Murder Victim’s Mother Speaks Out

| November 16, 2017

FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — The mother of a Franklin woman who was brutally murdered last month is speaking out about how her daughter was portrayed during Monday’s preliminary hearing at the Venango County Courthouse.

The body of Tausha Baker, 25, was found beaten and burned off a dirt road in a wooded area outside of Franklin on Friday, October 27.

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Law enforcement officials filed charges, including homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and abuse of a corpse, against Richard A. Kennedy, 28, of Vandergrift, in relation to the crime. Amanda L. Cypher, 32, of Franklin, is facing charges that include conspiracy to commit homicide and abuse of a corpse.

Police believe Baker’s body was disposed of in the wooded area after she was beaten to death at a New Street home.

Tausha Baker Murder Scene

Monday, District Judge Matthew Kirtland ordered that the charges be held for court against both defendants.

Several area residents testified at Monday’s preliminary hearing that the murder was the result of Kennedy and Cypher being upset that Baker had sold them $200 worth of methamphetamine instead of crack cocaine and wanting their money back.

But Evelyn Davison, Tausha’s mother, told exploreVenango.com she believes her ex-husband, Doug Baker, who is Tausha’s father, should face charges in the case.

“It makes me so mad to hear what him and the others were saying (at the hearing),” Davison said. “He should be charged, too.”

(Read Testimony from Monday’s Hearing)

Davison and Doug Baker were married for about five years in the 1990s before being divorced in 1996.

A friend of Tausha’s, Ben Kachik, who has lived in the Franklin and Oil City areas, said he was on a Facebook video chat with Tausha early on the morning she died.

“She said she had a huge fight with her father,” Kachik said. “She didn’t look happy. The chat ended abruptly and that was the last time I ever talked to her.”

Davison also pointed to what she perceives as a lack of emotion from Baker.

“He had no tears, he had no remorse,” Davison said. “He ran her down.”

“She was really upset. She couldn’t understand why he was saying (those things) to her,” Davison said. “I told her to get out of there. The police were called there and Officer Gindhart gave her contact information for a shelter.”

“The police are not done investigating.”

Davison said it took “everything she had” to be at Monday’s preliminary hearing.

“I can’t continue to be at these hearings and hear what they did to my daughter,” Davison said. “It took all I had to be at the hearing. I’m a loving mother and I took care of the kids.”

“I’m just glad she doesn’t have to be tortured anymore. She doesn’t have to suffer any more abuse,” Davison said. “It’s so horrible for that to happen to such a beautiful person.”

“Nobody deserves that,” Davison said.

Davison alluded to the abuse Tausha received at the hands of a man she had a previous relationship with, Steven Mendez, and an alleged assault she suffered at a strip club in Clarion Township earlier this year.

Tausha Baker was identified in a criminal complaint filed by Clarion-based State Police as being the victim of an alleged knifing by Quanshay McEachin at the Sugar Shack on June 3.

McEachin faced aggravated assault and simple assault charges, but those were dismissed on November 6 – just ten days after Baker was found dead. According to Clarion County District Attorney Mark Aaron, the charges were dropped because Baker is no longer alive to testify in the matter.

Franklin Police Department Detective Kevin Saragian said there is no known connection between the alleged incident at the Sugar Shack and Baker’s death.

“We are investigating (Baker’s death), but I can’t comment on other suspects due to it being an ongoing investigation,” Saragian said.

Saragian said he wasn’t sure if more charges would be filed, but that “it depended on how the investigation turns out.”

Tausha Baker Dump Site

Saragian credited the collaboration between Franklin police and Franklin-based State Police for the quick apprehension and arrests of both Kennedy and Cypher.

“Both (departments) working together made it possible for things being put together so quickly,” Saragian said.

Tausha Baker was also a victim of abuse at the hands of Mendez, during a 2015 domestic violence incident.

Mendez is currently serving up to five years in state prison for a 2016 burglary conviction in Venango County.

Doug Baker could not be reached for comment.

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