Edward Gerald Baker was a charasmatic businessman who, like many, hit it big during the early-mid 80's oil boom in Texas (somewhat akin to the J.R. Ewing character from Dallas)......he founded Vanguard International down in Houston, TX from which he sold what the UM segment described as 'tax shelters' (which, due to current laws are now illegal).

However, the rush of wealth reportedly went to Baker's head and he fell into the trap of self-indulgence.....often 'borrowing' money from many of the investors which bought into his 'tax shelters' and by the mid 80's when the boom turned into a bust...Vanguard was near bankruptcy.....Baker's investors were clamoring for some return on their investments and Baker was in a very tight spot.

Some believe that Baker somehow got in touch with Mafia/organized crime figures in Florida and managed to get a sizeable bailout from them.......

Before anyone could really find out, Baker's flashy Jaguar was found burned to a crisp in a field outside Houston. Inside, was reportedly the body of Edward Baker.........or was it?

There was also speculation that Baker did not have any contact with the mob and instead came up with an ingenious plan to stage his own death with another body before fleeing to the Caribbean.

One intriguing clue that remains is a Chevrolet Flairside Pickup with chrome rails and mag wheels that was seen speeding away from the seen of the fire........could it possibly have been Baker and an accomplice, or could it have been the killers of Ed Baker?

I've always felt that most evidence in this case points to Baker committing suicide with the help of an accomplice who set his car on fire after Baker himself pulled the trigger on himself.

I'm leaning towards that too.......for two reasons

in the segment, the part about 'death threats' seems a little on the phony side.....what logical reason would the mafia have for killing Baker out of the blue? the only one I can think of is that they got spooked by Baker's P.I. and thought he would be a liability a needed to be silenced.......but that seems too far fetched.

the letter he sent to his attny, Ward Busey, said something to the effect of "if you are reading this......I am dead" which strongly supports the 'cover-up'/disappearence theory.

however, if one still clings to the mafia hit idea.......Baker could've been in legit. fear for his life and figured that with the Mafia closing in, he was going to be dead in a matter of days so why not mail the letter to his attny and leave it at that?

Shortly before his disappearance, didn't he tell his ex-wife that he feared for his life? Also, he had been receiving treatening phone calls. Did he make it all up to throw everyone off?

I watched this episode last night, and i dont really think he commited suicide. There was no need for him to burn himself and his car. Usually fire is used to hide the true nature of a crime, but if you commit suicide...what would you want to hide burning yourself?

IMO he was killed by the mafia... or maybe hes enjoying life somewhere.. i remember they mention his widow was living in Europe (i guess thats why she wasnt interviewed). Maybe hes with her now.

...Usually fire is used to hide the true nature of a crime, but if you commit suicide...what would you want to hide burning yourself?...


Because you want your wife to be able to collect on insurance policies that won't pay out if the death is ruled a suicide. I don't think its that hard to conceive of him doing that.

Hell, that guy in North Dakota chose to crush his own skull with his forklift in a staged accident so his insurance would pay out to his wife and kids.

Because you want your wife to be able to collect on insurance policies that won't pay out if the death is ruled a suicide. I don't think its that hard to conceive of him doing that.

Hell, that guy in North Dakota chose to crush his own skull with his forklift in a staged accident so his insurance would pay out to his wife and kids.

Then, if you want your suicide to look like a murder, why would you left your gun at your feet? if he had an accomplice he shouldve asked him to retrieve the gun after he was dead.

But well never know. I hope Mr. Baker is laughing at us reading this post somewhere in Europe. ;)

Edward Gerald Baker was a charasmatic businessman who, like many, hit it big during the early-mid 80's oil boom in Texas (somewhat akin to the J.R. Ewing character from Dallas)......he founded Vanguard International down in Houston, TX from which he sold what the UM segment described as 'tax shelters' (which, due to current laws are now illegal).

