Baker
A Franklin man will serve more than two decades in prison for the shooting death of his former girlfriend.
Johnathan Z. Baker, 50, was sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 Felony, in the death of Jennifer Lewis last November at their shared home in Franklin’s Branigin Creek subdivision. He received a 200-day jail credit, and was recommended for substance abuse and mental health treatment while incarcerated, according to online court records.
Voluntary manslaughter is the equivalent of second-degree murder in many states, prosecutors say. It is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Baker had an “open” plea, leaving his sentence up to the court. All 24 years of his sentence were ordered to be served at the Indiana Department of Correction, according to a Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office news release.
Baker was arrested as part of a Franklin Police Department investigation into the death of Lewis, Baker’s long-time girlfriend. She was found shot to death in their shared home on the 2700 block of Woodfield Boulevard on Nov. 12, 2022. Police had initially received a 911 call for a suicide attempt at their shared home, and Baker was inside with Lewis, who was deceased.
Responding officers called detectives to the scene because they believed her death was suspicious. There were multiple shell casings present and the gun was placed on Lewis’ chest, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Johnson County Superior Court 2.
Lewis and Baker had become known to Franklin police because of several past domestic violence-related incidents at the home. Franklin police have responded to at least seven calls involving Baker and Lewis since 2016, some at the Woodfield Boulevard home, while others took place at a different address, according to police reports.
Detectives spoke with two people who said they received several concerning phone calls shortly before the incident. During one of the calls, Lewis reportedly told the witnesses that she was outside with no clothes on and that Baker had beaten her. Lewis asked one of the witnesses to call her back in five minutes before saying ‘he’s coming’ and hanging up the phone, according to the affidavit.
Baker later called the witness, telling them to call the police because he shot Lewis, and she was “bleeding from the head.” On the call, it appeared Baker had been drinking, as his speech was slurred, the affidavit says.
Baker called back shortly after and told the witness not to call the cops. He changed his story and said Lewis shot herself, the affidavit says.
In an interview with police on Nov. 12, Baker said he and Lewis had been fighting and she had “got a couple of shots.” He also said he couldn’t get the gun out of her hands and wanted to punch her but didn’t, according to the affidavit.
Baker’s version of events changed several times throughout the interview, police say. At one point Baker said Lewis didn’t intentionally kill herself, and it happened when they were “tussling.” He also said he was “maybe” touching her when the gun went off, and police say he was unable to provide a consistent statement on the struggle for the handgun and how Lewis was shot, the affidavit shows.
Detectives told Baker his statements did not match the physical evidence at the scene. He told 911 dispatchers the gun was in Lewis’ hand and told police he grabbed the gun and threw it on the bed. He later said he didn’t know where the gun went after Lewis was shot, according to the affidavit.
Baker also allegedly said he picked up Lewis’ head after she shot herself, and detectives asked how he didn’t notice the gun on her chest. After seeing a photo, Baker reportedly said he may have placed the gun on her chest.
During a search of the home conducted later on Nov. 12, evidence technicians from the Indiana State Police found three shell casings and recovered two bullets in a wall. The other bullet was later found in Lewis, the affidavit says.
ISP evidence technicians later concluded that the scene had been manipulated, including the placement of the handgun.
Technicians also did a forensic analysis of Lewis’ phone and found a voicemail of Lewis and Baker arguing. In the recording, Lewis can be heard screaming “no, no, no” and Baker can be heard saying Lewis was going to get him thrown in prison, according to the affidavit.
Near the end of the recording, Baker asks Lewis who she called. Her last statement on the recording was her saying she was going to call the police.
Baker was formally charged in May — six months after Lewis’ death. The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brandon Robinson, who said he hoped the sentence resulted in Baker remaining in prison for nearly 20 years.
“I hope that this results helps bring justice to Jennifer and brings her family closure,” Robinson said in a statement.
Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner said he was pleased that Baker will be spending the better part of the rest of his life in prison.
“Mr. Baker is 50 years old. Under Indiana’s credit system he will be in prison until he is nearly 80 years old,” Hamner said. “He won’t hurt anyone in our county ever again.”
