8/5/04
	Dear Matt,
	I am glad I found this Website. I feel privileged to have met and worked
	with Tara. I worked with her at the mall in Athens during the Christmas
	holidays. She was a beautiful and wonderfully kind young lady. I
	remember her taking one of our co-workers “under her wing”. She said
	that Nicole reminded her of her sister and she loved spending time with
	Nicole because she felt like she was with her sister. Nicole and Tara
	would go to church together and occasionally go to movies. Tara was
	constantly talking about how she missed her family and couldn’t wait to
	see them at the holidays.

	I remember how delicate Tara seemed, I would tease her that we should
	trade figures because my hips were too big! She was always smiling and
	so friendly. She talked about how she was living her dream and one day
	she would be a judge. We had secret Santa’s at work and another
	co-worker drew her name. She knew exactly what to get Tara, a mini
	gavel. Tara was tickled.

	I remember the last day I saw Tara, it was before Christmas, and she was
	leaving work when I came in for my shift. She was so excited to see her
	family and spend time with them. She said our boss had asked her to come
	back and work at the end of January and through Valentine’s. She said
	she looked forward to getting to work with us and getting to know us
	more. I remember thinking how amazing this girl was, she was in school
	and had another job, but she still wanted to come back and work with us
	at the mall.

	The phone call I received from Nicole telling me about Tara’s death is
	still so vivid. I had just walked into the store at the mall and the
	phone rang. Nicole asked me if I had heard about Tara, I said no. She
	told me that Tara had died, and was possibly murdered. I remember my
	reaction; I didn’t believe her. I asked her who told her that. She said
	her preacher had come by the house to help her parents tell her, since
	she and Tara were close. Then she said it was in the newspaper. I was
	still in disbelief. I ran outside to grab a newspaper and I couldn’t
	believe my eyes. There it was in black and white. I remember walking
	back to my store shaking and my feet feeling heavier with every step I
	took. I didn’t know what to do, other than cry.

	We all grieved for Tara. We had only just met her and yet we felt as
	though we had lost an old friend. I can’t imagine the pain and disbelief
	her family and friends went through. I still think of Tara everyday. I
	can honestly say that. She was a wonderful person and she is greatly
	missed. Thank you for making this Website, it has brought back a lot of
	memories of Tara and her radiant smile and personality.

	Sincerely,
	Jamie R. King

	7/7/04
	Hello, I am from Canada, i was goofing around on the internet and thought i would punch in my own
	name and see what came up....well i landed on Tara Baker, my name is Tara Baker. I started
	reading..and reading...and reading...and looking at her pictures and by the end i had read
	everything....i too was interested in law, i was a probation officer for a while, i am currantly in
	the helping feild. Your daughter, your sister, your niece, your friend, your shining star.....still
	shines because of the love you all have for her. She's just on the other side of the door. Talk to
	her...she can hear you....and if you listen closly you can hear her. Mom...remember when you were
	pregnant with her.. it's alot like this again....but now she's expecting you when it's your time.
	My heart goes out to you and the family and friends ...thank you for putting this site together to
	continue sharing her with the world, she was lucky to have you all. with love, Tara xoxoxo

	6/10/04
	Hi, my name is Sara Wilson. I somehow heard about this website and have been wanting to write. I am
	a business owner in town and I see Tara's billboards every day. She was born the same year I was. I
	want you to know that my family prays for her and your family every day. My son is almost three. He
	is very smart. He is learning about God at school and home. He had some fish pass away, and after my
	husband flushed them down the pottie, we told them that they went to heaven. A friend of our's
	grandmother passed away and we went to the wake. We told him what happened and that she was in
	heaven with God. He looked at us with his big blue eyes and so sweetly said,"she went down the
	hole". After that, we explained to him that only fish go down the hole. It was sweet. We pass a
	billboard on the way to his school everyday. He is very observant about what is outside. He saw her
	beautiful picture and asked who it was. I told him Tara Baker, and that she is with God in heaven.
	If he see's her picture, he will tell you that. I just wanted to tell you that and that our hearts
	ache for you. I go to Walmart alot on the east side, and when I pass the apartment area, I always
	think about her and say a prayer. God bless you and your famiy. I believe God has already blessed Tara.
	Sincerely,
	Sara Wilson 

