Man Convicted For Trying to Kill His Wife’s Boyfriend

Aurora, IL — Jermaine L. Baker, a 40-year old man, was found guilty of shooting his ex-wife’s boyfriend three times in the head in 2014. He was convicted of felony counts of attempted murder, home invasion and aggravated battery with a firearm.

On a night of August 2014, Baker broke into the house of Anthony Townsend, his estranged wife’s boyfriend, while wearing her dress, a wig, and gloves, prosecutors said. He walked into Townsend’s room while he was sleeping, kicked his bed, and asked, “How do you want to die?”

Baker then shot Townsend in the cheek, jaw, forehead, and hands with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

Townsend was able to call 911 for help and walked downstairs to let the paramedics in.

Baker was arrested in September 2014 and has since been held at the Kane County Jail on $750,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing and motions on April 19 and faces at least 31 years in prison. His sentence also includes a mandatory enhancement of 25 years to life in prison as he personally shot the gun that resulted in great bodily harm.

Baker’s trial started last week at the Kane County courthouse in St. Charles. The prosecutors claimed that he did the crime out of jealousy. Baker’s attorney, however, argued that there is a lack of evidence pointing Baker to the crime.

The witnesses who testified at the trial were Townsend, Baker’s ex-wife, Baker’s former boss, and police officers.