Local authorities have apprehended an alleged attempted murderer who cut off an ankle monitoring bracelet and triggered a nationwide alert Thursday afternoon.
Aaron “Garth” Baecker, 63, of Pekin, was indicted Jan. 25 by a Tazewell County grand jury for the attempted first-degree murder of his wife and aggravated domestic battery. He was released from the Tazewell County Justice Center on 10 percent of a $250,000 bond on Feb. 3.
Baecker cut off his electronic monitoring device at about 5 p.m. Thursday, said John Horan of the Tazewell County Probation Department. Authorities located the device.
The probation department quickly secured Baecker’s wife and moved her to a safe location, Horan said.
According to police reports, Baecker took the 61-year-old victim to Pekin Hospital for treatment of her wounds. Court records indicate that the victim had to have staples in her head to close injuries. The hospital notified police that it was believed the wounds were from domestic violence — not from a fall down the stairs, as hospital staff were told.
According to the bill of indictment, Baecker “performed a substantial step toward the commission of (attempted first-degree murder) in that he, with the intent to kill, struck (the victim) with a wooden stick and shoved her.”
Pekin Daily Times