However, the rush of wealth reportedly went to Baker's head and he fell into the trap of self-indulgence.....often 'borrowing' money from many of the investors which bought into his 'tax shelters' and by the mid 80's when the boom turned into a bust...Vanguard was near bankruptcy.....Baker's investors were clamoring for some return on their investments and Baker was in a very tight spot.

Some believe that Baker somehow got in touch with Mafia/organized crime figures in Florida and managed to get a sizeable bailout from them.......

Before anyone could really find out, Baker's flashy Jaguar was found burned to a crisp in a field outside Houston. Inside, was reportedly the body of Edward Baker.........or was it?

There was also speculation that Baker did not have any contact with the mob and instead came up with an ingenious plan to stage his own death with another body before fleeing to the Caribbean.

One intriguing clue that remains is a Chevrolet Flairside Pickup with chrome rails and mag wheels that was seen speeding away from the seen of the fire........could it possibly have been Baker and an accomplice, or could it have been the killers of Ed Baker?

I know this topic is very old... but I just came across this and thought that I would reply... In the episode... they mentioned the bizare twist... another body found in close prox. to Ed Baker... unidentified male...
6 weeks later he was identified... and police chalked it up to a drug deal gone bad... Toxicology reports on male... indicate NO alcohol or drugs in victims system...What are the chances... that 2 bodies found so close... have no direct link? Also, the unidentified male was an oilfield worker!

I know this topic is very old... but I just came across this and thought that I would reply... In the episode... they mentioned the bizare twist... another body found in close prox. to Ed Baker... unidentified male...
6 weeks later he was identified... and police chalked it up to a drug deal gone bad... Toxicology reports on male... indicate NO alcohol or drugs in victims system...What are the chances... that 2 bodies found so close... have no direct link? Also, the unidentified male was an oilfield worker!

That's a strange coincidence, and I wonder why UM didn't bring up the fact that he was an oilfield worker in the segment. I think he killed himself. They kept bringing up the fact that no one would set themselves on fire and be coherent enough to shoot themselves. It's not like he'd be engulfed in flames immediately. If you think about it, if he poured gas around the car and inside and lit the backseat/back area with a match, it would only take seconds for him to hold the gun up to his head and shoot himself. I think he killed himself and made it look like a murder so his wife could collect on his insurance.

I think perhaps hes alive and well living somewhere under an assumed identity.....orrrrrr maybe he was in trouble with the mafia and hes in the witness protection program.....either way he was Bernie Madoff before it was cool

The case of Ed Baker truly is one where you could make a case for every scenario involved in the segment.

Let's start with suicide. He called his insurance carriers a week or so prior to his death and specifically asked them if the policies would pay out in the event of suicide, which they told him they would not. He was embezzling money from new clients and figured that he would pay back those clients with the next set of clients, but, clients were no longer coming in. He was out of money and was likely going to face charges. He also mailed a letter to his attorney stating that he was dead. How would he know that he was going to be dead unless he was planning to kill himself.

Next is Murder. He was found shot inside a car that was burned so badly that it deteriorated to the point where his remains only weighed 40 - 50lbs or so. He was also stating that in the weeks preceding his death, he was receiving threatening and harassing phone calls from unknown parties, threatening to kill him.

Lastly is that he faked his own death. I find this one very unlikely. The remains were proven to be Ed's, although the segment does state there was some hesitation in making that call. Probably due to the fact that his body was burned so badly. If this were to be true, then whose body was in the car ad why would forensics identify it as Ed's?


My Conclusion. I believe Ed Baker killed himself and made it look like a murder so his wife and kids could collect on the insurance policies and be taken care of. I believe he went to see his ex wife for two reason. One, so that he could tell her he was receiving threatening phone calls, when in fact he was not (probably done to throw people off) and two, to say goodbye. Yes, they were divorced but they had just divorced a few years prior after a ten year marriage. He seemed to still be close to her. The letter to his attorney, Ward Busey, is a giveaway IMO.

