Vernon Hill Suspect Warned “It's Over”

State's attorney releases details of crime

Daniel Baker, the man accused of killing his girlfriend's mother, was denied bond in court today.

Baker was arrested in Montana this week with Kristina Aksman after they were caught speeding. Baker returned to Illinois today and arrived at the court house Friday afternoon dressed in blue jeans and a striped, buttoned-down shirt.

He beat Marina Aksman, 50, to death with a baseball bat because she was trying to end the couple's relationship, Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller said.  

Waller said Baker was irate after Aksman, 50, showed up at his parent’s Deerfield home at 2 a.m. last week and demanded that her daughter come home, Waller said.  The two exchanged heated words.

"She conveyed to him that she didn't want them together when she left with Kristina from Deerfield," Waller said. "He became irate because of it."

Within an hour, Waller said he left a message on the family voicemail.

"Marina you ruined everything, now there is going to big trouble, I mean big trouble. Now it’s over, you don’t mess with Daniel Baker, " the message said.

He returned to the Aksman's Vernon Hills home with a baseball bat and crashed into the front porch, Waller said.

Marina and Kristina were either awake at the time or awakened by the glass breaking.  Kristina told detectives that she walked in during part of the beating.  

"Kristina was there at the time and witnessed at least part of the attack," Waller said. "We believe she knew what happened in a sense, but her capacity to understand what was taking place is seriously diminished. We don't believe she understood what was taking place when it was taking place."

Baker admitted in his video taped confession that he knows CPR but couldn’t give it to Marina because he couldn’t find her mouth. 

The couple then left the home in Kristina's mother's car before they were arrested in rural Montana Monday. 

Baker’s attorney, Ed Gensen, says that his client is not guilty and that he was in a loving relationship with his girlfriend  and only confessed after 8 hours of interrogation.  

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