After dedicating his life to helping others, a retired police sergeant from Pembroke Pines, Florida, was killed by his wife in an apparent murder-suicide.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said that officers and fire department paramedics responded to a home on Monday, September 21, around 7:12 a.m. after they received a 911 call reporting that two people were found unresponsive. Upon their arrival, authorities found married couple Joanne Baker and John Baker dead, according to Local 10.
Following a preliminary investigation, authorities learned that Joanne, 59, shot and killed John, 62, before she died by suicide. It’s not currently clear if she had a motive or what events led up to the killings.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
The Pembroke Pines Police Department released a statement following the tragedy, in which they mourned the retired sergeant.
The department shared that John previously worked for the city for nearly 28 years before he retired. He joined the department in 1994 and held several positions, including road patrol officer, field training officer, master patrol officer, public information officer, traffic homicide investigator and Traffic Unit sergeant. Additionally, he was a founding member of the department’s Crisis Response Team. The team was created to help first responders when tragedies are happening.
The statement shared that John was passionate about traffic safety, and he regularly worked with the nonprofit organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
John, who was a father of three, enjoyed traveling and music, and he frequently attended concerts with his family in his off time.
The former officer was involved in a serious on-duty motorcycle crash on August 10, 2019, which happened after a car turned in front of his path.
He suffered critical injuries from the crash that affected his speech and movement. Despite sustaining serious injuries, he eventually regained limited motor skills thanks to the help of his loved ones and his medical team.
Even after the accident, John continued to be an active part of the community and participated in charity races through Special Compass. The local nonprofit assists children and families with disabilities.
The department shared that John also participated in the Special Olympics Torch Run.
“The entire PPPD family mourns the sudden loss of Sergeant John Baker,” the department said in the statement. “Even with the challenges he faced from his work-related injury, his joyful and positive personality always persisted.”
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