City man convicted of murder
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on February 3, 2008 2:25 AM
A man charged in the 2006 murder of a Mount Olive man was arrested in New Jersey and was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder in Goldsboro, authorities said.
Basher Elijah Baker was convicted of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and second-degree murder of Octavious Manley, Investigator Dave Cloutier said.
Baker and his victim had "some interaction" in the 600 block of Wilmington Avenue in Goldsboro in February 2006, the investigator said.
Manley was shot, and Investigator Mike Horstmann started looking into the case, which led to warrants against Baker, Cloutier said.
Before Goldsboro police could serve the warrants, Baker fled the state.
Police did not catch up with him until recently, when Baker was arrested on unrelated drug charges in Elizabeth, N.J., authorities said.
Elizabeth police held Baker until he could be extradited back to Goldsboro, and he was convicted in a three-day trial that ended Thursday, Cloutier said.
Baker will spend a minimum of 17 years in prison for the conviction if he serves the entire sentence, Cloutier said.
Attorney Glen Barfield was at a seminar and not available for comment on Friday, his secretary said.
There is no word yet on whether Baker will appeal.