Published: May 01, 2008 04:32 pm            

BREAKING NEWS: Baird found guilty of manslaughter

Eligible for parole in 8 months for death of Betty Crabtree

WHITLEY CITY — Troy Baird was convicted and sentenced Thursday afternoon to 10 years in state prison for the death of Betty Crabtree.

The 31-year-old Strunk man was arrested in January 2007 following the stabbing of five people at the Orb Cordell Road residence of Foster and Betty Crabtree.

Mrs. Crabtree was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Crabtree, 62; Lonnie King, 46; Ronald Walls, 37; and Wilma Jones, 56, were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity but later released.

Baird was indicted for murder, four counts of first-degree assault and robbery (for fleeing the scene in Foster Crabtree's car). His trial — presided over by Special Judge Jerry Winchester — began Tuesday with testimony ending Wednesday afternoon. Evidence presented indicated that Baird was attempting to buy drugs at the residence, and all involved were involved in drug-related activity when the tragedy occurred.

On Thursday morning defense attorney David Hoskins and commonwealth attorney Allen Trimble delivered their summations to the jury.

Hoskins pointed out that while his client was accused of stabbing five people, his knife and clothes had only the blood of Betty Crabtree on them. In regard to Baird's statement to authorities, Hoskins asked jurors to consider that Baird — not thinking clearly — took the blame for what officers suggested he had done.

Trimble acknowledged that the victims were engaged in illegal activity but asked jurors to try the crime, not the people involved.

Following more than three and a half hours of deliberation, the eight-woman, four-man jury returned with a verdict of guilty for second-degree manslaughter and the unauthorized use of a vehicle. Baird was found not guilty of assaulting Foster Crabtree, Wilma Jones, Lonnie King and Ronald Walls.

The manslaughter charge carries a penalty of 5-10 years, but Baird would be eligible for parole after serving 20 percent. The jury went with the maximum 10-year sentence. Considering the 16 months he has spent in jail awaiting trial, Baird will be eligible for parole in eight months. He is immediately eligible for shock probation.

"I am outraged," Betty Crabtree's step-daughter Sherry Crabtree said after hearing the verdict. "I can't believe that you can sell pills and be offered 20 years in jail, but you can kill somebody brutally and get nothing. He [Troy Baird] took someone from us and it has destroyed our family."

Crabtree did not elaborate on her remarks but both Mr. and Mrs. Crabtree had faced drug-related charges. Mr. Crabtree is expected to stand trial later this year for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

Baird's father, Gordon Baird, told The Record that he felt the jury's verdict was pretty good, if a little harsh. When asked how his son, who had no prior record, had handled the trial, Mr. Baird said, "Troy has been doing fairly good; he's been looking forward to getting it [the trial] over with."

Formal sentencing for Troy Baird has been scheduled for June 16 in McCreary Circuit Court.

        

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