Patrick Baxter (Serial Killer)
Serial Killer and Rapist
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Westchester County, New York
TIME PERIOD
1987-1990
VICTIMS
3 confirmed
Patrick Baxter, an American serial killer and rapist, was responsible for the murders of three victims—Michelle Walker (14), Patricia England (19), and Lisa Gibbens (25)—in Westchester County, New York, between 1987 and 1990. The crimes, initially thought to be unrelated due to the victims' differing backgrounds and locations, were linked through DNA profiling, leading to Baxter's arrest in 2000 while he was incarcerated for car theft. He was subsequently convicted of the murders and sentenced to 25 years to life imprisonment, currently serving his sentence at Elmira Correctional Facility. Significant evidence included DNA recovered from the crime scenes, which was instrumental in connecting Baxter to all three cases, ultimately resolving these cold cases that had persisted for over a decade.
Investigators and the public believe that Patrick Baxter's crimes were initially thought to be unrelated due to the victims' differing backgrounds and locations. However, the use of DNA profiling eventually connected the murders, leading to speculation that Baxter may have had a specific pattern or method in choosing his victims, despite their apparent differences. There are also theories about whether Baxter may have committed additional, unlinked crimes during the same period, given the nature of his offenses and the timeline of his activities.
The Crimes of Patrick Baxter: A Westchester County Nightmare
In the quiet suburbs of Westchester County, New York, a shadow lurked between 1987 and 1990. Patrick Baxter, born on April 28, 1969, in White Plains, New York, would later be unmasked as a serial killer and rapist responsible for the deaths of two women and a teenage girl. Though his crimes initially seemed unrelated, DNA profiling in 2000 revealed the chilling truth: Baxter was the predator behind some of the county’s oldest unsolved cases. This revelation came while he was already behind bars for car theft, ultimately leading to his conviction and a sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment.
The Murders
Michelle Walker
On June 6, 1987, Michelle Walker, a 14-year-old black ninth-grader, set out from her home in Yonkers on a simple errand to buy pizza and a carton of milk. Her journey took her along a popular trail, but Michelle never returned. The next day, her lifeless body was discovered in a wooded area along the trail. Her cash and jewelry were missing, and the investigation revealed she had been sexually assaulted and suffocated. At the time, Patrick Baxter, then 18, lived in an apartment that overlooked this very trail. Although authorities wished to question him, a legal technicality prevented it; he was due in court for a separate case, and the law at the time shielded him from interrogation in Michelle’s murder.
Patricia England
On the first day of 1987, Patricia England, a 19-year-old white resident of Yonkers, disappeared after setting out to visit a friend for a birthday celebration. Her frozen body surfaced two months later in Greenburgh, close to the Yonkers border. Like Michelle, Patricia had been sexually assaulted and likely died from asphyxiation. The crime scene appeared to be elsewhere, with her body later moved. Initially, suspicion fell on Patricia’s boyfriend, but DNA evidence from a semen sample cleared him. Intriguingly, this boyfriend had worked with Baxter at an auto repair shop in Yonkers, where the two men became friends. Through this connection, Baxter learned about Patricia.
Lisa Gibbens
In search of a quieter life, Lisa Gibbens moved from Manhattan to Tuckahoe in the late 1980s. On July 17, 1990, the 25-year-old medical office receptionist was on her way to work when tragedy struck near the Crestwood train station. An assailant ripped through her clothes, sexually assaulted her, and fired a fatal shot to the back of her head with a sawed-off shotgun. Her purse and jewelry were stolen, and a bicyclist later discovered her body. The murder rattled the serene community of Tuckahoe, where such violent crimes were rare. Investigators initially considered her boyfriend and a carpenter named Douglas Steadman as suspects, but both were eventually cleared. Baxter’s sole connection to the area was through friends who frequented the Crestwood Train Station.
The Investigation and Capture
By 1990, Baxter was no stranger to the criminal justice system, having been in and out of prison for various offenses. In the mid-1990s, he was convicted of auto theft in The Bronx and sentenced to a 3-to-7-year term at the Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, with parole eligibility in 2001. As the new millennium dawned, investigators revisiting cold cases noticed Baxter’s recurring presence. Determined to test his DNA, they faced a legal battle before finally obtaining a blood sample. The results were undeniable: Baxter’s DNA matched the samples from all three murder scenes.
With this damning evidence, charges were filed, and Baxter faced trial in 2002. The court found him guilty of all three murders, sentencing him to 25 years to life for each, to be served consecutively. During sentencing, Baxter offered condolences to the victims' families but maintained his innocence, calmly denying the charges against him.
The story of Patrick Baxter serves as a chilling reminder of the power of forensic science and the relentless pursuit of justice, no matter how cold the case may be.
Sources
- "NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision"
- David W. Chen, "DNA Test Points to Suspect in 3 Unsolved Killings," The New York Times, November 15, 2000.
- Jim Fitzgerald, "Yonkers serial sex killer gets 75 years to life," The Daily Gazette, July 11, 2002.
- Marlene Aig, "Woman Found Slain in Quiet Community," The Daily Gazette, July 18, 1990.
- "Woman murdered in Westchester park," The Evening News, July 18, 1990.
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First Murder: Michelle Walker
14-year-old Michelle Walker is abducted and murdered while returning home from a store.
Second Murder: Patricia England
19-year-old Patricia England disappears on New Year's Day; her body is found two months later.
Third Murder: Lisa Gibbens
25-year-old Lisa Gibbens is attacked and murdered near Crestwood train station.
Baxter Arrested
Patrick Baxter is arrested after DNA evidence links him to the three murders while he is in prison for auto theft.
Trial Begins
Patrick Baxter's trial begins, where he is charged with the murders of the three women.