Also, I found this obit in the Houston Chronicle (http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hou...?pid=163885651) for a man named John Busey. In the obit, it states he was preceded in death by his brother, Ward Busey. I'm fairly sure this is the same Ward Busey as I have a hard time believing there were two Ward Busey's running around Houston. Plus, the UM website states that Busey died in 2000.

My Conclusion. I believe Ed Baker killed himself and made it look like a murder so his wife and kids could collect on the insurance policies and be taken care of. I believe he went to see his ex wife for two reason. One, so that he could tell her he was receiving threatening phone calls, when in fact he was not (probably done to throw people off) and two, to say goodbye.

Bingo.

This also gives more credence to the "foul play" angle, since his ex-wife would be a witness. There may have been people threatening him, but I ultimately think the walls were closing in on Baker to the point where he just offed himself.

Bingo.

This also gives more credence to the "foul play" angle, since his ex-wife would be a witness. There may have been people threatening him, but I ultimately think the walls were closing in on Baker to the point where he just offed himself.

I think the random dead body located in the same area, is the reason for most of the conspiracy theories surrounding this case. Take that out and you have a simple case of suicide.

Also, I don't believe it would be very hard to light the fire and then shoot himself. The fire would not immediately be all over him, especially if he set it in the backseat or the passengers seat.

I've always thought this was an interesting case, and the segment is easily one of my top 10 favorites.

Many of us here are familiar with the Murderers Among Us book by Michaud/Aynesworth. There is a chapter dedicated to Ed Baker's story, and although I've misplaced the book since, I seem to remember there was speculation that Sandy--Baker's fourth and current wife at the time of his death--may have had some degree of involvement. I don't remember many details save for someone reporting her carrying a great deal of cash very shortly after her Ed's death (IIRC, the implication seemed to be that this cash could have been a payment for a hitman--something about it being in a paper bag sitting on the floorboard of her car and the person reporting this alleging she was behaving evasively about it). I don't know if there's much merit to any of that, but I do find it interesting, especially since none of this was ever mentioned in the segment.

Just some posts at the unsolved.com site I thought were interesting as well:

Submitted by DG (not verified) on Sun, 09/28/2014 - 10:26

I was a freelance artist at the time and I went to the Vanguard building to talk to Ed Baker's daughter about doing some artwork for them. I also met his son, who's handshake was wet and clammy and he said he wasn't feeling well, but seemed very nervous about something. The daughter toured me through the building which was lavishly decorated and designed by her mother, Baker's first wife. We went into his office but he was gone. The fireplace was going and his daughter was surprised that he left abruptly. She showed me his office and private bathroom with black tile, gold fixtures, and other extravagant designs I had never seen in a bathroom. I had parked my '62 Oldsmobile next to a black Jaguar, which I didn't realize was Baker's car that would later be found burned with a body inside. I was to get back with Miss Baker the following week and start doing artwork, but she didn't call me. I waited a couple more days and decided to call her. She said there was a death in the family and asked if I'd heard on the news about the burned-out Jag with a burned body inside it. I said I had, and she told me it was her dad. She had also mentioned at our first meeting that her dad did some gambling in Vegas and would always win around $30,000 playing the roulette, with some strategy of placing bets on the 00 and 000. She said in our final conversation that he had talked with his ex wife about being afraid that the Mafia was after him, and was sickened with fear. I often wondered if Baker had told his son anything that day I met him when his handshake was cold and clammy as he seemed more nervous than sick. It was also then that Baker left his office in such a rush. I had a creepy feeling for a couple of weeks, as if I was being watched or my phone was tapped. The daughter mentioned a ring on the finger of the victim, that it was her dad's, but she said it could have been placed there as it wasn't destryoyed. I think she just had hopes he was still alive somewhere and I couldn't blame her. She was a very sweet girl and I hated that she suffered such a loss.

