FIVE TESTIFY; JUDGE FINDS ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR ARRAIGNMENT

BENTON, Mo. -- Larry Baker was calm in the face of his girlfriend's anger about a misplaced coat on Feb. 9, but within hours of the argument, he killed her and set fire to the mobile home they shared in rural Scott County to try and cover up the crime.

That was the testimony of five witnesses over nearly three hours Friday during a preliminary hearing for Baker, 40, who is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree arson, and multiple drug-related charges in connection with the death of Lizabeth "Libby" Dunn, 41.

Baker frequently shook his head as if in disagreement with statements of witnesses during the court appearance.

Judge David Mann found sufficient evidence to schedule a June 14 formal arraignment. Special prosecutor Rachel Smith said she has not decided whether she will seek the death penalty against Baker.

A Scott County deputy found Dunn's body at the mobile home she shared with Baker at 510 County Road 331 just after 1 p.m. on Feb. 10 after the Scott County Sheriff's Department was called about a possible fire.

Sisters testify

Sisters Laura Best and Lisa Poston, friends of Baker's, both testified he visited Best's home in Cape Girardeau mid-morning Feb. 10 and told them that he was awakened by a smoke alarm and had escaped through a window of the trailer. He appeared upset and told the sisters "he couldn't find Libby."

Poston, who had gone to her home to gather clothes and a coat for Baker, called a relative who worked at the Cape Girardeau Police Department seeking information about the fire. The relative later told Poston no fire had been reported.

"I got very scared for my sister," Poston said. "I knew something wasn't right and I was scared for her to be alone in the house with him."

Poston returned to Best's home and confronted Baker. "That's when he got real nervous and left."

Sgt. Jerry Bledsoe said he decided to visit the home after inquiries about a fire because he had arrested Baker just two weeks earlier for assaulting Dunn and was concerned for her well-being.

Bledsoe called for backup after finding an unlocked door and receiving no answer to calls. "At that point, I kind of got a bad feeling," he said.

Dunn's body was in the kitchen with "some kind of massive wound to the right bust area." It appeared a fire had been deliberately set in the room but had burned itself out.

Bledsoe said Baker denied any involvement in Dunn's death when he was arrested near Miner, Mo., later that evening in connection with a methamphetamine lab found near his home.

Angela Pact, the first witness to testify, said she and her then-boyfriend, Kent Hamby, were riding with Dunn and Baker to a local bar around 11 p.m. Feb. 9 when the couple began to argue over the whereabouts of Dunn's coat. The foursome returned to the mobile home, and Pact and Hamby left and went to Cape Girardeau.

The couple returned to Scott County after Hamby received a call from Baker. The two men spoke briefly on a rural road near Baker's home, and Hamby returned to the car with a rifle.

"As he was putting the gun behind the seat he said She's hurt. Larry said he shot Libby,'" Pact said.

Pact testified she and Hamby returned to the trailer, where Hamby went inside and came back out, saying Dunn was dead and "there's nothing we can do." They returned to Cape Girardeau, where Pact said Hamby took the rifle to the bank of the Mississippi River and later returned without the gun.