Man Shot and Killed Son’s Friend at Graduation Party – William “Billy” Baker age 47, faces a murder charge in connection to the slaying of 18-year-old Paycin Kritlow, a matter of hours after he graduated from South Dearborn High School.
Officials with the Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office say Baker shot the 18-year-old in the neck during a graduation party for his son.
The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. Sunday at Baker’s home in the 13100 block of Prosperity Ridge Road, a rural area in Dillsboro. Officials with the Sheriff’s Office say they found Kritlow dead in the driveway with a large gunshot wound in his neck.
Officials say Kritlow was best friends and classmates with Baker’s son, both of whom attended South Dearborn and were celebrating their graduation.
Witnesses at the graduation party described a relatively normal day and evening, which included cornhole and horseshoes on the property.
“I think there were a fair amount of fellow classmates of the kids and family members and a lot of friends were there,” said Dearborn County prosecutor Lynn Deddens.
But after midnight, witnesses tell investigators that Baker shot and killed the 18-year-old, then pulled a knife and threatened to slit his own throat. That knife was eventually removed from Baker’s grasp, investigators said.
Sheriff’s deputies arriving on scene said they arrested Baker and found out the motive for the murder was a mistake.
Baker told investigators he grabbed his .30-06 rifle and went to a shed near the house where the party guests could be seen. Detectives said Baker told them he turned on the light in the shed so he could use the scope on the rifle.
Deputies said Baker admitted shooting Kritlow but said he did it because his 17-year-old daughter told him that Kritlow had raped her.
“He had asked his daughter who had done this to her and she pointed out Paycin Kritlow, who is our alleged victim, and then Baker proceeded to shoot him in the back,” Deddins said.
Investigators said they later interviewed Baker’s daughter, who stated that at no time did she tell her father that she had been sexually assaulted, that day or any other day.
“She stated she hadn’t been raped. She never reported to her dad that she had been raped, nor did any of her friends who were at the party with her,” Deddins said.
Baker was arrested and is being held at the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center.
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