Submitted by Rhonda (not verified) on Tue, 08/04/2015 - 16:26

I was dating his lawyer and Ward told me he thought it was suicide so the insurance could still be collected by his kids' mama for their kids. He said the body was burned so badly, he thinks Ed actually drank gasoline as well as covered himself and the car with it. I believe Ward said it was a shotgun he propped up from the floorboard and he thinks Ed pulled the trigger as he lit the lighter. I remember him telling me that if someone was on fire, their natural instinct would be to run....they wouldn't be able to sit there and burn. That sounded reasonable to me.

Submitted by TCW (not verified) on Sat, 01/23/2016 - 07:30

I worked there at the time of his death. His son, Blake, was a drug addict and that is why his behavior was sketchy. There was definitely accelerant used and that's why the body was so badly charred. His platinum wedding ring and gun were barely misshapen which means they were thrown into the fire after the initial burn, as determined by the Houston Police Dept. There is no way you can drink gasoline and then light a fire and shoot yourself. The gas would burn your lungs and suffocate you almost immediately. Although the medical examiner determined (using a small piece of his jawbone) that this was indeed Ed, there are many in the investigation that don't believe it, including one of the homicide investigators who happened to be my neighbor at the time, the district attorney and the FBI. They continued the investigation after the decision by the M.E. One year after his death Texas Monthly Magazine featured and article about Ed and even used a picture of someone who looked similar to him in their cover with the headline "Is Edward Baker alive and well and living in Antigua?"

ETA: I love Texas Monthly because it has featured some absolutely outstanding articles on many true crime stories I've been interested in (Terri Hoffman's Conscious Development group comes to mind). I'd love to get a hold of that article, but I haven't been able to yet dig it up.

I'm going to have to agree with him being able to light the fire and still being able to shoot himself rather quickly.

This case is kind of like Adam Emery's, IMO. For awhile, it seemed very possible that they both were alive and on the run. But with the passage of time, without any real sightings of either of the men, I think I'd lean more towards both being long since deceased.

I've always thought this was an interesting case, and the segment is easily one of my top 10 favorites.

Many of us here are familiar with the Murderers Among Us book by Michaud/Aynesworth. There is a chapter dedicated to Ed Baker's story, and although I've misplaced the book since, I seem to remember there was speculation that Sandy--Baker's fourth and current wife at the time of his death--may have had some degree of involvement. I don't remember many details save for someone reporting her carrying a great deal of cash very shortly after her Ed's death (IIRC, the implication seemed to be that this cash could have been a payment for a hitman--something about it being in a paper bag sitting on the floorboard of her car and the person reporting this alleging she was behaving evasively about it). I don't know if there's much merit to any of that, but I do find it interesting, especially since none of this was ever mentioned in the segment.

If that's true, it could explain why he called his ex wife before his death and not her. Maybe he knew she had some sort of sinister plan to kill him but he didn't know for sure and didn't tell his ex wife? Or maybe he did and UM purposely left it out.

Just some posts at the unsolved.com site I thought were interesting as well:







ETA: I love Texas Monthly because it has featured some absolutely outstanding articles on many true crime stories I've been interested in (Terri Hoffman's Conscious Development group comes to mind). I'd love to get a hold of that article, but I haven't been able to yet dig it up.


The post be "DG" seems legit. The other two, who knows. Very interesting stuff in there, Meg. Thanks for sharing.

If that's true, it could explain why he called his ex wife before his death and not her. Maybe he knew she had some sort of sinister plan to kill him but he didn't know for sure and didn't tell his ex wife? Or maybe he did and UM purposely left it out.

I know the UM segment briefly mentioned that Sandy had publicly stated she believed Ed's murder was a mafia hit, and that she had moved to Europe (the implication seeming to be that she was so afraid of the people that allegedly killed her husband, she moved from the U.S.).

I guess I personally lean toward the notion that he essentially concocted his own suicide plan, in part on the merit of the Ward Busey letter. But I'm a little curious as to whether he may have been at least strongly encouraged toward this plan by someone who would directly benefit from his insurance payout. I don't have near the amount of information I should to begin to really speculate there, but I admit it's something that did cross my mind.