Conviction
Baxter is convicted of all three murders and sentenced to 25 years to life for each, to be served consecutively.
Patrick Baxter, an American serial killer and rapist, was responsible for the murders of three victims—Michelle Walker (14), Patricia England (19), and Lisa Gibbens (25)—in Westchester County, New York, between 1987 and 1990. The crimes, initially thought to be unrelated due to the victims' differing backgrounds and locations, were linked through DNA profiling, leading to Baxter's arrest in 2000 while he was incarcerated for car theft. He was subsequently convicted of the murders and sentenced to 25 years to life imprisonment, currently serving his sentence at Elmira Correctional Facility. Significant evidence included DNA recovered from the crime scenes, which was instrumental in connecting Baxter to all three cases, ultimately resolving these cold cases that had persisted for over a decade.
Investigators and the public believe that Patrick Baxter's crimes were initially thought to be unrelated due to the victims' differing backgrounds and locations. However, the use of DNA profiling eventually connected the murders, leading to speculation that Baxter may have had a specific pattern or method in choosing his victims, despite their apparent differences. There are also theories about whether Baxter may have committed additional, unlinked crimes during the same period, given the nature of his offenses and the timeline of his activities.
The Crimes of Patrick Baxter: A Westchester County Nightmare
In the quiet suburbs of Westchester County, New York, a shadow lurked between 1987 and 1990. Patrick Baxter, born on April 28, 1969, in White Plains, New York, would later be unmasked as a serial killer and rapist responsible for the deaths of two women and a teenage girl. Though his crimes initially seemed unrelated, DNA profiling in 2000 revealed the chilling truth: Baxter was the predator behind some of the county’s oldest unsolved cases. This revelation came while he was already behind bars for car theft, ultimately leading to his conviction and a sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment.
The Murders
Michelle Walker
On June 6, 1987, Michelle Walker, a 14-year-old black ninth-grader, set out from her home in Yonkers on a simple errand to buy pizza and a carton of milk. Her journey took her along a popular trail, but Michelle never returned. The next day, her lifeless body was discovered in a wooded area along the trail. Her cash and jewelry were missing, and the investigation revealed she had been sexually assaulted and suffocated. At the time, Patrick Baxter, then 18, lived in an apartment that overlooked this very trail. Although authorities wished to question him, a legal technicality prevented it; he was due in court for a separate case, and the law at the time shielded him from interrogation in Michelle’s murder.
Patricia England
On the first day of 1987, Patricia England, a 19-year-old white resident of Yonkers, disappeared after setting out to visit a friend for a birthday celebration. Her frozen body surfaced two months later in Greenburgh, close to the Yonkers border. Like Michelle, Patricia had been sexually assaulted and likely died from asphyxiation. The crime scene appeared to be elsewhere, with her body later moved. Initially, suspicion fell on Patricia’s boyfriend, but DNA evidence from a semen sample cleared him. Intriguingly, this boyfriend had worked with Baxter at an auto repair shop in Yonkers, where the two men became friends. Through this connection, Baxter learned about Patricia.
Lisa Gibbens
In search of a quieter life, Lisa Gibbens moved from Manhattan to Tuckahoe in the late 1980s. On July 17, 1990, the 25-year-old medical office receptionist was on her way to work when tragedy struck near the Crestwood train station. An assailant ripped through her clothes, sexually assaulted her, and fired a fatal shot to the back of her head with a sawed-off shotgun. Her purse and jewelry were stolen, and a bicyclist later discovered her body. The murder rattled the serene community of Tuckahoe, where such violent crimes were rare. Investigators initially considered her boyfriend and a carpenter named Douglas Steadman as suspects, but both were eventually cleared. Baxter’s sole connection to the area was through friends who frequented the Crestwood Train Station.
The Investigation and Capture
By 1990, Baxter was no stranger to the criminal justice system, having been in and out of prison for various offenses. In the mid-1990s, he was convicted of auto theft in The Bronx and sentenced to a 3-to-7-year term at the Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, with parole eligibility in 2001. As the new millennium dawned, investigators revisiting cold cases noticed Baxter’s recurring presence. Determined to test his DNA, they faced a legal battle before finally obtaining a blood sample. The results were undeniable: Baxter’s DNA matched the samples from all three murder scenes.
With this damning evidence, charges were filed, and Baxter faced trial in 2002. The court found him guilty of all three murders, sentencing him to 25 years to life for each, to be served consecutively. During sentencing, Baxter offered condolences to the victims' families but maintained his innocence, calmly denying the charges against him.
The story of Patrick Baxter serves as a chilling reminder of the power of forensic science and the relentless pursuit of justice, no matter how cold the case may be.
Sources
- "NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision"
- David W. Chen, "DNA Test Points to Suspect in 3 Unsolved Killings," The New York Times, November 15, 2000.
- Jim Fitzgerald, "Yonkers serial sex killer gets 75 years to life," The Daily Gazette, July 11, 2002.
- Marlene Aig, "Woman Found Slain in Quiet Community," The Daily Gazette, July 18, 1990.
- "Woman murdered in Westchester park," The Evening News, July 18, 1990.
No Recent News
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No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
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First Murder: Michelle Walker
14-year-old Michelle Walker is abducted and murdered while returning home from a store.
Second Murder: Patricia England
19-year-old Patricia England disappears on New Year's Day; her body is found two months later.
Third Murder: Lisa Gibbens
25-year-old Lisa Gibbens is attacked and murdered near Crestwood train station.
Baxter Arrested
Patrick Baxter is arrested after DNA evidence links him to the three murders while he is in prison for auto theft.
Trial Begins
Patrick Baxter's trial begins, where he is charged with the murders of the three women.
Conviction
Baxter is convicted of all three murders and sentenced to 25 years to life for each, to be served consecutively.