Retired Pembroke Pines Police Sergeant and Wife Dead in Murder-Suicide

The bodies of retired sergeant John Baker, 62, and his wife Joanne, 59, were found Monday at their Pembroke Pines home in an apparent murder-suicide, BSO says.

Retired Pembroke Pines sergeant and wife found dead in apparent murder-suicide

The bodies of a retired Pembroke Pines Police sergeant and his wife were discovered Monday morning at a home in the 8300 block of Pine Drive, nbcmiami.com reports, following a 911 call about two unresponsive individuals at the address.

John Baker, 62, and his wife Joanne Baker, 59, were pronounced dead at the scene. A preliminary investigation by the Broward Sheriff's Office determined that Joanne shot and killed John before turning the gun on herself. The official cause and manner of death will be established by the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, which continues to investigate.

John Baker joined the Pembroke Pines Police Department in 1994 and served for nearly 28 years, rising to the rank of sergeant. He was a founding member of the department's Crisis Response Team and worked regularly with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Special Olympics Torch Run, and Special Compass, a local non-profit supporting children and families with disabilities.

In 2019, Baker was severely injured in an on-duty motorcycle crash that affected his speech and movement, though he was subsequently able to regain limited motor skills.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Pembroke Pines Police Department paid tribute to its former colleague. "With heavy hearts our agency announces the untimely death of retired Pembroke Pines Police Sergeant John Baker, who proudly served the residents of our city for nearly 28 years," the statement read.

The department also described Baker as a devoted family man. "Outside of work, Sergeant Baker was a dedicated father to his three children. Some of his interests included traveling and music, as he often attended concerts alongside his family," the statement said. "Even with the challenges he faced from his work-related injury, his joyful and positive personality always persisted."

The department extended its condolences to Baker's three children, family members, and friends. The investigation remains ongoing.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)