Found this today, seems like an article published shortly after he was found:

Houston Chronicle
November 10, 1985

Topics:
Index Terms:
'ALM 'DCG MURDERS HOUSTON

Family awaiting word on fate of missing man

Author: REBECCA TROUNSON; Staff

Article Text:
Family and neighbors of Edward Gerald Baker were keeping an anxious vigil Saturday as they waited to learn whether a body found in the burned-out hulk of Baker's car was that of the missing investment broker.
The unidentified body, along with a second body found a short distance away, was discovered Friday in a field about two miles north of Katy. The second body, that of a man wearing handcuffs, was found a few hundred yards from the first.
Neither of the bodies had been identified Saturday and Harris County Sheriff's Department officials said they did not yet know whether the deaths were related.
Baker, 52, the owner and president of Vanguard Groups International Inc. in Houston, was reported missing early Thursday morning when he did not show up for work and a gardener noticed that a window in his home had been broken. Baker's 1984 Jaguar and his shotgun also were reported missing.
On Friday morning, the Jaguar was discovered by several farmers in a field near Stockdick and Porter and was later identified as the one belonging to Baker. The body found inside the car was so badly burned it was impossible to determine immediately either the sex or the cause of death, Homicide Detective Ronnie Phillips said.
On Saturday afternoon, friends and family gathered at Baker's home in the 15000 block of Margeson in northwest Harris County, waiting with his wife, children and stepchildren for any news.
Stepdaughter Lisha Hoff said Saturday that the family would have no comment. But before turning to walk back into the house she said of her stepfather, "He was a great and wonderful man."
Neighbors made similar comments, although none interviewed said they knew Baker very well. Most said they only knew him in connection with his love for roses, which resulted in his gift to the neighborhood of a rose garden across the street from his home.
Neighbor Alice Chapa said she knew neither of the Bakers well but described him as a friendly man, who often worked in his garden.
Others had similar words. "We would wave at each other," Susan Clayton said. "He was always real nice, real friendly. He seemed to be home a lot during the day."
"He's a really friendly man. We're grateful for what he's done for our neighborhood," added Rosanne Berry.
Baker's garden, where roses of all sizes, shapes and shades create a profusion of color and fragrance, was featured on the cover of the September, 1985 issue of "Houston Home and Garden." In 1982, Baker bought the vacant lot across from his home and - doing much of the work himself - built a wooden gazebo, gravel paths and a picket fence. He installed a fountain and lights, then planted more than 150 varieties of roses, opening the garden to the public in 1983.
Homicide Detective Ronnie Phillips said Saturday that Baker apparently had serious financial problems, although Phillips said he did not know whether that might be a factor in his disappearance.
"We understand that he had a lot of investors in his company and owed large sums of money. We heard that his company has been losing money and that the investors had been hollering," the detective said.
Officials with Baker's company, an investment brokerage firm specializing in the real estate and oil business, could not be reached for comment Saturday.
Phillips also said Baker's wife had told authorities that her husband had received death threats before his disappearance Thursday.
Phillips said the gardener who discovered Baker's disappearance said that the telephone in Baker's bedroom had been knocked off a table and that an ashtray had been overturned on the floor.
"His shotgun was missing," Phillips said. "But his jacket with a wallet, $900 in cash and his credit cards were lying across a chair in the living room. It didn't appear to be a robbery. The house was not ransacked."
The body and Baker's car were discovered about 9:15 a.m. Friday. Inside the car were the remains of a shotgun, a .32-caliber pistol and three cans that bore traces of a flammable liquid. Baker's wife told authorities her husband always carried the pistol with him, Phillips said.
The second body, that of a man in his 20s, was discovered about 5 p.m. Friday by a wrecker driver. The victim, who was wearing only a shirt and handcuffs and his skull appeared to have been crushed, officials said.
Phillips said Saturday that dental records for Baker were being collected to aid in identification. An identification was unlikely to be made before Monday when lab tests were expected to be completed.

