No sentence yet for convicted Columbia child killer

An Ashland man convicted of second degree murder for the brutal 2014 death of a Columbia infant will have to wait until Nov. 30 to learn his fate.

A Boone County jury convicted 33-year-old Cody Marshall Baker of second degree murder in September. Baker appeared in court Friday in Columbia, and Judge Jodie Asel rejected Baker’s motion for a new trial. Asel heard more than five hours of emotional testimony, before saying she needs more time to review that testimony. Sentencing is now set for Nov. 30.

Defense attorney Jeff Hilbrenner called several members of Baker’s family at the hearing. Paula and Mick Wilson, his mother and stepfather, along with Blaine Baker, his sister, told Judge Asel that Cody was a kind man, who cared deeply for his family and those he held close, including Finley Steele.

“I’ve struggled very deeply for the last 21 months understanding and accepting the possibility that Cody ever harmed Finley Steele,” Blaine Baker said. “After 31 years of knowing Cody, it just doesn’t make any sense. I’ve never seen Cody lose his temper or become frustrated with any child. It just never happened.”

Prosecutor Dan Knight tried painting a picture of a “psychopath.” Calling 17 witnesses to the stand, Knight argued that Baker was a liar who smooth-talked and stole from co-workers and family members. A woman who claimed to live with Baker told Judge Asel of their time together. That included an experience where she woke up without her two-year-old son next to her. She said she saw Baker holding the child, and later found bruises on the child’s head and body.

Before testimony, Judge Asel denied the defense’s motion for a new trial. Attorney Kay Evans said one juror knew Anna Steele’s aunt, and that relationship could have affected her decision. Judge Asel denied that motion, agreeing with Knight that the argument was filed too late, based on state rules.

Baker faces a maximum sentence of life in prison in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Court documents filed by Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight said Baker ” … caused the death of Finley Steele by causing her head to be impacted by a blunt object.” Columbia police said the 8-month-old girl was not breathing when police and EMS were called to the home, which is in the 500 block of Woodridge.

Finley Steele was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Columbia police confirmed on March 1, 2014 that the investigation revealed that the death was due to physical trauma and not natural causes.

A co-defendant is also charged in connection with the case. Anna Steele was Baker’s girlfriend at the time of the murder. Steele was originally charged with second degree murder.

The murder charge against Steele was dropped and amended earlier this year. Steele is now charged with child abuse/neglect and endangering the welfare of a child. Her jury trial is scheduled to begin in December.

ABC 17 News reported on April 10, 2014, that Anna Steele posted a $25,000 cash bond and was essentially placed on house arrest. The judge ordered Steele to live with her parents in Columbia, under GPS monitoring.