	6/2/04
	To the family and friends of Tara:
	Thank you for this wonderful tribute to your loved one. I work in the field of violence against
	women and am encouraged by your tenacity and commitment to justice for her. The sentiments and
	memories expressed have made me tearful as I read. Please know she and you are in my thoughts.
	Sincerely,
	Marci Breedlove

	6/1/04
	Greetings:
	I was sitting here reading the News Daily newspaper and read the article about your loved one. My
	best friend was murdered back in 1993 in Charlotte, NC by a man that she had known for 3 and a half
	years. He had murdered 10-11 other women prior to murdering my best friend. He was someone that she
	had trusted and let in her home on many previous occasions. Yet, on this one day he came by and took
	her life and then set her apartment on fire and left. At first we thought that she had died in the
	fire and for 3 months her family and friends grieved for the senseless death of our beloved Val, but
	later this man tried to kill another girl and she survived and went to the police. Once he was
	captured, he began to confess of all the murders. He confessed to killing my best friend, who's
	death had been ruled accidental in the beginning. Now her family had to endure the agonizing and
	heart-wrenching details of what their daughter's last moments had been.
	Valencia Michelle Jumper was a senior one semester away from graduating from Johnson C. Smith
	University in Charlotte. She was from Columbia, South Carolina and had never been out on her own
	until she went off to college. I understand the pain and frustration that your family is going
	through and send my prayers to each of you in hopes that you will find some consolation. Please
	advise the police to investigate her friends or anyone that was close to her at school or work. We
	never looked at Val's friends, nor did the police. Had they investigated that avenue from the
	beginning we may have found out sooner that Val had not fallen asleep with a pot on the stove, but
	that someone had been in there with her and had done such a horrible thing such as this to her.
	I just felt compelled to write to you, because the details of this were so similar to my best
	friends death some years prior.
	Well, I wish each of you continued peace and until the person that committed this senseless crime is
	captured continue to pray and lift everything up to God. He won't let this go unanswered, I know for
	myself. Be continually blessed!
	Always in His service,
	Destinee S. Means, President
	American Humanics Student Association

	6/1/04
	Dear Family and Friends of Tara Baker: It is difficult to express in words of how sorry I, a
	stranger who never knew your beloved Tara, am about your loss. I have read about her life and seen
	pictures of her from her infancy to her memorial/burial service. The day that Tara was brought into
	this world must have been a pure joy in your lives. No pun intended, but it was a bummer day for me
	because poor old President Jerry Ford had to step down as the president for peanut farmer Jimmy
	Carter that day. I remember my dad said, "Is peanut head in the white house already?", I believe
	that is what he said. No offense to any of  you. I am so sorry about this horrible tragedy. It makes
	me feel bad to read about Tara and letters about peoples' feelings about her untimely end because
	this is at her expense. Whoever did this horrible crime must be in hiding to the point of living
	like a hermit. I also hope that the killer gets caught and fried in the electric chair for this.
	Please forgive me for my feelings of vengence, but whoever killed young Tara is no better than the
	terrorists who crashed into the World Trade Center, as far as I'm concerned. Terrorism comes in all
	forms including the way in which Tara was murdered. I saw in Tara's photos of how happy and
	beautiful she looked. She was smarter than me as well. She learned how to read at age 3 years... I
	learned how to tie my shoes at the ripe old age of 6 years!  Anyway, I wish you all the comfort and
	peace possible regarding this sad situation.
 	              All my best to you all,
 	                           Dave Vosmus, Jr.

	5/28/04
	Thank you for setting up www.tarabaker.com. The information and pictures
	help bring Tara's history to life. This not only has generated interest
	that could lead to new investigative leads, it helps ACCPD detectives feel
	like others out there besides the family and the police still remember and
	care about this tragedy.
	Alan Brown
	Athens-Clarke County Police

	5/27/04
	Hello, I'm Olga Bonilla, Tara's Spanish teacher at Lovejoy High School. I just read the Clayton News
	Daily's report on the website, and wanted to visit it. This is a terrific idea, and a beautiful
	tribute to Tara. I remember her as a bright, beautiful, and so pleasant young lady. She will never
	be forgotten. I'm keeping Tara, her parents, and family in my thought and prayers. The Lord will
	take care of them.
	Warm wishes,    
	Olga M. Bonilla