I find it a little interesting that the only people who confirmed Baker was receiving death threats were his wife and Baker himself--to our knowledge, anyway.

I would love to see any photos of the home (and probably never will), but the broken window/overturned ashtray/knocked-over phone combo in conjunction with the fact that by all accounts, the house didn't appear to be in disarray otherwise might be suggestive of a staging attempt.

Found this today, seems like an article published shortly after he was found:



I find it a little interesting that the only people who confirmed Baker was receiving death threats were his wife and Baker himself--to our knowledge, anyway.

I would love to see any photos of the home (and probably never will), but the broken window/overturned ashtray/knocked-over phone combo in conjunction with the fact that by all accounts, the house didn't appear to be in disarray otherwise might be suggestive of a staging attempt.

I agree with you, Meg. Seems like he would have told anyone who would listen if he was truly receiving death threats, but who knows.

I looked up the area where his body was found online (as there has been a ton of construction over there recently with a new highway being built) and the field where he was found, is still there. No construction or anything has been done there. I also looked up his house "with a rose garden across the street" and there does not appear to be any sort of garden around the 15000 block of Margeson. A complete neighborhood has been built there. Not surprising since it was over 30 years ago.

I tried to find the September issue of Houston Homes and Gardens online, but I did not have any luck.

I'm not sure, but I always thought Ed was in Europe with his wife.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but in the segment it said that his wife hired a P.I. to investigate Ed's death, but she said she believed a mafia from Florida did it. If you knew it was the mafia why would you hire a P.I.? She moved because she was "afraid for her life", but wasn't afraid to let UM know she hired a P.I.?

The letter that Ed gave to his attorney for his wife seemed odd too. He couldn't leave it somewhere in the house? Seemed like Ed and his wife were trying to create witnesses. Especially in that letter where he states "I will be dead" seems weird.

I think Ed was trying to create a witness with his Attorney with that faux letter, and telling his ex-wife he was afraid for his life, and I think Ed's wife tried to make the story seem legit by "hiring" a P.I. to find out who killed Ed, when she said she knew who it was. Also, that body found near the scene couldn't have been a coincidence. I'm sure Ed wasn't in that car.

EDIT: It's possible that Ed's wife was behind the whole thing. Could've had someone make threatening phone calls to Ed to scare him and to create an alibi that he was actually being targeted. Also could've had another man call Ed's insurance to see if it would pay in Ed's death. I find it weird that Ed was being "targeted" and was overly worried about if his wife would receive benefits.

Either Ed wasn't in that car, or his Wife had him killed.

The case of Ed Baker truly is one where you could make a case for every scenario involved in the segment.

Let's start with suicide. He called his insurance carriers a week or so prior to his death and specifically asked them if the policies would pay out in the event of suicide, which they told him they would not. He was embezzling money from new clients and figured that he would pay back those clients with the next set of clients, but, clients were no longer coming in. He was out of money and was likely going to face charges. He also mailed a letter to his attorney stating that he was dead. How would he know that he was going to be dead unless he was planning to kill himself.

Next is Murder. He was found shot inside a car that was burned so badly that it deteriorated to the point where his remains only weighed 40 - 50lbs or so. He was also stating that in the weeks preceding his death, he was receiving threatening and harassing phone calls from unknown parties, threatening to kill him.

Lastly is that he faked his own death. I find this one very unlikely. The remains were proven to be Ed's, although the segment does state there was some hesitation in making that call. Probably due to the fact that his body was burned so badly. If this were to be true, then whose body was in the car ad why would forensics identify it as Ed's?


