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Man admits to stabbing 70-year-old landlord to death

A former Antioch Township man faces up to 60 years in prison after he admitted Wednesday that he stabbed his 70-year-old landlord to death.

Jason Baker, 38, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the Feb. 4, 2010 death of David Queen.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Marykay Foy said Baker and his girlfriend, Kimberly Caldwell, 39, rented a room in Queen’s house in the 40200 block of Deep Lake Road a few weeks before Queen was killed.

On the morning of the slaying, a third renter in Queen’s house called police when he could not get into the house, but was able to see Queen’s body on the floor of the kitchen.

Baker and Caldwell were nowhere to be found, but Lake County sheriff’s police learned Caldwell had quit her job at a restaurant and told people she was moving back home to Kentucky.

Police tracked the couple to Knox County in southeastern Kentucky, where they were taken into custody the day after the murder.

Baker told police he had stabbed Queen multiple times with a large kitchen knife in an attempt to rob him.

Associate Judge George Bridges accepted Baker’s guilty plea and ordered him to return to court May 26 for a sentencing hearing.,

Caldwell has pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for leaving the state with Baker after the killing, and a sentencing hearing is pending.

She faces up to three years in prison, but would also be eligible for probation.

KIMBERLY CALDWELL IS CHARGED ON A WARRANT WITH ONE COUNT OF FELONY OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE IN THE MURDER OF DAVID QUEEN. BOND ON THE WARRANT IS 500,000. CURRENTLY IN KNOX COUNTY, KENTUCKY AWAITING EXTRADITION ALONG WITH JASON L. BAKER.