	5/27/04
	Greetings,
	I have been reporting for the Athens-Banner-Herald for just under one year, arriving in Georgia well
	after Tara's murder, I have since taken a keen interest in the case and would appreciate hearing
	from anyone with potentially pertinent information. Please feel free to contact me at
	joe.johnson@onlineathens.com. All communications will be kept confidential.
	Thank You,
	Joe Johnson

	5/26/04
	Hello,
	    I saw this website and I felt compelled to write. I attended high school with Tara's sister
	Meredith. I never met Tara, but I wish I did. Meredith and I sat next to each other in Literature in
	9th grade, and I remember all of the stories she told me about her sister. She was so fond of her. I
	remember her telling me how jealous she was of Tara's perfect figure and how beautiful she was while
	showing me the picture of her she kept in her wallet. I knew she was proud of her because she showed
	this picture to many people in our class. By the way Meredith always spoke of her, Tara seemed
	nothing short of flawless.
	    I remember the day I found out about Tara's death. A friend told me the day after it happened.
	I simply did not believe it. How could somebody murder someone who was so perfect and loved? It did
	not seem natural to me. However, I later saw it myself on the news and I broke down in tears. I
	cried for Meredith and her family, I could not imagine their shock and pain.
	    When Meredith came back to school she was crying, all I could do was hug her. My heart cried
	with her, I could not stand seeing someone in so much pain who did not deserve it. However, the
	tragic events never changed Meredith. She still kept her head up and smiled and laughed with us,
	just as she had before. Just weeks after Tara's death Meredith and I were having our picture taken
	together at the mall and I told her how proud I was of her for staying so strong. I knew I would not
	be able to handle myself in the same situation with the grace she did. I recently experienced a loss
	in my family, and I tried to remember how Meredith handled hers. The memory of her strength helped
	get me through.
	    Even though Meredith had lost her sister, she still told me stories about her like the ones she
	did before she died. I remember the "That's where you live" game she told me that they used to play.
	I felt like I got to know Tara through Meredith's stories. I feel as if I know her more now through
	this website. As I read about Tara, she reminds me so much of Meredith. The giggles and smiles,
	activities and so on. Tara's legacy will live on through Meredith. I know that Tara is so proud of
	her.
	    I live in Lovejoy, so I pass by the Baker residence almost daily. Not a single time goes by
	where I don't look at their beautiful home and hope that the person who commited such a heinous,
	viscious crime to a family so undeserving of it is finally brought to justice and that the Baker
	family will finally find some peace.
	           Sincerely,
	                Jennie Bradigan Seiter

	5/25/04
	Dear Webmaster for Tara Baker:
	I dont know if you have seen the news about Patrice Endres, the missing Forsyth County woman, but we
	are not too far from where you are. Although the cases are different, I wanted to tell you that I am
	circulating your story about Tara through another website that I do for a young man named Russell
	Jordan. His story aired this past Friday night on Dateline, you may have seen it.
	I wanted to let you know that I will be following Tara's story and hoping that you all have answers
	soon. While my work is mostly with "missing person(s)", I do have sympathy for anybody who loses
	someone special. I've put Tara's link on Russell's site. I didnt post it on Patrice's site, because
	she has not been found yet, dead or alive.
	If there is anything I can do to help you all, please let me know. I have three websites that I do
	and I am pretty familiar with some of the agencies who assist families that are going through this
	type of pain. Please feel free to write me back if you like.
	Thanks,
	Jill Bennett
	www.findpatriceendres.com
	www.findcarrieculberson.com

	5/25/04
	Im truly sorry Tara died. She was beautiful.
	Jackson

	5/24/04
	I worked for Lindsey when he was at Meltons cleaners.I worked with Tara on some Saturdays, when she
	was home from school, she was always such a sweet girl. I was not able to come to her funeral, my
	daughter had been in a bad accident and was almost killed, I had to care for for her, but I felt so
	bad for Lindsey and Virginia because  I know  how much they Love all their kids.I live very close to
	Athens now, not a day goes by that I don’t think about what has happened.I hope they find whoever
	did this, so your family will find some peace. You are in my prayers,  Denise

	5/23/04
	hi,
	i went to school with meredith and i just wantd to send my prayers out to the family. and i pray to
	God that one day that person will be brought to justice. stay strong and dont ever give up looking
	for that person who did this. GOD BLESS. and please tell meredith that a prayer for her will always
	be in my heart.
	ashl ford