My Conclusion. I believe Ed Baker killed himself and made it look like a murder so his wife and kids could collect on the insurance policies and be taken care of. I believe he went to see his ex wife for two reason. One, so that he could tell her he was receiving threatening phone calls, when in fact he was not (probably done to throw people off) and two, to say goodbye. Yes, they were divorced but they had just divorced a few years prior after a ten year marriage. He seemed to still be close to her. The letter to his attorney, Ward Busey, is a giveaway IMO.

Also, I found this obit in the Houston Chronicle (http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hou...?pid=163885651) for a man named John Busey. In the obit, it states he was preceded in death by his brother, Ward Busey. I'm fairly sure this is the same Ward Busey as I have a hard time believing there were two Ward Busey's running around Houston. Plus, the UM website states that Busey died in 2000.

Wow. I didn't think this thread had much life in it after I initially posted it (nearly 10 years ago when I was 22 or so lol). I do thank everyone for their responses and after re-watching the segment, wanted to revisit the thread with some new thoughts of mine.

I think the theory above is the most likely scenario. Baker's world was quickly crumbling and it was only a matter of time before he'd end up behind bars. Rather than try and escape to europe or change his identity, he elected to commit suicide, but went to all these extra steps to ensure his wife and kids would receive the insurance payout.

For me, the giveaway is the call to his insurance company a week beforehand. If he was going to try and escape to Europe with Sandy, this shouldn't have been a concern. If Sandy was plotting to off him, I would think she would already know this. Finally, if the Mafia or some other third party was going to kill them, they shouldn't have even cared (in which case this would just stand out as eerie).

I just watched this episode. His attorney says "The letter I got said 'If you're reading this, I am dead.' How did he know he was gonna die that night, unless he planned on going out and killing himself?"

The letter shown actually says:

"Mr Ward Busey,

There have been threats on my life in the past month that I don't know how real they are. Just in case, I have written Sandy a letter that I want you to keep to give to her in case something should happen to me.

I hope this isn't silly, but in these days and times crazy things happen every day. Maybe I'm just reacting, but I've never had a threat before and it just kind of gets to me. I guess you have had experience with clients before so you understand.

If anything should happen, please help Sandy and my kids all you can. You have always been a good friend and I know I can count on you.

Thanks
Ed Baker"


There's a big difference between "If you're reading this, I am dead" and what that letter says - a difference a competent attorney should recognize. The letter doesn't say he would be dead by the time the letter arrived. The attorney projected that himself only because the letter DID arrive after his death. I do believe it was likely a suicide, and that he made it look like a murder so his family would get the life insurance, but the attorney twice in the episode claims that the letter said "If you are reading this, I am dead" and it annoyed me enough to come post in this years-old thread about it.

I just watched this episode. His attorney says "The letter I got said 'If you're reading this, I am dead.' How did he know he was gonna die that night, unless he planned on going out and killing himself?"

The letter shown actually says:



There's a big difference between "If you're reading this, I am dead" and what that letter says - a difference a competent attorney should recognize. The letter doesn't say he would be dead by the time the letter arrived. The attorney projected that himself only because the letter DID arrive after his death. I do believe it was likely a suicide, and that he made it look like a murder so his family would get the life insurance, but the attorney twice in the episode claims that the letter said "If you are reading this, I am dead" and it annoyed me enough to come post in this years-old thread about it.

Welcome! :wave: We're happy to have you here!

....and I have nothing else to contribute to your comments. I need to rewatch this segment for sure. You've made some interesting points I'd like to examine.

Thanks for coming in to comment, though! Chime in on other cases! Hopefully ones that I'm more familiar with! LOL.

I just watched this episode. His attorney says "The letter I got said 'If you're reading this, I am dead.' How did he know he was gonna die that night, unless he planned on going out and killing himself?"

The letter shown actually says:



There's a big difference between "If you're reading this, I am dead" and what that letter says - a difference a competent attorney should recognize. The letter doesn't say he would be dead by the time the letter arrived. The attorney projected that himself only because the letter DID arrive after his death. I do believe it was likely a suicide, and that he made it look like a murder so his family would get the life insurance, but the attorney twice in the episode claims that the letter said "If you are reading this, I am dead" and it annoyed me enough to come post in this years-old thread about it.

