criminal history

“Your Honor, this defendant has a 49-cycle criminal history. He has violent offenses and he has over 20 probation violations, which means he has shown a pattern of disregard of the most basic conditions of being out on probation and that is do not commit another crime,” District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez said.

Baker’s sister also took the stand.

‘The defendant has been no stranger to this courthouse or the surrounding areas for that matter. For 30 years, he has wreaked havoc on this community. He put a knife in a man’s neck just a few months following Tara’s death,” Meredith Baker Schroeder said.

Judge Lisa Lott denied bond, citing the defendant’s threat to the community and his criminal history.

“This defendant poses a significant risk of committing any felony pending trial,” the judge told the court.

The state has 30 days to provide a witness list to the defense. No trial date has been set.