Welcome!

And I agree with the bolded 100%. The "I am dead" line is for an insurance payout, because most insurance claims don't pay out for suicides. It's obvious Ed was running around creating witnesses (ala ex-wife) to back up the notion that he was "afraid for his life" in case the insurance company needed witnesses.

Does make me wonder if that was really Ed in the vehicle though. Ed was a very crafty individual. I wouldn't have been surprised if him and his wife went to Europe with the insurance money. I mean he was known to get a face lift, maybe he got another?

If you're reading this, hi Ed! I hope your other face lifts didn't make you look like Michael Jackson.

I just watched this episode. His attorney says "The letter I got said 'If you're reading this, I am dead.' How did he know he was gonna die that night, unless he planned on going out and killing himself?"

The letter shown actually says:



There's a big difference between "If you're reading this, I am dead" and what that letter says - a difference a competent attorney should recognize. The letter doesn't say he would be dead by the time the letter arrived. The attorney projected that himself only because the letter DID arrive after his death. I do believe it was likely a suicide, and that he made it look like a murder so his family would get the life insurance, but the attorney twice in the episode claims that the letter said "If you are reading this, I am dead" and it annoyed me enough to come post in this years-old thread about it.

I have no idea how I missed this post over the last few years. Excellent find, Aleister!

Just out of curiosity though, does anyone know if that was the exact letter mailed to Ward Busey? I would assume so since he mentions receiving it after Ed's body was found. If it is legit, then this is absolutely a far cry from, "If you're reading this, then I'm dead". In fact, the letter Aleister posted actually sounds like a cry from help from a guy who was legitimately scared and rattled. Someone who isn't used to that type of thing happening.

Another question I have is in the segment, it mentions Ed's body was found in an area known by LE for bodies being dumped there. How would Ed Baker know that? Ultimately, I still believe he killed himself but that letters validity and the location of his body seem odd to me. If you're going to kill yourself and make it look like a homicide, why not do it in a location where you're sure to be found or in a location known to Ed Baker?

I have no idea how I missed this post over the last few years. Excellent find, Aleister!

Just out of curiosity though, does anyone know if that was the exact letter mailed to Ward Busey? I would assume so since he mentions receiving it after Ed's body was found. If it is legit, then this is absolutely a far cry from, "If you're reading this, then I'm dead". In fact, the letter Aleister posted actually sounds like a cry from help from a guy who was legitimately scared and rattled. Someone who isn't used to that type of thing happening.

Another question I have is in the segment, it mentions Ed's body was found in an area known by LE for bodies being dumped there. How would Ed Baker know that? Ultimately, I still believe he killed himself but that letters validity and the location of his body seem odd to me. If you're going to kill yourself and make it look like a homicide, why not do it in a location where you're sure to be found or in a location known to Ed Baker?

Given the publicity surrounding the area (being used as a dumping ground for bodies), Baker probably figured if he did it there, that would point authorities more towards murder rather than suicide (wouldn't have taken much for Ed to figure that out - just the mere mention of it in a news story/article).

I just watched this segment again and I have one lingering question; why did Ward Busey say that Ed's letter said "if you are reading this, I am dead"? He said it two different times in the segment, yet in the letter shown on the broadcast by UM, it never says that. One thought that came to mind is that maybe Busey got his letter and the letter Ed mailed to him to give to his wife mixed up. I don't think that is the case, but I can't figure out why Busey said it not once, but twice when it doesn't say "if you are reading this, I am dead."

Moreover, UM had a copy of the letter. Why did they not clarify what Wary Busey was saying? It seems awfully strange.

Moreover, UM had a copy of the letter. Why did they not clarify what Wary Busey was saying? It seems awfully strange.

Because they are in the entertainment business. Truth and facts do not always matter.